Occlude
/əˈkluːd/
verbC1
Definition
To occlude means to close or block a passage, opening, or space completely. This can happen in different places, like a blocked blood vessel, a closed pipe, or something stopping light from passing through. It is usually a strong and complete blocking, not just a small or partial one.
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See It in Action
To block or close a passage or opening completely
- •The dentist explained how a tooth can occlude the airway if swollen.
- •A blood clot can occlude an artery and stop blood flow.
- •Smoke can occlude the windows during a fire, making it hard to see.
To stop light or sound from passing through something
- •Clouds occlude the sun, making the day darker.
- •The thick curtains occlude most of the sunlight from the room.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "occlude" like "block," but stronger—like closing a door so tightly nothing can get through at all
- ✓Picture a tunnel with a big rock blocking the entrance, stopping all cars from passing
- ✓It's the feeling of being stuck or trapped because the way is fully closed
- ✓Sounds like "oh-CLUED" → imagine someone hiding a clue so well it is completely hidden and blocked from view
- ✓In stories, think of a secret door that suddenly closes and blocks the hero’s path completely
- ✓NOT like "cover" (which can be loose or partial), "occlude" means fully closing or stopping
- ✓NOT like "close" (which can mean just shutting gently), "occlude" means blocking tightly and completely
- ✓NOT like "obstruct" (which can be partial), "occlude" means a total stop or seal
Try Other Words
- •Block: to stop or prevent passage (Use when the stop can be partial or general)
- •Close: to shut something (Use when the action is gentle or simple, not always full blocking)
- •Seal: to close tightly so nothing can enter or leave (Use when the blocking is tight and complete)
- •Obstruct: to make movement difficult or slow (Use when the blocking is partial or causes difficulty, not total stop)
Unboxing
- •Prefix "oc-" means "toward" or "against" in Latin
- •Root "clud" comes from Latin "claudere," meaning "to close" or "shut"
- •Together, "occlude" literally means "to close against" or "to shut off"
- •First used in English in the 1600s, often in medical or scientific language about closing passages
- •Today, used in medicine (like blood vessels), science, and sometimes in technology or optics (light blocking)
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of situations where occluding something is helpful and when it is harmful?
•How does the idea of occlusion help us understand problems like blocked roads, pipes, or arteries?
Fill in the blanks
1.A blood clot can occlude a vessel, which ___ the flow of blood and can cause serious problems.
2.When smoke occludes the windows, it becomes ___ to see outside clearly.
3.Unlike simply covering a hole, to occlude it means to ___ it completely so nothing passes through.
4.Dentists talk about how teeth can occlude the airway if swelling ___ enough to block it.
5.Thick fog can occlude vision, making driving ___ and dangerous.
6.The phrase "occlude light" means to ___ the light from passing through an object.
7.If a pipe is occluded, water ___ flow through it until the blockage is removed.