adjourn

[ uh-jurn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to suspend the meeting of (a club, legislature, committee, etc.) to a future time, another place, or indefinitely:

   At this point in the trial, the judge adjourned the court session so the defense could access and review the test results.

2. to defer or postpone to a later time:

   Too many board members would have been absent, so the chair adjourned the meeting to next Monday.

3. to defer or postpone (a matter) to a future meeting of the same body, or to a future time, specified or not specified:

   We will adjourn discussion of point 5.2 to our April meeting.

verb (used without object)

1. to postpone, suspend, or transfer proceedings.
2. to go to another place:

   After dinner the ladies adjourned to the parlor.

adjourn

/ əˈdʒɜːn /

verb

1. intr (of a court, etc) to close at the end of a session
2. to postpone or be postponed, esp temporarily or to another place
3. tr to put off (a problem, discussion, etc) for later consideration; defer
4. informal.
   intr
   1. to move elsewhere

      let's adjourn to the kitchen

   2. to stop work

Derived Forms

• adˈjournment, noun

Other Words From

• pre·ad·journ verb
• re·ad·journ verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of adjourn¹

1300–50; Middle English ajo ( u ) rnen < Middle French ajo ( u ) rner, equivalent to a- ad- + jorn- < Latin diurnus daily; journal, journey

Word History and Origins

Origin of adjourn¹

C14: from Old French ajourner to defer to an arranged day, from a- to + jour day, from Late Latin diurnum, from Latin diurnus daily, from diēs day

Example Sentences

These nominations will present dramatic loyalty tests for the Republican Senate—both on their confirmations and, should those go down, the Senate’s willingness to adjourn to allow for their recess appointments.

From Slate

On Monday, the inquest is expected to hear submissions on a request by Paterson to adjourn proceedings.

From BBC

Senior Coroner Nigel Parsley told the short hearing he would adjourn the inquests until 15 April, 2024.

From BBC

But the decision by the Supreme Court's right-wing majority to grant Trump absolute immunity for "official acts" as president has complicated his New York case, Merchan admitted in his order Friday, granting the former president's request to adjourn the case and delay sentencing as he seeks to overturn his conviction.

From Salon

“It’s up to them whether they vote. They could immediately adjourn and be done with it, and say, ‘We’ve convened, thank you.’”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• defer
• delay
• discontinue
• postpone
• put off
• recess
• shelve
• suspend