inhibit
Formsinhibits, inhibiting, inhibited
- 1To hold something back or stop it from happening fully.
Like a brake that slows a car down before it can go too fast.
Fear can inhibit a person's ability to speak clearly.
Cold weather inhibits the growth of many plants.
Similarrestrain, hinder, prevent, hamper, impede
Oppositeencourage, promote, stimulate, foster
Note
- 2To order a judge or official to stop dealing with a case.
Like a referee telling a player to leave the game so someone else can take over.
The higher court moved to inhibit the judge from hearing the case.
New complaints led officials to inhibit the magistrate from ruling further.
Similarsuspend, bar, forbid, prohibit, recuse
Note
Practice
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Origin
From Latin inhibeō, meaning to hold in or restrain. It comes from in (in, on) plus habeō (to have or hold).