- stop (v.)
- O.E. -stoppian (in forstoppian "to stop up, stifle"), along with M.L.G. stoppen, O.H.G. stopfon (Ger. stopfen) a W.Gmc. borrowing from V.L. *stuppare "to stop or stuff with tow or oakum" (cf. It. stoppare, Fr. étouper "to stop with tow"), from L. stuppa "coarse part of flax, tow." Plugs made of tow were used from ancient times in Rhine valley. Sense of "bring or come to a halt" (1440) is from notion of preventing a flow by blocking a hole, and the word's development in this sense is unique to Eng., though it since has been widely adopted in other languages; perhaps infl. by L. stupere "be stunned, be stupefied." The noun is first recorded 1483. Stopper "glass plug for a bottle neck" is from 1667. Stopgap is from 1684. Stop-watch is from 1737. Stop-and-go (adj.) is from 1926.