halt

The definition of halt is to hesitate, to put a stop to something or to come to a sudden stop.

(verb)

An example of halt is when you stop speaking to catch your breath.
An example of halt is when you cut off funding, stopping progress on development.
An example of halt is when you shout at people to stop immediately.
An example of halt is when you stop moving or proceeding with the action you were doing.

See halt in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Origin: 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

intransitive verb

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

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

adjective

limping; crippled; lame

Origin: 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

See halt in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A suspension of movement or progress, especially a temporary one: The car rolled to a halt when it stalled.

verb halt·ed, halt·ing, halts

verb, transitive

To cause to stop: The government hopes to halt tax fraud.

verb, intransitive

To stop; pause: The hikers halted for lunch and some rest. See Synonyms at stop.

Origin:

Origin: German

Origin: , sing. imperative of halten, to stop

Origin: , from Middle High German

Origin: , from Old High German haltan

intransitive verb halt·ed, halt·ing, halts

To proceed or act with uncertainty or indecision; waver.
To be defective or proceed poorly, as in the development of an argument in logic or in the rhythmic structure of verse.
To limp or hobble.

adjective
Archaic

Lame; crippled.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English halten, to limp

Origin: , from Old English healtian

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