moratorium
Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
mor·a·to·ri·um
(môr′ə-tôr′ē-əm, mŏr′-)n. pl. mor·a·to·ri·ums or mor·a·to·ri·a (-tôr′ē-ə)
1. Law
a. A lawful suspension of the payment of certain debts during a period of financial or civil distress.
b. The period during which such a suspension occurs.
2. A suspension of an ongoing or planned activity: a moratorium on timber cutting.
[From Late Latin morātōrium, neuter of morātōrius, delaying, from Latin morātus, past participle of morārī, to delay, from mora, delay.]
mor′a·to′ry adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
moratorium
(ˌmɒrəˈtɔːrɪəm)n, pl -ria (-rɪə) or -riums
1. (Law) a legally authorized postponement of the fulfilment of an obligation
2. an agreed suspension of activity
[C19: New Latin, from Late Latin morātōrius dilatory, from mora delay]
moratory adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
mor•a•to•ri•um
(ˌmɔr əˈtɔr i əm, -ˈtoʊr-, ˌmɒr-)n., pl. -to•ri•a (-ˈtɔr i ə, -ˈtoʊr-)
-to•ri•ums.
1. a suspension of activity: a moratorium on nuclear testing.
2. a legally authorized period to delay payment of money due or the performance of some other legal obligation, as in an emergency.
3. an authorized period of delay or waiting.
[1870–75; < New Latin, Late Latin morātōrium, n. use of neuter of morātōrius dilatory]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | moratorium - a legally authorized postponement before some obligation must be discharged delay, postponement, time lag, wait, hold - time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action" |
| 2. | moratorium - suspension of an ongoing activity abeyance, suspension - temporary cessation or suspension |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
moratorium
noun postponement, stay, freeze, halt, suspension, respite, standstill a one-year moratorium on nuclear testing
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
moratorium
n → Stopp m; (Mil) → Stillhalteabkommen nt; (on treaty etc) → Moratorium nt; (Fin) → Zahlungsaufschub m; a moratorium on nuclear armament → ein Atomwaffenstopp m; to declare a moratorium on something → etw (vorläufig) mit einem Stopp belegen; → in der Frage einer Sache (gen) → ein Moratorium beschließen; there’s been a moratorium on new transplant techniques → neue Transplantationstechniken wurden vorläufig gestoppt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995