state of standstill; suspended state
Refers to a situation where something has been halted or is in a state of suspension, often used in formal or written contexts.
交渉は中止の体をなしている。
The negotiations are in a state of standstill.
Compound of 中止 (suspension, cancellation) + の (possessive particle) + 体 (state, condition). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the phrase is conventionally used to describe a halted state.