Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense stops, present participle stopping, past tense, past participle stopped
1. verb
If you have been doing something and then you stop doing it, you no longer do it.
Stop throwing those stones! [V -ing]
He can't stop thinking about it. [VERB verb-ing]
I've been told to lose weight and stop smoking. [VERB verb-ing]
I stopped working last year to have a baby. [VERB verb-ing]
Does either of the parties want to stop the fighting? [VERB noun]
She stopped in mid-sentence. [VERB]
Synonyms: quit, cease, refrain, break off More Synonyms of stop
2. verb
If you stop something happening, you prevent it from happening or prevent it from continuing.
He proposed a new diplomatic initiative to try to stop the war. [VERB noun]
If the fire isn't stopped, it could spread to 25,000 acres. [beVERB-ed]
I think she really would have liked to stop us seeing each other. [VERB noun verb-ing]
He put the radio on loud to stop himself thinking about it. [V n -ing]
Motherhood won't stop me from pursuing my acting career. [VERB noun + from]
There's nothing to stop you from doing a bit of exploring further afield. [V n from -ing]
Synonyms: prevent, suspend, cut short, close More Synonyms of stop
3. verb
If an activity or process stops, it is no longer happening.
The rain had stopped and a star or two was visible over the mountains. [VERB]
The system overheated and filming had to stop. [VERB]
The music stopped and the lights were turned up. [VERB]
They're treating it like a game, a novelty. That's got to stop. [VERB]
Synonyms: end, conclude, finish, be over More Synonyms of stop
4. verb
If something such as machine stops or is stopped, it is no longer moving or working.
The clock had stopped at 2.12 a.m. [VERB]
His heart stopped three times. [VERB]
Arnold stopped the engine and got out of the car. [VERB noun]
He stopped the machine and replayed the message. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: cease, shut down, discontinue, desist More Synonyms of stop
5. verb
When a moving person or vehicle stops or is stopped, they no longer move and they remain in the same place.
The car failed to stop at an army checkpoint. [VERB]
He stopped and let her catch up with him. [VERB]
The event literally stopped the traffic. [VERB noun]
The van was stopped at customs in Harwich. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: halt, pause, stall, draw up More Synonyms of stop
6. singular noun
If something that is moving comes to a stop or is brought to a stop, it slows down and no longer moves.
People often wrongly open doors before the train has come to a stop.
He slowed the car almost to a stop.
Synonyms: halt, standstill More Synonyms of stop
7. verb
If someone does not stopto think or to explain, they continue with what they are doing without taking any time to think about orexplain it.
She doesn't stop to think about what she's saying. [VERB to-infinitive]
There is something rather strange about all this if one stops to consider it. [VERB to-infinitive]
People who lead busy lives have no time to stop and reflect. [VERB]
Synonyms: pause, wait, rest, hesitate More Synonyms of stop
8. verb
If you say that a quality or state stops somewhere, you mean that it exists or is true up to that point, but no further.
The cafe owner has put up 'no smoking' signs, but thinks his responsibility stopsthere. [VERB adverb]
The good news did not stop there. [VERB adverb]
Once you cross over the thin line to acts of lawlessness, who knows where it stops? [VERB adverb]
9. countable noun
A stop is a place where buses or trains regularly stop so that people can get on and off.
There was an Underground map above one of the windows and I counted the stops toWest Hampstead.
They waited at a bus stop.
Synonyms: station, stage, halt, destination More Synonyms of stop
10. verb
If you stop somewhere on a journey, you stay there for a short while.
He insisted we stop at a small restaurant just outside of Atlanta. [VERB preposition/adverb]
It would be a crime to travel all the way to Australia and not stop in Sydney. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: stay, rest, put up, lodge More Synonyms of stop
11. countable noun
A stop is a time or place at which you stop during a journey.
The last stop in Mr Cook's lengthy tour was Paris.
Mack was driving down from Vermont, with a stop in Boston to pick Sarah up.
Synonyms: stay, break, visit, rest More Synonyms of stop
12. countable noun [usually plural]
In music, organ stops are the knobs at the side of the organ, which you pull or push in order to control the type of sound that comes out of the pipes.
