Agent noun of stop, someone or something that stops something.
1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, “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?â€
2000, Carole B. Cox, Empowering Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (page 28)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.
A type of knot at the end of a rope, to prevent it from unravelling.Put a stopper in the knot.
A bung or corkWe need a stopper or the boat will sink.
(slang, soccer) goalkeeperHe's the number one stopper in the country.
2011, January 15, Saj Chowdhury, Man City 4 - 3 Wolves, 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.
(finance, slang) In the commodityfutures 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.
(rail transport) A train that calls at all or almost all stations between its origin and destination, including very small ones.
to close a container by using a stopper.He tightly stoppered the decanter, thinking the expensive liqueur had been evaporating.The diaphragmatic spasm of his hiccup caused his epiglottis to painfully stopper his windpipe with a loud "hic".
