stops

Stops is the plural of stop, a term with several meanings in English. As a verb, to stop means to cause movement to cease. As a noun, a stop may be a halt in a process, a place to pause or transfer, or a device designed to interrupt motion. The word appears in domains such as linguistics, music, and transportation.

In phonetics, stops (plosives) are consonants produced by a complete closure of the vocal tract, followed by a release that yields a brief burst. They are categorized by place of articulation—bilabial (p, b), alveolar (t, d), velar (k, g), and glottal (ʔ)—and by voicing (voiceless: p, t, k; voiced: b, d, g). Many languages distinguish aspirated from unaspirated stops; the glottal stop is a common consonant in many inventories and can function within syllables as a release or as a substitute for other stops.

In organ music, stops are controls that admit air to particular ranks of pipes, creating different timbres. A stop specifies a voice or mixture of pipes; players draw or press stops to blend sounds. Organ stops vary in pitch ranges and tonal character, from bright diapasons to muted, stopped pipes. The term also reflects historical practice of "stopped" pipes, which are closed at the end and produce a mellower tone.

In transportation, a stop is a designated place where vehicles halt to board or alight passengers. Stops exist on bus, tram, and rail networks and are shown on schedules and maps. Some stops are regular, others are demand or flag stops, where service is offered only on request. Stops are essential for route planning, accessibility, and timetable accuracy.