Embargo

Embargo (from the Spanish embargar, 'to in-bar,' to arrest') is a temporary order from the Admiralty to prevent the arrival or departure of ships. It may apply to vessels and goods, or to specified goods only; it may be general or special; it may apply to the entering only, to the departure only, or to both entering and departure of ships from particular ports; and lastly, although issued by the Admiralty in England, it would be equally an embargo if issued by any other competent authority. Such embargoes are generally connected in some way or other with a state of war between two countries.