Meaning of stop In English

• 0 to finish doing something that you were doing:

  • Once I start eating chocolate, I can't stop.

  • [ + -ing verb ] Stop shouting - you're giving me a headache!

  • I couldn't stop laughing.

  • Stop it!/Stop that!

  • My watch must have stopped.

  • The air conditioner has stopped working.

  • Stop the car, I want to get out!

  • I heard him shout, "Stop, or I'll shoot!"

  • Apparently she's stopped drinking.

  • I stopped seeing him last year.

  • Does this train stop at Finsbury Park?

  • Why don't you just stop somewhere and ask for directions?

  • [ + to infinitive ] I stopped to pick up a letter that I'd dropped.

• 1 to prevent someone from doing something:

  • If she really wants to leave, I don't understand what's stopping her.

  • [ + -ing verb ] They've put barriers up to stop people (from) getting through.

  • Something must be done to stop the fighting.

• 2 to stay in a place:

  • Are you coming with me or are you stopping here?

  • I can't stop - Marc is waiting for me outside.

  • Now that you're here, why don't you stop for some tea?

  • I've been out every night this week, so I thought I'd stop in (= stay at home) tonight.

  • We stopped up (= did not go to bed) until two o'clock last night watching the late film.

• 3 to block a hole:

  • We stopped (up) the gap with some rags.

• 4 the act of stopping an activity or journey, or a period of time when you stop:

  • Please remain in your seat until the plane comes to a complete stop.

  • We'd have been here sooner, but we made several stops along the way.

  • At the beginning of the project there were a lot of stops and starts.

  • a bus stop

  • I'm getting off at the next stop.

  • Is this our stop (= where we must get off)?

  • He used to smoke in bed when I first got to know him, but I soon put a stop to that!

• 5 to finish doing something or end, or to cause someone or something to finish:

  • [ I ] When do you think the snow will stop?

  • [ T ] When will it stop snowing?

  • [ T ] Please stop pushing.

  • [ T ] Fortunately, police stopped the fight before anyone got hurt.

• 6 to prevent someone from doing something:

  • Lifeguards stopped them from going into the water because sharks had been spotted in the area.

• 7 to pause or stay in a place, or cause someone to pause:

  • [ I ] We stopped for gas and had something to eat.

  • [ + to infinitive ] We’d better stop at the next rest area to let the kids go to the bathroom.

  • [ T ] Naomi was stopped at the gate and asked to show identification.

• 8 a short period of time when you stay at a place, or the place where you stay:

  • It was a five-hour drive including a 30-minute stop for lunch.

  • I’m getting off at the next stop.

• 9 the act of stopping an activity, or the state in which someone or something is not moving or active anymore:

  • Please wait until the plane comes to a complete stop before leaving your seat.

• 10 to prevent something from happening or continuing, or to not continue to happen:

  • Are these new environmental laws enough to stop climate change?

  • The government demanded that the payments stop.

  • stop production/publication/trading The board obtained an injunction to stop publication of the documents.

  • stop sb (from) doing sth To stop borrowers switching to another lender once the discount period is over, banks apply a hefty charge.

• 11 to finish doing something:

  • The company's flexible pension plan allows women to suspend contributions if they stop work to have a family.

  • stop doing sth The economic climate pressured banks to stop lending to each other.

• 12 if something such as a machine or system stops, it no longer works and needs to be repaired:

  • I didn't realize the time because my watch has stopped.

  • My TV came with a free radio which has stopped working.

• 13 to tell your bank not to pay the money relating to a cheque you have written to someone

• 14 an instruction to a bank or other financial organization to not pay any money from your account when a cheque, card, etc. is used:

  • Banks do not normally charge for putting a stop on lost cheques.

• 15 to stop happening:

  • At one point mail deliveries just came to a stop.

• 16 to stop something bad from happening or continuing:

  • EU regulation has put a stop to huge roaming charges when you use your mobile phone abroad.