The word "abeyance" (əˈbeɪəns) is spelled with an "a," "b," "e," "y," "a," "n," "c," and "e". The IPA phonetic transcription indicates that the first syllable is pronounced with the schwa sound (ə), followed by the "b" sound. The "e" in the second syllable is pronounced like the "a" in "may". The "y" is pronounced like the "i" in "bit". The final syllable is pronounced as "ans", with a soft "c" sound like "s". "Abeyance" refers to a state of temporary disuse, suspension, or holding in abeyance of a legal right.
Abeyance is a noun that refers to a temporary state of suspension, inactivity, or dormancy of something, particularly certain rights, powers, or activities. It denotes a condition where something is existing but currently not in effect or operation. It implies a state of being on hold, pending further action, or awaiting a decision or resolution.
In legal contexts, abeyance often refers to the temporary cessation or suspension of legal rights or titles, typically when ownership or control is uncertain or being disputed. For example, when an estate or property is passed down to multiple potential heirs, the ownership rights may be in abeyance until a court decision determines who the rightful owner is.
Abeyance can also be associated with political, organizational, or administrative matters, referring to the temporary suspension or deferral of certain obligations, duties, or decision-making processes. It may signify a delay or postponement of actions until certain conditions are met or circumstances change.
Additionally, abeyance can be used to describe a state of expectation or potentiality. It can indicate a temporary interruption of a project, initiative, or plan, often due to external factors or unforeseen events.
Overall, abeyance conveys the notion of temporary inactive status or temporary disuse until further action or resolution is taken.
A state of temporary abolition of function.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "abeyance" originated from the Old French term "a beyance" or "en beyance" which means "in a state of longing" or "awaiting". The phrase comes from the verb "bayer" meaning "to gape" or "to be wide open". Over time, "a beyance" developed into the word "abeyance" in English, which refers to something being temporarily set aside or suspended.