Abeyance
/əˈbeɪəns/
nounC1
Definition
Abeyance is when an action, plan, or decision is put on hold for a while. It means something is not finished or active now but is waiting to happen or continue later. People use this word when they want to say something is paused but not ended.
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See It in Action
Temporary pause or suspension of activity or decision
- •The project was held in abeyance until funding was available.
- •His membership was in abeyance while the investigation continued.
- •The court case is in abeyance pending new evidence.
A state of waiting or being inactive but not ended
- •The plans for the new building remain in abeyance.
- •The treaty was kept in abeyance during the talks.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "abeyance" like "pause" (A1 word), but for bigger or more formal things like plans or rights, not just music or videos
- ✓Picture a movie stopped in the middle, waiting to play again, but you don’t know exactly when
- ✓It feels like waiting quietly, like when you hold your breath before jumping into a pool
- ✓Sounds like "a-BAY-ance" → imagine a bay (a calm water area) where everything is still and waiting
- ✓Think of a story paused at an exciting part, waiting for the next chapter to continue
- ✓NOT like "stop" (which can mean end forever), abeyance means only temporary stopping
- ✓NOT like "cancel" (which means no more), abeyance means waiting to restart later
Try Other Words
- •Suspension: temporary stopping of an activity (Use when something is officially stopped but may restart)
- •Delay: waiting before something happens (Use when the focus is on time waiting)
- •Hold: keeping something in place without action (Use in informal or general contexts)
- •Pause: short stop that will continue soon (Use for informal or simple contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: from Old French "abeance" meaning expectation or waiting, no clear prefix/root in modern English
- •Etymology: Comes from Old French and Latin roots meaning "to gape" or "to wait"
- •Historical development: Originally meant a state of expectation or waiting; over time, it came to mean a formal pause or suspension
- •Modern usage: Mostly used in legal, official, or formal contexts to mean temporary stopping without ending
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you had to put a plan or idea in abeyance? How did it feel to wait?
•How is abeyance different from stopping something completely? Why might it be important to keep things in abeyance?
Fill in the blanks
1.The meeting was put in abeyance ___ the arrival of the missing documents.
2.When a decision is in abeyance, it means people are waiting ___ it to be made.
3.Unlike canceling, abeyance means the action is only ___, not finished.
4.The project stayed in abeyance because the team needed more ___ before continuing.
5.Legal rights can be held in abeyance until the court ___ its ruling.
6.Plans in abeyance often cause ___ because no one knows when they will restart.
7.The contract was kept in abeyance ___ the negotiation process was ongoing.