APOSIOPESIS

[ap.o.si.o.pe.sis] n, pl -pe.ses [LL, fr. Gk aposiopesis, fr. aposiopan to be fully silent, fr. apo- + siopan to be silent, fr. siope silence] (1578): the leaving of a thought incomplete usu. by a sudden breaking off (as in "his behavior was--but I blush to mention that") -- ap.o.si.o.pet.ic adj