Stop in state capital of Tennessee (5)
I believe the answer is:
avert
'stop' is the definition.
(to avert something is to stop or prevent it)
'state capital of tennessee' is the wordplay.
'state' becomes 'aver' (both can mean to declare).
'capital of' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'tennessee' is 't'.
'aver'+'t'='AVERT'
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for avert that I've seen before include "Turn aside or ward off" , "With prominent incisors" , "Turn away from, say gaze" , "Avoid" , "Head off" .)