1680s, a nautical interjection, "hold! stop!" probably worn down from Dutch houd vast "hold fast." See hold (v.) + fast (adv.).

AVAST. — The order to stop, or pause, in any exercise or operation; as Avast heaving — that is to say, desist, or stop, from drawing in the cable or hawser, by means of the capstan &c. [George Biddlecombe, "The Art of Rigging," 1848]

1827; see un- (1) "not" + stop (v.) + -able.

"room in a bath for sweating," 1756, from Latin sudatus, past participle of sudare "to sweat," from sudor "sweat" (see sweat (v.)) + -orium (see -ory).

1570s, "to put a cork sole on a shoe," from cork (n.)). Meaning "to stop with a cork" is from 1640s. Figurative sense "to stop or check" is from 1640s. Meaning "blacken with burnt cork," especially the face, to perform in theatrical blackface, is from 1836. Related: Corked; corking.

1570s, "discourage and stop by fear," from Latin deterrere "to frighten from, discourage from," from de "away" (see de-) + terrere "frighten, fill with fear" (see terrible). Meaning "stop or prevent from acting or proceeding by any countervailing motive" is from 1590s. Related: Deterred; deterring.

"remove the stopper from," late 14c., from un- (2) "reverse, opposite of" + stop (v.). Related: Unstopped; unstopping.

early 15c., "a delay, a temporary rest in singing or speaking," from Old French pausee "a pause, interruption" (14c.) and directly from Latin pausa "a halt, stop, cessation," from Greek pausis "stopping, ceasing," from pauein "to stop (trans.), hold back, arrest, to cause to cease," a word of uncertain etymology with no certain cognates outside Greek [Beekes]. Later also "a hesitation proceeding from doubt or uncertainty;" hence to give (one) pause "cause to stop or hesitate" (c. 1600).

"retreat, stop annoying someone," by 1938, from the verbal phrase, from back (v.) + off (adv.).

c. 1300, cesen, "stop moving, acting, or speaking; come to an end," from Old French cesser "come to an end, stop, cease; give up, desist," from Latin cessare "cease, go slow, give over, leave off, be idle," frequentative of cedere (past participle cessus) "go away, withdraw, yield" (from PIE root *ked- "to go, yield"). The transitive sense "put a stop to," now rare, is from late 14c. Related: Ceased; ceasing. Old English in this sense had geswican, blinnan.

"apt to stop abruptly and refuse to move," 1847, from balk (n.) + -y (2). Related: Balkily; balkiness.