Barricading

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of creating obstructions to prevent entry or movement around a space
2. The construction of barriers to safeguard a location from unauthorized access or threats
3. The act of setting up barriers to stop or limit movement through an area

Etymology: "Barricading" is the present participle and gerund of "barricade," which makes it the form of the verb meaning to block a passage with obstacles. The verb grew out of the noun, which English took from French "barricade," or from an earlier "barricado" that was reshaped to match the French spelling. The noun probably goes back to the Spanish "barrica," a cask or barrel. The likely picture is a street blocked with barrels filled with earth or stones, which made a quick, sturdy wall. The word's origin is practical: it names a improvised defence built from whatever containers were at hand.

Synonyms: blocking, obstructing

Antonyms: opening, allowing