abeyance

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) Expectancy; a condition when an ownership of real property is undetermined; lapse in succession of ownership of estate, or title.
2. (countable, uncountable) Suspension; temporary suppression; dormant condition.
3. (countable, uncountable) Expectancy of a noble or armigeral title, its right in existence but its exercise suspended.

Synonyms

suspension

interruption

suspense

respite

deadlock

postponement

abortion

standstill

stalemate

pause

delay

procrastination

prorogation

protraction

setback

set-back

stoppage

suspending

undecided

cryocautery

cutting off

pendency

adjournment

esperance

ban

break

defer

deferment

deferral

discontinuance

halt

hang-up

point of view

postpone

Translations

suspensión

vacance

vacant

pendência

en suspens

suspension

suspensão

onbeheerdheid

tomber en désuétude

esperanza

Unterbrechung

attente

Unentschiedenheit

Stillstand

εκκρεμότητα

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈbeɪ.əns/

Etymology

First attested in 1528. From Anglo-Norman abeiance (“legal expectation”), from Old French abeance (“desire”) from abeër (“to gape at, aspire after”), abaer, abair (“to desire”), from a (“to”) + baër (“to gape”), bair (“yawn”), from Medieval Latin batō (“to yawn”).