1 stop
/ˈstɑːp/
verb
stops;
stopped;
stopping
1 stop
/ˈstɑːp/
verb
stops;
stopped;
stopping
Britannica Dictionary definition of STOP
1
a
[no object]
:
to not move, walk, etc., after doing so before
-
She was walking toward me, and then she suddenly stopped.
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The bus stopped at the corner.
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He stopped to watch the sun set.
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She had to stop to catch her breath. = She had to stop and catch her breath.
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He stopped to pick up a penny.
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The car was going so fast that it couldn't stop in time.
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The traffic light turned red, so she had to stop.
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Stop. [=halt] Who goes there?
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I stopped (dead) in my tracks [=stopped suddenly] when I saw the bear.
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b
[+ object]
:
to cause (someone or something) to not move, walk, etc., after doing so before
-
Stop that man! He stole my wallet.
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They stopped us at the border to check our passports.
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She stopped the car and turned back.
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He was stopped by the police for speeding.
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The goalie stopped [=blocked] the ball/shot.
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The sight of the bear stopped me (dead) in my tracks.
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2
a
:
to not do something that you have been doing before
:
to not continue doing something
[no object]
-
He constantly teases her and never knows when to stop.
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We've been working all morning. It's time to stop and take a break.
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The boss said that he was unhappy with some of his employees, but he stopped short of naming which ones. [=but he did not say which ones]
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Did you ever stop [=pause] to think about the risk you took?
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She never stopped to consider how her decision might affect others.
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[+ object]
-
Can you please stop what you are doing to help me?
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I stop work at 5 o'clock.
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The phone stopped ringing.
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Stop arguing/talking/running.
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She stopped [=quit] smoking last year.
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The patient suddenly stopped breathing.
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His heart stopped beating.
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Stop it/that or I'll tell Mom.
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b
[+ object]
:
to make (someone or something) no longer do something
:
to keep (someone or something) from continuing to do something
-
I'm leaving and you can't stop me.
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Stop me if you've heard this joke before.
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It's too late. There's no stopping them now. [=they can't be stopped now]
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(Brit) I couldn't stop him crying.
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— often + from in U.S. English
-
I couldn't stop him from crying.
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He stopped [=restrained] himself from laughing out loud.
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Nothing can stop me from leaving.
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Environmentalists tried to stop them from cutting down the trees.
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There is nothing to stop you from going.
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We need to stop the disease from spreading.
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3
[+ object]
a
:
to cause (something) to end
:
to end (something)
-
The teacher stopped the fight.
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We need to stop the violence in our city.
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They tried to stop the bleeding.
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b
:
to cause (a recording) to not play
-
She stopped the CD because it was skipping.
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We stopped [=paused] the movie to grab some snacks.
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4
[no object]
:
to no longer happen or exist
:
to end
-
The music suddenly stopped.
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The path stops about halfway up the mountain.
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The rain had stopped by the time we left. [=it was not raining anymore when we left]
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5
[no object]
:
to suddenly not work or function
-
The engine just stopped.
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His heart stopped.
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6
[no object]
a
:
to not travel during a journey for a short period of time in order to rest, eat, etc.
— + for
-
We stopped for lunch.
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We need to stop for gas. [=we need to get gas]
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We stopped for a night in Atlanta. [=we stayed in Atlanta for a night]
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b
:
to go to a place during a journey
-
I'll stop for a short visit.
-
The tour stops in several cities.
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c
:
to make a brief social visit
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I'm not stopping. [=staying] I just wanted to drop this off.
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— see also stop by, stop in, stop off, stop over (below)
7
[+ object]
:
to close, block, or fill (a hole)
-
He stopped his ears with his fingers. [=he put his fingertips in his ears so that he couldn't hear]
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— usually + up
-
She stopped up the cracks with plaster.
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The sink is stopped up [=blocked] with food.
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8
[+ object]
a
:
to tell your bank not to pay a check
-
I called to stop payment on the check. = I called to stop the check.
