stopper

  • 131Show-stopper —    A scene, song, or actor is said to stop the show when the audience is so impressed that its applause momentarily prevents the performance from continuing. The term is most frequently applied to musicals when a star and a great song inspires an …

    The Historical Dictionary of the American Theater

  • 132show stopper — A legal barrier, such as a scorched earth policy or shark repellent system, that firms use to prevent a takeover. Bloomberg Financial Dictionary …

    Financial and business terms