A barrier or obstruction placed across a road to stop vehicles, or any obstacle that prevents progress toward a goal.
Compound of 'road' (Old English 'rad', meaning journey) and 'block' (from Dutch 'blok'). The term emerged in the early 20th century during military contexts, then expanded metaphorically to mean any hindrance.
During World War II, roadblocks became crucial military tactics, but the word's metaphorical use became even more powerful—today we talk about 'emotional roadblocks' and 'career roadblocks' using the same image of something you can't drive past.
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