Examples Word Origin
to suspend the meeting of (a club, legislature, committee, etc.) to a future time, another place, or indefinitely: to adjourn the court. to defer or postpone to a later time: They adjourned the meeting until the following Monday. to defer or postpone (a matter) to a future meeting of the same body. to defer or postpone (a matter) to some future time, either specified or not specified. Show More
verb (used without object) to postpone, suspend, or transfer proceedings. to go to another place: to adjourn to the parlor. Show More
Origin of adjourn 1300–50; Middle English ajo(u)rnen <
Middle French ajo(u)rner, equivalent to
a- ad- +
jorn- <
Latin diurnus daily; see
journal ,
journey Related forms pre·ad·journ , verb re·ad·journ , verb un·ad·journed , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for adjourning defer ,
recess ,
discontinue ,
delay ,
suspend ,
shelve ,
postpone ,
curb ,
restrain ,
stay ,
prorogue Examples from the Web for adjourning Historical Examples of adjourning More than once the convention was on the point of adjourning sine die.
"Adjourning —you mean," interrupted one of the orator's audience.
It is one oclock, A.M., and no one seems yet to think of adjourning the debate.
So take it either way, adjourning the trial would be of no use to you.
Come, gentlemen, there needs no great ceremony in adjourning this court.
British Dictionary definitions for adjourning (intr) (of a court, etc) to close at the end of a session to postpone or be postponed, esp temporarily or to another place (tr) to put off (a problem, discussion, etc) for later consideration; defer (intr) informal to move elsewhere let's adjourn to the kitchen to stop work Show More
Derived Forms adjournment , noun Word Origin for adjourn 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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for adjourning v. early 14c., ajournen , "assign a day" (for convening or reconvening), from Old French ajourner (12c.) "meet" (at an appointed time), from the phrase à jorn "to a stated day" (à "to" + journ "day," from Latin diurnus "daily;" see diurnal ).
The sense is to set a date for a re-meeting. Meaning "to close a meeting" (with or without intention to reconvene) is from early 15c. Meaning "to go in a body to another place" (1640s) is colloquial. The unhistorical -d- was added 16c. Related: Adjourned ; adjourning .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
