stopper

plural stoppers

1. Someone or something that stops something.

   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

   1 more example

   “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

2. A type of knot at the end of a rope, to prevent it from unravelling.

   Put a stopper in the knot.

3. A bung or cork.

   We need a stopper or the boat will sink.

   Synonyms: plug

4. informalball gamesGoalkeeper.

   He's the number one stopper in the country.

   1 more example

   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

5. slangbusinessIn the commodity futures market, someone who is long (owns) a futures contract and is demanding delivery because they want to take possession of the deliverable commodity.

   Cattle futures: spillover momentum plus evidence of a strong stopper (i.e., 96 loads demanded) should kick the opening higher.

6. rail transportA train that calls at all or almost all stations between its origin and destination, including very small ones.

   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

   1 more example

   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

7. biologyAny of several trees of the genus Eugenia, found in Florida and the West Indies.

   Red Stopper. Leaves ovate-oblong, contracted at the apex into long points, coriaceous. Eugenia Garber

   1890, Charles Sprague Sargent, The Silva of North America: A Description of the Trees which Grow Naturally in North America Exclusive of Mexico

8. nauticalA short rope for making something fast.
9. A playspot where water flows back on itself, creating a retentive feature.

present singular third person stoppers · participle present stoppering · participle past stoppered · past stoppered

1. To close a container by using a stopper.

   He tightly stoppered the decanter, thinking the expensive liqueur had been evaporating.

   1 more example

   The diaphragmatic spasm of his hiccup caused his epiglottis to painfully stopper his windpipe with a loud "hic".