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C1 verb #8,000 am häufigsten 12 Min. Lesezeit

adjourn

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At the A1 level, 'adjourn' is a very difficult word that you probably won't use. However, you can think of it as a very formal way to say 'stop' or 'take a break.' Imagine you are in a class and the teacher says, 'We stop now and come back tomorrow.' In a big, important meeting, they say 'adjourn.' It means the meeting is not finished forever, but it is finished for today. You will mostly see this word in movies about judges and courts. When a judge hits their hammer and says 'Adjourned!', it means everyone can go home and come back another day. You don't need to use this word with your friends. If you want to stop a game, just say 'Let's stop.' But if you see 'adjourn' in a book, just remember: it means 'a formal break.' It is like a pause button for a long meeting. You go away, eat, sleep, and then you come back to the same meeting later. It is a very polite and serious word used by people in suits and uniforms. Most A1 learners will not need to speak this word, but it is good to recognize it when you hear a judge say it on TV.

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For A2 learners, 'adjourn' is a formal verb that means to end a meeting or a court session for a short time. It is much more formal than 'finish' or 'break.' You use it when a group of people are doing something official, like a city council meeting or a trial. The most important thing to remember is that 'adjourn' means the group will meet again later. It is not a final end. For example, 'The meeting adjourned at 4:00 PM' means the people went home but will return to finish the work another day. You might hear this word in news reports about the government. If the reporters say 'The parliament adjourned,' they mean the politicians are taking a break. You can also use it to move from one place to another in a formal way, like 'Let's adjourn to the dining room,' but this is less common. Focus on learning that 'adjourn' is for meetings and courts. It is a 'procedural' word, which means it is about the rules of how a meeting works. If you are writing a simple report about a school meeting, you could use 'adjourn' to sound more professional, but 'ended' is also okay at your level.

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At the B1 level, you should begin to recognize 'adjourn' as a specific vocabulary item for professional and legal contexts. It means to suspend the proceedings of a formal body, such as a court, committee, or assembly, to a future time. A key distinction for B1 students is the difference between 'adjourn' and 'postpone.' You postpone an event that hasn't started yet, but you adjourn an event that is currently happening. For example, if a meeting starts at 9:00 AM and the leader says at 11:00 AM, 'Let's adjourn until tomorrow,' that is the correct use. You will often see this in the passive voice: 'The trial was adjourned for a week.' This means the trial stopped and will start again in seven days. You might also encounter it in corporate settings. If a board of directors cannot make a decision, they might adjourn the meeting to gather more information. Learning this word helps you understand formal news broadcasts and business documents. It is a 'high-register' word, so using it correctly in a business letter or a formal email will make your English sound much more advanced and respectful of official procedures.

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B2 learners should be comfortable using 'adjourn' in formal writing and understanding its various nuances in professional environments. 'Adjourn' is a transitive or intransitive verb that signifies the formal closing of a session with the intent to reconvene. In parliamentary procedure, 'moving to adjourn' is a specific action that requires a vote. You should also be aware of the phrase 'adjourn to,' which means to move the gathering to a different location, often for a more relaxed purpose, such as 'The committee adjourned to the lounge for informal discussions.' At this level, you should also understand the noun form, 'adjournment.' For example, 'The defense lawyer requested an adjournment to review the new evidence.' This shows you understand how the word functions in different grammatical forms. You should also be able to distinguish 'adjourn' from 'suspend' and 'recess.' A recess is usually a very short break, whereas an adjournment often marks the end of the day's business. Using 'adjourn' correctly in a business presentation or a formal debate shows that you have a strong grasp of professional English and the etiquette of formal gatherings.

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At the C1 level, you should have a nuanced understanding of 'adjourn' and be able to use it with precision in legal, political, and high-level corporate contexts. You understand that 'adjourn' is not just about stopping; it is about the orderly management of time and authority within a formal structure. You should be familiar with specialized terms like 'adjourn sine die,' which means to suspend a session without setting a specific date for reconvening—effectively ending it indefinitely but through a procedural mechanism. C1 learners should also recognize the strategic use of adjournment in negotiations or legislative sessions, where it can be used to delay a vote or provide a 'cooling-off' period. Your usage should reflect the word's formal register; you know when to use it to sound authoritative and when to avoid it to prevent sounding overly bureaucratic in casual settings. Furthermore, you should be able to identify the etymological connection to the French 'jour' (day), which informs the word's primary meaning of putting business off to another day. Mastery at this level involves using 'adjourn' in complex sentence structures, such as 'The chair's decision to adjourn the session was met with vocal opposition from the minority bloc,' demonstrating a deep integration of the word into your professional vocabulary.

