Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. Law An authorization to a debtor, such as a bank or nation, permitting temporary suspension of payments.
- n. Law An authorized period of delay in the performance of an obligation.
- n. A suspension of an ongoing or planned activity: a moratorium on the deployment of a new weapon.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. A period during which an obligor has a legal right to delay meeting an obligation, esp. such a period granted, as to a bank, by a moratory law.
- n. a suspension of an activity.
- n. an officially authorized period of delay or waiting.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In law, legal title to delay in making a due payment: as a legislative authorization of suspension of payment by a government bank.
- n. In law, legal title to delay in making a due payment: as a legislative authorization of suspension of payment by a government bank.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. a legally authorized postponement before some obligation must be discharged
- n. suspension of an ongoing activity
Etymologies
Examples
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Greenbury says the moratorium is a welcome breather in an industry that has moved very fast for 30 years.
Businesses Warm to Indonesia's Moratorium on Forest Clearing
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Rather, the idea behind such a moratorium is a simple one: one does not send in the crime scene investigators while the fire is in progress -- one sends in the fire department.
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Just consider Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's recent tirade in which he called the moratorium an "economic calamity" that has jeopardized thousands of jobs.
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Council members said the moratorium is a way to generate dialogue on violence in Los Angeles neighborhoods.
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For his part, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has grown increasingly assertive that he will walk away from the table with the endorsement of the Arab League if the "moratorium" is not extended by October 6.
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Oil and gas executives are steeling for a slower and more costly permitting process that could hinder drilling even after the moratorium is lifted.
As offshore drilling moratorium nears an end, questions about what's next
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Barak, who returned Sunday from meetings in New York with U.S. officials, told the BBC in an interview that "the chance of achieving a mutually agreed understanding about a moratorium is 50-50."
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The 10-month moratorium is due to expire on Sunday.
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"The moratorium is already watered down," said Shaath.
US Envoy Intensifies Bid to Salvage Israeli-Palestinian Talks
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On Friday, the Arab League will very likely back Abbas's position that he cannot proceed with the talks unless the settlement moratorium is renewed.
jwjarvis commented on the word moratorium
ETC Group, a group based in Canada, called for a global moratorium on synthetic biology
May 25, 2010