13.
See to stop at nothing
14.
See to pull out all the stops
15.
See put a stop to sth
16.
See know when to stop
17. to stop dead
18. to stop short of
19. to stop someone in their tracks
Phrasal verbs:
See stop by
See stop off
See stop up
More Synonyms of stop
stop in British English
(stɒp)
verbWord forms: stops, stopping or stopped
1.
to cease from doing or being (something); discontinue
stop talking
2.
to cause (something moving) to halt or (of something moving) to come to a halt
to stop a car
the car stopped
3. (transitive)
to prevent the continuance or completion of
to stop a show
4. (transitive; often foll byfrom)
to prevent or restrain
to stop George from fighting
5. (transitive)
to keep back
to stop supplies to the navy
6. (transitive)
to intercept or hinder in transit
to stop a letter
7. (transitive; often foll byup)
to block or plug, esp so as to close
to stop up a pipe
8. (transitive; often foll byup)
to fill a hole or opening in
to stop up a wall
9. (transitive)
to staunch or stem
to stop a wound
10. (transitive)
to instruct a bank not to honour (a cheque)
11. (transitive)
to deduct (money) from pay
12. (transitive) British
to provide with punctuation
13. (transitive) boxing
to beat (an opponent) either by a knockout or a technical knockout
14. (transitive) informal
to receive (a blow, hit, etc)
15. (intransitive)
to stay or rest
we stopped at the Robinsons' for three nights
16. (transitive) rare
to defeat, beat, or kill
17. (transitive) music
a.
to alter the vibrating length of (a string on a violin, guitar, etc) by pressing down on it at some point with the finger
b.
to alter the vibrating length of an air column in a wind instrument by closing (afinger hole, etc)
c.
to produce (a note) in this manner
18. (transitive)
to place a hand inside (the bell of a French horn) to alter the tone colour and pitch or play (a note) on a Frenchhorn in such a manner
19. bridge
to have a protecting card or winner in (a suit in which one's opponents are strong)
20. stop at nothing
noun
21.
an arrest of movement or progress
22.
the act of stopping or the state of being stopped
23.
a place where something halts or pauses
a bus stop
24.
a stay in or as if in the course of a journey
25.
the act or an instance of blocking or obstructing
26.
a plug or stopper
27.
a block, screw, or other device or object that prevents, limits, or terminates the motion of a mechanism or moving part
28. British
a punctuation mark, esp a full stop
29. Also called: stop thrust fencing
a counterthrust made without a parry in the hope that one's blade will touch before one's opponent's blade
30. short for stop payment, stop order
31. music
a.
the act of stopping the string, finger hole, etc, of an instrument
b.
a set of organ pipes or harpsichord strings that may be allowed to sound as a group by muffling or silencing all other such sets
c.
a knob, lever, or handle on an organ, etc, that is operated to allow sets of pipes to sound
d.
an analogous device on a harpsichord or other instrument with variable registers, such as an electrophonic instrument
32. pull out all the stops
33. Australian
a stud on a football boot
34.
the angle between the forehead and muzzle of a dog or cat, regarded as a point in breeding
35. nautical
a short length of line or small stuff used as a tie, esp for a furled sail
36. Also called: stop consonant phonetics
any of a class of consonants articulated by first making a complete closure at some point of the vocal tract and then releasing it abruptly with audible plosion. Stops include the labials (p, b), the alveolars or dentals (t, d), the velars (k, g)
Compare continuant
37. Also called: f-stop photography
a.
a setting of the aperture of a camera lens, calibrated to the corresponding f-number
b. another name for diaphragm (sense 4)
38.
a block or carving used to complete the end of a moulding
39. Also called: stopper bridge
a protecting card or winner in a suit in which one's opponents are strong
Derived forms
stoppable (ˈstoppable)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Old English stoppian (unattested), as in forstoppian to plug the ear, ultimately from Late Latin stuppāre to stop with a tow, from Latin stuppa tow, from Greek stuppē
stop in American English
(stɑp)
verb transitiveWord forms: stopped or ˈstopping
1. to close by filling, shutting off, covering, etc.
a.
