bring up short

English

Verb

bring up short (third-person singular simple present brings up short, present participle bringing up short, simple past and past participle brought up short)

1. To arrest (someone or something's) forward motion; to halt before a goal is reached.
   • 2009, Matthew Baca, The Antiquarian, →ISBN, page 145:

     The soldiers spurred their horses forward but were brought up short by Lieutenant Montoya.

   • 2010, Steven Erikson, The First Collected Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, →ISBN:

     Frowning, Guld stepped forward, but was brought up short by the guardsman's hand.

   • 2014, Jane Feather -, Trapped at the Altar, →ISBN:

     As soon as its paws touched ground, it darted forward with an excited yelp, only to be brought up short by the ribbon around its neck.

2. (figurative) To startle or interrupt (someone), causing them to stop or reevaluate what they are doing.
   • 2000, Donald S. Vogel, Memories and Images: The World of Donald Vogel and Valley House Gallery, →ISBN:

     I suppose things can go well for just so long before events bring you up short.

   • 2006, Richard Wilk, Home Cooking in the Global Village, →ISBN:

     Some of us are lucky enough to have students who ask sharp questions that bring us up short and force us back to basic and difficult issues.

   • 2010, Robert Coles, David Cooper, Lives We Carry with Us: Profiles of Moral Courage, →ISBN, page 49:

     The article was intended to bring readers up short, to prompt in them a thought or two about why they were doing what, day in and day out.

   • 2012, Paul P. Bernard, Joseph II and Bavaria, →ISBN:

     Any minister to whom it might occur that a change would be desirable would certainly be brought up short at the prospect of alienating the heir to the throne.

See also

• hit the buffers
• in one's tracks