entravé

Entravé is the past participle of the French verb entraver, used as an adjective to describe something that has been hindered, impeded, or obstructed. It can refer to physical obstruction, such as a passage or movement that is blocked, as well as to figurative hindrance, such as processes, plans, or freedoms that are slowed or prevented by constraints or conflicts.

Etymology and usage context: The word originates from the prefix en- meaning in or into, combined with traver, a root connected to crossing or piercing obstacles. In modern French, entravé typically appears in formal or technical language, but it is also common in literary and journalistic prose when describing impediments that limit action or progress.

Usage notes: Entravé tends to emphasize the presence of an impediment that hampers progress rather than a complete blockage. It is frequently used with physical nouns (parcours entravé, circulation entravée) and with abstract nouns (un projet entravé, une investigation entravée by bureaucratic hurdles). In contrast, synonyms like obstrué suggest a more complete blockage, while freiné implies slowing rather than an outright hindrance.

Examples: Des travaux sur la route ont entravé la circulation, provoquant des retards. Le développement du projet est entravé par des contraintes budgétaires. Une liberté entravée peut résulter d’un cadre réglementaire strict.

See also: entraver, obstacle, obstruction, freinage, entrave (the noun for hindrance or obstacle).

In sum, entravé designates something hindered or impeded, with usage spanning physical impediments and figurative constraints in both everyday and specialized discourse.