to staunch (a cut, wound, etc.)
b.
to block up (a passage, road, pipe, etc.) so as to make impassable; obstruct
often with up
c.
to fill in, plug up, or cover (a hole, cavity, opening, mouth, etc.)
often with up
d.
to close (a bottle, jug, etc.) as with a cork or cap
e.
a.
to close (a finger hole of a wind instrument) so as to produce a desired tone
b.
to produce (a tone) in this way
2. to cause to cease motion, activity, etc.
a.
to prevent the passage or further passage of (water, light, etc.); block; intercept
b.
to prevent the movement or further movement of
; specif.,
a.
to halt the progress of (a person, animal, vehicle, etc.)
b.
to check (a blow, stroke, or thrust); parry; counter
c.
to defeat (an opponent)
d.
to intercept (a letter, etc.) in transit
e.
to baffle; perplex; nonplus
c.
to cease; desist from (with a gerund)
stop talking
d.
a.
to cause to cease or end
stop that racket
b.
to bring to an end; discontinue
to stop a subscription
c.
to kill
d.
to defeat, as by knocking out
e.
to cause (an engine, machine, etc.) to cease operation
f.
to press down (a violin string, etc.) against the fingerboard to produce a desired tone
g.
to place a stop order on (a stock or other security)
h. Bridge
to hold key cards that will prevent an opponent from running (a suit)
i. Chiefly British
to insert punctuation marks in
3. to keep from beginning, acting, happening, etc.; prevent
a.
to keep (a person) from doing something contemplated
b.
to prevent the starting, advent, etc. of; preclude
c.
to notify one's bank to withhold payment on (one's check)
verb intransitive
4.
to cease moving, walking, proceeding, etc.; halt
5.
to leave off doing something; desist from continuing
6.
to cease operating or functioning
7.
to be able to go no further; come to an end
8.
to become clogged or choked
9.
to tarry or stay for a while, esp. as a transient or guest
often with at or in
noun
10.
a stopping or being stopped; check; arrest; cessation; halt; specif., a pause in speech or at the end of a sense unit in verse
11.
a coming to an end; finish; end
12.
a stay or sojourn
13.
a place stopped at, as on a bus route
14.
an indentation in the face of an animal, esp. a dog, between the forehead and the nose or muzzle
15.
something that stops; obstruction; obstacle
; specif.,
a.
a plug or stopper
b.
stop order
c.
an order to withhold payment on a check
d.
a mechanical part that stops, limits, or regulates motion, as a pawl
e. Chiefly British
a punctuation mark, esp. a period
16.
a.
pressure, as of a finger, on a string of a violin, etc. to produce a desired tone
b.
a fret on a guitar, etc.
17.
a.
the closing of a finger hole of a wind instrument to produce a desired tone
b.
such a hole
18.
a.
a tuned set of organ pipes, reeds, or electronic devices of the same specific type and tone quality
b.
a pull, lever, or key for putting such a set or sets into or out of operation
19. Nautical
a piece of line used to secure something
20. Phonetics
a.
the complete stopping of the outgoing breath, as with the lips, tongue, or velum
b.
a consonant formed in this way, as (p), (b), (t), (d), (k), and (g)
see also continuant
21. Photography
a.
the aperture, usually adjustable, of a lens
b.
the f-number
adjective
22. US
that stops or is meant to stop
a stop signal
Idioms:
pull out all (the) stops
put a stop to
stop down
stop off
stop out
stop over
SYNONYMY NOTE: stop implies a suspension or ending of some motion, action, or progress [my watch stopped]; cease implies a suspension or ending of some state or condition or of an existence [the war had ceased]; quit is equivalent to either , stop or , cease [to quit working means either to stop working, as for the day, or to cease working, i.e.,to retire]; discontinue suggests the suspension of some action that is a habitual practice, an occupation,etc. [he has discontinued the practice of law]; desist implies a ceasing of some action that is annoying, harmful, futile, etc. [desist from further bickering]
OPPOSITES: begin, start, commence
Word origin
ME stoppen < OE -stoppian (in comp.) < WGmc stoppōn < VL *stuppare, to stop up, stuff < L stuppa < Gr styppē, tow < IE *stewe-, to thicken, contract > Gr styphein, to contract, Sans stuka, tuft
More idioms containing
stop
stop the show
stop someone in their tracks
stop something in its tracks
Examples of 'stop' in a sentence
stop
My heart stopped and the medical staff had to fight to save my life.
