put on the brakes
Halt your momentum
To put on the brakes is to slow down or stop, literally by applying a vehicle's braking system: I put on the brakes just in time.
Figuratively, it means to halt or restrain progress: The committee put on the brakes on the proposal.
The phrase often signals deliberate caution or reluctance to proceed.
- stopCease all motion
- decelerateReduce velocity
- slow downReduce pace or speed
- haltComplete sudden stop
- full stopTerminal punctuation mark
come to a halt · sudden stop · foot · curb · rethink · limitation · restrain · cease · reconsider · think twice · prudence · slow · check · emergency stop · suspend · temperance · discontinue · caution
put on the brakesaccelerate
Increase in velocity
step on the gas · hit the gas · floor it · speed up · hit the accelerator
put on the brakespush forward
Proceed with determination
ramp up · forge ahead · fast-track · press on · double down
puts, putting, putter, brake, brakes, braked, braking, breaker