Standstill
'stændstɪl
Definitions
A complete halt in activity or progress; a situation in which no movement is possible.
'stændstɪl
A situation where all movement or activity has stopped.
The peace talks reached a standstill.
💡 Simply: Think of a traffic jam where no cars can move. Or imagine a project where nothing is getting done. A standstill is when things completely stop.
👶 For kids: When everything stops moving, like when a game pauses.
More Examples
The economic crisis brought the country to a standstill.
A sudden blizzard brought all transportation to a standstill.
How It's Used
"Negotiations reached a standstill due to disagreements on key terms."
"A traffic accident caused a standstill on the highway for several hours."
Idioms & expressions
bring to a standstill
To cause something to stop completely.
"The strike brought the factory to a standstill."
From Middle English standen stille, meaning "to be at a standstill", a combination of "stand" and "still".
The term 'standstill' has been used since the late 14th century to describe situations of halted movement or progress.
Memory tip
Imagine a statue that's frozen in place, absolutely still - that's a standstill!