The Sun (2016)
We often stop short at the idea of physical transformation and redemption.
Christianity Today (2000)
We wish we could stop at this point and go on to something easier.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
When both are on song they are almost impossible to stop and an absolute pleasure to watch.
The Sun (2013)
Then one stops and makes a distinct munching sound.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You must put a stop to it at once.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
What if you want to stop for something to eat?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The risk of further injury stopped me wanting to continue being a competitive driver.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She and her friend were stopped at a checkpoint.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The music stopped at midnight but celebrations continued after that.
The Sun (2009)
You then need to stop the engine and take your car to a garage.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
My car did three complete turns then stopped.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Please could you throw some light on this practice and get it stopped.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We had arranged to meet at the bus stop next to her house.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Pyramids and banks were shut and trains stopped so they could not be hijacked.
The Sun (2013)
You must not let it stop you doing things.
Steel, Elizabeth Coping With Sudden Hair Loss (1988)
The view is an unending excuse to stop and catch my breath.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The extra two furlongs will suit now he has stopped pulling in his races.
The Sun (2014)
We stopped after about a hundred yards and hid behind a tree.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The vast red brick building was also the last stop for a host of other famous names.
The Sun (2011)
No one knew how to stop this happening.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The car then stopped with its hazard lights flashing.
The Sun (2010)
PEOPLE should stop moaning about ticket prices at football.
The Sun (2007)
In other languages
stop
British English: stop /stɒp/ NOUN
If something that is moving comes to a stop, it slows down and no longer moves.
Do not open doors before the train has come to a stop.
American English: stop
Arabic: تَوَقُّفَ
Brazilian Portuguese: parada
Chinese: 停止
Croatian: stanica
Czech: zastavení
Danish: stop
Dutch: einde
European Spanish: parada
Finnish: loppu
French: arrêt
German: Halt
Greek: στάση
Italian: sosta
Japanese: 中止
Korean: 멈춤
Norwegian: stopp
Polish: przerwa
European Portuguese: paragem
Romanian: a se opri
Russian: остановка
Latin American Spanish: detención
Swedish: uppehåll
Thai: การหยุด
Turkish: durdurma
Ukrainian: зупинка
Vietnamese: sự dừng lại
British English: stop /stɒp/ VERB
doing something If you stop doing something, you do not do it any more.
Stop throwing those stones!
He woke up with a start when they stopped.
American English: stop
Arabic: يُوْقِفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: interromper
Chinese: 停止
Croatian: prestati
Czech: přestat
Danish: stoppe
Dutch: stoppen
European Spanish: parar
Finnish: pysäyttää
French: arrêter
German: anhalten
Greek: σταματάω
Italian: fermare
Japanese: 止める
Korean: ...을 그만두다
Norwegian: stoppe
Polish: przerwać
European Portuguese: interromper
Romanian: a se opri
Russian: останавливать
Latin American Spanish: parar
Swedish: stoppa
Thai: หยุด ระงับ ปิดกั้น
Turkish: durmak
Ukrainian: припинятися
Vietnamese: dừng
British English: stop /stɒp/ VERB
not continue If something stops, it does not do what it did any more.
The rain has stopped.
American English: stop
Arabic: يَتَوَقَّفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: parar
Chinese: 停止
Croatian: stati
Czech: přestat
Danish: stoppe
Dutch: stoppen
European Spanish: parar
Finnish: pysähtyä
French: s’arrêter
German: aufhören
Greek: σταματάω vi
Italian: fermarsi
Japanese: 止まる
Korean: 멈추다
Norwegian: stoppe
Polish: zatrzymać się
European Portuguese: parar
Romanian: a se opri
Russian: останавливаться
Latin American Spanish: detener
Swedish: stanna
Thai: หยุด ยุติ เลิก
Turkish: durdurmak
Ukrainian: припинятися
Vietnamese: dừng
All related terms of 'stop'
f-stop
any of the settings for the f-number of a camera
T-stop
a setting of the lens aperture on a camera calibrated photometrically and assigned a T-number
stop by
If you stop by somewhere , you make a short visit to a person or place.
