Antonyms for hold off

Grammar : Verb

Spell : hohld

Phonetic Transcription : hoʊld

Definition of hold off

Origin : Old English haldan (Anglian), healdan (West Saxon), "to contain, grasp; retain; foster, cherish," class VII strong verb (past tense heold, past participle healden), from Proto-Germanic *haldanan (cf. Old Saxon haldan, Old Frisian halda, Old Norse halda, Dutch houden, German halten "to hold," Gothic haldan "to tend"), originally "to keep, tend, watch over" (as cattle), later "to have." Ancestral sense is preserved in behold. The original past participle holden was replaced by held beginning 16c., but survives in some legal jargon and in beholden.
Hold back is 1530s, transitive; 1570s, intransitive; hold off is early 15c., transitive; c.1600, intransitive; hold out is 1520s as "to stretch forth," 1580s as "to resist pressure." Hold on is early 13c. as "to maintain one’s course," 1830 as "to keep one’s grip on something," 1846 as an order to wait or stop. To hold (one's) tongue "be silent" is from c.1300. To hold (one's) own is from early 14c. To hold (someone's) hand "give moral support" is from 1935. Phrase hold your horses "be patient" is from 1844. To have and to hold have been paired alliteratively since at least c.1200, originally of marriage but also of real estate.

As in pigeonhole : verb categorize; shelve
As in postpone : verb put off till later time
As in prevent : verb keep from happening or continuing
As in procrastinate : verb delay, put off doing
As in avoid : verb refrain or stay away from; prevent
As in protract : verb extend, draw out
As in put off : verb defer, delay
As in rebuff : verb turn away; give the cold shoulder
As in rebut : verb argue against; prove wrong
As in refuse : verb deny; say no
As in remit : verb stop, postpone
As in repel : verb push away; repulse
As in repulse : verb push away
As in resist : verb withstand, oppose
As in shelve : verb defer, postpone
As in stall : verb delay for own purposes
As in stymie : verb frustrate, hinder
As in table : verb postpone a proposition
As in waive : verb give up; let go
As in ward/ward off : verb defend, guard
As in withstand : verb endure, bear
As in hold back : verb repress
As in stave off : verb fend off
As in hang back : verb be reluctant
As in stave : verb prevent
As in adjourn : verb stop a proceeding
As in deflect : verb bounce off; turn aside
As in discourage : verb deter, dissuade; restrain
As in hesitate : verb wait; be uncertain
As in hold back/hold off : verb repress
As in hold up : verb postpone

Synonyms for hold off

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019