standstill
Translation
standstill, halt, deadlock
Examples
Traffic was at a standstill.
Traffic was at a standstill.
The negotiations came to a standstill.
The negotiations came to a standstill.
Grammar Patterns
at a standstill to be at a complete stop The project is at a standstill due to lack of funding.
to come to a standstill to reach a point of no progress or movement The car came to a standstill.
Similar Words
Synonyms: halt, stop, deadlock, impasse; Antonyms: progress, movement
Etymology
A compound of 'stand' and 'still'. It literally means a state of standing still, without movement.
Memory Tips
Picture traffic 'standing still' in a jam. The two words that make it up describe its meaning perfectly.