standstill
Translation
standstill, halt, stop
Examples
Traffic was at a standstill for an hour.
Traffic was at a standstill for an hour.
The negotiations have come to a standstill.
The negotiations have come to a standstill.
Grammar Patterns
((at a standstill)) not moving or making progress Traffic was at a standstill.
((come to a standstill)) to stop moving or making progress The project came to a standstill.
Similar Words
Synonyms: halt, stop, impasse, gridlock; Antonyms: progress, movement
Etymology
From 'stand' + 'still'. Literally, a state of standing still, without movement.
Memory Tips
Imagine traffic so bad that all the cars have to 'stand still'.