to stop (someone) in (their) tracks
3
3.9
- idiom
- Informal
:
detener en seco
- It had this old sign out front, but it just stopped me in my tracks.
- stopped dead in their tracks
Examples
-
The sudden loud noise stopped her in her tracks, leaving her frozen in surprise.
-
Suddenly, they stop in their tracks, slowly blinking, confused.
Fiction book (1995) -
Suddenly, Jay and Bob stop dead in their tracks.
Fiction book (2001) -
It completely stopped me in my tracks.
-
The other two cavalrymen stopped in their tracks.
Fiction book (1992) -
When they saw Geordi's companion, they stopped dead in their tracks.
Fiction book (1991) -
Our friends stop in their tracks and look up to the imposing hosts.
Fiction book (2002) -
The two men stop in their tracks, eyeing each other hatefully.
Fiction book (1999) -
The two sailors stop in their tracks, eyes popping with horrified recognition.
Fiction book (1993) -
Wherever we ventured in and around the old walled city, people stopped dead in their tracks and stared.
Academic text (2009)
Synonyms
244
1.6
Stop moving suddenly because of fear or surprise
202
2.1
To cause someone to feel sudden surprise and distress
22
6.4
To make someone stop and think carefully before deciding
12
3.9
To suddenly become completely still because you are surprised
11
3.0
To surprise someone so much they cannot react for a short time
9
7.9
To make someone unable to think or react after a very strong shock
8
4.3
To surprise someone and make them react
3
5.2
Freeze and stay completely still because of surprise or fear
1
7.4
Stop someone suddenly, often during speech or action
1
5.8
To make someone hesitate before acting
Antonyms
How Surprising
164
4.4
11
3.0
- Informal
3
3.9
13
3.5
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
stop + (someone) + in + (their) + track
The verb 'stop' combined with the locative phrase 'in (their) tracks' transparently conveys causing someone to halt on their path, so a learner who knows the constituents will likely infer a meaning related to sudden cessation of movement. However, the conventionalized nuance that this halting is abrupt and often due to surprise or shock, and its frequent metaphorical extension to non-physical actions, is somewhat idiomatic and not fully predictable, making the expression only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Stop (someone) in (their) tracks comes from a simple picture: imagine a person walking along a path or a railway and suddenly freeze, so they literally stop on the tracks. That's why it means 'to make someone suddenly stop what they are doing or thinking', usually because they are surprised or shocked.