blockade

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 the action of surrounding or closing a place, especially a port, in order to stop people or goods from coming in or out: a naval blockade * to impose / lift a blockade * an economic blockade (= stopping goods from entering or leaving a country) * blockades of roads by truck drivers protesting over pay 2 a barrier that stops people or vehicles from entering or leaving a place: The police set up blockades on highways leading out of the city. verb [VN] to surround a place, especially a port, in order to stop people or goods from coming in or out: All the ports had been blockaded. * Employees blockaded the entrance to the offices.