From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishblockadeblock‧ade1 /blɒˈkeɪd $ blɑː-/ noun [countable] 1 PM[usually singular] the surrounding of an area by soldiers or ships to stop people or supplies entering or leaving a naval blockade They’ve imposed an economic blockade on the country. an agreement to lift the blockade (=end it)2 something that is used to stop vehicles or people entering or leaving a place Angry farmers used tractors as blockades on the streets.
Examples from the Corpus
blockade• Lincoln, in turn, ordered a blockade of Southern ports.• Beta blockade should also be considered in the high-risk patients.• In Los Angeles our supporters outnumbered Operation Rescue demonstrators three to one and kept a planned clinic blockade from even getting started.• The generals and admirals said they had always been against the blockade as being too weak and now they wanted immediate action.• On Aug. 23 the appeal court upheld Kelly's original injunction against the blockades.• But if the blockade continues it's going to start costing big money.• Some left after only a fortnight and, as time went by, it became increasingly hard to maintain the blockade.• Getting food supplies through the blockade is almost impossible.• Tbilisi's airport was reopened, putting an end to the transportation blockade of the city.blockadeblockade2 verb [transitive] PMto put a place under a blockade The ships blockaded the port.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
blockade• In the southern state of Tabasco, farmers blockaded 60 oil wells in February to demand compensation from Pemex.• Shipping lines have been avoiding the southern ports in fear of having their vessels blockaded.• By this time the Soviets had forced a crisis by blockading Berlin, and fears of war mounted.• Then, ports and Belfast International Airport were blockaded for days.• They came up with a plot to blockade fuel supplies at depots starting at the weekend.• They might also attempt to blockade roads to Dalmatian coast resorts.• A US fleet blockaded the port of Veracruz.• Ships blockaded the port.• In June 1948 the Russians blockaded the western sectors of Berlin.From Longman Business Dictionaryblockadeblock‧ade1 /blɒˈkeɪdblɑː-/ noun [countable]1the surrounding of a country or an area during a war in order to stop goods from entering or leavingOn Oct. 3rd the Yugoslav navy began a blockade of seven Croatian ports.2COMMERCE a refusal to trade with a country or statean economic blockade of Cuba by the USA3the blocking of a place such as a port to stop people or goods from entering or leaving, done as a protest against somethingDrivers of Italian heavy goods vehicles began a blockade of customs posts at the border with Austria, causing traffic chaos.blockadeblockade2 verb [transitive] to surround a place and prevent goods from entering or leaving, either during a war or as a protestthe use of warships to blockade Iraq and enforce UN Security Council sanctions→ See Verb tableOrigin blockade1 (1600-1700) → BLOCK1 + French -ade “action of” 