Learning / English Dictionary

HOLD OFF

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Resist and fight to a standoff

Example:

Dallas had enough of a lead to hold the Broncos off

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "hold off" is one way to...):

hold out; resist; stand firm; withstand (stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Wait before acting

Example:

the scientists held off announcing their results until they repeated the experiment

Synonyms:

hold back; hold off; wait

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "hold off" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hold off"):

hold out (wait uncompromisingly for something desirable)

delay (act later than planned, scheduled, or required)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sentence example:

They hold off a long time

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