stymie Hear it!

stymie definition

sty·mie (stī)

noun

  1. Golf the condition that exists on a putting green when an opponent's ball lies in a direct line between the player's ball and the hole: since 1951, the obstructing ball may be picked up to permit a putt to be made
  2. any situation in which one is obstructed or frustrated

Etymology: prob. a use of earlier Scot, a person partially blind < styme < ME stime (sense obscure): the reference is to the blind shot caused by a stymie

transitive verb stymied -·mied, stymieing -·mie·ing

  1. to hinder or obstruct as with a stymie
  2. to block; impede

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