For C2 learners, 'adjourn' is a tool for sophisticated communication in the most formal of arenas. You possess a complete understanding of its procedural implications in international law, national legislatures, and corporate governance. You can use the term with absolute precision, distinguishing it from 'prorogation,' 'dissolution,' and 'suspension' with ease. At this level, you are aware of the historical and cultural weight the word carries, particularly in the context of the Westminster system of parliament or the procedural intricacies of the US Congress. You can use 'adjourn' metaphorically or with stylistic flair in high-level writing, such as in an essay or a legal brief, to describe the cessation of any formal process. You also understand the subtle social signals sent by using the term in semi-formal contexts—for instance, how 'adjourning to the library' can evoke a specific atmosphere of traditional elegance. Your command of the word includes its various collocations (e.g., 'adjourn for deliberations,' 'motion to adjourn') and its grammatical flexibility. For a C2 speaker, 'adjourn' is not just a vocabulary word; it is a marker of professional expertise and a deep familiarity with the structural foundations of formal English-speaking institutions.

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adjourn in 30 Sekunden

Adjourn is a formal verb used to pause a meeting or trial with the plan to continue later.
It is commonly heard in courtrooms, government sessions, and official corporate board meetings.
Unlike 'postpone,' which happens before an event starts, 'adjourn' happens while an event is in progress.
The word can also be used semi-formally to describe moving a group of people to a new location.

The verb adjourn is a formal term primarily used in legal, legislative, and official business contexts. At its core, it means to break off a meeting, a legal case, or a formal session with the explicit intention of resuming it later. Unlike words like 'finish' or 'terminate,' which imply a permanent end, to adjourn is to hit a structured 'pause' button. This distinction is crucial in procedural environments where the continuity of a session must be maintained across multiple days or weeks. When a judge says, 'This court is adjourned,' they are not saying the trial is over forever; they are saying the current session has ended and will reconvene at a specified time, such as the following morning or after a weekend break.

Legal Context: In a courtroom, an adjournment might occur because a witness is unavailable, a lawyer needs more time to review new evidence, or simply because the business day has concluded. It is a procedural necessity that ensures the 'record' of the trial remains open but inactive.

The committee chair decided to adjourn the hearing until next Tuesday to allow for further deliberation on the proposed budget amendments.

In parliamentary procedure, such as in the UK's House of Commons or the US Congress, the act of adjourning is a highly regulated motion. It can be used strategically to delay a vote or to provide a 'cooling-off' period during heated debates. The word carries a weight of authority; you wouldn't typically 'adjourn' a casual coffee with a friend, as that would sound overly stiff and bureaucratic. Instead, you use it when there is a formal agenda or a set of rules governing the gathering.

Business Application: In corporate boardrooms, the board may adjourn a meeting if a quorum is not present or if the discussion requires external consultation before a final vote can be cast.

Seeing that the negotiations had reached a stalemate, the mediator suggested they adjourn for the evening and return with fresh perspectives.

Historically, the word is deeply rooted in the concept of 'the day.' It comes from the Old French 'ajourner,' which literally meant 'to assign a day' (a + jour). This helps explain why it implies a future meeting; you are assigning a new day for the business to continue. Even in modern usage, the implication of a 'next time' remains the defining characteristic of the word. If you adjourn something 'sine die' (without a day), it is a formal way of ending it indefinitely, though this is a specialized legal sub-type of the action.

Without a clear date for the next session, the parliament was forced to adjourn sine die, leaving the legislation in a state of limbo.

Social Nuance: Occasionally, 'adjourn' is used humorously or semi-formally in social settings to suggest moving from one place to another, such as 'adjourning to the dining room' for dinner.

The defense attorney requested to adjourn the cross-examination until the following morning due to the late hour.

Finally, understanding 'adjourn' requires recognizing its passive and active forms. A chairman can adjourn a meeting (active), or the meeting can simply adjourn (intransitive). In both cases, the focus is on the orderly suspension of activity. It is a word that values process, timing, and the promise of future continuation, making it indispensable for anyone operating in a structured professional or legal environment.

Using 'adjourn' correctly involves placing it within a context of formality. It is most frequently found in the structure [Subject] + adjourn + [Object] (the meeting, the court, the session). However, it is also commonly used in the intransitive form, where the meeting itself is the subject: 'The meeting adjourned at 5 PM.' This flexibility allows it to describe both the action taken by an authority figure and the status of the event itself.

Transitive Usage: When an individual with power ends the session. Example: 'The judge adjourned the trial after a dramatic outburst from the gallery.'

The CEO decided to adjourn the board meeting until a full audit could be completed.

One of the most common sentence patterns involves the preposition 'to' followed by a location or 'until' followed by a time. This specifies where or when the group will reconvene. For instance, 'Let us adjourn to the library' suggests a change of location, whereas 'The session was adjourned until Friday' specifies the temporal delay. In legal writing, you will often see the phrase 'motion to adjourn,' which refers to a formal proposal to end the meeting for the time being.