stop-go
Stop-go is used to describe processes in which there are periods of inactivity between periods of activity.
stop up
If you stop something up , you cover or fill a hole or gap in it.
bus stop
A bus stop is a place on a road where buses stop to let passengers on and off.
echo stop
the reflection of sound or other radiation by a reflecting medium , esp a solid object
flag stop
a bus stop at which a bus only stops if there is someone waiting or if someone wants to get off the bus
flue stop
an organ stop controlling a set of flue pipes
full stop
A full stop is the punctuation mark . which you use at the end of a sentence when it is not a question or exclamation.
long stop
a fielder who stands behind the wicket keeper , and catches balls the wicket keeper misses
non-stop
Something that is non-stop continues without any pauses or interruptions .
one-stop
A one-stop shop is a place where you can buy everything you need for a particular purpose.
pit stop
In motor racing, if a driver makes a pit stop , he or she stops in a special place at the side of the track to get more fuel and to make repairs.
reed stop
an organ stop controlling a rank of reed pipes
rest stop
On a long journey by road , a rest stop is a short period when you stop and leave your vehicle , for example to eat or go to the toilet .
solo stop
any of various organ stops designed to imitate a solo performance on a particular musical instrument
stop bath
a weakly acidic solution used in photographic processing to stop the action of a developer on a film, plate , or paper before the material is immersed in fixer
stop down
to reduce the size of the aperture of (a camera lens )
stop log
a board or boarding that is placed along the top of a dam to increase its height and capacity
stop-loss
of or relating to an order to a broker in a commodity or security market to close an open position at a specified price in order to limit any loss
stop off
If you stop off somewhere, you stop for a short time in the middle of a journey.
stop out
to cover (part of the area) of a piece of cloth, printing plate, etc, to prevent it from being dyed, etched , etc
stop over
to visit for a while
stop sign
a traffic sign directing traffic to stop
stop time
a passage where the beat stops temporarily
stop-work
a temporary cessation of work as a form of protest
cattle-stop
a grid of metal bars covering a hollow or hole dug in a roadway , intended to prevent the passage of livestock while allowing vehicles, etc, to pass unhindered
double-stop
to play (two notes or parts) simultaneously on a violin or related instrument by drawing the bow over two strings
gamba stop
an organ stop with a tone resembling that of stringed instruments
organ stop
a set of organ pipes allowed to sound as a group by stopping all others
stop button
(on a DVD player, cassette recorder , etc) the off switch
stop chorus
a solo during which the rhythm section plays only the first beat of each phrase of music
stop clause
a clause by which a contract or other agreement may be terminated , esp. between theatrical producers and theater owners in whose agreements it is often stipulated that when weekly receipts fall below a certain minimum usually for two consecutive weeks , the production must vacate the theater
stop-frame
of or relating to animated films involving models , puppets , etc, in which each frame is photographed individually
stop-motion
a technique used in animation and photography in which a subject is filmed then adjusted a frame at a time
stop order
an instruction to a broker to sell one or more shares when the price offered for them falls below a stipulated level
stop plank
a board or boarding that is placed along the top of a dam to increase its height and capacity
stop press
Stop press is sometimes printed next to an article in a newspaper to indicate that this is very recent news and was added after the rest of the newspaper had been printed.
stop-start
frequently stopping then starting again
stop street
a street on which all vehicles must come to a complete stop at a given intersection
stop thrust
to cease from doing or being (something); discontinue
truck stop
A truck stop is a place where drivers , especially truck or lorry drivers, can stop, for example to rest or to get something to eat .
chapter stop
any of several markers placed at intervals on a DVD film, enabling the viewer to find and select particular scenes
comfort stop
a short break on a journey to allow travellers to go to the toilet
glottal stop
a plosive speech sound produced as the sudden onset of a vowel in several languages, such as German, by first tightly closing the glottis and then allowing the air pressure to build up in the trachea before opening the glottis, causing the air to escape with force
mutation stop
an organ pipe sounding the harmonic of the note normally produced
request stop
a point on a route at which a bus will stop only if signalled to do so
stop payment
an instruction to a bank by the drawer of a cheque to refuse payment on it
suction stop
a short light often metallic sound
Chinese translation of 'stop'
stop
(stɔp)
vt
停止 (tíngzhǐ)
⇒ Stop the car and let me out.停车让我下去。 (Tíngchē ràng wǒ xiàqù.)
