1. A government order prohibiting the movement of merchant ships into or out of its ports.
2. A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation.
3. A prohibition; a ban: an embargo on criticism.
4. to impose an embargo on.

1. an order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port.
2. A ban on trade with another country.
3. A temporary ban on making certain information public.
4. to impose an embargo on trading certain goods with another country.
5. to impose an embargo on a document.

1. an edict or order of the government prohibiting the departure of ships of commerce from some or all of the ports within its dominions; a prohibition to sail.
2. to lay an embargo on and thus detain; to prohibit from leaving port; -- said of ships, also of commerce and goods.

1. to lay an embargo upon; restrain the movement or voluntary use of, as ships or property, especially as an act of sovereignty or of public policy; make a seizure or arrestment of. see embargo, n.
2. A stoppage or seizure of ships or merchandise by sovereign authority; specifically, a restraint or prohibition imposed by the authorities of a country on merchant vessels, or other ships, to prevent their leaving its ports, and sometimes amounting to an interdiction of commercial intercourse either with a particular country or with all countries.
3. hence A restraint or hindrance imposed on anything: as, to lay an embargo on free speech.

1. prevent commerce
2. a government order imposing a trade barrier
3. ban the publication of (documents), as for security or copyright reasons