inhibit
/ɪnˈhɪbɪt
/verb (inhibits, inhibiting, inhibited)
1 [with object] Hinder, restrain, or prevent (an action or process): cold inhibits plant growth...
- Public provision of social security assistance could become less important if governments remove policies inhibiting innovation or restraining growth.
- The size and weight of early equipment, as well as technical difficulties and financial restraints, inhibited the development of radio communications between the wars.
- Tight ‘influx’ controls were designed to check urban growth and inhibit the development of a black urban working class.
Synonyms
impede, hinder, hamper, hold back, discourage, interfere with, obstruct, put a brake on, slow, slow down, retard;
curb, check, suppress, repress, restrict, restrain, constrain, bridle, rein in, shackle, fetter, cramp, baulk, frustrate, arrest, stifle, smother, prevent, block, thwart, foil, quash, stop, halt, put an end/stop to, nip in the bud
1.1chiefly Physiology & Biochemistry (Of a substance) slow down or prevent (a process, reaction, or function) or reduce the activity of (an enzyme or other agent).Unlike liquid extracted from other varieties of citrus, grapefruit juice can inhibit enzyme reactions in the gut....
- If the restriction enzyme activities were inhibited, the DNA fragment would not be cleaved and should be seen in its original size on the gel.
- Finally inclusion of EDTA in the reaction mixture inhibited the binding reaction suggesting that the divalent cations are essential for this binding activity.
2Make (someone) self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and natural way: they felt inhibited by the presence of healthcare professionals...
- Nor can you allow his prior experience to inhibit you, since it does not put you at a disadvantage in any way that really matters.
- That one looked like he would like very much to be drunk, but obviously he was inhibited by the presence of his superior officer.
- You could dress it in superhero costumes, fantasize scenarios in which it pulls off epic feats, and use it to help you escape the imaginary constraints that have been inhibiting you lately.
3(In ecclesiastical law) forbid (a member of the clergy) to exercise clerical functions.
Derivatives
inhibitive
- In Canada and in America, if you get caught dumping toxic waste in a river, or you clear-cut an area you weren't supposed to clear-cut, you're often fined, but the fine isn't necessarily all that inhibitive.
- Scientists also found that it continued to have its inhibitive effect for a week, whereas black tea's enzyme-inhibiting properties lasted for only one day.
- I have always found closed stacks to be inhibitive of my learning process.
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense 'forbid (a person) to do something'): from Latin inhibere 'hinder', from in- 'in' + habere 'hold'.