anti-blocking
|an-ti-block-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈæntiˌblɑkɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈæntiˌblɒkɪŋ/
preventing blockage
Etymology
'anti-' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'antí', where 'anti-' meant 'against'. 'block' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'blok', where 'blok' meant 'a solid piece or obstruction'.
'anti-blocking' is a modern English compound formed from the prefix 'anti-' + the gerund/participle 'blocking'; it entered technical usage in the 20th century (e.g., in phrases like 'anti-blocking brake system') and became used as a compound adjective or noun in engineering contexts.
Initially the components meant 'against' + 'an obstruction'; over time the compound came to specifically denote features or mechanisms 'designed to prevent blocking or jamming' in mechanical and flow systems.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a mechanism, feature, or system that prevents blocking or jamming.
The factory installed an anti-blocking to reduce conveyor stoppages.
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Adjective 1
designed to prevent blocking, jamming, or stoppage (commonly used for brakes, flow systems, or moving parts).
The vehicle's anti-blocking brakes helped maintain steering control during hard stops.
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Last updated: 2025/10/17 07:47