stop

Less common meanings

8. 8
   plugverbtransitive

   To close or block up an opening so that nothing can pass through it.

   Before winter we stop up the gaps around the old window with putty.

   He stopped his ears against the deafening noise.

   UsageOften with up: stop up a gap. Stop your ears means block them.

   Similarplug, block, seal, fill, close

   Oppositeopen, unblock, unplug

   Note

   The meaning closest to the word's roots: Old English stoppian already meant "to stop, close." Behind it lies a Germanic verb tied to pushing and piercing, which suits plugging a gap by pressing something into it. That is why the verb fits gauze in a wound, mortar in cracks and leaves in a gutter. Stopped ears are blocked against sound, not stilled. Source

   Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

   • The blocking or closing sense continues the meaning of Old English stoppian. en.wiktionary.org
   • The proposed Germanic ancestry connects stop with verbs meaning to push, pierce or prick. en.wiktionary.org
9. 9
   period (mark)nouncountable

   A punctuation mark, especially a full stop; also the word written for a full stop in telegrams.

   The editor marked every missing full stop in the manuscript.

   The wire arrived an hour later: SHIP DELAYED STOP WILL CABLE AGAIN FROM LISBON.

   UsageUsually in full stop, the mark at the end of a sentence, also called a period.

10. 10
    noundatedcountable

    Something that stops, blocks, or hinders; an obstacle or impediment.

    A fatal stop trauerst their headlong course

    1595, Samuel Daniel, The First Fowre Bookes of the Ciuile Wars between the Two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke

    So melancholy a prospect should inspire us with zeal to oppose some stop to the rising torrent.

    a. 1729, John Rogers, The Advantages of conversing with good Men

    Similarobstacle, impediment, hindrance, barrier, block

11. 11
    goal savenouncountable

    A save in soccer or a similar game that prevents the opposing team from scoring a goal.

    The keeper's reflex stop denied a certain goal in stoppage time.

    Two crucial stops in the second half earned the goalkeeper man of the match.

    UsageUsually with an adjective: a great stop, a reflex stop. Save means the same.

    Similarsave, block

12. 12
    limit piecenouncountable

    A device or part (such as a pin, block, or pawl) that arrests or limits motion, or sets the position another part is brought to.

    The lathe's stop sets exactly where the cutting tool halts.

    Adjustable stops let the operator repeat the same cut every time.

    Note

    Engineers ask two jobs of this part. One is to arrest or limit motion. The other is to locate, setting the exact position another part is brought to. A pin, block or pawl can do either. Adjustable stops serve the second job, letting a machine return to the same position cut after cut. It is the machinist's refinement of a simple block or catch. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 5 facts

    • Mechanical stops arrest or limit motion. en.wikipedia.org
    • Stops can establish a precise position, including through a stop pin. gncmeccanica.com
    • A block can act as a locating stop. en.wikipedia.org
    • A pawl can stop motion at a defined position. rotomation.com
    • Adjustable stops enable repeated cuts to the same position. cdn0.grizzly.com
13. 13
    door frame stripnouncountable

    A strip of wood or molding fixed to a jamb that a door or window closes against.

    He pried off the old stop before rehanging the heavier door.

    The window rattled because its stop had worked loose from the jamb.

    Note

    A joiner's term for a fixed piece of the frame rather than a loose gadget. It is a strip, plain or molded, made separately and fastened to the jamb so the door or window has something to shut against. Because it is a separate piece, it can be pried off and refitted when a door is rehung. A stop set too far from the closed door lets it rattle. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

    • In this architectural sense, a stop is a separate, plain or molded member fixed to the jamb. en.wiktionary.org
    • The door closes against the stop. dayoris.com
    • A separately attached stop can be pried loose during work to rehang a door. hud.gov
    • A removed stop can be refitted. files.eric.ed.gov
14. 14
    closed consonantnouncountable

    A consonant sound produced when the flow of air is briefly blocked by the lips, tongue, or glottis.

    English has several stops, including the sounds written p, t, and k.

    A glottal stop replaces the 't' in some pronunciations of 'button.'

    Similarplosive, occlusive

    Note

    Phoneticians have three near-synonyms: stop, plosive and occlusive. Stop and occlusive name the closure itself, while plosive puts the weight on the audible release that follows. The glottal stop shows that the closure can be made deep in the throat as well as at the lips or tongue. Producing one from another kind of sound is the phonetic verb. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 5 facts

    • Stop, plosive and occlusive are near-synonyms in phonetics. en.wikipedia.org
    • Stop and occlusive emphasize the blockage of airflow. en.wikipedia.org
    • Plosive emphasizes the release burst. en.wikipedia.org
    • A glottal stop involves closure at the vocal folds in the throat. en.wikipedia.org
    • The phonetic verb stop means to pronounce a phoneme as a stop. en.wiktionary.org
15. 15
    closed consonantverbtransitive

    To pronounce a speech sound as a stop, that is, by briefly blocking the airflow completely.

