abeyant

comparative more abeyant · superlative most abeyant

1. Being in a state of abeyance; suspended.First known use mid 19th c.

   So even where extraordinary circumstances render civilian courts abeyant, the civilian law must be reintroduced as soon as the emergency ends.

   2013, William Nester, “Total War”, in The Age of Lincoln and the Art of American Power, 1848–1876, Lincoln, Neb.: Potomac Books, University of Nebraska Press, →ISBN, part 2 (Civil War, 1861–1865), page 202

   3 more examples

   This statute, and that in favour of the heirs general before mentioned, would of themselves, it is submitted, establish that the barony of Slane, was neither a peerage in fee nor a palatine honor. Had it been the former, it would have become abeyant between the heirs general: had it been the latter, it would have been annihilated by the non-possession of the lands.

   1835, Richard Bligh (reporter), “Slane Peerage Case”, in New Reports of Cases Heard in the House of Lords, on Appeals and Writs of Error; and Decided during the Session 1836, volume X, London: Saunders and Benning, law booksellers, (successors to J. Butterworth and Son,) […], published 1838, →OCLC, page 87

   In abeyant intractable conflicts violence is suspended, or "frozen" (i.e., they have gone into remission), usually because a third party is willing and able to guarantee the terms of a negotiated cease-fire—a cease-fire that may also include the broad outlines of a political settlement.

   2005, Chester A[rthur] Crocker, Fen Osler Hampson, Pamela R. Aall, “Introduction: Mapping the Nettle Field”, in Chester A. Crocker, Fen Osler Hampson, Pamela Aall, editors, Grasping the Nettle: Analyzing Cases of Intractable Conflict, Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press, →ISBN, page 11

   Having placed an abeyant death sentence on Corde's head, he turned his attention to Bose, who, for his part, looked vapid and without a shred of malice or machinatory instinct about him, a soft toy in the great department store of life.

   2013 October, Jonathan L. Howard, “In which there is a Battle and Cabal Makes It Quick”, in Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Thomas Dunne Books, →ISBN, page 200

   Synonyms: dormant, inactive, latent, at rest, cessant, dormant, dull, fallow