stoppage

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree English stop Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus Latin -āticus Latin -āticum Old French -agebor. Middle English -age English -age English stoppage From stop + -age.

1. A pause or halt of some activity.

   “The length of the stoppages could not well be reduced; indeed, they are already too short if we are to believe the tale now current of a wandering Jew sort of passenger—a lady of advanced years who can only alight from a train backwards. Every time she begins to get out a porter rushes up crying "Hurry up, ma'am; train's going!"—and pushes her in again!”

   “The brakes were specially developed by the Westinghouse Air Brake Company to provide smooth stoppages under automatic operation.”

2. Something that forms an obstacle to continued activity; a blockage or obstruction.