pending

Pending is an adjective describing something that is awaiting a decision, processing, or settlement and is not yet final. The term implies a temporary state until a specific event occurs or a judgment is made. It is commonly used in legal, financial, administrative, and technical contexts. The word derives from Latin pendere "to hang," via Old French pendre, and entered English with the sense of something hanging in suspense.

In law and government, pending describes cases, motions, or legislation that have been filed or introduced but have not yet been resolved. A pending case has not reached a judgment; pending legislation is awaiting committee action or floor debate. Administrative processes may have pending reviews or approvals that delay final outcomes.

In finance and commerce, pending refers to transactions, authorizations, or orders that have been initiated but not completed. A pending payment is typically authorized but not settled; a pending order has been placed but not yet fulfilled. Banking and merchant systems often display pending statuses to indicate ongoing processing or clearance.

In computing and information systems, pending status is used for tasks, jobs, or messages waiting for resources, user input, or dependencies. A pending job remains in a queue until it begins or completes; a pending update may require approval or additional data before deployment.

Overall, pending signals a state of anticipation and delay between an initial action and its final outcome, with the next step determined by subsequent approval, processing, or resolution.