Intransitive Usage: Focusing on the event ending. Example: 'The council meeting adjourned abruptly when the fire alarm sounded.'

After hours of debate, the assembly finally adjourned at midnight, exhausted but satisfied.

For C1 learners, it is important to master the passive voice construction. 'The proceedings were adjourned' is a standard way to report on legal events in news media. This shifts the focus from who ended the meeting to the fact that the meeting has stopped. Additionally, using 'adjourn' with 'for' (e.g., 'adjourn for lunch') is a standard way to indicate a brief, purposeful break within a longer day of business.

Social/Humorous Usage: In a slightly more relaxed but still sophisticated context: 'Shall we adjourn to the veranda for some cocktails?'

The host requested that the guests adjourn to the drawing room for coffee and dessert.

In summary, 'adjourn' is a versatile verb that functions both as an action taken by a leader and a state of being for a formal gathering. Whether you are writing a formal report, a legal brief, or describing a high-stakes business negotiation, using 'adjourn' instead of 'stop' or 'break' instantly elevates the register of your English and signals a deep understanding of professional protocols.

The magistrate had no choice but to adjourn the case until the DNA results were verified.

If you watch legal dramas like 'Suits,' 'Law & Order,' or 'The Good Wife,' you will hear 'adjourn' in almost every episode. It is the signature phrase of a judge concluding a day's work. In these contexts, the word signals a shift in the narrative—a moment where the characters can regroup, strategize, and prepare for the next 'round' of the trial. It provides a natural beat in the storytelling where tension can build or release.

News and Politics: Political news broadcasts frequently use the term when reporting on legislative sessions. You might hear, 'Congress has adjourned for the summer recess,' implying that no new laws will be debated until the fall.

The news anchor announced that the summit would adjourn for two days while the leaders consulted with their respective cabinets.

In the corporate world, 'adjourn' is heard during Annual General Meetings (AGMs) or high-level board meetings. It is often part of a formal motion: 'I move that we adjourn the meeting.' This is part of Robert's Rules of Order, a widely used manual for parliamentary procedure that many organizations follow to ensure meetings are fair and efficient. Hearing the word in a business setting indicates that the company adheres to formal governance standards.

Academic and Institutional Use: University senates and faculty boards use 'adjourn' to manage their lengthy agendas. It suggests a professional atmosphere where time is managed with precision.

The faculty senate will adjourn its current session and reconvene in the main lecture hall next Monday.

Beyond these formal settings, you might hear 'adjourn' in literature or classic films where characters use high-register English. A host in a period drama might say, 'Shall we adjourn to the garden?' This usage reflects a certain social class and level of etiquette, where even the act of moving from one room to another is treated with a degree of ceremonial importance. In modern everyday conversation, however, hearing someone say 'Let's adjourn this lunch' might be seen as slightly ironic or playful.

International Diplomacy: At the United Nations, sessions are frequently adjourned to allow for private 'bilateral' talks between nations when public negotiations stall.

The UN Security Council voted to adjourn the emergency session until the following morning to wait for more data from the field.

To summarize, you hear 'adjourn' wherever there is a need for formal order, legal authority, or high-level professional communication. It is a word of the courtroom, the capitol, and the boardroom, signaling that the current chapter of business is closing, but the book is not yet finished.

One of the most frequent mistakes English learners make is confusing adjourn with postpone or delay. While they all involve changing the time of an event, their applications are distinct. You postpone something that has not yet started (e.g., 'The game was postponed due to rain'). You adjourn something that is already in progress (e.g., 'The meeting was adjourned until tomorrow'). Using 'adjourn' to describe a wedding that hasn't happened yet would be incorrect.

Adjourn vs. Suspend: 'Suspend' often implies an interruption due to a problem or a temporary halt of rules. 'Adjourn' is usually a planned or procedural ending of a session. If a judge suspends a trial, there might be a legal issue; if they adjourn it, they are likely just finished for the day.

Incorrect: We will adjourn the party until next week because the cake isn't ready.
Correct: We will postpone the party until next week.

Another common error involves the register. 'Adjourn' is a high-register word. Using it in very casual situations can make you sound 'stuffy' or like you are trying too hard to be formal. For example, saying to a friend, 'Let's adjourn our walk because it's raining,' is grammatically correct but socially awkward. In casual speech, 'call it a day' or 'stop for now' is much more natural.

Preposition Errors: Learners sometimes use 'adjourn at' when they mean 'adjourn to.' Use 'at' for time ('adjourn at 5:00') and 'to' for location ('adjourn to the office').

Incorrect: The court adjourned at the judge's chambers.
Correct: The court adjourned to the judge's chambers.

Finally, avoid the 'double end' error. Since 'adjourn' already implies a temporary end, saying 'adjourn to a stop' is redundant. Simply saying 'The meeting adjourned' is sufficient and professionally concise. For C1 and C2 students, precision in these nuances is what separates a proficient speaker from a near-native one.

