mothball

noun

1. (in-plural)A small ball of chemical pesticide (originally camphor and now typically naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) and deodorant placed in or around clothing and other articles to deter moth larvae which may damage them.

   “There were two carloads of equipments. Upon their return to the armory the blankets were shook and repacked with mothballs; […]”

   “Me and Solly, as I now called him, prepared to shake off our moth-balls and wing our way against the arc-lights of the joyous and tuneful East.”

   “The church interior was as comfortable as Sunday-morning toast and marmalade— […] gorgeous stained-glass windows, and a general polite creaking of ladies' best stays and gentlemen's stiff shirt-bosoms, and an odor of the best cologne and moth-balls.”

   “Mr. President, I have supported the draft and shall do so as long as it is necessary. But I believe that when a draftee has served his 2 years and is released for normal civilian life, he should be free to place his uniform in mothballs until the Nation's safety requires his return to active duty.”

verb

1. (transitive)To store (clothing, etc.) with mothballs (noun sense 1).
2. (figuratively, transitive)To stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future.

   “They mothballed the old version after the new one came out.”

   “There is already considerable spare primary capacity because the coal is accessible and merely needs the men and machines to get it. We are unaware, however, of the physical and economic possibilities of mothballing pits, or of the extent to which the present surplus capacity of 40 million tons would match the capacity of loss-making pits which one would like to close.”

   “Following the war, along with the inevitable sharp reduction of forces, including the "mothballing" of a considerable part of the fleet as an inactive reserve, there were a few important developments affecting the navy.”

   “Years later, he [Walter Simonson] characterized the company's behavior as "abrupt, rude, and disrespectful," and railed against the mothballing of veteran creators.”

   “Some schools might have an art studio, an area of forestry in the playground, or a performance stage in the hall – all exceptional assets. Just check they get plenty of use and aren't mothballed while the school concentrates on (you guessed it) maths and literacy.”

3. (figuratively, transitive)To stop work on (a plan, project, etc.) for the time being; to postpone, to shelve.

   “The fact that the START Treaty has just been signed is reason enough not to build one rail garrison train before mothballing the project.”