stymie

Meaning

Noun

1. A situation where an opponent's ball is directly in the way of one's own ball and the hole, on the putting green (abolished 1952).
2. (broadly) An obstacle or obstruction.

Verb

1. To thwart or stump; to cause to fail or to leave hopelessly puzzled, confused, or stuck.
2. To bring into the position of, or impede by, a stymie.

Synonyms

stymy

hinder

block

obstruct

impede

blockade

thwart

embarrass

roadblock

frustrate

confound

inhibit

prevent

impediment

hindrance

get in the way

cramp

cross

cumber

curb

debar

deflect

detain

deter

deterrent

difficulty

drag

exacerbate

foil

forbid

forestall

forfend

hamper

hang-up

hardness

hardship

hazard

head off

help

hurdle

incapacitate

obstacle

obstacles

obstruction

obviate

protect

queer

restrain

retard

shut

Translations

hindern

obstruer

entraver

عرقل

verhindern

ostacolare

عاق

حاصر

جمع

أربك

قفل

عقد

منع

أعاق

عطل

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈstaɪmi/

Etymology

From the meaning in golf (where the stymie ball blocks the other ball from "seeing" the hole), perhaps from Scots stymie, stimie (“person with poor eyesight”), from Scots stime (“the least bit”). Or from Scots styme (“tiny bit, glimmer”) as in se nocht ane styme (“not to see a glimmer (of something)”). If so, it is a doublet of stime.