abatement abeyance abridgment allayment alleviation arrest assuagement attenuation blunting breach break breath breather breathing place breathing space breathing spell breathing time caesura calming cease-fire cessation check cigarette break cocktail hour coffee break contraction dampening damping day off deadening deceleration decrease decrement decrescence deduction deflation delay demulsion depreciation depression detention diminishment diminution downtime drag drop dulcification dulling dying dying off ease-off ease-up easing enforced respite extenuation fade-out falling-off fissure flagging gap half time half-time intermission halt happy hour hesitation hiatus holdup holiday hushing interim interlude intermezzo intermission intermittence interregnum interruption interval lacuna lag languishment lapse layoff leniency lessening letdown lightening loosening lowering lull lulling miniaturization minus acceleration mitigation modulation mollification obstruction off-time pacification palliation pause plateau point of repose quiet spell quietening quieting recess reduction relaxation relief remission respite rest resting point retardation retardment sagging scaling down setback simplicity slack-up slackening slowdown slowing slowing down slowup softening soothing spell stand-down stay subduement subtraction surcease suspension tea break tempering time off time out tranquilization truce vacation weakening