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to bring something to a grinding halt
to bring something to a grinding halt
01
to cause something to suddenly and completely stop, often in a dramatic or unexpected manner
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Idiom
What is the origin of the idiom "bring to a grinding halt" and when to use it?
The idiom "bring to a grinding halt" originated from the world of machinery, where "grinding" refers to the process of removing material by rubbing it against a hard surface. It can be used to describe a range of scenarios, such as when a business or economy suffers a major downturn, when a project or plan fails, or when a person's life takes an unexpected turn for the worse.
Examples
The power outage brought the entire factory to a grinding halt.
