| 释义 |
pending, ppl. a. and prep.|ˈpɛndɪŋ|
[Formed after F. pend-ant, L. pend-ens hanging, in suspense, suspended, not decided, with Eng. ppl. ending -ing2. Cf. pend v.3]
A. ppl. a.
1. Remaining undecided, awaiting decision or settlement. Orig. of a lawsuit; cf. L. pendente lite. So pending basket, pending tray: a basket or tray for correspondence or other papers awaiting attention or decision.
1797Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) II. 371, I have to thank you for your account of Prizes pending in the Admiralty Court. 1818Jas. Mill Brit. India I. i. i. 13 A treaty was then pending with Spain. 1838Prescott Ferd. & Is. (1846) I. iii. 185 To abide the issue of the pending negotiations. 1859Lang Wand. India 381 While this little, but interesting, debate was pending between the prosecutor and the prisoners. 1946R. Graves Poems 1938–45 30 World patents pending; tested in the shops. 1955E. Waugh Officers & Gentlemen i. viii. 102 Guy turned over the papers in the ‘pending’ tray. 1957M. Summerton Sunset Hour i. 18, I threw the folder into my pending basket. 1961‘T. Hinde’ For Good of Company i. 18 Out-tray to his right, in- and pending-trays to his left. 1973J. Wainwright Pride of Pigs 50 The day clerks..booked it in—this avalanche of paper—and..tossed it into a series of ‘pending’ trays. The night clerks dealt with it. 1975Times 5 Dec. 2/1 An extradition warrant..was in a tray marked ‘pending’.
2. a. Hanging, overhanging. rare.
1756T. Amory Buncle (1770) I. 221 The pending rocks in view inclosed a space of four acres.
b. Impending, imminent. rare.
1806Glencore Tower I. 181 A dreadful blow pending over thee. 1833Mrs. Browning Prometh. Bound 52 Innocent of all These pending ills.
B. prep. or quasi-prep.
a. The pres. pple., in Fr. pendant, Eng. pending, was used in a construction corresp. to the L. ablative absolute; thus L. pendente lite, F. pendant le procès (= le procès étant pendant), pendant or pending the suit (while the suit is pending): see pendant a. B. When the pple. stood before the n., having the same function as a prep., it came gradually to be viewed as such, = During, throughout the continuance of, in the process of. Cf. during, notwithstanding.
1642J. M. Argt. conc. Militia 18 The King may dissolve a Parliament when he pleaseth, but, pending Parliament unadjourned, the King can not retarde their proceedings. 1726Ayliffe Parergon (J.), A person, pending suit with the diocesan, shall be defended in the possession. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 194 The daughter..brought a formedon for the recovery of the estate tail; pending which all the proclamations were made. 1855Motley Dutch Rep. i. iii. (1866) 106 Pending the peace negotiations, Philip had been called upon to mourn for his wife and father.
b. While awaiting, until the occurrence of, until.
1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xxi, Pending his return, Kate and her mother were shown into a dining-room. 1884Times (weekly ed.) 5 Sept. 15/1 Pending further emigration or clearances. 1894C. N. Robinson Brit. Fleet 149 Pending the completion of the new building. |