entraver

to hinder, to impede

verb ahn-trah-VEH Rare

Origin: From Old French entraver, from en- + trave (shackle, hobble), from Latin trabs (beam)

Also means

to shackle (an animal)

Usage Note

Entraver means to obstruct or block progress — entraver la liberté, entraver les négociations. Its original concrete sense of hobbling an animal (fastening entraves, leg shackles) is still used in equestrian contexts. The noun entrave (shackle; obstacle) is common in both senses and is worth learning alongside the verb.

Examples

"La bureaucratie entrave souvent les petites entreprises."

Natural Translation

Bureaucracy often hinders small businesses.

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