What does "embargo" mean?
Embargo: 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. Note: If the embargo is laid on an enemy's ships, it is called a hostile embargo; if on the ships belonging to citizens of the embargoing state, it is called a civil embargo.
Additional senses
- 2.To lay an embargo on and thus detain; to prohibit from leaving port; -- said of ships, also of commerce and goods.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00