Adjourn

(34), v. t. [imp. & p. p. ADJOURNED; p. pr. & vb. n. ADJOURNING.] [Fr. ajourner, O. Fr. ajourner, ajourner, adjourner, from jour; jor, Pr. jorn, It. giorno, L. Lat. jornus, day; from Lat. diurnus, belonging to the day. Cf. JOURNAL and JOURNEY.] To put off or defer to another day, or indefinitely; to postpone.

It is a common practice to adjourn the reformation of their lives to a further time. Barrow.

'Tis needful fitness That we adjourn this court till further day. Shak.

The word is used to denote a formal intermission of business; a putting off to any future meeting of the same body, and appropriately used of public bodies or private commissioners intrusted with business.

Synonyms—To delay; defer; postpone; put off; prorogue.—To ADJOURN, PROROGUE. These words are used in respect to public bodies when they lay aside business and separate. Adjourn, both in Great Britain and this country, is applied to all cases in which such bodies separate for a brief period, with a view to meet again. Prorogue is applied in Great Britain to that act of the executive government which brings a session of parliament to a close. The word is not used in this country, but a legislative body is said, in such a case, to adjourn sine die. “A prorogation is the continuance of parliament from one session to another.” Blackstone.