An archaic or dialectal term meaning to bar, block, or obstruct access to something.
From em- (in, intensifying) + bar (barrier, obstruction), creating an emphatic form of 'bar' used in Middle English and earlier dialects.
This word largely disappeared from English because it was redundant with 'bar,' but similar 'intensifying em-' verbs like 'embark' survived by becoming associated with specific meanings that made them distinct and valuable.
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