Incorrect: The session adjourned to a finish at noon.
Correct: The session adjourned at noon.

Understanding the synonyms of 'adjourn' helps in choosing the right word for the right level of formality. While 'adjourn' is the gold standard for formal sessions, other words offer different shades of meaning. For example, prorogue is a very specific term used almost exclusively for the formal ending of a session of parliament without dissolving it. It is even more formal than 'adjourn.'

Comparison: Adjourn vs. Recess: Adjourn: Typically ends the business for the day or longer. Resumption might be on a different day.
Recess: A shorter break, often for lunch or a few hours. The session continues on the same day.

Another alternative is suspend. To suspend a meeting is to stop it temporarily, often due to an unforeseen event or to allow for a cooling-off period. Unlike 'adjourn,' which is usually part of a planned schedule, 'suspend' can feel more reactive. In a business setting, you might defer a discussion, which means you are putting it off until a later time, but the meeting itself might continue with other topics.

Comparison: Adjourn vs. Postpone: Adjourn: The meeting has already started and is being paused.
Postpone: The meeting was scheduled but is being moved to a later date before it ever begins.

Instead of adjourning the whole session, the chair decided to suspend the rules for ten minutes to allow for an informal discussion.

In less formal settings, you might use break up or call it a day. 'The meeting broke up at five' is neutral and professional but lacks the legal precision of 'adjourn.' 'Let's call it a day' is idiomatic and very common in office environments when everyone is tired and wants to go home. For C1 learners, using 'adjourn' in a report but 'call it a day' in a conversation shows a high level of linguistic adaptability.

Comparison: Adjourn vs. Dissolve: Adjourn: A temporary pause with the intent to return.
Dissolve: A permanent ending, such as dissolving a parliament before an election.

Choosing the right word involves assessing the 'officialness' of the event. If you are in a court, 'adjourn' is mandatory. If you are in a casual workshop, 'take a break' is better. Mastery of these synonyms allows you to navigate different social and professional strata with confidence and accuracy.

The board chose to adjourn rather than dissolve, ensuring they could resume negotiations once the new data arrived.

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

Because it literally means 'to a day,' the word 'adjourn' is a linguistic cousin of 'journey' (originally a day's travel) and 'journal' (originally a daily record).

Aussprachehilfe

UK /əˈdʒɜːn/

US /əˈdʒɜːrn/

Second syllable: ad-JOURN

Reimt sich auf

return concern discern burn learn turn yearn stern fern

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing the 'd' too sharply (it should blend into the 'j').
Putting the stress on the first syllable (AD-journ).
Confusing the vowel sound with 'join' (ad-join).
Missing the final 'n' sound.
Over-pronouncing the 'o' in the middle.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 4/5

Common in news and literature, but the meaning is usually clear from context.

Schreiben 7/5

Requires knowledge of formal register and correct prepositional usage.

Sprechen 6/5

IPA is straightforward, but it can sound too formal if used in the wrong social setting.

Hören 5/5

Easy to hear in movies and news, though sometimes spoken quickly by judges.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

meeting court break pause formal

Als Nächstes lernen

prorogue convene procedural deliberate quorum

Fortgeschritten

sine die magistrate litigation arbitration jurisdiction

Wichtige Grammatik

Subjunctive mood after verbs of request

The lawyer requested that the court adjourn (not adjourns).

Passive voice for reporting

The session was adjourned at 4:00 PM.

Intransitive vs Transitive

He adjourned the meeting (Transitive). The meeting adjourned (Intransitive).

Prepositions of Place vs Time

Adjourn TO the hall (place). Adjourn AT noon (time).

Infinitive of purpose

We adjourned to allow for more time.

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Beispiele nach Niveau

The judge said, 'We adjourn now.'

Le juge a dit : « Nous levons la séance maintenant. »

Simple present tense used in a direct quote.

The meeting will adjourn at 5 PM.

La réunion sera ajournée à 17 heures.

Future tense with 'will' to show a planned end.

Can we adjourn for lunch?

Pouvons-nous lever la séance pour le déjeuner ?

Interrogative form using 'can' for a request.

They adjourn the class for a break.

Ils interrompent le cours pour une pause.

Simple present tense for a regular action.

Please adjourn the meeting now.

Veuillez lever la séance maintenant.

Imperative form used as a polite request.

The court will adjourn until tomorrow.

Le tribunal sera ajourné jusqu'à demain.

Future tense with 'until' to show the duration.

We adjourn to eat dinner.

Nous levons la séance pour aller dîner.

Simple present tense indicating purpose.

The session adjourned very early.

La séance s'est terminée très tôt.

Past tense 'adjourned' (intransitive).

The council decided to adjourn the vote until next week.

Le conseil a décidé d'ajourner le vote jusqu'à la semaine prochaine.

