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stop verb ( PREVENT )

Click to hear the UK pronunciation of this wordClick to hear the US pronunciation of this word/stɒp//stɑːp/ v (-pp-)

Definition

[T] 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.
stop a cheque UK (US stop payment on a check)
to tell your bank not to deal with a cheque which you have written, so that the money is not paid from your bank account

(Definition of stop verb (PREVENT) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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