Stopper Meaning
/ˈstɒp.ə/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounSomeone or something that stops something.
nounA type of knot at the end of a rope, to prevent it from unravelling.
Sentence Examples
This stopper does not fit the bottle.
Bringing up politics can be a conversation stopper.
CEFR Practice Quiz
To prevent water from leaking, he placed a small rubber ____ tightly into the bottle's opening.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He pushed the glass ____ firmly into the top of the bottle to prevent any of the perfume from leaking.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English s- English top English stop Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzijos Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English stopper From stop + -er.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"“It just shows you what women are like. A frightful sex, Bertie. There ought to be a law. I hope to live to see the day when women are no longer allowed.” “That would rather put a stopper on keeping the human race going, wouldn't it?” “Well, who wants to keep the human race going?”"
— 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter IX:
"Often, in our conversations we encourage people to talk, or we manage to stop them. This can happen without our even thinking about it. Following is a list of conversation starters and stoppers."
— 2000, Carole B. Cox, Empowering Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, page 28:
"And just before the interval, Kolarov, who was having one of his better games in a City shirt, fizzed in a cracker from 30 yards which the Wolves stopper unconvincingly pushed behind for a corner."
— 2011 January 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Man City 4 - 3 Wolves”, in BBC:
"The local train was empty at midday. She changed at Yatton and caught a stopper into Bristol. There was an express calling at Exeter which left Bristol at twelve-forty-five and she caught it by the skin of her teeth."
— 1996, Susan Sallis, Touched by Angels, Random House, page 300:
"Changing times at Barnham on December 8 2022. Southern 313211 is an all-stations stopper."
— 2023 February 22, Howard Johnston, “Southern '313s': is the end now in sight?”, in RAIL, number 977, page 39, photo caption:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
To prevent water from leaking, he placed a small rubber ____ tightly into the bottle's opening.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He pushed the glass ____ firmly into the top of the bottle to prevent any of the perfume from leaking.