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b
chiefly British
:
to take (money) from something
— often + from
-
£200 will be stopped [=withheld] from your wages next week.
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9
always followed by an adverb or preposition,
[no object]
British, informal
:
to stay or remain
-
I am stopping at home.
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— see also stop in, stop out, stop up (below)
stop and smell the roses
— see 2rose
stop at nothing
— used to say that someone will do anything to achieve a goal or purpose
-
She will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
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stop by
[phrasal verb]
informal
:
to visit someone briefly
-
Feel free to stop by [=drop by, drop in] anytime.
-
I'll stop by for a short visit.
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stop in
[phrasal verb]
informal
1
:
to visit someone briefly
-
You should stop in [=stop by] for tea sometime.
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2
British
:
to stay at home
-
I'm stopping [=staying] in tonight.
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stop off
[phrasal verb]
informal
:
to go or stay somewhere briefly while traveling to another place
-
I'll stop off (at the store) to pick up some milk.
-
She is stopping off in Miami to visit a friend.
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Could you stop off at the house to water the plants?
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stop out
[phrasal verb]
British, informal
:
to stay out at night
-
He doesn't normally stop out late.
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stop over
[phrasal verb]
informal
:
to go to or stay in a place while traveling to another place
-
The plane stops over in Chicago before going on to Seattle.
-
She stopped over at a friend's house for a couple of days.
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stop up
[phrasal verb]
British, informal
:
to stay up at night
-
She stopped up late last night.
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— see also 1stop 7 (above)
the buck stops here
— see 1buck
2 stop
/ˈstɑːp/
noun
plural
stops
2 stop
/ˈstɑːp/
noun
plural
stops
Britannica Dictionary definition of STOP
[count]
1
:
an act of stopping or a state of being stopped: such as
a
:
a state in which someone or something is no longer moving
— usually singular
-
The car skidded/slowed to a stop. [=to a halt]
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The ball rolled to a stop.
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The train came to a stop.
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He slowly brought the car to a stop.
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— see also full stop
b
:
a state in which no further activity happens
— usually singular
-
Production was brought to a stop [=was stopped] by the strike.
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Negotiations brought a stop to [=ended] the conflict.
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Work on the project came to a stop [=work on the project stopped] because of a lack of funding.
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The fighting came to a sudden stop.
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We need to put a stop to [=end] these practices.
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She wanted to put a stop to the rumors.
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c
sports
:
a play that stops an opponent from scoring a goal
-
The goalie made a great stop. [=save]
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2
a
:
a place that you visit or go to for a short period of time during a journey
-
His first stop will be Washington, D.C.
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Our first stop has to be the gas station.
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— see also pit stop, rest stop, truck stop, whistle-stop
b
:
a short period of time during which you stop or stay at a place during a journey
-
The trip includes an overnight stop [=stay] in Paris.
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We'll make a stop [=stop, rest] when we get to the top of this hill.
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We should make a stop at the museum. [=we should visit the museum]
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I need to make a stop at the grocery store on the way home.
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3
a
:
the place where a bus or train regularly stops on a route to let passengers get on and off
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a bus stop
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The next stop is Main Street and Tower Square.
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I'm getting off at the next stop.
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What is your stop?
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b
US
:
a place on a road (such as an intersection) where traffic must stop
-
a four-way stop
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Slow down as you approach the stop.
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a stop sign [=a sign telling drivers to stop and wait until they can continue safely]
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— see also stoplight
4
:
an order that tells a bank not to pay a check
— usually singular
-
I put a stop on the check.
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5
music
a
:
a set of organ pipes that produce a similar sound
b
:
stop knob
6
linguistics
:
a sound (such as the “p” of “apt” or the “g” of “tiger”) that is made by stopping the flow of air completely and then suddenly letting air out
— see also glottal stop
pull out all the stops
informal
:
to do everything possible in order to do or achieve something
-
The company pulled out all the stops to advertise their new product. = The company pulled out all the stops in advertising their new product.
-
When he throws a party, he really pulls out all the stops.
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— see also doorstop, shortstop
