stop
[verb]
Synonyms:
- halt, cease, conclude, cut short, desist, discontinue, end, finish, pause, put an end to, quit, refrain, shut down, terminate
- prevent, arrest, forestall, hinder, hold back, impede, repress, restrain
- plug, block, obstruct, seal, staunch, stem
- stay, lodge, rest
[noun]
Synonyms:
- end, cessation, finish, halt, standstill
- stay, break, rest
- station, depot, terminus

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Antonyms: unstop, start, go
Contrasted words: continue, go on, keep (on), keep up, persist, start, move, pull out
Related Words: disrupt, hinder, interrupt, cut off, shut off, turn off, can, refrain (from), arrest, check, stay, suspend, cheese, lay off, break off, break up, end, terminate

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English Thesaurus: stop, quit, give something up, pack something in, pull out of something, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. stop¹ S1 W1 /stɒp $ stɑːp/ verb (past tense and past participle stopped, present participle stopping)
[Word Family: noun: stop, stoppage, stopper; verb: stop, stopper; adverb: non-stop; adjective: non-stop]
[Language: Old English; Origin: stoppian 'to block up']

1. NOT CONTINUE
a) [intransitive and transitive] to not continue, or to make someone or something not continue:
By midday the rain had stopped.
This is where the path stops.
The referee stopped the fight.
The doctor advised me to stop the medication.
People are fighting to stop the destruction of the rain forests.
stop somebody doing something
I couldn’t stop her crying.
b) [intransitive and transitive] if you stop doing something, you do not continue to do it
stop doing something
I stopped digging and looked at him.
What time do you stop work?
I’ve been smoking for over ten years, and I can’t stop.
stop it/that (=stop doing something annoying)
Come on, you two! Stop it!
Right, stop what you’re doing and come over here.
► In this sense, do not say ‘stop to do something’. Say stop doing something. Stop to do something means to stop moving along or stop what you are doing in order to do something else: She stopped to look at the map (=in order to look at the map).

2. PREVENT [transitive] to prevent someone from doing something or something from happening:
The government tried to stop publication of the book.
I’m leaving now, and you can’t stop me.
stop somebody/something (from) doing something
Lay the carpet on paper to stop it sticking to the floor.
The rain didn’t stop us from enjoying the trip.
stop yourself (from) doing something
I couldn’t stop myself laughing.
She grabbed the rail to stop herself from falling.
there’s nothing to stop somebody (from) doing something
There’s nothing to stop you applying for the job yourself.
► Do not say ‘stop someone to do something’. Say stop someone (from) doing something.

3. NOT MOVE
[intransitive and transitive] to not walk, move, or travel any more, or to make someone or something do this:
He stopped suddenly when he saw Ruth.
Stop! Come back!
He stopped the car and got out.
I was worried that the security guards would stop us at the gate.
stop at/outside/in etc
She stopped outside the post office.
A car stopped behind us.
stop to do something
Sam stopped to give me a lift.
stop and do something
He stopped and looked into her face.
stop for
I need to stop for a rest.
stop dead/short/in your tracks (=stop walking suddenly)
Sally saw the ambulance and stopped short.
stop on a dime American English (=stop very quickly – used about cars)
This truck can stop on a dime!

4. PAUSE [intransitive] to pause in an activity, journey etc in order to do something before you continue
stop for
We stopped for a drink on the way home.
stop to do something
I stopped to tie my shoe.
stop to think/consider etc
It’s time we stopped to think about our next move.

5. STAY [intransitive] British English informal to stay somewhere for a short time, especially at someone’s house:
I won’t sit down – I’m not stopping.
stop for
Will you stop for a cup of tea?

6. will/would stop at nothing (to do something) to be ready to do anything to achieve something that you want to achieve:
We will stop at nothing to save our child.

7. stop short of (doing) something 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.

8. MONEY [transitive] if you stop an amount of money, you prevent it from being paid to someone:
Dad threatened to stop my pocket money.
stop something from something
£200 will be stopped from your wages next month to pay for the damage.
I phoned the bank and asked them to stop the cheque (=not pay a cheque that I had written).
My mother called the bank to stop payment on the check.

9. BLOCK [transitive] (also stop up) to block a hole or pipe so that water, smoke etc cannot go through it

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. stop² S2 W3 noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: stop, stoppage, stopper; verb: stop, stopper; adverb: non-stop; adjective: non-stop]

1. come/roll/jerk/skid etc to a stop if a vehicle comes to a stop, it stops moving:
The bus came to a stop outside the school.
The car skidded to a stop.

2. come to a stop if an activity comes to a stop, it stops happening:
Work on the project has come to a stop because of lack of funding.

3. bring something to a stop to stop something moving or happening:
David brought the truck to a shuddering stop.
The UN is trying to bring the war to a stop.

4. DURING JOURNEY a time or place when you stop during a journey for a short time:
Our first stop was Paris.
We’ll make a stop at the foot of the hill.
The trip includes an overnight stop in London.

5. BUS/TRAIN a place where a bus or train regularly stops for people to get on and off:
Our next stop will be York.
This is your stop, isn’t it?

6. put a stop to something to prevent something from continuing or happening:
The government is determined to put a stop to the demonstrations.

7. pull out all the stops to do everything you possibly can to make something happen and succeed:
The hospital staff pulled out all the stops to make sure the children had a wonderful day.

