Adjourning

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Adjourn \Ad*journ\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Adjourned}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Adjourning}.] [OE. ajornen, OF. ajoiner, ajurner, F.
     ajourner; OF. a (L. ad) + jor, jur, jorn, F. jour, day, fr.
     L. diurnus belonging to the day, fr. dies day. Cf. {Journal},
     {Journey}.]
     To put off or defer to another day, or indefinitely; to


     postpone; to close or suspend for the day; -- commonly said
     of the meeting, or the action, of convened body; as, to
     adjourn the meeting; to adjourn a debate.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           It is a common practice to adjourn the reformation of
           their lives to a further time.           --Barrow.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           'Tis a needful fitness
           That we adjourn this court till further day. --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: To delay; defer; postpone; put off; suspend.
  
     Usage: To {Adjourn}, {Prorogue}, {Dissolve}. These words are
            used in respect to public bodies when they lay aside
            business and separate. Adjourn, both in Great Britain
            and this country, is applied to all cases in which
            such bodies separate for a brief period, with a view
            to meet again. Prorogue is applied in Great Britain to
            that act of the executive government, as the
            sovereign, which brings a session of Parliament to a
            close. The word is not used in this country, but a
            legislative body is said, in such a case, to adjourn
            sine die. To dissolve is to annul the corporate
            existence of a body. In order to exist again the body
            must be reconstituted.
            [1913 Webster]