1.
to hold back, to check, to stop
To prevent something from advancing, spreading, or getting worse by firmly stopping it.
敵の攻撃を食い止める。
To hold back the enemy's attack.
感染拡大を食い止める対策が必要だ。
Measures to stop the spread of infection are needed.
被害を最小限に食い止めた。
The damage was kept to a minimum.
赤字の拡大を何とか食い止めたい。
I want to somehow stop the deficit from growing.
COMPOUND VERB: 食う (to bite/eat into) + 止める (to stop) = to bite into and stop (i.e., to firmly hold in place)
TRANSITIVITY: Transitive. Takes を to mark what is being stopped or checked.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 攻撃を食い止める (to check an attack)
- 感染拡大を食い止める (to stop the spread of infection)
- 被害を食い止める (to prevent damage)
- 浸水を食い止める (to stop flooding)
- 赤字を食い止める (to check losses)
USAGE NOTE: Often used in news contexts for disasters, epidemics, military situations, and economic crises. Implies urgent action to prevent something from getting worse.
RELATED ～止める COMPOUND VERBS:
- 引き止める - to hold back (a person)
- 押し止める - to hold down, to suppress
- 呼び止める - to call out and stop someone