Definition & Meaning of "stop dead in one's tracks"

What is the origin of the idiom "stop in one's tracks" and when to use it?

The idiom "stop in one's tracks" likely originated from the literal act of suddenly halting one's movement or progress. It is used figuratively to describe a situation where someone is so surprised, shocked, or confronted with a significant event or information that it causes them to stop or freeze in place, as if their physical and mental momentum has been abruptly halted.