congest

• IPA^(key): /kənˈd͡ʒɛst/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst

congest (plural congests)

1. (Ireland, Scotland, agriculture, history) A farmer whose lands do not support him adequately.
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:congest.

• smallholder

congest (third-person singular simple present congests, present participle congesting, simple past and past participle congested)

1. (transitive) To hinder or block the passage of something moving, for example a fluid, mixture, traffic, people, etc. (due to an excess of this or due to a partial or complete obstruction), resulting in overfilling or overcrowding.

   Pollution can congest the city’s streets with smog.

   congest traffic

   congest roads

   congest lungs

2. (intransitive) To become blocked or obstructed

   Nasal passages can congest during a cold.