Obeyance

From obey + -ance.

Full definition of obeyance

Noun

1. obedience
• 1829, Various, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Chapter , Poor fellow! how happy would a companion make you, to whom you could relate your battles, bouts, and courtships; but mum is the order, and Jack is used to an implicit obeyance of head-quarter orders.
• 1912, W.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell, Flying Machines Chapter , One of the instructions given by experienced aviators to pupils, and for which they insist upon implicit obeyance, is: "If your machine gets more than 30 feet high, or comes closer to the ground than 6 feet, descend at once."
• 1962, Harry Harrison, Planet of the Damned Chapter , The tall soldiers of Nyjord moved in ready obeyance of their commander.

Misspelling or alteration of abeyance, by association with obey.

Noun

1. (nonstandard) abeyance
• 1897, Dorothy Quigley, What Dress Makes of Us Chapter , The disfiguring wrinkles that make many necks unsightly may be kept in obeyance by massaging.