congestion
(kənˈdʒɛstjən)
[a. F. congestion (16th c. in Paré), ad. L. congestiōn-em, n. of action from congerĕre: see congest v.]
† 1. The action of gathering or heaping together in a mass; a crowding together; accumulation.
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. (1613) 17 The Earth, a congestion or heaping up of grosse matter together. 1633 T. Adams Exp. 2 Peter ii. 2 The attraction or congestion of this tumult. 1671 Evelyn Diary 17 Oct., Most of the churchyards..were filled up with..the congestion of dead bodies one upon another, for want of earth, even to the very top of the walls. |
† b. concr. A heap, pile. Obs.
| 1664 Evelyn tr. Freart's Archit. 120 Those irregular congestions, rude and brutish inventions. 1834 Sir H. Taylor Artevelde ii. v. iii, A huge congestion of unmethodised matter. |
† 2. Med. The accumulation of blood or morbid matter in any part of the body; ‘a collection of matter, as in abscesses and tumours’ (J.). Obs.
| 1634 T. Johnson Parey's Chirurg. 250 There are two general causes of Impostumes, fluxion, and Congestion. 1802 Med. Jrnl. VIII. 211 Some symptoms of beginning congestion of blood in the head began to show themselves. 1811 Hooper Med. Dict. 799/2 Crying unloads the head of congestions. |
b. Hence congestion of an organ: an abnormal accumulation of blood in its vessels, by which its functions are disordered.
| 1803 Med. Jrnl. IX. 325 The second or local Sthenic Congestion is..one of the most frequent causes of Apoplexy. 1845 G. E. Day tr. Simon's Anim. Chem. I. 265 Blood was again taken, in consequence of further symptoms of congestion. 1875 B. Richardson Dis. Mod. Life 65 The diseases included under the names of catarrh, bronchitis, congestive bronchitis, congestion of the lungs, pneumonia. |
3. transf. and fig. A crowding together or accumulation which disorganizes regular and healthy activity: congested or overcrowed condition, as of population, traffic, etc.
| 1868 Bright Sp. Irel. 1 Apr., The whole system [of Parliamentary representation] was in such a state of congestion that it could not be tolerated any longer. 1883 P. Robinson Saints & Sinners 12 Congestion of traffic. 1887 Times (Wkly. ed.) 25 Feb. 9/3 Emigration was gradually relieving that local congestion of the population. |
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▸ congestion charge n. chiefly Brit. a fee levied on vehicles using particular roads, in an attempt to reduce the volume of traffic.
| 1965 Jrnl. Royal Statist. Soc. 28 82 It is thus fairly certain that revenues at least sufficient to equal the required revenue for the Victoria Line would be generated by imposing *congestion charges on roads. 2003 Snoop Apr. 9/3 Stick mud on ya plates to avoid the congestion charge. |