8. MONEY the action or fact of telling your bank not to pay an amount of money to someone:
I put a stop on that check to the store.

9. MUSIC a handle that you push in or out on an organ to control the amount of sound it produces

10. CONSONANT a consonant sound, like /p/ or /k/, that you make by stopping the flow of air completely and then suddenly letting it out of your mouth
⇒ full stop¹

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

stop
noun
I. stopping or staying
ADJ. long | brief, short | overnight | abrupt, sharp, sudden | emergency | scheduled, unscheduled | coffee, fuel, lunch, refreshment, refuelling, toilet, etc. | pit The cars made two pit stops during the race.
VERB + STOP bring/draw sth to, put She brought the car to an abrupt stop. to put a stop to all the arguments
come to, draw to, slow to The truck came to a sudden stop.
screech to | have, make We had a lunch stop at Timperley.
STOP + NOUN sign
PREP. ~ at There will be a stop at Canterbury.
~ for a stop for refreshments
PHRASES come to a dead/full stop Between twelve and two everything comes to a dead stop.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

stop
II. for a bus, etc.
ADJ. bus, tram | request
VERB + STOP get off at | miss We were chatting and missed our stop.
PREP. at a/the ~ We dropped the kids off at the bus stop.
between ~s You're not allowed to get off between stops.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

stop
verb
ADV. abruptly, dead, (dead) in your tracks, immediately, short, suddenly Suddenly he stopped dead: what was he doing? The question stopped Alice in her tracks.
altogether The sobs came less frequently, then stopped altogether.
for a moment, momentarily | never That phone never stops ringing!
VERB + STOP can/can't, could/couldn't He couldn't stop thinking about her.
try to | be going to When is the violence going to stop?
want (sb/sth) to I was enjoying myself so much I didn't want to stop.
PREP. from They tried to stop me from leaving.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

stop
verb
1.
BAD: This policy is supposed to stop people to buy foreign cars.
GOOD: This policy is supposed to stop people from buying foreign cars.

Usage Note:
stop sb/sth (from) doing sth (NOT to do ), = prevent someone (from) doing something or something from happening: 'Her parents tried to stop her from going abroad.'

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2.
BAD: The child couldn't stop from talking.
GOOD: The child couldn't stop talking.

Usage Note:
stop doing sth (WITHOUT from ) = cease an activity: 'It's actually stopped raining at last.'
Compare: 'The rain stopped us from going out.'

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3.
BAD: I stopped to play the piano at the age of eight.
GOOD: I stopped playing the piano at the age of eight.
BAD: He loved toys and couldn't stop to look at them.
GOOD: He loved toys and couldn't stop looking at them.

Usage Note:
stop doing sth = cease or discontinue an activity: 'I stopped reading and turned out the light.'
stop to do sth = halt or pause (in order to do something): 'Although I was in a hurry, I stopped to talk to him.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

stop to not do something any longer:
I wish she would stop talking.
He waited for them to stop.
quit especially American English informal to stop doing something:
She needs to quit complaining about her life.
It’s too late for him to quit now.
give something up to stop doing something, especially something that you have been doing for a long time:
It’s so hard to give up smoking.
She wants to give up her job.
I’ve given up trying to tell my son to clean his room.
pack something in informal to stop doing something, especially because you feel tired or annoyed:
Sometimes I feel like packing in my job and starting again somewhere else.
Pack it in, will you! (=used when telling someone to stop doing something, because they are annoying you)
pull out of something to stop taking part in something that you have agreed to take part in:
The unions have pulled out of the negotiations.
The US decided to pull out of the competition.
cease formal to stop doing something:
The company has decided to cease production of its film cameras.
The US government ceased talks with North Korea.
pause to stop speaking or doing something for a short time before starting again:
He paused for a moment to consider the question.
‘I think it’s going to rain,’ she said, pausing to look up at the sky.
have/take a break to stop working, studying, or driving for a short time in order to rest:
Okay, everyone. Take a ten-minute break.
If you’re feeling tired, you should have a break.
break to stop working, studying etc in order to rest or eat something – used about a group of people who are doing something together:
After a couple of hours the committee broke for lunch.
come to an end to stop – used about something that has continued for a long time:
The war finally came to an end in 1918.
wear off to gradually stop – used about a pain, a feeling, or the effects of something:
The pain will soon wear off.
The excitement was beginning to wear off.
The anaesthetic took a long time to wear off.
peter out to gradually stop happening or existing:
The campaign petered out after only a few weeks.
come to a halt especially written to move more slowly and then stop – used about a vehicle:
The train slowly came to a halt just outside the station.
The plane came to a halt less than twenty yards away from the limousines.
pull over to move to the side of the road and stop – used about a vehicle or its driver:
The bus pulled over to the side of the road, with smoke coming out of its engine.
The police officer was waving at him to pull over.
pull up to stop close to something – used about a vehicle or its driver:
The taxi pulled up outside her house.
He pulled up next to our car.
come to a standstill to go slower and then stop moving completely:
The road was blocked by an accident, and the traffic quickly came to a standstill.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

stop
stɔp
See: put an end to(1) , or put a stop to

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

STOP
Spin Tires on Pavement  
Squeal Tires on Pavement

[TahlilGaran] Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary ▲