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to stop

to stop

1.0
To pause a journey to stay at a place
  • verb
  • /stɑp/
translation icon : parar
  • On our trip, we decided to stop at a charming café for lunch.
  • stop for the night
  • stop for water
  • travelers stop

We will not stop for rain, sleet or snow.

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Examples

  • We'll stop here for a minute, gentlemen, and breathe our horses.

  • In Massachusetts, we'll stop at MIT and get chip implants, exploring growing surveillance issues.

    Academic text (2017)
  • So OK, so I think we'll stop here.

  • You know, here we should stop and, and think for a bit.

  • And my son says, Daddy, can we stop and look at the nature?

  • Then stop and take a look at it.

  • OK, let's see, should we stop here and get questions?

  • I'll stop at the Duty Free Shop in America and get you something neat!

  • Afterwards, I decided to stop by the Wagon Wheel to say hello to Angie.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • - Well, I gotta stop in at Muskie Madness HQ and find out about my muskie.

Synonyms

to take a break
vsto stop
496 1.4

To stop doing something for a short time to rest or relax before continuing

applies to travel interruptions that involve staying at a place temporarily
to stop by
vsto stop
  • Informal
494 2.5

To make a short visit to a person or place

focuses on travel interruptions that include staying rather than just casual visits
to pause
vsto stop
346 1.0

Stop for a short time before continuing

refers specifically to pausing travel to stay or visit rather than pausing actions generally
to get off
vsto stop
213 1.6

To leave a vehicle, for example a bus, or stop annoying someone

implies a temporary travel interruption with staying or visiting, not just leaving
to get off at
vsto stop
32 1.9

Leave a vehicle like a bus or train at a stop

involves interrupting a journey to stay or visit rather than merely exiting a vehicle
to come to a halt
vsto stop
  • Informal
13 3.4

Stop moving or working completely

denotes a travel interruption that allows restarting the journey after a temporary stay
to make a pit stop
vsto stop
9 3.8

To stop briefly on a journey to use the toilet or get food

covers temporary travel interruptions that include staying or visiting, not only quick needs
to stop over
vsto stop
8 3.6

To stay somewhere for a short time, often overnight, before continuing a trip

interrupts travel to stay temporarily without implying an overnight stay
to swing through
vsto stop
  • US
1 3.9

Stop at a place for a short time while going somewhere else

involves a temporary visit during travel but can be longer than a brief call
to lay over
vsto stop
  • US
4.2

To stop during a journey and stay somewhere, often overnight, before you continue

is the broader travel interruption that need not focus on overnight timing

Antonyms

1.0

To keep doing something without stopping

297 3.1

To start an activity again after a pause

Idioms

50 5.1

Make blood loss end or prevent more harm in a difficult situation

To suddenly stop moving or speaking because you are surprised

To take time to enjoy small pleasant things in life

to stop the presses
  • Literature
3 7.9

Tell people to stop printing because of urgent news

A face so ugly that it shocks people

A sudden end that causes death or total ruin

to stop a clock
  • Informal
8.8

To be so attractive that people stare

9.9

Tell someone to stop talking nonsense and focus on the main point

9.9

Tell someone to stop saying silly or untrue things and to speak seriously

Phrasal Verbs

to stop by
  • Informal
494 2.5

To make a short visit to a person or place

To end something so it no longer happens

To stop making sounds and movements when you find something funny

to stop dead
  • Informal
12 3.9

To suddenly become completely still because you are surprised

To stop briefly on a journey to use the toilet or get food

8 3.6

To stay somewhere for a short time, often overnight, before continuing a trip

to stop cold
  • Informal
3 5.2

Freeze and stay completely still because of surprise or fear

1 4.6

Block a hole, pipe, or crack so nothing can pass through

Get ready to stop when a signal or sign warns you

End something completely so it does not continue

Compounds

73 1.0

A place where people wait for a bus to get on and off

45 1.0

A road sign that tells drivers to stop completely before going

34 2.7

A place by the road where truck drivers stop for fuel, food, and rest

24 1.8

A place beside a road where people stop to rest, use toilets, or buy food

21 3.9

A quick stop during a race to refuel or change tires

14 3.6

A short stop on a trip to rest, stretch, or get fuel

stop payment
  • Specialized
4 4.8

A request from a bank customer asking the bank not to cash a check

2 3.6

A complete end to an activity or process

A series of short visits to small towns by a politician during an election campaign

2 8.2

A short stop at a small place, for example a train stop or a campaign visit

1 1.0

A mark placed at the end of a sentence or after an abbreviation

glottal stop
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A sound you make by briefly stopping and releasing air at your voice box, like the break in 'uh-oh'

stop order
  • Specialized
1 5.8

An instruction to sell or buy shares at a set price to limit losses and protect gains

stop bath
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A weak acid liquid used to stop the chemical that makes an image on film or photo paper

stop-loss order
  • Specialized
1 5.8

An instruction to automatically sell shares when their price falls to a set level to limit loss

1 7.4

A very small train station where trains pause only when someone signals

To slow but not stop fully at a stop sign or red light

diapason stop
  • Specialized
9.9

A main sound on a pipe organ that gives a deep, rich tone

flue stop
  • Specialized
9.3

A part of an organ that makes a soft sound like a flute

8.1

A small train station where trains stop only if someone signals them

labial stop
  • Specialized
8.6

A speech sound made by closing the lips to block the air briefly

A short stay during a trip where you sleep overnight before continuing

reed stop
  • Specialized
9.4

A part of an organ that makes a sound like an oboe or clarinet

organ stop
  • Jargon
7.9

A group of pipes on an organ that make a particular sound when you choose them

suction stop
  • Specialized
9.9

A consonant made by pulling air into the mouth to stop the sound briefly

short-stop bath
  • Specialized
9.6

An acidic liquid that stops film or paper from developing before fixing

short-stop
  • Specialized
9.9

A liquid used after developing film to stop the chemical reaction

4.9

A liquid added to a car radiator to seal small holes for a short time

stop number
  • Specialized
8.4

A number that shows how wide a camera lens opens to let light in

stop consonant
  • Specialized
6.3

A sound you make when you block air and then let it out quickly

stop press
  • Literature
7.1

An urgent news item added to a newspaper just before printing

stop-limit order
  • Specialized
8.4

An instruction that starts when a set price is reached and then trades only at a set price or better

stop-leak
  • Specialized
6.5

A liquid you add to a car radiator to seal small leaks temporarily

How Long

to stay
1.0
to stop over
8 3.6
to stop
1.0
to pause
346 1.0

Surface Forms

stop infinitive
stopped past
stopped past participle
stopping present participle
stops third person singular

Etymology

Stop comes from an old English word stoppian meaning 'to plug' or 'block', and people used it for halting movement. So when you stop on a journey you pause or halt your travel.