Infinitive 'to adjourn' following the verb 'decided'.

After the long talk, they adjourned for coffee.

Après la longue discussion, ils ont fait une pause pour le café.

Past tense with a prepositional phrase 'for coffee'.

The chairman adjourned the meeting at noon.

Le président a levé la séance à midi.

Transitive use with 'the chairman' as the subject.

We should adjourn now and come back later.

Nous devrions lever la séance maintenant et revenir plus tard.

Modal verb 'should' for a suggestion.

The trial adjourned because a witness was late.

Le procès a été ajourné car un témoin était en retard.

Intransitive use with a reason clause starting with 'because'.

The committee adjourned to the library for a quiet talk.

Le comité s'est retiré à la bibliothèque pour une discussion calme.

Use of 'adjourn to' to indicate a change of location.

Is the board meeting going to adjourn soon?

La réunion du conseil d'administration va-t-elle s'ajourner bientôt ?

'Going to' future for a predicted event.

They adjourned the hearing due to the storm.

Ils ont ajourné l'audience à cause de la tempête.

Use of 'due to' to explain the cause of adjournment.

The defense attorney requested that the court adjourn for the day.

L'avocat de la défense a demandé que le tribunal lève la séance pour la journée.

Subjunctive mood after the verb 'requested'.

The parliamentary session was adjourned following the prime minister's announcement.

La session parlementaire a été ajournée à la suite de l'annonce du premier ministre.

Passive voice construction focusing on the session.

If we cannot reach an agreement, we will have to adjourn.

Si nous ne parvenons pas à un accord, nous devrons lever la séance.

First conditional sentence (if + present, will + infinitive).

The board has decided to adjourn the annual meeting until the financial reports are ready.

Le conseil a décidé d'ajourner l'assemblée annuelle jusqu'à ce que les rapports financiers soient prêts.

Present perfect 'has decided' followed by an infinitive.

The hearing adjourned abruptly when new evidence was presented.

L'audience s'est terminée brusquement lorsque de nouvelles preuves ont été présentées.

Adverb 'abruptly' modifying the intransitive verb.

Let's adjourn this discussion and revisit it on Monday.

Ajournons cette discussion et revenons-y lundi.

'Let's' (let us) for a formal suggestion.

The judge adjourned the proceedings to allow the jury to deliberate.

Le juge a levé la séance pour permettre au jury de délibérer.

Infinitive of purpose 'to allow'.

The assembly adjourned at 6 PM, with plans to reconvene the following morning.

L'assemblée a levé la séance à 18 heures, avec l'intention de se réunir à nouveau le lendemain matin.

Participial phrase 'with plans to...' adding detail.

The motion to adjourn the meeting was carried by a narrow majority.

La motion d'ajournement de la réunion a été adoptée à une faible majorité.

Noun phrase 'motion to adjourn' as the subject.

The magistrate had no alternative but to adjourn the case sine die.

Le magistrat n'a eu d'autre alternative que d'ajourner l'affaire sine die.

Idiomatic expression 'had no alternative but to'.

Having finished the official agenda, the board adjourned to a local restaurant.

Ayant terminé l'ordre du jour officiel, le conseil s'est retiré dans un restaurant local.

Perfect participle 'Having finished' indicating sequence.

The inquiry was adjourned for further forensic testing to be conducted.

L'enquête a été ajournée pour que des tests médico-légaux plus approfondis soient effectués.

Passive voice with 'for... to be conducted' structure.

It was suggested that the session adjourn to allow for a cooling-off period.

Il a été suggéré que la séance soit levée pour permettre une période de réflexion.

Formal 'it was suggested that' followed by a subjunctive.

The speaker of the house adjourned the debate until the legislation could be amended.

Le président de la chambre a ajourné le débat jusqu'à ce que la législation puisse être amendée.

Conjunction 'until' followed by a modal 'could'.

The meeting adjourned without a date being set for the next gathering.

La réunion s'est terminée sans qu'une date ne soit fixée pour la prochaine rencontre.

Preposition 'without' followed by a gerund phrase.

The judge warned that he would adjourn the trial if the disruptions continued.

Le juge a averti qu'il ajournerait le procès si les perturbations continuaient.

Reported speech with 'would' in the main clause.

The chair's decision to adjourn the hearing was seen as a tactical move to delay the vote.

La décision du président d'ajourner l'audience a été perçue comme une manœuvre tactique pour retarder le vote.

Passive voice 'was seen as' with a complex noun phrase.

Upon the sudden illness of the witness, the court had to adjourn the proceedings immediately.

En raison de la maladie soudaine du témoin, le tribunal a dû lever la séance immédiatement.

Prepositional phrase 'Upon the sudden illness...' acting as an adverbial.

The mediation was adjourned to permit both parties to consult with their legal advisors.

