| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | preoccupation |
| Synonyms: | block, difficulty, dilemma, disturbance, impasse, inhibition, obsession, predicament, problem, reserve, restraint, thing |
| Main Entry: | bog down |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stick; become stuck |
| Synonyms: | decelerate, delay, detain, halt, hang up, impede, retard, set back, sink, slacken, slow down, slow up, stall |
| Main Entry: | detain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hold, keep back; arrest |
| Synonyms: | apprehend, bog down, bust, buttonhole, check, confine, constrain, decelerate, delay, hang up, hinder, hold up, ice*, impede, inhibit, intern, jail, mire, nab, pick up, pinch*, pull in, put away, reserve, restrain, retard, run in, send up, set back, slow down, slow up, withhold |
| Antonyms: | free, let go, liberate, release |
| Main Entry: | embarrass |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause mental discomfort |
| Synonyms: | abash, agitate, annoy, bewilder, bother, bug, catch one short, chagrin, confuse, discombobulate, discomfit, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, distract, distress, disturb, dumbfound, faze, fluster, give a bad time, give a hard time, hang up, irk, let down*, make a monkey of, mortify, nonplus, perplex, perturb, plague, put in a hole, put in a spot, put on the spot, put out of countenance, puzzle, rattle, shame, show up, stun, tease, throw, throw into a tizzy, upset |
| Antonyms: | comfort, gladden, help, please |
| Main Entry: | encumber |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | bother, burden |
| Synonyms: | block, charge, clog, cramp, discommode, embarrass, hamper, handicap, hang up, hinder, hog-tie, hold up, impede, incommode, inconvenience, lade, load, make difficult, obstruct, oppress, overburden, overload, retard, saddle, saddle with, slow down, tax, trammel, weigh down, weight |
| Antonyms: | aid, assist, help |
| Main Entry: | fetter |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | tie up, hold |
| Synonyms: | bind, chain, check, clog, confine, cuff, curb, drag feet, encumber, hamper, hamstring, handcuff, hang up, hinder, hobble, hog-tie, hold captive, leash, manacle, put straitjacket on, repress, restrain, restrict, shackle, throw monkey wrench in, trammel |
| Notes: | a manacle (handcuff shackle) comes from Latin manus 'hand'; the ankle counterpart is fetter |
| Antonyms: | free, let go, loose, loosen, release |
| Main Entry: | foil |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | circumvent, nip in the bud |
| Synonyms: | baffle, balk, beat, bilk, bollix, buffalo, check, checkmate, counter, crab, cramp, crimp, curb, dash, defeat, disappoint, disconcert, ditch, dodge, duck, elude, faze, foul up, frustrate, get around, give the run-around, give the slip, hang up, hinder, juke, nullify, outwit, prevent, rattle, restrain, run circles around, run rings around, shake, shake off, shuffle off, skip, stop, stymie, throw monkey wrench in, thwart, upset the apple cart |
| Notes: | a fencing sword with a bowl-shaped guard and flexible blade is an épée; the one with a circular guard is a foil |
| Antonyms: | abet, aid, assist, help |
| Main Entry: | frustrate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | thwart, disappoint |
| Synonyms: | annul, arrest, baffle, balk, bar, beat, block, cancel, check, circumvent, confront, conquer, counter, counteract, cramp, cramp one's style, crimp, dash, dash one's hope, defeat, depress, discourage, dishearten, foil, forbid, forestall, foul up, give the run around, halt, hang up, hinder, hold up, impede, inhibit, lick, negate, neutralize, nullify, obstruct, obviate, outwit, overcome, preclude, prevent, prohibit, render null and void, ruin, stump, stymie*, upset the applecart |
| Antonyms: | aid, assist, cooperate, encourage, facilitate, help, support |
| Main Entry: | hamper |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | impede, restrict |
| Synonyms: | baffle, balk, bar, bind, block, check, clog, cramp, cramp one's style, cumber, curb, drag one's feet, embarrass, encumber, entangle, fetter, foil, frustrate, get in the way, hamstring, handicap, hang up, hinder, hobble, hog-tie, hold up, inconvenience, inhibit, interfere with, leash, obstruct, prevent, restrain, retard, shackle, slow down, stymie, thwart, tie, tie one's hands, tie up, trammel |
| Antonyms: | aid, allow, assist, encourage, expedite, help, permit, promote |