speed bump

Primarily heard in US.

1. A raised, rounded ridge set across a paved surface, such as a road or parking lot, to force drivers to slow their vehicle speed. City council wants to install more speed bumps around residential areas in order to lower the number of vehicular deaths. I'm sorry I'm late. I thought I'd save time by taking the back roads, but I kept hitting speed bumps along the way, and that slowed me down.

2. An obstacle, obstruction, hindrance, etc., that slows the progress or development of something. Supply-chain problems, delays in application processing, staffing issues—these are just some of the speed bumps you're likely to face in the manufacturing sector.