stop
1 movements
2 situations and actions
see also END/FINISH, BEGIN, CONTINUE
1 movements
- to finish moving: stop; to cause sb/sth to finish moving: stop sb/sth
I stopped for a moment to look in a shop window. ◎ I think my watch has stopped. ◎ I was stopped in the street by a small boy asking for money. ◎ I asked the driver to stop the car.
- an act of stopping or a state of being stopped: stop
to come to a complete stop ◎ Our journey will take eighteen hours, including stops.
2 situations and actions
- to finish happening: stop, (formal) cease
Will this rain ever stop? ◎ to cease to exist
- to make sth stop: stop sth, put* an end to sth
They stopped the concert to make an urgent announcement. ◎ I want to put an end to this discussion now.
- to make a person stop talking: (informal) shut* sb up
I asked her to do it herself - that shut her up.
- to cause sb not to do sth: stop sb doing sth, (more formal) prevent sb (from) doing sth
We must try to stop him working so hard.
※ more on preventing things AVOID/PREVENT
- to finish doing sth: stop (sth/doing sth), (informal) pack sth in
Stop it! I can't concentrate when you do that. ◎ She stopped talking and smiled. ◎ Don't stop - I'm enjoying the story. ◎ I've packed in my job.
- to stop suddenly when you are doing sth or speaking: break* off
He began to tell us something, then suddenly broke off.
- to stop trying to do sth: give* up (doing sth)
Don't give up now - you've almost finished.
- to give up studying at school or university before you finish your course; to give up taking part in a competition: drop out (of sth)
to drop out of college/university ◎ to drop out of a competition
- to leave a job or place: (especially AmE) quit* sth
to quit the city ◎ to quit your job
- to stop doing sth that you are used to doing or having: give* (sth) up
to give up smoking ◎ to give up hope
- to stop sth before it is finished: break* sth off, abandon sth
She broke off their engagement without any warning. ◎ We abandoned the game when the rain started.
※ stopping for a short time
- to stop an activity, especially talking, for a short time: pause; a short time during which an activity stops: pause
Let's pause for a moment and consider the possibilities. ◎ There was a long pause before anyone answered the question.
- to stop an activity for a period of time in order to do sth else: break* (for sth); a short period of rest: break
Let's break for lunch and begin again at two o'clock. ◎ to have/take a break
- a break in a performance: interval (AmE intermission)
We had ice creams during the interval.
|
|
