halt
/hɔːlt/
verb
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*haltaz — lame, crippled
Overview
Meaning Now
- To bring or come to an abrupt stop.
- To hesitate or waver in decision or action.
Literal older meaning
to limp, to walk lamely
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old High German / Old English → English
Earliest form
haltan
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The verb 'halt' is a linguistic confluence. Originally meaning 'to limp' (a sense preserved in 'halting speech'), it absorbed the meaning of 'to stop' from the military influence of German 'halten' (to hold/keep) in the 16th century, replacing older terms like 'stop' or 'stay' in specific contexts.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*haltaz
“lame”
- Old English
healt
“lame, limping”
- Middle English
halten
“to limp; to stop”
The sense of 'stopping' was reinforced by Middle High German 'halten' (to hold, stop).
- Early Modern English
halt
“to stop a march or movement”
Connections
Word parts
halt
root
lame/stop
Related across languages
Old Norse
haltr
lame
German
halten
to hold, to stop
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.