ob-strŭo (opstr-), xi, ctum, 3, v. a., to build before or against; to build, block, or wall up; to stop up, barricade, render impassable (class.; cf. obsaepio, claudo, oppilo).
I Lit.: validum pro diruto obstruentes murum, Liv. 38, 29: frontem castrorum auxiliis, id. 5, 1.—Esp., to build before so as to obstruct the light : obstructae fenestrae, Varr. R. R. 1, 4: FENESTRAS OPSTRVITO, Lex. Puteol. ap. Grut. 207, 2: luminibus alicujus, Cic. Dom. 44: jus luminum obstruendorum redimere, to purchase permission of a neighbor to build so as to obstruct his light , Inscr. Guarin. Comment. in Vet. Monument. 1, p. 64: portas, Caes. B. C. 1, 27: valvas aedis. Nep. Paus. 5: aditus, Cic. Brut. 4, 16: flumina, Caes. B. C. 3, 48: aquarum venas, Plin. 31, 3, 28, § 49: saxa, placed in the way , Ov. M. 3, 570: cujus aures morbus obstruxit, has stopped up, made deaf , Sen. Ben. 3, 17, 2: os obstruere, to close the mouth, to make silent , Vulg. Psa. 62, 12; id. Rom. 3, 19.—
II Trop., to stop up, hinder, impede, obstruct : Catonis luminibus obstruxit haec posteriorum quasi exaggerata altius oratio, was a hinderance to , Cic. Brut. 17, 66: viri deus obstruit aures, stops, renders deaf, inexorable , Verg. A. 4, 440: perfugia improborum, shuts off , Cic. Sull. 28, 79: cognitionem difficultatibus, to impede, obstruct , id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 3, 7: mentes, Tac. H. 3, 21.—
b Intr., to be in the way : si officiens signis mons obstruet altus, Cic. Arat. 44.