mothballing

Putting into reserve

Mothballing is putting something into long-term storage or suspension while preserving it for possible future use.

The term comes from using mothballs to protect stored clothing from insects.

Ships, factories, and military equipment get mothballed when not currently needed but too valuable to discard: The navy is mothballing three destroyers.

Projects and plans can also be mothballed: We're mothballing the expansion until the economy improves.

suspension

shelving

Horizontal storage surfaces

postponementDelaying to later
deferralAct of delaying action
hiatusBreak in activity

freeze · moratorium · indefinite · project · shutdown · dormant · halting · tabling · delay · pause

industrial

factory

Industrial production facility

plantBotanical organism
facilitySkill or equipped premises
refineryIndustrial purification facility

machinery · equipment · shutdown · closure · mine · mill · operation · production · site · idle

decommissioning

fleet

Vehicles under unified command

navalOf maritime warfare
shipSeagoing transport vessel
vesselReceptacle for contents

reserve · military · deactivation · layup · drydock · battleship · aircraft · submarine · destroyer · carrier

preservation

camphor

Aromatic crystalline insect deterrent

cedarDurable, fragrant conifer
closetBuilt-in storage chamber
garmentArticle of clothing

wardrobe · wool · fabric · textile · sachet · lavender · repellent · storage · trunk · chest

mothballing

shelving

factory

fleet

camphor

mothballing

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