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fraction in which the denominator is some power of 10, as -- Decimal point, a dot or full stop at the left of a decimal fraction. The figures at the left of the point represent units or whole numbers, as 1.05.

A putting off or deferring; procrastination; lingering inactivity; stop; detention; hindrance. Without any delay, on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat. Acts xxv. 17. The government ought to be settled without the delay of a day. Macaulay.

Stop; pause; hesitation as to proceeding; suspense of decision or action; scruple. All my demurs but double his attacks; At last he whispers, "Do; and we go snacks." Pope.

A stop or pause by a party to an action, for the judgment of the court on the question, whether, assuming the truth of the matter alleged by the opposite party, it is sufficient in law to sustain the action or defense, and hence whether the party resting is bound to answer or proceed further. Demurrer to evidence, an e…

Removal of whatever stops up the passages. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

To cease to proceed or act; to stop; to forbear; -- often with from. Never desisting to do evil. E. Hall. To desist from his bad practice. Massinger. Desist (thou art discern'd, And toil'st in vain). Milton.

To restrain from proceeding; to stay or stop; to delay; as, we were detained by an accident. Let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. Judges xiii. 15.

The state of being detained (stopped or hindered); delay from necessity.

One of certain stops in the organ, so called because they extend through the scale of the instrument. They are of several kinds, as open diapason, stopped diapason, double diapason, and the like.

current, or momentary current of the same direction as the inducing current, produced by stopping or removing the latter; also, a similar current produced by removal of a magnet.

Immediately after; as soon as. Directly he stopped, the coffin was removed. Dickens.

discharged or emitted; as, a rapid discharge of water from the pipe. The hemorrhage being stopped, the next occurrence is a thin serous discharge. S. Sharp.

intermit, as a practice or habit; to put an end to; to cause to cease; to cease using, to stop; to leave off. Set up their conventicles again, which had been discontinued. Bp. Burnet. I have discontinued school Above a twelvemonth. Shak. Taught the Greek tongue, discontinued before in these parts the space of seven hun…

nery acting as a catch or clutch; especially, the carrier of a lathe, also, an adjustable stop to change motion, as in a machine tool.

A sweet-toned stop of an organ.

A kind of manstopping bullet; -- so named from Dumdum, in India, where bullets are manufactured for the Indian army.

clouds of dust; bone dust. Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Gen. iii. 19. Stop! -- for thy tread is on an empire's dust. Byron.

x so as to produce a soft, distant effect; -- generally superseded by the swell. -- Echo stop (Mus.), a stop upon a harpsichord contrived for producing the soft effect of distant sound. -- To applaud to the echo, to give loud and continuous applause. M. Arnold. I would applaud thee to the very echo, That should appla…

To stop; to hinder by prohibition; to block up. He embarred all further trade. Bacon.

right course; -- hence, irregular; unnatural. [Obs.] "Erroneous circulation." Arbuthnot. Stopped much of the erroneous light, which otherwise would have disturbed the vision. Sir I. Newman.