stop: [14] ‘Close an opening, plug’ is the original meaning of stop. It comes via Old English *stoppian (recorded only in compounds) from a prehistoric Germanic *stoppōn ‘plug up’ (source also of English stuff). The sense ‘halt’ emerged in Middle English from the notion of ‘preventing a flow by blocking a hole’. => stuff
stop (v.)
Old English -stoppian (in forstoppian "to stop up, stifle"), a general West Germanic word, cognate with Old Saxon stuppon, West Frisian stopje, Middle Low German stoppen, Old High German stopfon, German stopfen "to plug, stop up," Old Low Frankish (be)stuppon "to stop (the ears)."
These words are said by many sources to be a Germanic borrowing of Vulgar Latin *stuppare "to stop or stuff with tow or oakum" (source of Italian stoppare, French étouper "to stop with tow"), from Latin stuppa "coarse part of flax, tow." In support of this theory, it is said that plugs made of tow were used from ancient times in Rhine valley. Century Dictionary says this "suits phonetically," but "is on grounds of meaning somewhat doubtful." Barnhart, for one, proposes the whole Germanic group might be native, from a base *stoppon.
Sense of "bring or come to a halt, discontinue" (mid-15c.) is from notion of preventing a flow by blocking a hole, and the word's development in this sense is unique to English, though it since has been widely adopted in other languages; perhaps influenced by Latin stupere "be stunned, be stupefied." Intransitive meaning "check oneself" is from 1680s. Meaning "make a halt or stay, tarry" is from 1711. Stop-light is from 1922; stop-sign is from 1918. Stop-motion is from 1851, originally of looms. Related: Stopped; stopping.
stop (n.)
late 14c., "a plug;" mid-15c., "a cessation," from stop (v.). Of mechanisms of musical instruments from c. 1500, especially of organs, where opening them makes it produce more sound, hence figurative phrase pull out the stops (1909). From 1660s in phonetics, 1831 in photography. Meaning "a stopping place" is from 1889. To put a stop to some activity is from 1670s (earlier give a stop to, 1580s).
双语例句
1. The criticisms will not stop people flocking to see the film.
批评的声音不会阻止人们涌到影院观看这部电影。
来自柯林斯例句
2. When I asked him to stop, he would not listen.
我叫他停下，可他不听。
来自柯林斯例句
3. He insisted we stop at a small restaurant just outside of Atlanta.
他坚持让我们在亚特兰大市外不远的一家小餐馆歇歇脚。
来自柯林斯例句
4. He proposed a new diplomatic initiative to try to stop the war.
