mid-14c., from Old French obstacle, ostacle "opposition, obstruction, hindrance" (13c.) or directly from Latin obstaculum "a hindrance, obstacle," with instrumental suffix *-tlom + obstare "stand before, stand opposite to, block, hinder, thwart," from ob "against" (see ob-) + stare "to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet).
The lover thinks more often of reaching his mistress than the husband of guarding his wife; the prisoner thinks more often of escaping than the gaoler of shutting his door; and so, whatever the obstacles may be, the lover and the prisoner ought to succeed. [Stendhal, "Charterhouse of Parma"]
Obstacle course is attested from 1891.
实用例句
1. A further obstacle has presented itself, however.
然而，突然又出现了一个障碍。
来自柯林斯例句
2. A lack of qualifications can be a major obstacle to finding a job.
学历不足可能成为谋职的主要障碍。
来自《权威词典》
3. She felt that her family was an obstacle to her work.
她感到她的家庭妨碍她的工作.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. He is in the full flush of success ; nothing was an obstacle .
他的成就如日中天, 锐不可当.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. Lack of money has proved an almost insurmountable obstacle.
