- stop
- 1
verb stopped, stopping
1 NOT MOVE OR CONTINUE (I, T) to no longer move or continue to do something, or to make someone or something do this: Stop, thief! | stop sth: Apply pressure to stop the bleeding. | You'll have to stop the generator, it's overheating. | stop doing sth: Lena's trying to stop smoking. | stop that/it spoken: Stop it! You're hurting me. | stop short (=stop walking suddenly) | stop and do sth: People stopped and stared as she screamed at him. | stop (dead)/stop in your tracks (=stop walking or running very suddenly) | stop (sth) at/outside/in etc: Jill stopped the car outside the post office. | stop on a dime AmE (=stop very quickly)2 PREVENT (T) to prevent someone from doing something or something from happening: I'm leaving home and you can't stop me. | stop sb (from) doing sth: Lynn's parents tried to stop her seeing him. | there's nothing to stop sb: There's nothing to stop you calling her to say you're sorry.3 END (I, T) to end or make something end: We'll go out when the rain stops. | stop sth: The referee stopped the fight.(+ at): The road stops at the farm.4 PAUSE (I) to pause in an activity, journey etc in order to do something before continuing: stop for sth: We stopped for a drink on the way home. | stop to do sth: Maya stopped to tie her shoelace. | stop to think/consider etc: It's time we stopped to think about our next move.5 stop at nothing (to do sth) to be ready to do anything, even if it is cruel, dishonest, or illegal, to get what you want: Franca will stop at nothing to get a part in the film.6 stop short of (doing) sth to decide that you are not willing to do something wrong or dangerous, though you will do something similar that is less dangerous: The US government supported sanctions but stopped short of military action.7 STAY (I) BrE informal to stay somewhere for a short time, especially at someone's house: I won't sit down - I'm not stopping.(+ for): Can you stop for a chat?8 WALKING/TRAVELLING (T) to go to someone and speak to them or make them stop when they are walking or travelling somewhere: Someone stopped me in the street and asked the way. | if they try to get away, they'll be stopped at the border.9 MONEY to prevent money from being paid after you agreed to pay it: stop sth from sth: Money for breakages will be stopped from your wages. | stop a cheque (=tell your bank not to pay the money)10 BLOCK (T) also stop up to block something such as a pipe so that water, smoke etc cannot go through itstop back phrasal verb (I) AmE to go back to a place you have been to earlier: Can you stop back later? I'm real busy right now. stop by phrasal verb (I, T) to make a short visit to a place or person, especially when you are on your way to somewhere else: Daniel stopped by the newsagent's on his way home. stop sth down phrasal verb (T) to make the hole in a camera lens (2) smaller so that less light gets in when you take a photograph stop in phrasal verb (I) informal1 to make a short visit to a place or person, especially when you are on your way to somewhere else(+ at): Let's stop in at Vera's on our way.2 BrE to stay at home: I'm stopping in to wash my hair tonight.stop off phrasal verb (I) to make a short visit to a place during a journey, especially to rest or to see someone: Shall we stop off somewhere on the way to Cornwall? (+ in/at etc): We stopped off in Santa Rosa for a day. stop out phrasal verb (I) BrE informal to stay out later than usual: Lizzie stopped out all night on Saturday. stop over phrasal verb (I) to make a short stay somewhere before continuing a long journey: The plane stops over in Dubai on the way to India. stop up phrasal verb (I) BrE informal to stay up late: Joe stopped up till 3 o'clock to watch the boxing.. 2 noun (C)1 bring sth to a stop to stop something moving or happening: David brought the truck to a shuddering stop.2 come/roll to a stop if a vehicle, an activity etc comes to a stop, it stops moving or happening: Work on the project has come to a stop because of lack of funding.3 DURING JOURNEY a time or place when you stop during a journey for a short time: Our first stop was Paris, and then we traveled on to Marseilles. | make a stop (=stop somewhere while travelling): We only made two stops on the long drive down through France.4 BUS/TRAIN a place where a bus or train regularly stops for people to get on and off: This is your stop, isn't it?5 put a stop to sth to prevent something from continuing or happening: The new law should put a stop to this tax evasion.6 pull out all the stops to do everything you possibly can to make something happen and succeed: The Bianchis had pulled out all the stops for their daughter's wedding.7 MUSICa) a set of pipes on an organ (2) that produce soundb) a set of handles that you push in or out in an organ to control the amount of sound it produces8 CONSONANT a consonant sound, like, or/k/, made by stopping the flow of air completely and then suddenly letting it out of your mouth; plosive —see also: full stop 1
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.
