An act so striking or impressive that the show must be delayed until the audience quiets down.

synonyms: show-stopper, showstopper.

Roget 261: closure, occlusion, blockade; shutting up etc. v.; obstruction etc. (hindrance) 706; embolus; contraction etc. 195; infarction; constipation, obstipation^†; blind alley, blind corner; keddah^†; cul-de-sac, caecum; imperforation^†, imperviousness etc. adj.; impermeability; stopper etc. 263.    ... show more

Roget 706: prevention, preclusion, obstruction, stoppage; embolus, embolism [Med.]; infarct [Med.]; interruption, interception, interclusion^†; hindrance, impedition^†; retardment^†, retardation; embarrassment, oppilation^†; coarctation^†, stricture, restriction; restraint etc. 751; inhibition etc. 761; blockade etc. (closure) 261.    interference, interposition; obtrusion; discouragement, discountenance.    impediment, let, obstacle, obstruction, knot, knag^†; check, hitch, contretemps, screw loose, grit in the oil.    bar, stile, barrier; [barrier to vehicles] turnstile, turnpike; gate, portcullis.    beaver dam; trocha^†; barricade etc. (defense) 717; wall, dead wall, sea wall, levee breakwater, groyne^†; bulkhead, block, buffer; stopper etc. 263; boom, dam, weir, burrock^†.    drawback, objection; stumbling-block, stumbling-stone; lion in the path, snag; snags and sawyers.    encumbrance, incumbrance^†; clog, skid, shoe, spoke; drag, drag chain, drag weight; stay, stop; preventive, prophylactic; load, burden, fardel^†, onus, millstone round one's neck, impedimenta; dead weight; lumber, pack; nightmare, Ephialtes^†, incubus, old man of the sea; remora.    difficulty etc. 704; insuperable etc. 471; obstacle; estoppel [Law]; ill wind; head wind etc. (opposition) 708; trammel, tether etc. (means of restraint) 752; hold back, counterpoise.    [person who hinders] damper, wet blanket, hinderer, marplot, killjoy; party pooper [Coll.]; party crasher, interloper.    trail of a red herring; opponent etc. 710.    ... show more

A remark to which there is no polite conversational reply.

synonym: conversation stopper.

bridge A playing card with a value sufficiently high to insure taking a trick in a particular suit.

Blockage consisting of an object designed to fill a hole tightly.

synonyms: plug, stopple.

Roget 263: stopper, stopple; plug, cork, bung, spike, spill, stopcock, tap; rammer^†; ram, ramrod; piston; stop-gap; wadding, stuffing, padding, stopping, dossil^†, pledget^†, tompion^†, tourniquet.    cover etc. 223; valve, vent peg, spigot, slide valve.    janitor, doorkeeper, porter, warder, beadle, cerberus, ostiary^†.    ... show more

Dutch: dop, oordopje, pijpenstopper, pijpestopper, stop, stopper, stopperspil
Polish: zatyczka

Close or secure with or as if with a stopper:
— She stoppered the wine bottle.
— The mothers stoppered their babies' mouths with pacifiers.

synonym: stopple.