stoppage

/ˈstɒpɪdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstɑːpɪdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstä-pij/ (ame, mw)

stoppage — noun

  • stoppagesingular
  • stoppagesplural

1. a period when workers stop working in order to protest about pay, conditions, or

1.名詞B2
釋義

a period when workers stop working in order to protest about pay, conditions, or a disagreement with their employer

例句

Wei and his coworkers voted for a stoppage after management cut their lunch breaks.

collocation: vote for a stoppage

A two-day stoppage at the car factory delayed the shipment of engines to Europe.

duration modifier: two-day stoppage

同義詞
  • strike

    stronger implication of union-organised protest; more common than stoppage in everyday language

  • walkout

    informal; suggests workers leave the workplace suddenly without prior notice

  • lockout

    employer-initiated; the company prevents workers from entering, not a worker decision

文法句型

stoppage by [group]

call a stoppage

vote for a stoppage

用法筆記

Stoppage is a neutral, formal term that covers any work interruption — unlike strike, which implies union-organised action. Common in news reports and official statements.

常見錯誤

❌The workers went on a stoppage for three weeks.
✅The workers went on strike for three weeks.
💡a planned, organised work stoppage by union members is usually called a strike; stoppage is often a general term.

2. the portion of a worker's earnings that their employer withholds before paying t

2.名詞B2
釋義

the portion of a worker's earnings that their employer withholds before paying them, going toward costs such as income tax, health contributions, or a pension fund

例句

Mei checks her payslip every month to see the stoppages for health insurance and tax.

pattern: stoppages for [purpose]

The company made an error with the pension stoppage and had to refund the overpaid amount.

同義詞
  • deduction

    more common in American English; interchangeable in British payroll contexts

  • withholding

    specifically for tax; more formal, used mainly in official tax documents

文法句型

stoppages for [purpose]

stoppage from wages

pay stoppage

用法筆記

This sense is primarily British English. In American English, deduction is the standard term. Frequently used in the plural form stoppages to refer to all deductions combined.

常見錯誤

❌My employer deducted stoppages from my salary.
✅My employer made stoppages from my salary.
💡the verb used with stoppages in this sense is make or apply, not deduct.

3. a short break in a sports match, especially in football, that happens when a pla

3.名詞B2
釋義

a short break in a sports match, especially in football, that happens when a player is hurt and needs medical attention

例句

The referee called a stoppage after the goalkeeper collided with a defender near the goal.

collocation: call a stoppage (sports context)

There was a five-minute stoppage while the team doctor treated the striker's injured ankle.

duration: five-minute stoppage

同義詞
  • time-out

    more common in American sports; stoppage is specific to football/soccer

  • pause in play

    descriptive phrase that applies across sports

文法句型

call a stoppage

stoppage for [reason]

during the stoppage

用法筆記

This usage is especially common in British football (soccer) commentary. American English typically calls this an injury timeout or time-out. Stoppage time (or added time) is the extra period added at the end of a half to compensate for such interruptions.

常見錯誤

❌ 'The team scored in stoppage time of the first half.' — This is actually correct usage! Note: stoppage time is a related but distinct compound noun referring to the extra minutes added to compensate for pauses.

4. a place along a bus route where the bus regularly pauses so that people can get

4.名詞A2
釋義

a place along a bus route where the bus regularly pauses so that people can get on or get off

例句

The driver announced that the next stoppage would be at the city train station.

collocation: next stoppage

This route only has three stoppages between the airport and the central market.

同義詞
  • bus stop

    the standard everyday term; stoppage is dated in this sense

文法句型

next stoppage

final stoppage

stoppage at [place]

用法筆記

This sense is very rare in modern English. In everyday British English, bus stop is the usual word. Stoppage in this context sounds old-fashioned or very formal. Learners should use bus stop instead.

5. a condition in which a pipe, tube, or passage becomes blocked so that liquid, ga

5.名詞B2
釋義

a condition in which a pipe, tube, or passage becomes blocked so that liquid, gas, or other material cannot flow through it normally

例句

A stoppage in the kitchen sink caused dirty water to spill across the tiled floor.

pattern: stoppage in [location]

The plumber found a stoppage in the main drain caused by thick tree roots.

同義詞
  • blockage

    more common in everyday language; stoppage sounds more technical

  • obstruction

    more formal; used in medical and engineering contexts

  • clog

    informal; a clog in a drain or pipe

文法句型

stoppage in [pipe/tube/drain]

clear a stoppage

cause a stoppage

用法筆記

This sense is most common in plumbing and engineering contexts. Blockage is a more frequent synonym in everyday language. Stoppage sounds slightly more technical or old-fashioned.

常見錯誤

❌There is a stoppage in the toilet.
✅There is a blockage in the toilet.
💡blockage is the natural word for plumbing issues in everyday English; stoppage sounds technical.