Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Obstacle

Ob′sta-cle

,
Noun.
[F., fr. L.
obstaculum
, fr.
obstare
to withstand, oppose;
ob
(see
Ob-
) +
stare
to stand. See
Stand
. and cf.
Oust
,
Verb.
]
That which stands in the way, or opposes; anything that hinders progress; a hindrance; an obstruction, physical or moral.
If all
obstacles
were cut away.
And that my path were even to the crown.
Shakespeare
Syn. – Impediment; obstuction; hindrance; difficulty. See
Impediment
, and
Obstruction
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Obstacle

OB'STACLE

,
Noun.
[L. obsto, to withstand; ob and sto.]
That which opposes; any thing that stands in the way and hinders progress; hinderance; obstruction, either in a physical or moral sense. An army may meet with obstacles on its march; bad roads are obstacles to traveling; prejudice is an obstacle to improvement; want of union is often an insuperable obstacle to beneficial measures.

Definition 2024


obstacle

obstacle

English

Noun

obstacle (plural obstacles)

  1. Something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress
    A big obstacle to understanding the manual was that it had been poorly translated from the Japanese.

Synonyms

Translations


Catalan

Noun

obstacle m (plural obstacles)

  1. obstacle

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin obstaculum, from obstō

Pronunciation

Noun

obstacle m (plural obstacles)

  1. obstacle