Nonstop
/ˌnɒnˈstɒp/
Definitions
2 meaningsContinuing or operating without interruption or pause.
/ˌnɒnˈstɒp/
Continuing without interruption or pause.
We took a nonstop flight to London.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're on a long car trip, and you just keep driving and driving without stopping for snacks or a bathroom break. That's nonstop! It means something keeps going and going without any breaks.
👶 For kids: When something is nonstop, it means it keeps going without any stops, like a ride at the amusement park that doesn't stop until the end!
More Examples
The rain continued nonstop for three days.
She gave a nonstop performance, captivating the audience.
How It's Used
"The airline offers nonstop flights to Paris."
"The news coverage was nonstop for hours after the earthquake."
Without interruption or pause.
/ˌnɒnˈstɒp/
Without interruption.
The concert went on nonstop for three hours.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're chatting with your friend, and they just keep talking, talking, talking! If they're talking 'nonstop,' it means they aren't pausing or taking breaks to let you speak.
👶 For kids: If something is nonstop, it means it is happening without any breaks, like a movie that plays from the beginning to end without a pause.
More Examples
He worked nonstop all day to finish the project.
The music played nonstop at the party.
How It's Used
"The plane flew nonstop from New York to Los Angeles."
"The children talked nonstop during the entire movie."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Nonstop service
Continuous operation or availability of a service without interruption.
"The hotel offers nonstop service to its guests."
Nonstop talk
The activity of talking continuously without pausing or taking breaks.
"The kids were in a nonstop talk all the way to the campsite."
From non- + stop. 'Non-' indicates negation or lack of, and 'stop' implies cessation or ending. The word directly combines these elements to indicate continuous activity.
The term 'nonstop' gained popularity with the rise of air travel and the concept of flights that did not require medium landings, around the mid-20th century, though it has earlier roots in referring to other continuous processes.
Memory tip
Imagine a race car going around and around the track without ever slowing down or stopping. Nonstop is like that!
Word Origin
"The root 'stop' comes from the Old English word 'stoppian', meaning 'to close or obstruct'. The prefix 'non-' is from Old English and means 'not'."