ensabler

Senses

1. 1.

   to sand; to cover with sand

   to coat or cover a surface with sand

2. 2.

   to run aground on sand

   to become stranded or stuck in sand (nautical/vehicles)

3. 3.

   to become bogged down

   to get stuck or lose momentum in a project or process

Examples

• "Les ouvriers ensablent la route pour améliorer la traction."

  The workers sand the road to improve grip.

• "Le bateau s'est ensablé dans l'estuaire lors de la marée basse."

  The boat ran aground on sand in the estuary at low tide.

• "Le projet s'ensable faute de financement."

  The project is getting bogged down for lack of funding.

Usage

This verb is moderately formal. The reflexive form (s'ensabler) is common in nautical and figurative contexts to mean 'to get stuck' or 'to stall'. In technical use, the non-reflexive form refers to deliberate sanding or sand application.