if rain or snow holds off, it does not fall, although you expected it to
to deliberately delay doing something
to stop an opponent from starting to win or lead
to stop someone who is trying to attack you from coming close
to stop something from happening
He may decide to hold off for a few days.
How much longer can they hold off on political reform?
I held them off with bricks and stones.
I wanted to hold off as long as I could to hold sadness away for as long as I could.
She held off calling him until the last possible moment.
The pitcher clattered to the floor as she brought her hands up, but nothing could hold off the full weight of his descent.
They can hold off the vote until the election.
They held off a furious late challenge by Fiji to win 37–25.
`We'll hold off interviewing Hythe any further until we get the nod from you.
`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.
holds off
holding off
held off
There is no origin for this phrasal verb
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