come to a standstill

come to a standstill

To stop. All the other drivers came to a standstill as the police car, with its flashing lights and siren, sped by. Our research came to a standstill after a sudden reduction in funding.

See also: come, standstill

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

come to a standstill

[for something] to slow down and finally stop; to stop completely. (Usually refers to something that is progressing, such as work, traffic, negotiations.) As the strike began, the production line came to a standstill. At the height of rush hour, traffic comes to a standstill.

See also: come, standstill

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.