Strait of Hormuz
5
6.1
- proper noun
- /streɪt əv hɔrˈmuːz/
:
Estrecho de Ormuz
- But it was only in 1987, when the U.S. Navy launched Operation Earnest Will to reflag Kuwaiti tankers traversing the Strait of Hormuz, that the United States used direct military force to protect the Gulf.
- close the Strait of Hormuz
We haven't seen Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz.
- We haven't seen Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz.
- They could also engage in strikes into the Straits of Hormuz.
Examples
-
Tehran would find it difficult to hermetically seal the Strait of Hormuz given the likelihood of a confrontation with the superior U.S. Navy.
Academic text (2015) -
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most congested international waterways.
Blog text (12) -
Situated on one side of the Strait of Hormuz, 30 percent of the world's oil supply passes along its coast.
Academic text (2008) -
A second area for more active steps now would be in the defense of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the southern Persian Gulf.
Academic text (2007) -
Quiet diesel submarines operating in noisy waters, such as the Strait of Hormuz, are very difficult to detect.
Academic text (2009) -
While this is currently only one-fifth of the traffic that passes through the Strait of Hormuz, it still represents a 240 percent increase in traffic over the last decade.
Academic text (2009) -
In all likelihood, the Iranian leadership would resort to its worst forms of retaliation, such as closing the Strait of Hormuz or launching missiles at southern Europe, only if it felt that its very existence was threatened.
Academic text (2012) -
If Israel does strike, Iranian retaliation could spark a war in Lebanon, closure of the Strait of Hormuz, dramatic increases in the price of oil, and attacks on U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Academic text (2009) -
As President Obama correctly pointed out, if U.S. vital interests are directly affected—say, a foreign power is blocking the shipment of oil through the Strait of Hormuz—Washington will act based on interest considerations and not necessarily on what other nations consider the right foreign policy.
Academic text (2011) -
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway through which about 20% of the world's oil supply passes.
Synonyms
A narrow sea channel linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman used by oil tankers
Surface Forms
Morphology
strait + of + Hormuz
The phrase is compositionally built from 'strait' (a narrow sea channel) + 'of' + the place name 'Hormuz', so a learner who knows 'strait' can infer it refers to a narrow channel called Hormuz. While the detailed geopolitical importance or exact location (Persian Gulf/Gulf of Oman) is not derivable from the words alone, the basic referential meaning is transparent and predictable across languages.
Etymology
The name Strait of Hormuz comes from the word strait, which means a very 'narrow' sea channel, and from Hormuz, the old island and port beside it. Because almost all ships must pass through this tight passage, it became an important 'route' for trade and oil, so control of the strait matters to many countries today.