bring up short

present singular third person brings up short · participle present bringing up short · participle past brought up short · past brought up short

1. To arrest (someone or something's) forward motion; to halt before a goal is reached.

   Frowning, Guld stepped forward, but was brought up short by the guardsman's hand.

   2010, Steven Erikson, The First Collected Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   The soldiers spurred their horses forward but were brought up short by Lieutenant Montoya.

   2009, Matthew Baca, The Antiquarian, →ISBN, page 145

   As soon as its paws touched ground, it darted forward with an excited yelp, only to be brought up short by the ribbon around its neck.

   2014, Jane Feather -, Trapped at the Altar, →ISBN

2. figurativelyTo startle or interrupt (someone), causing them to stop or reevaluate what they are doing.

   I suppose things can go well for just so long before events bring you up short.

   2000, Donald S. Vogel, Memories and Images: The World of Donald Vogel and Valley House Gallery, →ISBN

   3 more examples

   Some of us are lucky enough to have students who ask sharp questions that bring us up short and force us back to basic and difficult issues.

   2006, Richard Wilk, Home Cooking in the Global Village, →ISBN

   The article was intended to bring readers up short, to prompt in them a thought or two about why they were doing what, day in and day out.

   2010, Robert Coles, David Cooper, Lives We Carry with Us: Profiles of Moral Courage, →ISBN, page 49

   Any minister to whom it might occur that a change would be desirable would certainly be brought up short at the prospect of alienating the heir to the throne.

   2012, Paul P. Bernard, Joseph II and Bavaria, →ISBN

   Synonyms: pull up short