    The speech therapist noticed that he stops the 'z' sound, so 'zoo' comes out closer to 'doo.'

    He tends to stop the final consonant rather than letting it hiss.

    Note

    Phonologists use the verb for a pattern of pronunciation: a sound normally made with continuous airflow is produced instead with full closure. A familiar label is th-stopping, where the th sounds come out as true stop consonants. The term names a regular habit of an accent or speaker rather than a one-off slip. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

    • Stopping replaces a fricative with a stop as a pronunciation pattern. speech-language-therapy.com
    • The stop articulation involves complete closure. opentextbooks.rug.nl
    • Th-stopping realizes the dental fricatives as stop consonants. en.wikipedia.org
    • The note describes an established pronunciation pattern in an accent or speaker. opentextbooks.rug.nl
16. 16
    organ knobnouncountable

    On an organ, a knob or lever that lets air into a particular set of pipes, or that set of pipes itself.

    The organist drew a reed stop for the final hymn.

    Several stops control the brighter ranks of pipes.

    UsageOrganists draw or pull stops. Pull out all the stops means make every possible effort.

    Similarregister

    Note

    On a pipe organ, each stop admits or blocks wind to one or more ranks of pipes. Drawing one therefore adds a voice rather than simply raising the volume. Drawing many builds up the sound, which is why the organ is loudest when all the stops are pulled, and why to pull out all the stops now means to make every possible effort. Source

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

    • An organ stop controls wind reaching one or more ranks of pipes. en.wikipedia.org
    • Drawing a stop brings a voice into play, affecting tone rather than merely increasing volume. old.agohq.org
    • Engaging all the stops produces the organ's maximum sound. en.wiktionary.org
    • The figurative expression derives from operating organ stops. thetabernaclechoir.org
17. 17
    nouncountable

    A finger-hole on a wind instrument, or a point on a string, where covering or pressing produces a particular note.

    Similarhole, fret

    Note

    Wind and string players share this noun, though the action differs. On a flute, the stop is a hole the finger covers. On a string, it is the point where the finger presses. Both work by limiting what can sound, the musical relative of closing an opening. The string player's action has its own verb, stopping a string. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

    • Flute players cover finger-holes with their fingers. phys.unsw.edu.au
    • A stop can be the point on a string where pressing produces a note. en.wiktionary.org
    • Covering wind-instrument holes controls the effective vibrating length; the string mechanism likewise constrains vibration. phys.unsw.edu.au
18. 18
    press stringverbtransitive

    To control the pitch of a string by pressing it against the fingerboard or otherwise shortening the part that vibrates.

    Cellists stop a string against the fingerboard to raise its pitch.

    To play the higher note, she stopped the string with her first finger just behind the fret.

    Similarfinger, press, fret

    Note

    The string player's half of a pair. Pressing the string shortens the part free to vibrate, so the pitch rises as the finger moves along. The verb names the action, and the spot where the finger lands is the noun for the pressing point. It covers any way of shortening the vibrating length, by finger or by other means. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

    • Pressing a string against the fingerboard shortens its effective vibrating length and raises its pitch as that length decreases. newt.phys.unsw.edu.au
19. 19
    lens masknouncountable

    In a camera or other optical instrument, a diaphragm or plate with an opening that limits or cuts off part of the light passing through the lens.

    On sunny days, he slid a brass stop into the old lens to let in less light.

    Designers added a stop to limit how much light flooded the sensor.

    Similardiaphragm

    Note

    The hardware behind the photographer's vocabulary: a physical element, usually the aperture diaphragm, that limits how much light passes through the system. The exposure step and the f-number both share its name. In other optical instruments the same kind of plate cuts off stray rays at the edges for a sharper image. In photography, the emphasis falls on the quantity of light. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

    • A photographic stop is normally a diaphragm that limits the light passing through the lens. nikonusa.com
    • The exposure increment and the f-number are also called stops or f-stops. developer.dji.com
    • Diaphragms in other optical instruments exclude stray and aberrant rays to improve image quality. micro.magnet.fsu.edu
    • In photographic exposure, the aperture controls the quantity of light. edmundoptics.com
20. 20
    exposure stepnouncountable

    In photography, a step of exposure that doubles or halves the light, or an aperture setting of a lens (an f-stop).

    Bumping the exposure up two stops rescued the shadowed foreground.

    She bracketed the shot a stop over and a stop under the meter reading.

    UsageCounted like a unit: two stops over, a stop under.

