Definition of "standdown" [standdown]

• A suspension and relaxation from an alert state or a state of readiness (noun)
• (military) a temporary stop of offensive military action (noun)

WordNet. Princeton University. 2010.

• "After the very badly handled initial contact, Howell had 51 days to surrender or arrange a standdown."
• "Further, after initial resistance in which law enforcement was not only resisted but killed, it would not have been feasible to standdown."
• "It's probably logically equivalent to pointing out that we know how an effective way to stop terrorists from taking over civilian planes and using them for nefarious purposes: it's called "total ground standdown" and we saw it done in September 2001."