(=stop smoking, drinking etc because you want to be healthy) Michelle gave up smoking three years ago. give up doing sth After about 10 minutes, I gave up trying to explain it to her give it up I used to play a lot of football, but I had to give it up because of an injury.
abandon. /3'baend?n [у T] abandon a plan/attempt/search/policy etc to
stop something before you finish it, especially because it is too difficult to continue or there are too many problems: They had to abandon the search because of the bad weather. I We abandoned the climb after Collins fell and broke his leg.
В to stop doing something for a short time
Stop stDp||sta:p, I] to stop doing something for a short time, before continuing again: Can we stop for a moment - ! want to look at the map. stop for co/fee/lunch/a break etc (=stop what you are doing, so you can have coffee, lunch etc) We'll stop for lunch at
12:30.
stop to look/Usten/watch/talk/rest etc
(=stop in order to look at something etc) We stopped to listen to a couple of boys who were playing guitars in the street. I I stopped to rest for a few minutes
stopping - stopped - have stopped
pause jpxil [i> ij written to stop speaking or stop doing something for a very short time, before starting again: Lawrence paused and turned to me: "Look, if you don't think it's a good idea ..." pause for breath (=because you need to rest for a moment) She talked for about twenty minutes without even pausing for breath.
pause to do sth (=in order to do something) We waited while Graham paused to light a cigarette.
Use pause especially in written stories or descriptions of events.
hesitate /'hez^teu/ \v 1] to stop for а moment and wait before doing something, because you feel unsure or nervous about it: She hesitated for a moment before
replying. I Barry stood at the door hesitating. Should he walk straight in or knock?
hesitation , hezj, teij>n In U] when someone hesitates: After some hesitation. one of them began to speak.
Qtake a break teik э breik especially spoki.n to stop working for a short time in order to rest, eat etc: We're all getting tired. Let's take a break for ten minutes.
El a period of time when you stop doing something
break /breik/ (л С] a long or short period when you stop your work or normal activities, before continuing them again later: She returned to her career after a six- month break.
+ /rom Murray felt he needed a break from studying.
(unch/cojffee/tea break (=when you stop work to have lunch, coffee etc)
pause ,po:z In Q written a short period of
time when you stop speaking or stop doing something before starting again: After a long pause, Barney said: "Yes, I suppose you're right." + in There was a pause in the conversation as everyone turned to say hello to Paul.
Ы to stop happening
Stop /stnp|sta:p/ [и I] to stop happening: Lef's wait until the rain stops. I The noise stopped as suddenly as it had begun.
stopping - stopped - have stopped
end /end [и I] if an event, activity, or story ends it finally stops when it reaches its end: When the war ended, there were over a million refugees. I Our journey ends on the banks of the River Ganges.
finish / fmij fu IJ to end - use this about an organized event such as a meeting, party, or lesson, especially to say what time it ends: The meeting finished at lunchtime. I What time does your Spanish class finish?
come to an end /клт tu эп end/ to
finally end - use this about things that have continued for a long time: Their marriage came to an end after twenty- two years. 1 The war in Vietnam finally came to an end in 1975.
fade away feid о wei [phrasa/ verb I] if a sound fades away, it gradually gets quieter and finally stops: He waited until the sound of the engines had faded away. I As the music faded away the audience broke into applause.
to make something stop happening
Stop s:np||stu:p [и T] to make someone stop doing something, or make something stop happening: The referee stopped the fight when one of the boxers was badly injured. I A power failure stopped the concert half-way through. stop sb doing sth / gave him some chocolate to stop him crying, stopping - stopped - have stopped
put ал end to sth / pot эп end tu: (Sth)
to permanently stop something, so that it can never start again: A broken ankle put an end to her career as a dancer. I The war put an end to their romance.
put a Stop to Sth /,pot э stop tu: (sth)|| -'staip-/ to stop something unpleasant or harmful that has been happening for a long time: The UN commander was determined to put a stop to the fighting.
stamp out /.staemp aot, (phrasa/ verb T{ to completely stop a bad or iilegal activity, by making rules about it and making sure that people obey them stamp oat sth The police are determined to stamp out street robberies.
В to make It impossible for someone to do what they want to do
preveat /pri vent/ [и T] to make it impossible for someone to do something that they want to do
prevent sb from doing sth A leg injury may prevent Shearer from playing in tomorrow's game. 1 There were reports that some people had been prevented from voting in the election.
stop /stDpl|sta:p/ [l> T] to stop someone from doing something that they want to do. especially by controlling them in an unreasonable way: I've made up my mind to leave home, and you can't stop me. stop sb (/rom) doing sth My parents tried to stop me seeing Anna. I The
Don't say 'stop someone to do something'. Say stop someone doing something or stop someone from doing something.
stopping - stopped - have stopped
get in the way of sth /get into wei
ov (sth). if something gets in the way of
something you want to do or something you must do, it makes you too busy to do it: Don't let your social life get in the way of your education.
to stop someone from going somewhere
stop stDp[)sto:p [и T] to prevent someone or something from going somewhere: We were stopped and searched when we tried to enter the building. I The police are stopping drivers to ask questions about the accident. stopping - stopped - have stopped