mothball

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.

To store (clothing, etc.) with mothballs (noun noun sense 1).

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.

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.