To close (an opening or hole) by covering, filling in, or plugging up: The tea leaves stopped the drain.
To constrict (an opening or orifice): My nose is stopped up.
To obstruct or block passage on (a road, for example).
To prevent the flow or passage of: stop supplies from getting through.
To halt the motion or progress of: stopped me and asked directions.
To block or deflect (a blow, for example); parry or ward off.
To be or get in the way of (a bullet or other missile); be killed or wounded by.
To cause to desist or to change a course of action: stopped us from continuing the argument.
To prevent or restrain: stopped him from going.
To defeat (an opponent or opposing team).
To defeat in boxing by a knockout or technical knockout.
To press down (a string on a stringed instrument) on the fingerboard to produce a desired pitch.
To close (a hole on a wind instrument) with the finger in sounding a desired pitch.
To cause to desist or to change a course of action: stopped us from continuing the argument.
To prevent or restrain: stopped him from going.
To defeat (an opponent or opposing team).
To defeat in boxing by a knockout or technical knockout.
To press down (a string on a stringed instrument) on the fingerboard to produce a desired pitch.
To close (a hole on a wind instrument) with the finger in sounding a desired pitch.
To discontinue or cease: He stopped his complaining.
To defeat (an opponent or opposing team).
To defeat in boxing by a knockout or technical knockout.
To press down (a string on a stringed instrument) on the fingerboard to produce a desired pitch.
To close (a hole on a wind instrument) with the finger in sounding a desired pitch.
To order a bank to withhold payment of: stopped the check.
Music
To press down (a string on a stringed instrument) on the fingerboard to produce a desired pitch.
To close (a hole on a wind instrument) with the finger in sounding a desired pitch.
v.
intr.
To cease moving, progressing, acting, or operating; come to a halt: The clock stopped in the night.
To put an end to what one is doing; cease: had to stop at an exciting place in the book.
To interrupt one's course or journey for a brief visit or stay. Often used with by, in, or off:stop by at a friend's house; stop in at the office; stop off at the gas station.
n.
The act of stopping or the condition of being stopped; cessation.
A finish; an end.
A stay or visit, as one taken during a trip.
A place at which someone or something stops: a regular stop on my paper route; a bus stop.
A device or means that obstructs, blocks, or plugs up.
An order given to a bank to withhold payment on a check.
A part in a mechanism that stops or regulates movement.
The effective aperture of a lens, controlled by a diaphragm.
A mark of punctuation, especially a period.
Music
The act of stopping a string or hole on an instrument.
A fret on a stringed instrument.
A hole on a wind instrument.
A device such as a key for closing the hole on a wind instrument.
A tuned set of pipes, as in an organ.
A knob, key, or pull that regulates such a set of pipes.
Linguistics One of a set of speech sounds that is a plosive or a nasal.
A plosive.
Nautical A line used for securing something temporarily: a sail stop.
Linguistics One of a set of speech sounds that is a plosive or a nasal.
A plosive.
The depression between the muzzle and top of the skull of an animal, especially a dog.
Sports A save made by a goalie.
Games A stopper.
Architecture A projecting stone, often carved, at the end of a molding.
adj. Of, relating to, or being of use at the end of an operation or activity: a stop code. Phrasal Verb(s): stop downTo reduce (the aperture) of a lens. stop outTo withdraw temporarily from college.
[Middle English stoppen, from Old English -stoppian, probably from Vulgar Latin *stuppāre, to caulk, from Latin stuppa, tow, broken flax, from Greek stuppē.] stop'pa·ble adj.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to bring or come to an end: stop arguing; ceased crying; desist from complaining; discontinued the treatment; halting the convoy; quit laughing.
[stop-uh-buh
l] 