stop payment

American  

noun

1. an order by the account holder to the bank not to pay a specified check or other charge.

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stop payment British  

noun

1. an instruction to a bank by the drawer of a cheque to refuse payment on it

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stop payment Idioms  

1. Instruct a bank not to honor a check one has drawn, as in If that check was lost, we'll have to stop payment on it before issuing another. This usage was first recorded in 1722.

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Etymology

Origin of stop payment

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Consumer advocates say the company creates a separate internal deposit account for users and records “ExtraCash” advances as overdrafts on that account, which can make it more difficult for users to stop payment.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026

They put a stop payment on the check.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 22, 2023

I said, all right, stop payment of the $750 million a year.

From New York Times • Nov. 16, 2022

"My next move is to stop payment through my bank or have them pursue the company for restitution," she added.

From Salon • May 17, 2022

The directory of the Bank having determined to stop payment, Mr. Prather resigned his seat with these memorable words:—“I can preside over no institution which fails to meet its engagements promptly and to the letter.”

From The History of Louisville, from the Earliest Settlement till the Year 1852 by Casseday, Ben