stand-down

or stand·down

[ stand-doun ]

noun

1. Military. a temporary cessation of offensive actions; cease-fire; truce:

   a stand-down for the Christmas holidays.

2. a work stoppage or layoff.

stand down

verb

1. intr to resign or withdraw, esp in favour of another
2. intr to leave the witness box in a court of law after giving evidence
3. to go or be taken off duty

Word History and Origins

Origin of stand-down¹

First recorded in 1920–25; noun use of verb phrase stand down

Example Sentences

The Marine Corps did order a 48-hour aircraft stand-down after the incident, which was the third recent aviation mishap.

From Washington Times

Gen. Eric Smith, the acting commandant of the Marine Corps, ordered the stand-down while authorities searched near two South Carolina lakes for the missing FB-35B Lightning II aircraft.

From Washington Times

On Friday, the Princess Royal attended a stand-down parade for 47 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton, attended by past and present personnel.

From BBC

The aviators are required to complete a 24-hour stand-down between May 1 and May 5.

From Washington Times

“During this stand-down, we will focus on safety and training protocols to ensure our pilots and crews have the knowledge, training and awareness to safely complete their assigned mission.”

From New York Times