desuetude

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
desuetude
    n 1: a state of inactivity or disuse
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Desuetude \Des"ue*tude\, n. [L. desuetudo, from desuescere, to
   grow out of use, disuse; de + suescere to become used or
   accustomed: cf. F. d['e]su['e]tude. See {Custom}.]
   The cessation of use; disuse; discontinuance of practice,
   custom, or fashion.
   [1913 Webster]

         The desuetude abrogated the law, which, before, custom
         had established.                         --Jer. Taylor.
   [1913 Webster]
from Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
DESUETUDE. This term is applied to laws which have become obsolete. (q.v.)
from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
35 Moby Thesaurus words for "desuetude":
      abandonment, absentation, abstention, abstinence, casting away,
      cease, cessation, close, closing, closure, conclusion,
      discontinuance, discontinuation, disuse, end, ending, evacuation,
      forsaking, jettison, jettisoning, leaving, nonemployment,
      nonprevalence, nonuse, obsolescence, obsoleteness, obsoletion,
      obsoletism, pensioning off, pulling out, retirement,
      superannuation, throwing overboard, unprevalence, withdrawal
antiflux / dictionary / desuetude
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