[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, trans. 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.
Hence b. 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. Day, trans. 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 overcrowded condition, as of population, traffic, etc.
1868. Bright, Sp. Irel., 1 April. The whole system [of Parliamentary representation] was in such a state of congestion that it could not be tolerated any longer.
1883. P. S. 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.
