The phrase is often used when a death sentence is delayed, offering temporary relief to the concerned parties.

Temporary Relief

This term is typically used in a legal context and involves formal legal procedures or appeals.

Legal Procedure

A stay of execution is a delay, not a cancellation of the sentence. The punishment may still occur later.

Beyond legal, it's used metaphorically to mean any suspension of a negative event, like business failure.

This phrase often implies a last-minute delay that provides time to solve an issue or prevent a negative outcome.

It suggests the possibility of reversal or improvement from a negative to a positive situation.