| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | wait, delay |
| Synonyms: | break it up, call time, catch one's breath, cease, come to standstill, deliberate, desist, discontinue, drop, halt, hesitate, hold back, interrupt, put on hold, reflect, rest, shake, sideline, stop briefly, suspend, take a break, take a breather, take five, take ten, think twice, waver |
| Antonyms: | continue, persist, restart |
| Main Entry: | break |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop an action |
| Synonyms: | abandon, cut, discontinue, give up, interrupt, pause, rest, suspend |
| Notes: | to brake is to slow or stop while break is to cause to separate into pieces suddenly or violently, smash or crack |
| Antonyms: | allow, cause |
| Main Entry: | break off |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | end activity |
| Synonyms: | cease, desist, discontinue, end, finish, halt, pause, stop, suspend, terminate |
| Antonyms: | begin, start |
| Main Entry: | check |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hinder, restrain |
| Synonyms: | arrest, baffle, bar, bit, bottleneck, bridle, checkmate, choke, circumvent, constrain, control, counteract, curb, cut short, delay, discourage, foil, frustrate, halt, harness, hold, hold back, hold down, hold in, impede, inhibit, interrupt, keep back, limit, moderate, neutralize, nip in the bud, obstruct, obviate, pause, play for time, preclude, prevent, rebuff, reduce, rein in, repress, repulse, retard, slacken pace, slow down, snub, squelch, stay, stop, suppress, tame, terminate, thwart, withhold |
| Antonyms: | aid, allow, assist, expedite, help, indulge, liberate, permit |
| Main Entry: | demur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disagree |
| Synonyms: | balk, cavil, challenge, combat, complain, deprecate, disapprove, dispute, doubt, fight, hem and haw, hesitate, object, oppose, pause, protest, pussyfoot, refuse, remonstrate, resist, scruple, shy, stick, stickle, strain, take exception, vacillate, wait and see, waver |
| Antonyms: | accept, agree, consent, go along |
| Main Entry: | desist |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop, refrain from |
| Synonyms: | abandon, abstain, avoid, break off, cease, discontinue, end, forbear, give over, give up, halt, have done with, knock off, leave off, not do, pause, quit, relinquish, resign, surcease, suspend, yield |
| Antonyms: | carry on, continue, endure, go on, keep on, persevere, restart, resume |
| Main Entry: | discontinue |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | prevent activity from going on |
| Synonyms: | abandon, bag it, blow off, break off, call it quits, cease, close, desist, disconnect, disjoin, dissever, disunite, drop, end, finish, give over, give up, halt, interpose, interrupt, intervene, kill, knock off, leave off, part, pause, put an end to, quit, refrain from, scrub, separate, stop, surcease, suspend, terminate |
| Antonyms: | carry on, continue, restart, retry |
| Main Entry: | forbear |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | resist the temptation to |
| Synonyms: | abstain, avoid, bridle, cease, curb, decline, desist, escape, eschew, evade, forgo, go easy, hold back*, inhibit, keep, keep from, omit, pause, refrain, restrain, sacrifice, shun, stop, withhold |
| Antonyms: | continue, indulge, involve, partake, use |
| Main Entry: | halt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop, cause to stop |
| Synonyms: | adjourn, arrest, balk, bar, block, blow the whistle on, break off, bring to an end, bring to standstill, call it a day, cease, cease fire, check, close down, come to an end, cool it, curb*, cut short, desist, deter, draw up, drop anchor, end, frustrate, hamper, hold at bay, hold back, impede, intermit, interrupt, obstruct, pause, pull up, punctuate, put a cork in, rest, stall, stand still, stay, stem, stop, suspend, terminate, wait |
| Antonyms: | carry on, continue, forge, forward, push |