HOLDING PATTERN

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Meaning:

The flight path (usually circular) maintained by an aircraft that is awaiting permission to land

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("holding pattern" is a kind of...):

air lane; airway; flight path; skyway (a designated route followed by airplanes in flying from one airport to another)

Meaning:

A state of inaction with no progress and no change

Example:

you should go into a holding pattern until he gets over his disappointment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("holding pattern" is a kind of...):

inaction; inactiveness; inactivity (the state of being inactive)