Moratorium /(?)/

Mor·a·to·ri·um

Moratorium

n.
  1. A period during which an obligor has a legal right to delay meeting an obligation, esp. such a period granted, as to a bank, by a moratory law. (Law)
  2. a suspension of an activity.
  3. an officially authorized period of delay or waiting; as, a moratorium on putting a law into effect.