- Adjourn
- 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]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.