full stop

/'ful'stɔp/

Friendly

Word: Full Stop

Definition: A "full stop" is a punctuation mark that looks like this: (.). It is used at the end of a complete sentence to show that the thought is finished. In American English, this punctuation mark is often called a "period."

Usage Instructions:

• Place a full stop at the end of declarative sentences (statements that provide information).
• Use it after abbreviations (shortened forms of words, like "Mr." for "Mister").

Example:

• Declarative Sentence: "The dog is playing in the yard."
• Abbreviation: "Dr. Smith is my doctor."

Advanced Usage:

In writing, a full stop can indicate the end of a thought or statement, allowing the reader to pause before moving on to the next idea. It's important for clarity in written communication.

Word Variants:

• In British English: Full stop
• In American English: Period

Different Meaning:

The term "full stop" can also refer to a complete end to something, not just in writing. For example, when someone says, "That's a full stop on the matter," they mean that the discussion is over.

Synonyms:

• Period (in American English)
• Stop (in some contexts)

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While "full stop" itself doesn't have idioms or phrasal verbs, it represents the idea of finality, which can be expressed in phrases like: - "That’s all, folks!" (means there is nothing more to say) - "End of story!" (indicates that the discussion is finished and there will be no further elaboration)

Summary:

A "full stop" is a crucial part of writing that signals the end of a sentence. It helps to organize thoughts and makes writing easier to read.

Academic

Noun

1. a punctuation mark (.) placed at the end of a declarative sentence to indicate a full stop or after abbreviations
   • in England they call a period a stop

Synonyms

• period
• point
• stop
• full point