clog
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to block a pipe, road, or opening so that nothing can get through.
v.to obstruct or hinder passage through a channel, pipe, or opening, often by an accumulation of material.
Simple“Hair and soap can easily clog the shower drain if you are not careful.”
In context“The narrow arterial roads were quickly clogged by heavy snow, bringing the city's entire transport network to a standstill within hours.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
v.to make it difficult for someone to move or act by giving them too much to carry or do.
v.to encumber or hamper movement or progress; to load with something that impedes efficiency.
Simple“The new rules clog the system and make it harder for small businesses.”
In context“The legal proceedings were clogged by endless bureaucratic delays, preventing the plaintiff from reaching a resolution for several years.”
Antonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to prevent a borrower from getting their property back after paying a debt.
v.to enforce a lender's right that prevents a borrower from exercising their equitable right to redeem a mortgage.
Simple“The court ruled that the contract was an illegal clog on the borrower's rights.”
In context“The judge determined that the option to purchase the property constituted a clog on the equity of redemption and was therefore void.”
UsageUsually appears in the phrase 'clog on the equity of redemption'.
Synonymsrestrictfetter - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something that blocks a pipe or a tube.
n.a physical obstruction or accumulation of material that prevents flow.
Simple“The plumber had to use a special tool to remove a stubborn clog in the pipes.”
In context“A significant clog in the cooling system caused the engine to overheat during the long journey across the desert.”
Synonyms - 05 B1 Intermediate
n.a shoe made entirely or mostly of wood.
n.a type of footwear with a thick, typically wooden sole, often associated with traditional European folk dress.
Simple“In the souvenir shop, they sold tiny painted clogs from the Netherlands.”
In context“The rhythmic sound of wooden clogs on the cobblestone streets echoed through the village during the traditional festival.”
Synonymssabat
“Other retail reviews detailed similar pump issues – the component clogs easily and it’s difficult to get to the product at the bottom of the bottle.”
“Granted, its window closed before the new campaign gets under way and they didn’t have a World Cup clogging up the summer this year.”
Unknown; perhaps from Middle English clog (“weight attached to the leg of an animal to impede movement”). Perhaps of North Germanic origin and derived from Proto-Germanic *klumpô (“lump, mass, clasp”); compare Old Norse klugu, klogo (“knotty tree log”), Dutch klomp.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.