pit stop
Americannoun
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Auto Racing. a stop in the pits during a race, in which a competing car receives gasoline, a change of tires, or other servicing or repair.
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Informal. any brief stop, as during a ride or trip in an automobile, so that one may get refreshments, use a restroom, etc.
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a place where one makes such stops.
noun
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motor racing a brief stop made at a pit by a racing car for repairs, refuelling, etc
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informal any stop made during a car journey for refreshment, rest, or refuelling
Etymology
Origin of pit stop
First recorded in 1930–35
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When times are tough, it’s hard to find a better deal to feed a family than a pizza, purchased at a convenient pit stop on the way home from work.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
A slow pit stop during the race didn't help his cause, along with damage picked up from contact with Alpine's Franco Colapinto.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
“We’re a pit stop, that’s how we saw ourselves.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026
Well, I went from Paris to my best friend’s wedding, and then I flew home to New York to do a pit stop at my apartment.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026
There was a half-eaten cinnamon bun and a bottle of water left from our pit stop in the middle of the trip.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
