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Glite Dictionary
to stop a clock

to stop a clock

8.8
To be so attractive that people stare
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : dejar sin aliento
  • She walked into the room and her beauty could stop a clock.

Examples

  • People say her smile could stop a clock and light up any occasion.

  • She can stop a clock with her beauty!

  • His stunning performance would stop a clock with its brilliance.

  • His smile could stop a clock.

  • Her radiant dress was so lovely that it could stop a clock at the gala.

  • When she entered the room, her elegance was enough to stop a clock.

  • The actress's stunning makeover could truly stop a clock on the red carpet.

Synonyms

to catch someone's eye
vsto stop a clock
8 2.7

Attract someone's attention because it is interesting or noticeable

is more about striking beauty that draws immediate notice
to grab someone's attention
vsto stop a clock
3 3.3

Make someone notice something quickly and feel interested

is about striking looks that draw attention instantly rather than by force

Antonyms

to blend in
20 3.7

Be similar to people or things around you so you are not noticed

How Striking

to take one's breath away
  • Informal
33 4.1
to stop a clock
  • Informal
8.8
to turn heads
  • Informal
7 4.4

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

stop + a + clock

The literal parts ('stop' + 'clock') do not directly denote attractiveness, but there is a clear metaphorical link (the idea of time or attention halting in the presence of striking beauty) that a learner could plausibly infer. Because this requires metaphorical/cultural inference and is not strictly compositional or universally predictable, a B1 learner might sometimes guess the meaning but would not reliably derive it without exposure.

Etymology

Stop a clock gives a simple picture: someone so striking that even a running clock would stop and look. That's why the phrase means 'to be so beautiful or striking that everyone notices'.