La médiation a été ajournée pour permettre aux deux parties de consulter leurs conseillers juridiques.

Infinitive of purpose 'to permit' with an object + infinitive.

The summit adjourned in a state of deadlock, with no clear path forward.

Le sommet s'est achevé dans une impasse, sans aucune issue claire.

Intransitive use with a descriptive prepositional phrase.

The parliament was adjourned sine die, effectively killing the controversial bill.

Le parlement a été ajourné sine die, ce qui a de fait enterré le projet de loi controversé.

Use of the Latin legal term 'sine die' within the sentence.

Despite the urgency, the committee was forced to adjourn due to the lack of a quorum.

Malgré l'urgence, le comité a été contraint de lever la séance faute de quorum.

Concessive clause 'Despite the urgency' and 'due to' for reason.

The court will adjourn for a period of fifteen minutes to consider the objection.

Le tribunal lèvera la séance pendant quinze minutes pour examiner l'objection.

Future tense 'will adjourn' with a specific duration.

They adjourned to the terrace, where the atmosphere was decidedly less formal.

Ils se sont retirés sur la terrasse, où l'atmosphère était nettement moins formelle.

Relative clause starting with 'where' to describe the new location.

The presiding officer's prerogative to adjourn the session is a cornerstone of parliamentary order.

La prérogative du président de lever la séance est une pierre angulaire de l'ordre parlementaire.

Possessive 'officer's' followed by a complex noun structure.

The trial was adjourned indefinitely, casting a long shadow over the victim's quest for justice.

Le procès a été ajourné indéfiniment, jetant une ombre sur la quête de justice de la victime.

Participial phrase 'casting a long shadow...' providing a metaphorical result.

By adjourning the assembly, the governor effectively bypassed the impending vote of no confidence.

En ajournant l'assemblée, le gouverneur a de fait contourné le vote de censure imminent.

Gerund phrase 'By adjourning the assembly' indicating the means.

The conference adjourned amidst rumors of a secret deal brokered behind closed doors.

La conférence s'est achevée sur fond de rumeurs d'un accord secret conclu à huis clos.

Preposition 'amidst' used to describe the surrounding circumstances.

The high court's refusal to adjourn the hearing despite the lead counsel's absence was highly controversial.

Le refus de la haute cour d'ajourner l'audience malgré l'absence de l'avocat principal a été très controversé.

Complex subject with a gerund 'refusal to adjourn'.

Should the negotiations falter, the mediator has the authority to adjourn the talks for a cooling-off period.

Si les négociations devaient échouer, le médiateur a le pouvoir d'ajourner les pourparlers pour une période de réflexion.

Inverted first conditional 'Should the negotiations falter'.

The session adjourned with the understanding that all parties would return with revised proposals.

La séance s'est levée avec l'idée que toutes les parties reviendraient avec des propositions révisées.

Abstract noun 'understanding' followed by a 'that' clause.

A motion to adjourn sine die is often used as a mechanism to kill a bill without a direct vote.

Une motion d'ajournement sine die est souvent utilisée comme mécanisme pour enterrer un projet de loi sans vote direct.

Passive voice 'is often used' with a prepositional phrase of purpose.

Synonyme

suspend postpone recess prorogue defer delay

Gegenteile

convene assemble commence

Häufige Kollokationen

adjourn the meeting

adjourn the court

adjourn sine die

adjourn for lunch

adjourn to the library

motion to adjourn

adjourn until tomorrow

adjourn the hearing

adjourn for deliberations

adjourn the trial

Häufige Phrasen

The court stands adjourned.

— This is the formal announcement made when a court session ends for the day. It indicates that all legal business is paused.

As the judge left the room, the bailiff announced, 'The court stands adjourned.'

Adjourn to another place.

— To move a formal gathering from one room or location to another. It suggests a structured transition.

The board members adjourned to the executive lounge for more private talks.

Motion to adjourn.

— A formal proposal in a meeting to end the current session. It usually requires a second and a vote.

I move that we adopt a motion to adjourn until the next scheduled meeting.

Adjourn for a break.

— To stop a session specifically to allow the participants to rest, eat, or consult privately. It is a very common professional phrase.

We will adjourn for a fifteen-minute break to review the latest proposal.

Adjourn sine die.

— A Latin phrase meaning 'without a day.' It refers to adjourning a session without setting a date to return.

The assembly adjourned sine die, leaving the future of the project uncertain.

Adjourn the debate.

— To stop a formal discussion on a specific topic with the intention of resuming it at a later time. Often used in politics.

The speaker chose to adjourn the debate until more members could be present.

Adjourn until further notice.

— To stop a session without a specific return date, usually because of an external problem or uncertainty.

The public hearing was adjourned until further notice due to safety concerns.

Adjourn the inquiry.

— To pause a formal investigation or questioning process. It allows for new information to be processed.

