cooling-off period

noun

1. a period arranged by agreement to allow for negotiation and an abatement of tension between disputing parties.

   The law calls for a cooling-off period before a strike can begin.

cooling-off period

noun

1. a period during which the contending sides to a dispute reconsider their options before taking further action

2. a statutory period, often 14 days, that begins when a sale contract or life-assurance policy is received by a member of the public, during which the contract or policy can be cancelled without loss

Word History and Origins

Origin of cooling-off period¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

There is then a cooling-off period before the new owner can take their dog home.

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Unlike consumer contracts, there is no cooling-off period for business-to-business contracts in the UK.

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It would require a one-year cooling-off period before an employee of the state government’s executive branch could be appointed to the commission.

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"I haven't got my divorce certificate yet, because the law has a cooling-off period and we are now in that period."

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While consumer law gives individuals a cooling-off period after signing a contract, there is no such protection for businesses.

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Related Words

• lag 
• moratorium 
• postponement 
• problem 
• setback 
• stoppage 
• suspension 
• wait