Halt

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔːlt

Old English haltian ("to be lame"), from Proto-Germanic *haltaz. English usage in the sense of 'make a halt' is from the noun.

Full definition of halt

Verb

1. (intransitive) To stop marching.
2. (intransitive) To stop either temporarily or permanently.
• 1907, w, The Younger Set Chapter 1/2, And it was while all were passionately intent upon the pleasing and snake-like progress of their uncle that a young girl in furs...peeped perfunctorily into the nursery...and halted amazed.
3. (transitive) To bring to a stop.
4. (transitive) To cause to discontinue.
   The contract negotiations halted operations for at least a week.
5. To stand in doubt whether to proceed, or what to do; to hesitate; to be uncertain.
• Bible, 1 Kings xviii. 21How long halt ye between two opinions?

From French halte, from German Halt

Noun

1. A cessation, either temporary or permanent.
   The contract negotiations put a halt to operations.
• ClarendonWithout any halt they marched.
2. A minor railway station (usually unstaffed) in the United Kingdom.
   The halt itself never achieved much importance, even with workers coming to and from the adjacent works.

Old English healt (verb healtian), from Proto-Germanic *haltaz. Cognate with Danish halt, Swedish halt.

Adjective

1. (archaic) Lame, limping.
• 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Mark IX:It is better for the to goo halt into lyfe, then with ij. fete to be cast into hell ....
• Bible, Luke xiv. 21Bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

Verb

1. To limp.
• 1610, , by William Shakespeare, act 4 scene 1Do not smile at me that I boast her off,For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,And make it halt behind her.
2. To waver.
3. To falter.

Noun

1. (dated) Lameness; a limp.

Anagrams

• lath