Can “Pend” be used as a transitive verb?

verbsword-usage

I found myself writing a sentence as follows:

I will pend the investigation for now.

Only to realise that I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to use pend as a verb in this sense. While not a logical basis, it "sounds" right.

I found online only mentions of it being used as an intransitive verb.1

See the following intransitive example:

When your future is hinging upon the results of a courtroom trial,
this is an example of a time when your future will pend on the trial.2

But I did not turn up any evidence of it being used as a transitive verb.

Regardless, I think that I would be understood by others if I used the word in this way. Only, it is not stated to be proper by the resources that I have found. Even so, does that render it incorrect?

Best Answer

Yes, it can :

Transitive. To treat as pending; to postpone deciding on or attending to; to defer.

  • 1953 P. Frankau Winged Horse iii. i. 178 Why didn't you ask J.G. to pend it till New Year?

  • 1970 New Scientist 16 July 134 It has done this by ‘pending’ the settlement of nine patent applications.

  • 2003 Westchester County (N.Y.) Business Jrnl. (Nexis) 17 Mar. 15 At times, claims are pended because of coordination of benefits or other issues, and they may be delayed somewhat.

Oxford English Dictionary

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