Impediment

n.	1.	That which impedes or hinders progress, motion, activity, or effect. Thus far into the bowels of the land Have we marched on without impediment. - Shak. Impediment in speech a defect which prevents distinct utterance. The eloquence of Demosthenes was to Philip of Macedon, a difficulty to be met with his best resources, an obstacle to his own ambition, and an impediment in his political career. - C. J. Smith.
v. t.	1.	To impede.

Noun	1.	impediment - something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress Synonyms: deterrent, hindrance, balk, baulk, handicap, check
	2.	impediment - any structure that makes progress difficult Synonyms: impedimenta, obstruction, obstructor, obstructer

arrest, arrestation, arrestment, bar, barrier, blank wall, blind alley, blind gut, block, blockade, blockage, blocking, bottleneck, burden, burthen, cargo, cecum, charge, check, choking, choking off, clog, clogging, closing up, closure, congestion, constipation, constriction, costiveness, cramp, cross, cul-de-sac, cumbrance, curb, dead end, deadweight, delay, detainment, detention, difficulty, disadvantage, embarrassment, embolism, embolus, encumbrance, fixation, foot-dragging, freight, gorge, hamper, hampering, handicap, hang-up, hindering, hindrance, hitch, hold-up, holdback, holdup, hurdle, impasse, impedance, impedimenta, imposition, inconvenience, infarct, infarction, inhibition, interference, interruption, jam, let, load, lumber, mountain, negativism, nuisance value, obstacle, obstipation, obstruction, obstructionism, occlusion, onus, opposition, pack, penalty, repression, resistance, restraint, restriction, retardation, retardment, rub, sealing off, setback, snag, squeeze, stop, stoppage, stranglehold, strangulation, stricture, stumbling block, suppression, trouble, weight, white elephant