If you hold off doing something, you delay doing it or delay making a decision about it.
The hospital staff held off taking Rosenbaum in for an X-ray. [VERBPARTICLE verb-ing]
They have threatened military action but held off until now. [VERBPARTICLE]
2. phrasal verb
If you hold off a challenge in a race or competition, you do not allow someone to pass you.
He cut through the middle, held off a challenge and scored. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
[Also VERB noun PARTICLE]
See full dictionary entry for hold
hold off in British English
verb(adverb)
1. (transitive)
to keep apart or at a distance
2. (intransitive; often foll byfrom)
to refrain (from doing something)
he held off buying the house until prices fell slightly
hold off in American English
1.
to keep away or at a distance
2.
to keep from attacking or doing something
3.
to delay action on a matter, as in awaiting additional information
See full dictionary entry for hold
Examples of 'hold off' in a sentence
hold off
`We'll hold off interviewing Hythe any further until we get the nod from you.
Parkes, Roger RIOT
`Yes, fine,' Kate nodded and headed back inside, hoping that Chrissie, Joe and Bill would have the good grace to hold off until she was out.
Sue Welfare FALLEN WOMEN (2002)
I wanted to hold off as long as I could to hold sadness away for as long as I could.
Andrews, Virginia WEB OF DREAMS
Chinese translation of 'hold off'
hold off
vt
[challenge]使不能接近 (shǐ bùnéng jiējìn)
⇒ Alesi drove magnificently, holding off the challenge from Berger.阿勒西开得棒极了，使伯杰不能接近。 (Ālèxī kāi de bàng jí le, shǐ Bójié bùnéng jiējìn.)
vi
拖延 (tuōyán)
⇒ They threatened military action but have held off until now.他们以军事行动相威胁，但一直拖到现在。 (Tāmen yǐ jūnshì xíngdòng xiāng wēixié, dàn yīzhí tuōdào xiànzài.)
[rain]不下 (bùxià)
to hold off doing sth推迟(遲)做某事 (tuīchí zuò mǒushì)
See hold
Nearby words of
hold off
hold down
hold forth
hold it!
hold off
hold on
hold on to
hold out
All related terms of 'hold off'
to hold off doing sth
推迟(遲)做某事 tuīchí zuò mǒushì
hold up
( lift up ) 举(舉)起 jǔqǐ ⇒ The Englishman held up the rifle. → 英国人举起了手枪。 Yīngguórén jǔqǐle shǒuqiāng.
hold over
( postpone ) 推迟(遲) tuīchí
hold out
( hand ) 伸出 shēnchū ⇒ Sam held out his hand for the briefcase. → 山姆伸手拿公文包。 Shānmǔ shēnshǒu ná gōngwénbāo.
hold on to
( grasp ) 抓住 zhuāzhù ⇒ He had to hold on to the chair to steady himself. → 他不得不抓住椅子使自己站稳。 Tā bù dé bù zhuāzhù yǐzi shǐ zìjǐ zhànwěn.
hold on
( keep hold ) 抓牢 zhuāláo ⇒ The rope was wet, but Nancy held on. → 绳子湿了，但南希仍然牢牢地抓着。 Shéngzi shī le, dàn Nánxī réngrán láoláo de zhuāzhe.
hold forth
滔滔不绝(絕)地讲(講) tāotāo bùjué de jiǎng ⇒ Jenkins was there, holding forth on his favourite subject. → 詹金斯在那儿，滔滔不绝地讲述他最喜欢的话题。 Zhānjīnsī zàinàr, tāotāo bùjué de jiǎngshù tā zuì xǐhuan de huàtí.
hold down
( restrain : person ) 把 ... 按倒在地上 bǎ ... àndǎo zài dìshang ⇒ It took three men to hold him down. → 要3个男人才把他按在地上。 Yào sān gè nánrén cái bǎ tā àn zài dìshang.
hold back
( person, progress ) 阻拦(攔) zǔlán ⇒ She's very ambitious, so don't try to hold her back. → 她很有野心，别阻拦她。 Tā hěn yǒu yěxīn, bié zǔlán tā.
hold against
▶ to hold sth against sb 因某事对(對)某人记(記)仇 yīn mǒushì duì mǒurén jìchóu ⇒ He lost the case, but never held it against me. → 他输了这场官司，但从未因此而记恨过我。 Tā shūle zhè chǎng guānsi, dàn cóngwèi yīn cǐ ér jìhèn guo wǒ.
(phrasal verb)
Definition
to put off (doing something)
The hospital staff held off taking him in for an X-ray.
Synonyms
put off
delay
I delayed my departure until she could join me.
postpone
He decided to postpone the expedition.
defer
Customers often defer payment for as long as possible.
avoid
refrain
She refrained from making any comment.
keep from
See hold
Additional synonyms
in the sense of defer
Definition
to delay until a future time
Customers often defer payment for as long as possible.