The commission decided to adjourn the inquiry for three weeks to study the new evidence.

Adjourn for the evening.

— A common way to end a business day in a professional setting. It implies the group will meet again the next day.

With no more items on the agenda, we will adjourn for the evening.

Adjourn the vote.

— To delay the act of voting on a motion or bill until a future time. Often used as a strategic delay.

The opposition party tried to adjourn the vote to gain more time for lobbying.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

adjourn vs postpone

Postpone is before an event starts; adjourn is while it's in progress.

adjourn vs suspend

Suspend is often a reactive stop; adjourn is a procedural pause.

adjourn vs recess

Recess is usually a short break; adjourn is often for a day or more.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"Call for an adjournment"

— To formally ask for a break in a meeting or trial. It is a procedural request.

The lawyer had to call for an adjournment when he realized a key document was missing.

formal

"Adjourn to the bar"

— A humorous or semi-formal way to say 'let's go get a drink after work.'

After a long day of stressful meetings, the team decided to adjourn to the bar.

informal/humorous

"Move to adjourn"

— To propose that a meeting end. This is the standard language of parliamentary procedure.

Mr. Smith, do you wish to move to adjourn, or should we continue with the next item?

formal

"Sine die adjournment"

— An adjournment that effectively ends a session for an indefinite period. Often used to 'kill' a proposal.

The sine die adjournment of the committee was a major blow to the environmental activists.

legal/political

"Adjourn for deliberations"

— When a jury or board leaves the room to make a final decision. It marks the end of the evidence phase.

The jury has adjourned for deliberations, and we expect a verdict by tomorrow.

legal

"Forced adjournment"

— When a meeting must stop because of an outside event, like a fire alarm or a loss of quorum.

The power outage led to a forced adjournment of the city council meeting.

formal

"Strategic adjournment"

— Ending a session early to gain a political or negotiation advantage. It is a common tactic in high-stakes talks.

The CEO used a strategic adjournment to give his team time to reconsider their offer.

business/political

"Adjourn the house"

— Specifically refers to ending a session of a legislative body like the House of Representatives.

The Speaker has the authority to adjourn the house in cases of extreme disorder.

political

"Request an adjournment"

— To ask a person in authority to pause the current proceedings. Usually requires a valid reason.

I would like to request an adjournment to consult with my client.

formal

"Adjourn to the drawing room"

— A classic, old-fashioned phrase used in literature to describe guests moving to a more comfortable room after dinner.

In the novel, the host invited everyone to adjourn to the drawing room for music.

literary/archaic

Leicht verwechselbar

adjourn vs adjoin

Similar spelling and sound.

'Adjoin' means to be next to something physically, while 'adjourn' means to pause a meeting.

The two rooms adjoin each other. We will adjourn the meeting.

adjourn vs sojourn

Both contain 'journ' (day).

A 'sojourn' is a temporary stay in a place (a noun), while 'adjourn' is a verb for pausing a session.

After a brief sojourn in Paris, we returned home. The judge will adjourn the trial.

adjourn vs prorogue

Both involve ending a session.

'Prorogue' is much more formal and specific to ending a parliamentary session without dissolving it.

The session was prorogued by the monarch.

adjourn vs dissolve

Both can end a meeting.

'Dissolve' means to end a group permanently; 'adjourn' means to pause it.

The company was dissolved. The meeting was adjourned.

adjourn vs defer

Both involve a delay.

'Defer' is about the timing of a decision or action; 'adjourn' is about the timing of a session.

We will defer the vote. We will adjourn the meeting.

Satzmuster

We adjourn now.

The meeting adjourned at [time].

The meeting adjourned at 3:00.

They decided to adjourn for [reason].

They decided to adjourn for lunch.

A motion to adjourn was [verb].

A motion to adjourn was rejected.

The [subject] adjourned to [place] for [purpose].

The board adjourned to the lounge for a private discussion.

Having [participle], the court adjourned.

Having heard the evidence, the court adjourned.

The prerogative to adjourn lies with [authority].

The prerogative to adjourn lies with the Speaker.

Adjourn sine die as a means of [action].

They chose to adjourn sine die as a means of ending the debate.

Wortfamilie

Substantive

adjournment (the act of adjourning)

Verben

adjourn (to pause a session)

Adjektive

adjourned (having been paused)

Verwandt

journey

journal

sojourn

diurnal

journalist

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So verwendest du es

frequency

High in legal and political news; low in everyday casual speech.

Häufige Fehler

Using 'adjourn' for events that haven't started. → The game was postponed.
'Adjourn' is only for pausing something that is already in progress.
Saying 'adjourn at' a place. → The group adjourned to the lobby.
Use 'to' for locations and 'at' for times.
Using 'adjourn' in casual text messages. → Let's stop for now.
'Adjourn' is too formal for texting with friends.
Confusing 'adjourn' with 'adjoin'. → The meeting adjourned; the rooms adjoin.
Adjoin means 'next to'; adjourn means 'to pause'.
Thinking 'adjourn' means 'to end forever'. → The session was adjourned until Tuesday.
It almost always means there will be a future meeting.

