hold off
phrasal verbhold off
- (of rain or a storm) to not start
- The rain held off just long enough for us to have our picnic.
- to not do something immediately
- Many buyers are holding off until prices are lower.
- hold off doing something Could you hold off making your decision for a few days?
hold somebody/something off
- to stop somebody/something defeating you
- She held off all the last-minute challengers and won the race in a new record time.