Congestion 是与动词 congest （充血、堵塞；拥挤、拥堵）相对应的名词，该词源自拉丁语congerere（聚集、堆积），15世纪初经古法语congestion或者直接由拉丁语congestionem（堆积）进入英语，先是作名词用在医学领域表示“病态物质在体内的积聚”，然后到了17世纪30年代后泛指“充血、淤血、粘液堵塞”，也就是体液的非正常积聚

new spray to relieve nasal congestion缓解鼻塞的新喷剂

Congestion in the lungs or other vital organs of the body tends to destroy the tissues of the affected parts.肺部或身体其他重要器官的充血往往会破坏受影响部位的组织。

Cases are being repeatedly delayed because of congestion in the courts.从这个概念出发，到了1883年后， congestion 开始进一步引申指人群、车辆、交通等“拥挤、挤满、密集、拥堵、拥塞”，常意味着过度集中在某个小的或狭窄的空间内，以至于阻碍或堵塞行动自由。比如：由于庭审密集，案件一再拖延。

The intricate plan should ease traffic congestion in the town.这项错综复杂的方案对城里的交通拥挤状况应该有所缓解。

The deeply indignant customer's face went purple with the congestion of language which couldn't get out.那怒不可遏的顾客心里有许多话却说不出来，急得满面通红。

In Western Europe people perish from the congestion and stifling closeness, but with us it is from the spaciousness.... The expanses are so great that the little man hasn't the resources to orient himself.... This is what I think about Russian suicides.名人名言

stoppage: an instance of movement, activity, or supply stopping or being stopped blockage: an obstruction which makes movement or flow difficult or impossible bottleneck: a narrow section of road or a junction that impedes traffic flow在西欧，人们死于拥挤和令人窒息的狭窄，但对我们来说，却是死于宽敞……广阔的土地如此之大，以至于小个子没有东西来定位自己……这就是我对俄罗斯人自杀的看法。出自19世纪末俄国世界级短篇小说巨匠安东·契诃夫（Anton Chekhov）。同近义词