Tipps

Register Check

Only use 'adjourn' in professional or legal settings to avoid sounding overly stiff in casual conversation.

Transitive vs Intransitive

Remember you can say both 'I adjourned the meeting' and 'The meeting adjourned.' Both are correct.

Etymology Trick

Link 'adjourn' to 'journal' or 'journey' to remember it's about the 'day' (jour).

Passive Voice

In news reports, use the passive 'The hearing was adjourned' for a more objective, professional tone.

The Gavel Effect

Imagine the sound of a gavel when you say 'adjourn' to help you remember its authoritative meaning.

Boardroom Protocol

If you lead meetings, using 'Shall we adjourn?' at the end makes you sound very competent and formal.

Don't Postpone!

If the meeting hasn't started, don't say 'adjourn.' Say 'postpone.' This is a common high-level error.

Courtroom Drama

Pay attention to this word in legal TV shows to see how it signals a break in the action.

Fancy Moving

Use 'adjourn to the terrace' if you want to be slightly playful and sophisticated at a dinner party.

Rhyme Time

Rhyme it with 'return.' You adjourn so that you can return!

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of 'a-JOUR-n' as 'to a JOURney.' You are stopping the meeting so everyone can go on a journey home and come back another day.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a judge hitting a wooden hammer (gavel) on a desk while a clock on the wall shows the end of the workday.

Word Web

Court Meeting Pause Gavel Formal Session Break Tomorrow

Herausforderung

Try to use 'adjourn' in a sentence about a business meeting, and then use its noun form 'adjournment' in a sentence about a court case.

Wortherkunft

Derived from the Middle English 'ajornen,' which came from the Old French 'ajourner.' The French word was formed from 'a-' (to) and 'jour' (day).

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: To assign a specific day for someone to appear in court or for a meeting to take place.

Romance (Latin root 'diurnus' meaning 'daily').

Kultureller Kontext

There are no major sensitivities, but using it in a very casual or emotional situation might make you seem cold or overly formal.

Very common in US and UK legal dramas, making it a recognizable term for many native speakers even if they aren't lawyers.

The phrase 'The court stands adjourned' is a staple of 'Law & Order.' In 'Alice in Wonderland,' the mouse suggests adjourning to a more dry location. The 'Adjournment Debate' in the UK House of Commons is a famous way for MPs to raise local issues.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Courtroom

The court stands adjourned.
Request an adjournment.
Adjourn the trial.
Adjourn for sentencing.

Business Meeting

I move to adjourn.
Adjourn until tomorrow.
Adjourn for lunch.
The meeting is adjourned.

Parliament/Politics

Adjourn the debate.
Adjourn sine die.
Adjournment motion.
Prorogue and adjourn.

Social Formal

Adjourn to the garden.
Adjourn for coffee.
Shall we adjourn?
Adjourn to the lounge.

Academic Senate

Adjourn the session.
Adjourn the inquiry.
The board will adjourn.
Motion for adjournment.

Gesprächseinstiege

"Do you think the judge was right to adjourn the trial for so long?"

"Should we adjourn this meeting now or try to finish the last item?"

"In your country, how does the parliament formally adjourn its sessions?"

"If you had to adjourn your life for one month, what would you do?"

"Why do you think it's important to formally adjourn a meeting rather than just leaving?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Describe a time when a meeting you were in had to adjourn unexpectedly. What happened next?

Write a formal letter to a committee requesting an adjournment for a specific reason.

In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of adjourning a high-stakes negotiation?

Reflect on the phrase 'adjourn to the library.' What kind of lifestyle does this suggest to you?

Imagine you are a judge. Write your closing statement as you adjourn a very famous trial.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Technically you could, but it sounds very strange. 'Adjourn' is for formal business. For a party, you would say 'end' or 'finish.'

A recess is a short break (like lunch) where you stay in the building. An adjournment is usually the end of work for the day.

No, it almost always implies that you will meet again later. If it's over forever, use 'conclude' or 'dissolve.'

Yes, 'adjournment' is the noun form. For example: 'The lawyer asked for an adjournment.'

Yes, you can say 'The meeting adjourned at 5 PM.' This is the intransitive use of the verb.

It means to pause the meeting without setting a date to come back. It's a formal way of stopping indefinitely.

It sounds like 'a-JERN.' The 'd' is very soft, almost silent, and the stress is on the second part.

Yes, it is very common in American legal and political contexts, just as it is in British English.

Yes, but it's very formal. 'Let's adjourn to the dining room' sounds like something from a fancy novel.

It is a formal proposal made by a member of a meeting to end the current session for now.

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