Embargo

Noun

Definition: An official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country.

Synonyms: Ban, Prohibition, Sanction

Antonyms: Allowance, Permission

Examples:

The government imposed an embargo on imports from that country.
The embargo severely impacted the country's economy.

Mnemonics:

Think of "M-bar-go" where the "M" represents "missing" trade or commercial activity due to the embargo.
Imagine a ship trying to pass through a blocked or forbidden passage, symbolizing the embargo.

Etymology:

Origin:

The word "embargo" originated in Spanish, derived from the Spanish word "embargar" meaning "to impede or restrain."

Historical Usage:

The concept of embargoes has been used throughout history, often as a political tool used by governments to exert economic pressure on other countries. Notable historical examples include the U.S. embargo on Cuba in 1960 and the United Nations' arms embargo on South Africa during apartheid.

Related Idioms:

Idiom:

"Embargo lifted"

Explanation:

Refers to the end of an embargo, allowing trade or commercial activity to resume.

Misconceptions:

Misconception:

Using "embargo" interchangeably with "boycott."

Explanation:

While both terms involve restrictions in trade, an embargo specifically refers to an official ban imposed by a government, whereas a boycott refers to a voluntary abstention from buying or using goods or services as a form of protest.