an abrupt stop or pause in movement or progress.
The bus came to a complete halt at the red light.
Talks between the two countries came to a halt.
✦ Noun use derived from the verb, ultimately from German 'Halt' meaning 'stop' or 'hold'.
to stop moving, progressing, or acting, especially suddenly.
The officer yelled "Halt!" and the troops stopped immediately.
She had to halt the car to avoid the deer.
✦ Originally a military command from German 'Halt!', the imperative form of 'halten' meaning 'to hold', adopted into English in the 17th century.
a thick, dark, sticky material made from petroleum that is heated and spread to make or repair roads, paths, and roofs
The road crew poured hot asphalt into the potholes to make the street smooth again.
In the blazing afternoon sun, the asphalt of the playground felt like a hot griddle under the children’s shoes.
✦ Late Middle English, from Medieval Latin asphaltum, from Greek ásphaltos meaning ‘bitumen’.
to cover a surface such as a road, driveway, or path with asphalt
The city plans to asphalt the gravel road before winter arrives.
Early on Saturday, workers asphalted the driveway, turning the bumpy surface into a sleek, black strip.
✦ Back-formation from the noun asphalt, first recorded as a verb in the 19th century when modern road-building techniques developed.
