tie-up
- noun
- /ˈtaɪˌʌp/
- There was a tie-up at the intersection of Woodward and Warren.
- traffic tie-ups
- massive tie-ups
Examples
-
There was a major tie-up on the highway due to an accident, resulting in a long delay.
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The traffic tie-up caused commuters to be late for work this morning.
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There was a little bit of a tie-up on the bridge.
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Well, except the first major tie-up had nothing to do with the storm.
Blog text (27) -
In fishing ports around the coast today, many fishing boats are tied up, unable to go to sea.
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And we have ships tied up at port who can't unload and we have nothing to export.
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Those who couldn't see what caused the tie-up blew their horns.
Fiction book (1990) -
Where's the tie-up with the train holdup?
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During rush hour, the city often experiences several tie-ups that slow down travel significantly.
Synonyms
A time when movement or activity stops completely
A delay that stops something from moving forward
A situation where talks or plans cannot move forward because of a big problem
A big delay that stops or slows progress
How Disrupted
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word tie-up uses the image of being 'tied up' so you cannot move, like a boat tied to a dock. That's why a tie-up means a stoppage or delay when work, traffic, or systems are held still.