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.
Mr. Kshatriya describes the moon as a pit stop on “the great odyssey to Mars”—and then “to the asteroid belt and to the Jovian moons.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
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
Leclerc started the pit stop period on lap 17, Piastri following him in a lap later and Russell three laps after that.
From BBC • Mar. 29, 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
We made a pit stop to eat at a Cracker Barrel restaurant about three hours into the trip, and everyone piled off of the bus.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
