halt Hear it!

halt¹ Definition

halt (hôlt)

noun

  1. a stop, esp. a temporary one, as in marching; pause or discontinuance
  2. a command to stop

Etymology: orig. in phr. to make halt, transl. of Ger halt machen < imper. of halten (see hold) + machen, make

intransitive verb, transitive verb

to come or bring to a halt; stop, esp. temporarily

halt¹ Idioms

call a halt

☆

to order a stop, esp. temporarily

halt² Definition

halt (hôlt)

intransitive verb

  1. Archaic to walk with a crippled gait; limp; hobble
  2. to be uncertain; waver; hesitate to halt in one's speech
  3. to have defects; esp.,
    1. to have a faulty meter: said of verse
    2. to be illogical: said of argument

Etymology: ME halten < OE healtian < healt (see haltthe ), akin to MHG halzen

adjective

limping; crippled; lame

Etymology: ME halte < OE healt, halt, akin to MHG halz < IE base *kel-, to strike, hew (> L calamitas): basic sense “lamed by wounding”

noun

Archaic lameness

halt² Idioms

the halt

those who are lame; cripples

halt Synonyms

halt

n.

stop, cessation, standstill; see end 2, pause 1, 2.

call a halt to

suspend, check, stop; see haltv. 2.

halt Synonyms

halt

v.

  1. To cease

    stand still, pause, rest; see stop 1.

  2. To cause to cease

    pull up, check, terminate, suspend, put an end to, interrupt, intermit, break into, punctuate, block, cut short, bar someone's way, cut into, adjourn, hold off, cease fire, keep at arm's length, hold at bay, stop an advance, cause to halt, stem, balk, deter, stay, bring to a stand, bring to a standstill, stall, bring to an end, curb, stop, restrict, arrest, hold in check, foil, defeat, thwart, hamper, frustrate, suppress, clog, abate, intercept, extinguish, blockade, obstruct, repress, inhibit, hinder, barricade, impede, undermine, constrain, preclude, overthrow, vanquish, disconcert, override, dam, forbid the banns, upset, stand in the way of, baffle, discountenance, confound, debar, contravene, overturn, reduce, counteract, worst, quell, outwit, prohibit, rout, outdo, put down, quash, subdue, discomfit, finish, forbid, oppose, crush, disallow, spike one's guns*, scotch*, choke off*, nip in the bud*, lay by the heels*, shut down on*, break up*, freeze*, put on the brakes*, hang fire*, ring down on*, hold on*, steal one's thunder*, throw a wet blanket on*, throw a monkey wrench in the works*, throw a spanner in the works* (British), clip one's wings*, tie one's hands*, faze*, dash the cup from one's lips*, cut the ground from under one*, scotch the wheel*, take the wind out of one's sails*, squelch*; see also end 1, prevent, restrain 1.

    Antonyms begin*, start*, instigate.

halt Usage Examples

Object

  • decline: Help to halt the decline in house sparrows by building the bird nesting box below.
  • deterioration: Work is needed to halt deterioration of the lock structure and to open up the vista of the river as a public amenity.
  • spread: We've supported the Government's measures to halt the spread of the disease.
  • proliferation: By carrying it out, Ukraine will cement its place in the international coalition to halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
  • deportation: Zimbabwean deportation halted at last minute The Observer, UK - ... removal.
  • shipment: Shipments halted Shipments of radioactive medical material have been stopped by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission after concerns about the safety of the packaging.

Converse of object

  • grind: Come to a grinding halt for 2nd assignment now.
  • judder: We landed sideways, rushing through the tall French corn to a juddering halt.
  • call: Someone has to call a halt to what is going on.

Adjective modifier

  • abrupt: Beyond the Town Hall, Annan comes to an abrupt halt on the eastern bank of the River Annan.
  • screeching: The planned sharp slowdown in spending increases may feel like a screeching halt.
  • unstaffed: The entrance to the station is quite missable and there are no station buildings at all: the station is an unstaffed halt.
  • sudden: However, eventually I came to a very sudden halt near the sea coast.
  • overnight: We transport the rest of your luggage ( one suitcase per person ) between each overnight halt.
  • premature: Alas a last-lap shoot-out was denied spectators, red flags coming out to bring proceedings to a premature halt.

Modifying Another Word

temporarily: A line of action can be halted temporarily or changed; a new partial action added to the first action.

Noun used with modifier

  • refreshment: Visit the ancient town and Cinque Port of Rye for a stroll and refreshment halt.
  • railroad: These soon formed a small hamlet sprung up around a railroad halt.
  • lunch: The place is a natural lunch halt for walkers and it's very unlikely that you will have it to yourself.