(v. t.) To hinder; to stop in progress; to obstruct; as, to impede the advance of troops\.

arrest backpedal backwater bar block bottle up brake burden check clip the wings confine confound countercheck cramp cripple cumber curb dam dam up damp dampen decelerate delay detain discomfit disconcert drag draw rein ease off ease up embarrass encumber enmesh ensnarl entangle entoil entrammel entrap entwine faze fetter foil hamper hamstring handicap hinder hobble hold back hold in check hold up inhibit intercept interfere intermeddle interrupt intervene involve keep back keep in check lag lame let down let up lime lose ground lose momentum lose speed lumber make late meddle moderate net obstruct oppose press down rattle reef rein in relax repress resist restrain retard saddle with scotch set back shackle slack off slack up slacken slow slow down slow up snarl snub spike stay stop suppress take in sail tangle throttle down thwart toil trammel weigh down