cease all work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cease all work" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you want to instruct someone to stop all ongoing tasks or activities, often in a formal or urgent situation. Example: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we must cease all work until further notice."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Following complaints from the King's group that Watson and Crick were treading on their toes, Sir Lawrence Bragg, the head of their lab in Cambridge told them to cease all work on DNA.

The Guardian

In November 1989, Jenks resident Gary Medlin and two Jenks city councilmen drafted a letter to OTA requesting that the agency cease all work on the Creek Turnpike.

Wikipedia

Azusa Rock has also agreed to cease all work outside its property, replant mined areas, water down all trucks and equipment to control dust, and conduct and adhere to a study on proper slope angle to prevent landslides.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The charity has ceased all work outside the Netherlands since he took over in 2013, he said.

The New York Times

Five years after executing his first numeral painting, he ceased all other work and devoted himself fulltime to the pursuit of infinity.

The New York Times - Arts

In 1939, when Poland was carved up between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, Szyk ceased all other work solely to make propaganda against the Axis.

The New York Times - Books

In 1969, when Stanford ceased all classified work in response to antiwar protests, he moved his research group to Stanford Research Institute, now SRI International, in Menlo Park, Calif.

The New York Times

"Last night, Senator Shelby assured me that he is still committed to finding a consensus on financial reform, but for now we have reached an impasse," Mr. Dodd said on Friday morning, hours before Congress ceased nearly all work because of an impending snowstorm.

The New York Times

In the cancer group, similar proportions of men and women ceased work, reduced their work hours, or maintained their work hours from baseline to 12 months.

BMC Public Health

Doctors envisage a time, when, if nothing is done, the drugs will cease to work at all.

The Guardian

But in January, after meeting with a Shell executive, Mr. Kimball abruptly reversed course and told the auditors to "cease work on all false claims" against Shell.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cease all work" when a formal or immediate halt to all activities is required. It's suitable for official announcements or urgent situations.

Common error

Avoid using "cease all work" in casual conversations. Simpler alternatives like "stop working" or "take a break" are more appropriate in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cease all work" functions as an imperative phrase, typically used to issue a directive or command. It instructs the immediate cessation of all ongoing tasks. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

33%

Science

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "cease all work" is a directive phrase used to command the immediate halt of all ongoing activities. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and suitable for formal contexts. While alternatives like "halt all activities" or "discontinue all operations" exist, "cease all work" is particularly useful in official announcements or urgent situations. It's essential to consider the formality of the setting, as simpler phrases may be more appropriate in casual conversations. The analysis reveals that while frequently used in News & Media, it maintains a formal tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

end all work

A more concise way to express the termination of all work.

halt all activities

Emphasizes a temporary or immediate stop to actions.

put all work on hold

Indicates a temporary interruption of all ongoing work.

discontinue all operations

Focuses on the operational aspect, implying a formal shutdown.

suspend all projects

Specifically refers to the temporary halting of projects.

stop all labor

Emphasizes the physical aspect of stopping work or manual labor.

terminate all tasks

Suggests a permanent end to specific tasks.

close down all production

Specifically related to stopping the creation of goods or services.

bring all endeavors to a standstill

A more formal and emphatic way of saying to stop all efforts.

abort all work

Implies an immediate and often unplanned stop to all work.

FAQs

What does "cease all work" mean?

The phrase "cease all work" means to stop all ongoing tasks, activities, or operations immediately or until further notice. It is often used in formal or urgent contexts.

When is it appropriate to use "cease all work"?

It is appropriate to use "cease all work" in formal settings, official announcements, or urgent situations where a complete halt to activities is necessary. In more informal contexts, alternatives like "stop working" or "take a break" may be more suitable.

What are some alternatives to "cease all work"?

Some alternatives to "cease all work" include "halt all activities", "discontinue all operations", or "suspend all projects", depending on the specific context.

Is "cease all work" formal or informal?

"Cease all work" is generally considered a formal phrase. It is more common in professional or official communications than in casual conversation. Using a phrase like "stop all activities" could be more appropriate in an informal context.