bring something to a grinding halt
US /brɪŋ ˈsʌmθɪŋ tu ə ˈɡraɪndɪŋ hɔlt/
UK /brɪŋ ˈsʌmθɪŋ tu ə ˈɡraɪndɪŋ hɔlt/
1.
to cause something to stop completely and suddenly, often with difficulty or disruption
:
•
The sudden power outage brought the entire factory to a grinding halt.
•
The heavy snowstorm brought traffic to a grinding halt on the highway.