Abeyance Definition
ə-bāəns
noun
The condition of being temporarily set aside; suspension.
Held the plan in abeyance.
American Heritage
Temporary suspension, as of an activity or function.
Webster's New World
A condition of undetermined ownership, as of an interest in an estate that has not yet vested.
American Heritage
A state of not having been determined or settled, as of lands the present ownership of which has not been established.
Webster's New World
An indefinite or temporary state of inactivity or suspension.
Webster's New World Law
Synonyms:
Other Word Forms of Abeyance
Noun
Singular:
abeyance
Plural:
abeyancesOrigin of Abeyance
-
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 á (“to”) + baër (“gape”), bair (“yawn”), from Medieval Latin batare (“to yawn”).
From Wiktionary
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Anglo-Norman variant of Old French abeance desire from abaer to gape at a- at (from Latin ad- ad–) baer to gape bay2
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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