Definition of dormancy | Bee Dictionary of English

n a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction
the volcano erupted after centuries of dormancy
n quiet and inactive restfulness

Magnolia Pictures Ben and Andrew have been friends since college, but now that they're in their 30s, that friendship has become mostly a fond memory, now close to dormancy.
Once on Mars, it's possible that bacteria shielded by the structure of the spacecraft from the harsh Martian UV radiation could stay alive, in dormancy, for hundreds of thousands .
PRO: This Kabul native makes up for his youth and inexperience with sheer audacity, resurrecting Afghanistan's national team from war-induced dormancy.

Secrets of biological soil crusts uncovered
Biologists have performed a molecular level analysis of desert biological soil crusts -- living ground cover formed by microbial communities -- to reveal how long-dormant cyanobacteria become activated by rainfall then resume dormancy when the precipitation stops.
June 14, 2013 - Science Daily
Berkeley Lab team uncovers secrets of biological soil crusts
( DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ) A team of Berkeley Lab researchers has performed molecular level analysis of desert biological soil crusts -- living ground cover formed by microbial communities -- to reveal how long-dormant cyanobacteria become activated by rainfall then resume dormancy when the precipitation stops.
June 14, 2013 - EurekAlert!

Thomas DiNapoli in WRGB
If you received a gift card last year, spend it soon or the gift card could expire or start to lose value,DiNapoli said. "The good news is that many large retailers no longer charge dormancy fees. The bad news is small retailers may still...
Paul Volcker in Leagle.com
These unused cards equal free money for banks and retailers, who often take service and dormancy fees from inactive gift cards, charge monthly maintenance fees, and recoup the value of an unused gift card after it expires, sometimes in as little as... Charles Schumer http://www.google.com/url?q=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Schumer&source=dictionary&usg=AFQjCNG7tUu9R7CCKc2QBQlM4eaS3VK9og Evening Observer http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/516406.html%3Fnav%3D5047&source=dictionary&usg=AFQjCNFcpSxhm-ie-EYIavJsFXbSUpfS3Q Dec 26, 2008 29778 38496 dormancy The Volcker Report noted that these accounts have no direct evidence of an extended period of dormancy, or of unauthorized closure, important elements of the presumption that there was a relationship to a victim."