歯は止どめ

は

ど

め

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

brake; drag; skid; pawl

Mechanical device that stops or slows a wheel or moving part; also used for a skid placed under a wheel.

車しゃ輪りんに歯は止どめをかけて、坂さか道みちで動うごかないようにした。
I put a brake on the wheel to keep it from moving on the slope.

2

brake; check; restraint; limit

Figurative use: something that restrains or puts a limit on an activity, trend, or spending.

政せい府ふはインフレに歯は止どめをかける政せい策さくを発はっ表ぴょうした。
The government announced policies to put a brake on inflation.
彼かれの浪ろう費ひに歯は止どめがきかなくなった。
His spending got out of control.

See all 28 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の歯は止どめとなるto serve as a check/restraint on something
新あたらしい法ほう律りつが価か格かく上じょう昇しょうの歯は止どめとなった。
The new law served as a check on rising prices.
歯は止どめが外はずれるfor a restraint to come off, letting something run out of control
一いち度ど歯は止どめが外はずれると、支し出しゅつは増ふえ続つづけた。
Once the restraint was lost, spending kept increasing.
〈物もの〉に歯は止どめを付つけるto attach a brake/skid to something
車しゃ輪りんに歯は止どめを付つけて、動うごかないようにした。
We attached a skid to the wheel so it wouldn't move.

Expressions

歯は止どめをかけるcurb; halt; put a stop to
歯は止どめがかからないunstoppable; can't be stopped

Kanji

歯tooth, cog
止stop, halt

Related words

ブレーキN3sense 1
ブレーキ is the common loanword for a vehicle's brake, while 歯止め more often refers to a mechanical pawl, wheel skid, or figurative restraint.
抑よく制せいN1sense 2
抑制 is a general, formal word for suppressing or controlling something, while 歯止め specifically evokes stopping a trend that is already gaining momentum.
制せい動どう sense 1
制動 is a technical, formal term for the act of braking, whereas 歯止め usually names the physical device that does the braking.
制せい限げんN3sense 2
制限 refers to setting a fixed limit or boundary, while 歯止め emphasizes actively halting or slowing an ongoing increase.

Built from

歯は+止とめる

Etymology

Compound of 歯 (tooth) and 止め (stopping), referring to a toothed device that stops movement. The figurative sense developed from the mechanical one.