(= prevent) 阻止 (zǔzhǐ)
⇒ Does putting people in prison stop crime?把人关在监狱里能阻止犯罪吗？ (Bǎ rén guān zài jiānyù li néng zǔzhǐ fànzuì ma?)
[cheque]停止兑(兌)现(現) (tíngzhǐ duìxiàn)
vi
[person, vehicle]停下来(來) (tíng xiàlái)
⇒ She stopped and stared at the poster.她停下来盯着海报看。 (Tā tíng xiàlái dīngzhe hǎibào kàn.)
(= stop working)[watch, engine, heart]停 (tíng)
⇒ My watch has stopped.我的手表停了。 (Wǒ de shǒubiǎo tíng le.)
[rain, noise, activity]停 (tíng)
⇒ The rain had stopped.雨停了。 (Yǔ tíng le.)
(on journey) (also stop off) 逗留 (dòuliú)
n(c)
(on journey, = place) 站 (zhàn)
(= time) 停留 (tíngliú)
⇒ Their first stop was a hotel outside Paris.他们旅程中的第一站是巴黎郊外的一家旅馆。 (Tāmen lǚchéng zhōng de dìyī zhàn shì Bālí jiāowài de yī jiā lǚguǎn.)
(for bus, train) 车(車)站 (chēzhàn) (个(個), gè)
⇒ We'll get off at the next stop.我们将在下一站下车。 (Wǒmen jiāng zài xià yī zhàn xià chē.)
to stop doing sth停止做某事 (tíngzhǐ zuò mǒushì)
to stop sb (from) doing sth阻止某人做某事 (zǔzhǐ mǒurén zuò mǒushì)
stop it!住手！ (zhùshǒu!)
to come to a stop[car, train etc]停下来(來) (tíng xiàlái)
to put a stop to sth使某事停止 (shǐ mǒushì tíngzhǐ)
All related terms of 'stop'
stop by
顺(順)便过(過)访(訪) shùnbiàn guòfǎng
stop up
( hole, leak ) 堵塞 dǔsè
bus stop
公共汽车(車)站 gōnggòngqìchē zhàn [ 个(個) gè ]
non-stop
( activity, music ) 不停的 bù tíng de
stop it!
住手！ zhùshǒu!
full stop
句号(號) jùhào [ 个(個) gè ] [ 美 = period ]
to stop dead
突然停止 tūrán tíngzhǐ
to stop short
突然停住 tūrán tíngzhù
at the bus stop
在公交车(車)站 zài gōngjiāo chēzhàn
to stop the rot
( Brit ) 力挽狂澜(瀾) lì wǎn kuáng lán
to come to a stop
( car, train etc ) 停下来(來) tíng xiàlái
to stop doing sth
停止做某事 tíngzhǐ zuò mǒushì
overnight stop or stay
过(過)一夜 guò yī yè
to come to a full stop
( fig ) 完全停止 wánquān tíngzhǐ
to put a stop to sth
使某事停止 shǐ mǒushì tíngzhǐ
to stop short of doing sth
差点(點)儿(兒)就要做某事 chà diǎnr jiù yào zuò mǒushì
she couldn't seem to stop crying
她看来(來)是哭不停了 tā kànlái shì kū bù tíng le
to bring sth to a stop/an end
使某事停止/结(結)束 shǐ mǒushì tíngzhǐ/jiéshù
we can't stop now we've gone this far
我们(們)已经(經)走了这(這)么(麼)远(遠)了，停不下来(來)了 wǒmen yǐjīng zǒule zhème yuǎn le, tíng bù xiàlái le