grind to a halt/standstill
grind to a halt
To halt progression very abruptly, especially in an ultimately detrimental or undesirable manner. Likened to a machine or automobile that stops functioning due to the grinding of gears. Our project will grind to a halt if the CEO pulls his approval. Work on the tax legislation ground to a halt in Congress this week.
See also: grind, halt
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
grind to a halt
Fig. to slow down and stop. Every day about noon, traffic in town grinds to a halt. The bus ground to a halt at the corner and someone got off.
See also: grind, halt
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
grind to a halt
Also, come to a grinding halt. Gradually come to a standstill or end. For example, Once the funding stopped, the refurbishing project ground to a halt, or She's come to a grinding halt with that book she's writing. This expression alludes to a clogged engine that gradually stops or a ship that runs aground.
See also: grind, halt
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
grind to a halt
COMMON
1. If a process or an activity grinds to a halt, it gradually becomes slower or less active until it stops. The peace process has ground to a halt.
2. If a vehicle grinds to a halt, it stops slowly and noisily. The tanks ground to a halt after a hundred yards because the fuel had run out.
3. If a country grinds to a halt, all transport in it stops so people are unable to do the things they usually do. The whole country grinds to a halt after an hour's snow.
See also: grind, halt
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
grind to a halt (or come to a grinding halt)
move more and more slowly and then stop. 1999 Times Traffic is expected to grind to a halt throughout the West Country as up to a million sightseers make the trip.
See also: grind, halt
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
grind to a ˈhalt/ˈstandstill
,come to a grinding ˈhalt
stop slowly: All work on the building has ground to a halt because of a shortage of materials. Every Friday night traffic comes to a grinding halt in Hammersmith.This idiom refers to the way a very large machine slowly stops working, with some of its parts grinding (= rubbing) together.
See also: grind, halt, standstill
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- grind to a halt
- grind to a halt, to
- reconcile (oneself) to (something)
- reconcile oneself to
- get out of jail free card
- Let every man skin his own skunk.
- get (something) over with
- get it over with
- in the grip of something
- in the grip(s) of (something)