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entorpecer

to hinder

verb en-tor-peh-SEHR Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Manner

Origin: From torpe (clumsy, slow) + the prefix en- and verbal suffix.

Also means

to slow down

Usage Note

Entorpecer means to obstruct or impede progress, making something slow or clumsy (entorpecer el tráfico = to impede traffic, entorpecer una investigación = to obstruct an investigation). It is a -cer verb and takes a spelling change to -zco in the first-person singular present (entorpezco). The root adjective torpe means clumsy or dim.

Examples

"El accidente entorpeció el tráfico durante horas."

Natural Translation

The accident hindered traffic for hours.

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