break stride

English[edit]

To cease walking or running at the same gait, especially with the result of interrupting one's forward momentum.
- 2011 January 22, Ian Hughes, “Arsenal 3 - 0 Wigan”, in BBC^[1]:
  
  When the second goal came, it was a belter - Fabregas launching an inch-perfect ball over the top for Van Persie to volley in without breaking stride.