standstill

Etymology

From stand + still. Compare Dutch stilstand (“standstill”), German Stillstand (“standstill”), Danish stilstand (“standstill”).

noun

  1. Complete immobility; halt.
    The wreck brought traffic to a standstill for hours.
    … but in the damp conditions prevailing the driver sensibly was unwilling to attempt the climb up through Combe Down tunnel without help, for fear of slipping to a standstill in the unventilated bore, …. 1960 March, “Motive Power Miscellany: Western Region”, in Trains Illustrated, page 184
    For the caller the advantage relies on a fast solution of his service request, leading to less standstill and non-productive periods for the service customer. 2012, James C. Spohrer, Louis E. Freund, Advances in the Human Side of Service Engineering

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