Skip to main content
stop

stop

1 6.0
A consonant sound made by blocking the air and then releasing it
  • noun
  • /stɑp/
  • Specialized
: consonante oclusiva
  • The letter 'p' is an example of a voiceless bilabial stop in phonetics.
  • voiceless stop
  • voiced stop
  • bilabial stop

Examples

  • During the class, we learned that a stop in speech occurs when the airflow is momentarily blocked.

  • A station stop would allow access to the site by foot instead of by car alone.

    Academic text (2001)
  • There's an all-night truck stop on the interstate.

  • John's truck screeches to a stop at the E.R. entrance.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • In linguistics, a stop is produced by completely blocking airflow in the vocal tract.

Synonyms

plosive
vsstop
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A consonant sound made by stopping air in the mouth then letting it out suddenly, like p or b

is the broad definition emphasizing the action without listing examples
stop consonant
vsstop
  • Specialized
1 6.3

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

is the shorter general label used for the same sound
occlusive
vsstop
  • Specialized
8.8

A speech sound made by stopping the breath completely and then letting it out

is the common everyday name rather than the specialist term
plosive consonant
vsstop
  • Specialized
6.3

A speech sound, like p or b, made by stopping the air and then letting it out quickly

is similar but the description adds specific example sounds

Idioms

51 5.1

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

to stop the presses
  • Literature
6 7.9

Tell people to stop printing because of urgent news

To suddenly stop moving or speaking because you are surprised

To take time to enjoy small pleasant things in life

to stop a clock
  • Informal
1 8.8

To be so attractive that people stare

A face so ugly that it shocks people

A sudden end that causes death or total ruin

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

Compounds

89 1.0

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

61 1.0

A road sign that tells drivers to stop completely before going

43 2.7

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

37 3.6

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

28 1.8

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

15 3.6

A complete end to an activity or process

8 3.9

A quick stop during a race to refuel or change tires

stop payment
  • Specialized
5 4.8

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

4 8.2

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

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

2 7.4

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

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'

1 1.0

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

stop order
  • Specialized
1 5.8

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

stop-loss order
  • Specialized
1 5.8

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

stop bath
  • Specialized
1 7.4

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

1 4.4

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

stop number
  • Specialized
1 8.4

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

1 8.1

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

stop consonant
  • Specialized
1 6.3

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

stop press
  • Literature
1 7.1

An urgent news item added to a newspaper just before printing

stop-limit order
  • Specialized
1 8.4

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

1 4.9

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

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

labial stop
  • Specialized
8.6

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

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

stop-leak
  • Specialized
6.5

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

How Continuous

fricative
  • Specialized
1 8.0
continuant
  • Specialized
1 8.8
approximant
  • Specialized
1 8.4
affricate
  • Specialized
1 9.9
stop
  • Specialized
1 6.0

Surface Forms

stop singular
stops plural

Etymology

Stop for a consonant sound is named from the idea of blocking the air, like a short 'plug' in the mouth. So sounds such as 'p', 't', and 'k' are called 'stops' because you stop the airflow to make them.