1. (n.) A rest; a postponement or delay; a break\.

2. (n.) Temporary intermission of labor, or of any process or operation; interval of rest; pause; delay.

3. (n.) Temporary suspension of the execution of a capital offender; reprieve.

4. (n.) The delay of appearance at court granted to a jury beyond the proper term.

5. (n.) To give or grant a respite to.

6. (n.) To delay or postpone; to put off.

7. (n.) To keep back from execution; to reprieve.

8. (n.) To relieve by a pause or interval of rest.

abeyance afterthought bind block blockage blow break breath breather breathing breathing place breathing space breathing spell breathing time bureaucratic delay caesura catharsis cease-fire cigarette break cleansing cocktail hour coffee break day off delay delayage delayed reaction deliverance detention discharge double take downtime dragging drop emotional release enforced respite extension freeing grace grant a reprieve half time half-time intermission halt hang-up happy hour hesitation hiatus hindrance holdup holiday interim interlude intermezzo intermission intermittence interregnum interruption interval jam lag lagging lapse layoff letup logjam lull moratorium obstruction off-time paperasserie pause plateau point of repose postponement purgation purge purging quiet spell recess red tape red-tapeism red-tapery release relief remission removal reprieve rest resting point retardance retardation slow-up slowdown slowness spell stand-down stay stay of execution stop stoppage surcease suspension tea break tie-up time lag time off time out truce vacation wait