Block (Verb)
Meaning 1
Run on a block system; "block trains".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The railway company decided to block some of the tracks during the off-peak hours to perform maintenance tasks.
- The new signalling system would allow trains to block an entire section of the track as they travel through it.
- In order to improve efficiency, the rail network started to block long stretches of track for specific trains.
- A new upgrade to the railway system will allow certain trains to block sections of the track without affecting other services.
- To avoid congestion, the rail line would block a certain section to a particular type of freight train during rush hour.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Interrupt the normal function of by means of anesthesia; "block a nerve"; "block a muscle".
Classification
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling.
Examples
- To block the pain, the doctor administered local anesthesia to the affected area of the patient's skin.
- The anesthesiologist had to block a nerve in the patient's leg to prevent any discomfort during the surgery.
- The dentist decided to block a muscle in the jaw to numb the area before the procedure.
- The local anesthetic was used to block the transmission of pain signals from the wound to the brain.
- By blocking the nerve signals, the doctor was able to control the patient's muscle spasms.
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Meaning 3
Obstruct; "My nose is all stuffed"; "Her arteries are blocked".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The protesters began to block the road to draw attention to their cause.
- Excessive mucus started to block her airway, making it hard to breathe.
- Years of high cholesterol had block her arteries, putting her at risk for a heart attack.
- Her sinuses were blocked, causing her head to ache and her senses to dull.
- A tree branch had fallen and blocked the stream, creating a small waterfall.
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Meaning 4
Shape by using a block; "Block a hat"; "block a garment".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- Use a block to shape the seams of this intricate garment.
- The milliner blocked the hat frame with steam to give it a stable shape.
- She carefully shaped the felt hat by blocking it on a wooden hat block.
- First block the sleeves on a specialized block to achieve a smooth shape.
- To block a lace coat means to wet and pin it to dry in its intended shape.
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Meaning 5
Shape into a block or blocks; "block the graphs so one can see the results clearly".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- Block the graphs into separate sections to make the data more understandable.
- Block the sentences into paragraphs for easier reading comprehension.
- She blocked the paragraphs to prevent overlapping in the text editor.
- The artist decided to block the clay into the required shapes for further refinement.
- Block the code into functional sections for better organization and reusability.
Hypernyms
Meaning 6
Stamp or emboss a title or design on a book with a block; "block the book cover".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The artisan carefully block the gold title onto the leather book cover with a heated metal stamp.
- To complete the handmade journal, the artist had to block the intricate design onto the front cover.
- Using a technique passed down from her ancestors, the craftswoman spent hours block the delicate pattern onto the silk fabric.
- After designing the logo, the publisher's team helped block the image onto the book's hardcover.
- The task required great skill and patience as the bookmaker block the logo and title onto the century-old manuscript.
Hypernyms
Meaning 7
Impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball); "block an attack".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
Examples
- The defense successfully blocked the opponent's attack and launched a counteroffensive.
- The goalkeeper expertly blocked the penalty kick, securing a crucial win for her team.
- The linebacker blocked the running back, bringing him to the ground for a loss.
- A defender tried to block the striker's shot, but the ball sailed over her head.
- The rugby player blocked his opponent's tackle, creating an opening to score a try.
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Meaning 8
Stop from happening or developing; "Block his election"; "Halt the process".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The government tried to block the company's plans to build a new factory in the area.
- Environmentalists are working to block the construction of the dam to protect the local wildlife.
- The new policy aims to block the spread of misinformation on social media.
- We need to block the unnecessary expenses to reduce our budget deficit.
- Her rival will stop at nothing to block her from becoming the CEO of the company.
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Meaning 9
Interfere with or prevent the reception of signals; "Jam the Voice of America"; "block the signals emitted by this station".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The hackers attempted to block the radio signals transmitted by the government.
- A nearby construction site can block the GPS signal to your smartphone.
- The mountains will block satellite signals in emergency situations.
- The thick walls of the building often block the mobile phone signals inside.
- A device designed to block television signals can be a useful tool for controlling children's viewing habits.
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Meaning 10
Prohibit the conversion or use of (assets); "Blocked funds"; "Freeze the assets of this hostile government".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The authorities decided to block the transfer of assets to prevent money laundering.
- The court order will block the company from using its frozen funds until the investigation is complete.
- The government has blocked all transactions related to the suspect's assets to prevent further financial crimes.
- As a result of the economic sanctions, the country's foreign assets have been blocked by the regulatory authority.
- The trustee will block the inheritance until the beneficiary meets the required conditions as stated in the will.
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Hypernyms
Meaning 11
Hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of; "His brother blocked him at every turn".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The high wall blocked the workers' access to the building site.
- Her lack of confidence blocked her from speaking up in class.
- The manager's attitude blocked the team from making important decisions.
- Traffic congestion blocked the emergency vehicle's path to the hospital.
- The strict rules blocked the artist's ability to express herself freely.
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Meaning 12
Shut out from view or get in the way so as to hide from sight; "The thick curtain blocked the action on the stage"; "The trees obstruct my view of the mountains".
Classification
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling.
Examples
- The big truck blocked the view of the accident scene across the street.
- The walls of the skyscrapers block the sunlight from reaching the small shops at street level.
- A fallen tree branch blocked my view of the entire baseball field.
- The mountains in the distance block the direct route, forcing us to make a detour.
- The large pillars in the auditorium block a significant portion of the stage for some seats.
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Meaning 13
Block passage through; "obstruct the path".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- Traffic was brought to a standstill when a car crash blocked the highway.
- Protesters gathered in the streets to block access to the city hall.
- Debris from the landslide blocked the river, causing flooding in nearby villages.
- A fallen tree branch blocked the lane, making it impassable to cyclists.
- The thick fog blocked visibility, forcing planes to delay their takeoff.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
- Dam
- Stop
- Foul
- Stifle
- Clog Up
- Block Out
- Dam Up
- Barricado
- Asphyxiate
- Bar
- Congest
- Land Up
- Choke
- Earth Up
- Back Up
- Barricade
- Blockade
- Block
- Suffocate
- Choke Off
- Block Off
- Tie Up
- Screen
- Clog
Related Words
Meaning 14
Support, secure, or raise with a block; "block a plate for printing"; "block the wheels of a car".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The carpenter used wooden blocks to raise the floor and create more storage space underneath.
- During the parade, police officers were deployed to block off certain roads to ensure participant safety.
- She carefully positioned the block of granite under the jack to hold the car steady for repairs.
- Engineers were asked to block the wheels of the buses to prevent any unexpected movement while they fixed the brakes.
- To start the exercise, bend your knees and block the movement with your free leg to maintain balance.
Hypernyms
Meaning 15
Render unsuitable for passage; "block the way"; "barricade the streets"; "stop the busy road".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- Heavy snowfall will block the mountain pass for at least a week.
- A group of protesters attempted to block the highway to draw attention to their cause.
- The fallen tree branches block the narrow country road, making it impassable.
- Construction work has started on the site, which will block the entrance to the building.
- Icebergs can block the shipping lanes, posing a significant threat to navigation.
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Meaning 16
Be unable to remember; "I'm drawing a blank"; "You are blocking the name of your first wife!".
Classification
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting.
Examples
- I'm trying to think of the word, but it's blocking and I just can't recall it.
- She blocked on the actor's face but couldn't remember his name.
- I'm blocking it right now, but I'll never forgive him for cheating on me.
- My psychiatrist thinks some traumatic experience might be blocking my ability to learn my biological mother's name.
- For some reason, the title of that song keeps blocking and I just can't sing it.