1stop 
/ˈstɑ:p/ verb
stops; stopped; stop·ping /ˈstɑ:p/ verb 1 a [no obj] : to not move, walk, etc., after doing so before
▪ She was walking toward me, and then she suddenly stopped. ▪ The bus stopped at the corner. ▪ He stopped to watch the sun set. ▪ She had to stop to catch her breath. = She had to stop and catch her breath. ▪ He stopped to pick up a penny. ▪ The car was going so fast that it couldn't stop in time. ▪ The traffic light turned red, so she had to stop. ▪ Stop. [=halt] Who goes there? ▪ I stopped (dead) in my tracks [=stopped suddenly] when I saw the bear.
b [+ obj] : to cause (someone or something) to not move, walk, etc., after doing so before
▪ Stop that man! He stole my wallet. ▪ They stopped us at the border to check our passports. ▪ She stopped the car and turned back. ▪ He was stopped by the police for speeding. ▪ The goalie stopped [=blocked] the ball/shot. ▪ The sight of the bear stopped me (dead) in my tracks. 2 a : to not do something that you have been doing before : to not continue doing something [no obj] ▪ He constantly teases her and never knows when to stop. ▪ We've been working all morning. It's time to stop and take a break. ▪ 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] ▪ Did you ever stop [=pause] to think about the risk you took? ▪ She never stopped to consider how her decision might affect others. [+ obj] ▪ Can you please stop what you are doing to help me? ▪ I stop work at 5 o'clock. ▪ The phone stopped ringing. ▪ Stop arguing/talking/running. ▪ She stopped [=quit] smoking last year. ▪ The patient suddenly stopped breathing. ▪ His heart stopped beating. ▪ Stop it/that or I'll tell Mom.
b [+ obj] : 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. ▪ Stop me if you've heard this joke before. ▪ It's too late. There's no stopping them now. [=they can't be stopped now] ▪ (Brit) I couldn't stop him crying. — often + from in U.S. English ▪ I couldn't stop him from crying. ▪ He stopped [=restrained] himself from laughing out loud. ▪ Nothing can stop me from leaving. ▪ Environmentalists tried to stop them from cutting down the trees. ▪ There is nothing to stop you from going. ▪ We need to stop the disease from spreading. 3 [+ obj] a : to cause (something) to end : to end (something)
▪ The teacher stopped the fight. ▪ We need to stop the violence in our city. ▪ They tried to stop the bleeding.
b : to cause (a recording) to not play
▪ She stopped the CD because it was skipping. ▪ We stopped [=paused] the movie to grab some snacks. 4 [no obj] : to no longer happen or exist : to end
▪ The music suddenly stopped. ▪ The path stops about halfway up the mountain. ▪ The rain had stopped by the time we left. [=it was not raining anymore when we left] 5 [no obj] : to suddenly not work or function
▪ The engine just stopped. ▪ His heart stopped. 6 [no obj] a : to not travel during a journey for a short period of time in order to rest, eat, etc. — + for ▪ We stopped for lunch. ▪ We need to stop for gas. [=we need to get gas] ▪ We stopped for a night in Atlanta. [=we stayed in Atlanta for a night]
b : to go to a place during a journey
▪ I'll stop for a short visit. ▪ The tour stops in several cities.
c : to make a brief social visit
▪ I'm not stopping. [=staying] I just wanted to drop this off. — see also stop by, stop in, stop off, stop over (below) 7 [+ obj] : 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] — usually + up ▪ She stopped up the cracks with plaster. ▪ The sink is stopped up [=blocked] with food. 8 [+ obj] a : to tell your bank not to pay a check
▪ I called to stop payment on the check. = I called to stop the check.
b chiefly Brit : to take (money) from something — often + from ▪ £200 will be stopped [=withheld] from your wages next week. 9 always followed by an adverb or preposition [no obj] Brit, informal : to stay or remain
▪ I am stopping at home. — see also stop in, stop out, stop up (below)
▪ She was walking toward me, and then she suddenly stopped. ▪ The bus stopped at the corner. ▪ He stopped to watch the sun set. ▪ She had to stop to catch her breath. = She had to stop and catch her breath. ▪ He stopped to pick up a penny. ▪ The car was going so fast that it couldn't stop in time. ▪ The traffic light turned red, so she had to stop. ▪ Stop. [=halt] Who goes there? ▪ I stopped (dead) in my tracks [=stopped suddenly] when I saw the bear.
b [+ obj] : to cause (someone or something) to not move, walk, etc., after doing so before
▪ Stop that man! He stole my wallet. ▪ They stopped us at the border to check our passports. ▪ She stopped the car and turned back. ▪ He was stopped by the police for speeding. ▪ The goalie stopped [=blocked] the ball/shot. ▪ The sight of the bear stopped me (dead) in my tracks.
b [+ obj] : 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. ▪ Stop me if you've heard this joke before. ▪ It's too late. There's no stopping them now. [=they can't be stopped now] ▪ (Brit) I couldn't stop him crying. — often + from in U.S. English ▪ I couldn't stop him from crying. ▪ He stopped [=restrained] himself from laughing out loud. ▪ Nothing can stop me from leaving. ▪ Environmentalists tried to stop them from cutting down the trees. ▪ There is nothing to stop you from going. ▪ We need to stop the disease from spreading.
▪ The teacher stopped the fight. ▪ We need to stop the violence in our city. ▪ They tried to stop the bleeding.
b : to cause (a recording) to not play
▪ She stopped the CD because it was skipping. ▪ We stopped [=paused] the movie to grab some snacks.
▪ The music suddenly stopped. ▪ The path stops about halfway up the mountain. ▪ The rain had stopped by the time we left. [=it was not raining anymore when we left]
▪ The engine just stopped. ▪ His heart stopped.
b : to go to a place during a journey
▪ I'll stop for a short visit. ▪ The tour stops in several cities.
c : to make a brief social visit
▪ I'm not stopping. [=staying] I just wanted to drop this off. — see also stop by, stop in, stop off, stop over (below)
▪ He stopped his ears with his fingers. [=he put his fingertips in his ears so that he couldn't hear] — usually + up ▪ She stopped up the cracks with plaster. ▪ The sink is stopped up [=blocked] with food.
▪ I called to stop payment on the check. = I called to stop the check.
b chiefly Brit : to take (money) from something — often + from ▪ £200 will be stopped [=withheld] from your wages next week.
▪ I am stopping at home. — 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.
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.
▪ Feel free to stop by [=drop by, drop in] anytime. ▪ I'll stop by for a short visit.
stop in
[phrasal verb] informal 1 : to visit someone briefly
▪ You should stop in [=stop by] for tea sometime. 2 Brit : to stay at home
▪ I'm stopping [=staying] in tonight.
▪ You should stop in [=stop by] for tea sometime.
▪ I'm stopping [=staying] in tonight.
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. ▪ Could you stop off at the house to water the plants?
▪ I'll stop off (at the store) to pick up some milk. ▪ She is stopping off in Miami to visit a friend. ▪ Could you stop off at the house to water the plants?
stop out
[phrasal verb] Brit, informal : to stay out at night
▪ He doesn't normally stop out late.
▪ He doesn't normally stop out late.
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.
▪ The plane stops over in Chicago before going on to Seattle. ▪ She stopped over at a friend's house for a couple of days.
stop up
[phrasal verb] Brit, informal : to stay up at night
▪ She stopped up late last night. — see also 1stop 7 (above)
▪ She stopped up late last night. — see also 1stop 7 (above)
the buck stops here — see 1buck
