stop short

Outside my door I stopped short and surveyed the scene.

She always ran, and then she'd stop short in a room.

Better to go another five miles than to stop too short.

The man stopped short and again walked around to make eye contact.

He started to turn back to the young people on the other side of his table, but stopped short and looked out the window again.

At the sound of the shot he stopped short and ran off into the bush.

When the child saw the woman in uniform, she stopped short and then turned as if to run off.

He took long steps toward the door before stopping short.

"I've seen a lot of guys who have been in my situation, and for some reason, their dream stops short."

Twice I stopped short and turned to look along my back trail.

I stopped short the moment their words reached me.

He stopped two feet short, as if slamming into a wall.

And, gasping, we stopped short not a dozen paces away.

When at last Sam stopped short he slid right into him.

Then it stopped short again, just as before.

Reaching the window, the man from the living room stopped short the moment that his hands touched the slippery sill.

They stopped short at once, and looked all round, startled.

He stopped short the moment that he stepped through the doorway.

The lead stopped short a foot from the floor and hung swinging like a pendulum.

Both stopped short when they saw the archway behind the computer bank.