Definition of "stopper"

“It just shows you what women are like. A frightful sex, Bertie. There ought to be a law. I hope to live to see the day when women are no longer allowed.” “That would rather put a stopper on keeping the human race going, wouldn't it?” “Well, who wants to keep the human race going?”

1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter IX

Often, in our conversations we encourage people to talk, or we manage to stop them. This can happen without our even thinking about it. Following is a list of conversation starters and stoppers.

2000, Carole B. Cox, Empowering Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, page 28

And just before the interval, Kolarov, who was having one of his better games in a City shirt, fizzed in a cracker from 30 yards which the Wolves stopper unconvincingly pushed behind for a corner.

2011 January 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Man City 4 - 3 Wolves”, in BBC‎

The local train was empty at midday. She changed at Yatton and caught a stopper into Bristol. There was an express calling at Exeter which left Bristol at twelve-forty-five and she caught it by the skin of her teeth.

1996, Susan Sallis, Touched by Angels‎, Random House, page 300

Changing times at Barnham on December 8 2022. Southern 313211 is an all-stations stopper.

2023 February 22, Howard Johnston, “Southern '313s': is the end now in sight?”, in RAIL, number 977, page 39, photo caption

Red Stopper. Leaves ovate-oblong, contracted at the apex into long points, coriaceous. Eugenia Garber

1890, Charles Sprague Sargent, The Silva of North America: A Description of the Trees which Grow Naturally in North America Exclusive of Mexico