abeyance en · NOUN
Pronunciation
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”).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) Expectancy; a condition when an ownership of real property is undetermined; lapse in succession of ownership of estate, or title.
Note: Under the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 all territorial claims are held under abeyance in the interest of international co-operation for scientific purposes.
1985 [1967], John Bartholomew & Son Limited, “Antarctica”, in The Times Atlas of the World, 7th comprehensive edition, Times Books Limited, →ISBN, plate 123:The proceeds of the estate shall be held in abeyance in an escrow account until the minor reaches age twenty-one.
Yet sometimes the fee may be in abeyance, that is (as the word signifies) in expectation, remembrance, and contemplation in law; there being no person in esse, in whom it can vest and abide […]
1765, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England:
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(countable, uncountable) Suspension; temporary suppression; dormant condition.
Friday’s announcement that Andrew’s dukedom, other titles and his Order of the Garter knighthood would be put in abeyance with immediate effect – extant but inactive, much as his HRH title has been since the Virginia Giuffre scandal broke six years ago – may be seen by some within Buckingham Palace as a solution.
2025 October 20, Caroline Davies, “Dealing with ‘Andrew problem’ could help ease William’s accession to the throne”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:The palace had previously that the duke’s military appointments were in abeyance after he stepped down from public duties in 2019.
2022 January 13, Ben Quinn, “Queen strips Prince Andrew of military roles and royal patronages”, in The Guardian:Without a plausible explanation for what might have provoked an ice age, the whole theory fell into abeyance.
2003, Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, BCA, page 376:[...] Prosser was instrumental in the decision in 2010 to recommence publication of an annual health and safety report, following a period when it had fallen into abeyance.
2020 July 29, Ian Prosser discusses with Paul Stephen, “Rail needs robust and strategic plans”, in Rail, page 40:
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(countable, uncountable) Expectancy of a noble or armigeral title, its right in existence but its exercise suspended.
The broad pennant of a commodore first class has been in abeyance since 1958, together with the rank.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| abeyances | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Translations (44)
fi lepäämässä (heraldry: expectancy of a title) · fi jäädytys (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · pt vacatura (heraldry: expectancy of a title) · es suspenso (suspension; temporary suppression) · no uavklart (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · nl opschorting (suspension; temporary suppression) · pt vacância (heraldry: expectancy of a title) · bg суспендиране (suspension; temporary suppression) · fr en suspens (suspension; temporary suppression) · pt vagatura (heraldry: expectancy of a title) · nl onzekerheid (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · de Unentschiedenheit (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · es expectativa (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · nl onbeslistheid (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · lkt íŋyaŋke šni (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · de Schwebezustand (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · ga fionraí (suspension; temporary suppression) · pt pendência (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · ru приостановле́ние (suspension; temporary suppression) · bg изчакване (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · fi lykättynä (suspension; temporary suppression) · fr vacant (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · fr vacance (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · fi lykkäys (suspension; temporary suppression) · nl onbeheerdheid (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · nl onbruik (heraldry: expectancy of a title) · es desuso (suspension; temporary suppression) · pt suspensão (suspension; temporary suppression) · fr suspension (suspension; temporary suppression) · bg временно бездействие (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · fi jäädytettynä (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · sv träda (suspension; temporary suppression) · fi lepääminen (heraldry: expectancy of a title) · nl uitstel (suspension; temporary suppression) · it sospensione (suspension; temporary suppression) · fr vacance (heraldry: expectancy of a title) · es suspenso (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · mk мирување (suspension; temporary suppression) · es esperanza (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · pt pendência (suspension; temporary suppression) · es suspensión (suspension; temporary suppression) · ja 停止 (suspension; temporary suppression) · ru состоя́ние неопределённости (expectancy; condition of being undetermined) · no utsettelse (suspension; temporary suppression)