halt
The train was forced to halt due to heavy snow.
The train had to stop because of the snow.
To stop or cause to stop moving or functioning
The police ordered the driver to halt.
The police told the driver to stop.
The machine halted unexpectedly.
The machine stopped working suddenly.
Can be used both intransitively (stopping oneself) and transitively (stopping something else).
To pause or interrupt a process temporarily
The system will halt for maintenance at midnight.
The system will stop temporarily for maintenance at midnight.
Common in computing contexts to describe system shutdowns or pauses.
Collocations
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal Use
Use 'halt' in formal or official contexts, such as law enforcement or technical documentation. For everyday language, 'stop' is more common.
Gold Rule
Transitive vs. Intransitive
'Halt' can be used both transitively (e.g., 'halt the train') and intransitively (e.g., 'the train halted').
Word Origin
From Middle English 'halten', from Old English 'healtan', from Proto-Germanic 'haltan' (to halt, limp). Related to Old Norse 'haltr' (lame).
Usage Notes
Often used in formal or official contexts, such as law enforcement or transportation. Can also refer to a temporary stop in computing systems.