holding pattern

• Состояние или период задержки, бездействия или ожидания дальнейших указаний или событий; первоначально относилось к круговому полёту самолёта в ожидании разрешения на посадку.

A state or period of delay, inactivity, or waiting for further instructions or developments, originally referring to an aircraft circling while awaiting clearance to land.

1. Aircraft waitingB2formal

   A predetermined flight path that an aircraft follows while waiting for clearance to land.

   Зона ожидания

   • The plane entered a holding pattern due to heavy traffic at the airport.
   • We circled in a holding pattern for 20 minutes before landing.
   • Air traffic control instructed the pilot to maintain the holding pattern.

2. State of waitingB2informal

   A situation in which no progress is made, and one must wait for a decision or change.

   Состояние ожидания

   • My career is in a holding pattern until the company restructures.
   • The project is in a holding pattern while we wait for funding approval.
   • Our relationship has been in a holding pattern for months.