entrave

obstacle

noun ahn-TRAV Rare

Origin: from entraver (to shackle), from en- + trave (beam/bar)

Also means

shackle

Usage Note

Entrave originally described a hobble or shackle placed on a horse's legs, and this concrete sense is still used in equestrian contexts. In modern French it is predominantly figurative: sans entrave (unimpeded) and lever les entraves (to remove obstacles) are common expressions in politics, economics, and personal development writing. The verb entraver means to hamper or obstruct.

Examples

"Ces lois constituent une entrave à la liberté d'expression."

Natural Translation

These laws constitute an obstacle to freedom of expression.

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