parking lot

noun

1. A parking area, generally paved and open-air (sometimes with limited overhead covering), where automobiles may be left when not in use.

   “Meronyms: parking space, parking spot, parking place”

   “Should we park in that parking lot, or in the garage up the street?”

2. A road blocked by stop-start traffic.

   “The 101 was a parking lot again today.”

3. A holding area in which to set aside some question or concern for likely future consideration.

   “Let's put this question in the parking lot for now, and we'll follow up on it later this week.”

4. A place in a state of complete destruction, especially one achieved through military means.

   “America believed it had smashed Israel’s greatest enemy and turned Iraq into a parking lot, so now Israel could take risks it had never been able to take before.”

   “I was one of the people understanding the need to turn Afghanistan into a parking lot on the way to finding Bin Laden and bringing him to justice.”