[Railroad
Cant, U.S.]
Stop
(Stop), n.
1. The act of stopping, or the state of being stopped; hindrance of progress or of action; cessation; repression; interruption; check; obstruction.
It is doubtful . . . whether it contributed anything to the stop of the infection.
De Foe.
Occult qualities put a stop to the improvement of natural philosophy.
Sir I. Newton.
It is a great step toward the mastery of our desires to give this stop to them.
Locke. 2. That which stops, impedes, or obstructs; as obstacle; an impediment; an obstruction.
A fatal stop traversed their headlong course.
Daniel.
So melancholy a prospect should inspire us with zeal to oppose some stop to the rising torrent.
Rogers. 3. (Mach.) A device, or piece, as a pin, block, pawl, etc., for arresting or limiting motion, or for determining
the position to which another part shall be brought.
4. (Mus.) (a) The closing of an aperture in the air passage, or pressure of the finger upon the string,
of an instrument of music, so as to modify the tone; hence, any contrivance by which the sounds of a
musical instrument are regulated.
The organ sound a time survives the stop.
Daniel. (b) In the organ, one of the knobs or handles at each side of the organist, by which he can draw on or
shut off any register or row of pipes; the register itself; as, the vox humana stop.
5. (Arch.) A member, plain or molded, formed of a separate piece and fixed to a jamb, against which a
door or window shuts. This takes the place, or answers the purpose, of a rebate. Also, a pin or block to
prevent a drawer from sliding too far.
6. A point or mark in writing or printing intended to distinguish the sentences, parts of a sentence, or
clauses; a mark of punctuation. See Punctuation.
7. (Opt.) The diaphragm used in optical instruments to cut off the marginal portions of a beam of light
passing through lenses.
