halt

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an interruption or temporary suspension of progress or movement

   a halt in the arms race

2. 2
   verb

   To limp; move with a limping gait.

   Here comes Sir Toby halting — you shall hear more; but if he had not been in drink, he would have tickled you othergates than he did.

3. 3
   verb

   To stand in doubt whether to proceed, or what to do; hesitate; be uncertain; linger; delay; mammer.

   How long halt ye between two opinions?

4. 4
   verb

   To stop either temporarily or permanently.

   And it was while all were passionately intent upon the pleasing and snake-like progress of their uncle that a young girl in furs, ascending the stairs two at a time, peeped perfunctorily into the nursery as she passed the hallway—and halted amazed.

5. 5
   verb

   To cause to discontinue.

   The contract negotiations halted operations for at least a week.

6. 6
   noun

   A cessation, either temporary or permanent.

   The contract negotiations put a halt to operations.

7. 7
   noun

   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.

8. 8
   adj

   Lame, limping.

   It is better for the to goo halt into lyfe, then with ij. fete to be cast into hell […]

Etymology

From Middle English halt, from Old English healt, from Proto-West Germanic *halt, from Proto-Germanic *haltaz (“halt, lame”), from Proto-Indo-European *kol-d-, from Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“to beat, strike, cut, slash”). Cognate with Danish halt, Swedish halt.