Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DIS-CON-TIN'U-ANCE, n. [See Discontinue.]

1. Want of continuance; cessation; intermission; interruption of continuance; as, a discontinuance of conversation or intercourse. – Atterbury.
2. Want of continued connection or cohesion of parts; want of union; disruption. – Bacon.
3. In law, a breaking off or interruption of possession, as where a tenant in tail makes a feoffment in fee-simple, or for the life of the feoffee, or in tail, which he has not power to do; in this case, the entry of the feoffee is lawful during the life of the feoffor; but if he retains possession after the death of the feoffor, it is an injury which is termed a discontinuance, the legal estate of the heir in tail being discontinued, till a recovery can be had in law. – Blackstone.
4. Discontinuance of a suit, is when a plaintif leaves a chasm in the proceedings in his cause, as by not continuing the process regularly from day to day; in which case the defendant is not bound to attend. Formerly the demise of the king caused a discontinuance of all suits; but this is remedied by statute I Edw. VI. – Blackstone.