    Note

    A doubling-and-halving unit that works whatever control is used. Opening the aperture or slowing the shutter by one stop doubles the light recorded, and raising sensitivity by one stop doubles the brightness in the same way. That is why photographers count in stops (two stops over, a stop under) and why bracketing a shot is described in the same terms. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

    • Stops express doubling or halving across the exposure controls. ph.canon
    • Opening the aperture or slowing the shutter by one stop doubles the light reaching the recording medium, with other settings unchanged. static.nikonusa.com
    • A one-stop sensitivity increase doubles the nominal image brightness at unchanged aperture and shutter speed. nikonusa.com
    • Exposure bracketing uses increments measured in stops. nikonusa.com
21. 21
    verbtransitive or intransitive

    To adjust the aperture of a camera lens, changing how much light it admits.

    She stopped the lens down to f/11 to bring the whole scene into focus.

    Photographers often stop down in bright light to avoid overexposure.

    UsageAlmost always with down or up: stop down to f/11.

    Note

    The change is counted in whole or fractional units of exposure. Narrowing costs light but deepens the zone of sharp focus, which is why someone chasing maximum depth of field stops down as far as f/22. Source

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

    • Narrowing the aperture reduces admitted light. nikonusa.com
    • Narrowing the aperture increases depth of field. en.wikipedia.org
    • Photographers may use f/22 to obtain extensive depth of field. usa.canon.com
22. 22
    tennis shotnouncountable

    A very short tennis shot that lands close behind the net and is meant to bounce as little as possible.

    He came in behind his serve and ended the point with a soft stop volley.

    Her stop volleys kept pulling the baseliner forward all match.

    UsageMost often in stop volley.

    Note

    The name fits what the ball does. Struck very short, it lands just behind the net and stops, bouncing as little as possible, so the opponent must rush forward to reach it. It is a shot of touch and disguise rather than pace, and repeated stops can drag a baseline player forward all match. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

    • The shot lands close to the net and is intended to bounce low with little forward travel. en.wikipedia.org
    • The shot depends on touch and disguise. s3.amazonaws.com
    • Short shots can force an opponent playing deep to move forward. lta.org.uk
    • Repeated short shots can repeatedly draw a baseline player forward. lta.org.uk
23. 23
    dog face dipnouncountable

    The dip in a dog's face between the skull and the nasal bones, where the forehead meets the muzzle.

    Judges noted the bulldog's pronounced stop during the show.

    The breed standard calls for a shallow stop and a long muzzle.

    Note

    Breeders and show judges grade this feature closely. A stop can be marked or pronounced, as in a bulldog, or shallow, as a breed standard for a long-muzzled dog may call for. Because it helps distinguish one breed from another, the adjective carries the real information: pronounced, marked, shallow, slight. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

    • Breeders and judges closely assess head features, including the stop. images.akc.org
    • A bulldog has a pronounced stop. images.akc.org
    • A long-muzzled breed's standard can require a shallow stop. ukcdogs.com
    • Stop depth helps distinguish breeds; this is supported by comparing the bulldog and collie standards. images.akc.org
24. 24
    verbtransitive

    To agree now on the price of a stock while deferring its actual purchase or sale until later.

    It will be noted that the specialist would have refused to stop the stock for broker X if he (the specialist) had only one order to sell at 85.

    1952, Charles Amos Dice, Wilford John Eiteman

    Note

    A trading term built on a guarantee: the price is promised now, at that figure or better, and the transaction happens later. The 1952 third edition of Charles Amos Dice and Wilford John Eiteman's The Stock Market shows the usual pattern, a specialist who stops the stock for a broker. The specialist could also refuse when he held only a single order to sell at the price in question. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

    • The stated price is guaranteed, but execution may occur at a better price; it is not necessarily fixed. sec.gov
    • The authorship is confirmed, but 1952 is the third-edition date and must be identified as such, rather than presented as the book's original publication year. afajof.org
    • A specialist stops stock for a broker, potentially refusing if only one sell order exists at that price; this example is attributed to the book's page 144. en.wiktionary.org
25. 25
    verbobsolete

    To add commas, periods, and other marks to a piece of writing.

    [Francesco] Guicciardini, if his sentences were properly stopt, would be found in general both full and concise, whatever may be asserted to the contrary by the fastidious and inattentive.

    1826, Walter Savage Landor, “Conversation XIII. [Vittorio] Alfieri and Salomon, the Florentine Jew.”
26. 26
    verb

    To fasten something in place on a ship, especially with a short length of rope.
27. 27
    noun

    A patch of color on the back foot of a rabbit, judged in show breeds.
28. 28
    noun

    In fencing, a counterattack made into an opponent's attack to cut it short.
29. 29
    noundialectalUK

    A small pail, such as one used to draw water from a well or to hold milk.
30. 30
    noun

    The hypothetical supersymmetric partner of the top quark, a kind of squark.