Antonyms for hold off
Grammar : Verb |
Spell : hohld |
Phonetic Transcription : hoÊŠld |
- abandon
- abbreviate
- abet
- accelerate
- accept
- accomplish
- accuse
- achieve
- acknowledge
- admit
- advance
- aggravate
- agree
- aid
- allow
- approve
- assist
- attack
- attract
- back down
- begin
- blame
- calm
- carry on
- carry out
- cause
- cease
- censure
- charge
- claim
- clarify
- clear up
- comfort
- complete
- compliment
- comply
- concede
- condemn
- conform
- consent
- continue
- convene
- convoke
- curtail
- decide
- deny
- desert
- develop
- disallow
- discontinue
- disorder
- do
- do well
- dodge
- draw
- enchant
- encourage
- endorse
- enlarge
- enlighten
- expand
- expedite
- explain
- explicate
- extend
- face
- facilitate
- finish
- forge
- forge ahead
- forward
- free
- further
- give
- give in
- give up
- go
- go ahead
- go along
- grant
- grow
- guard
- hasten
- hearten
- heat
- help
- hide
- hold
- hug
- hurry
- incite
- include
- increase
- incriminate
- indulge
- inspire
- inspirit
- intensify
- irritate
- keep
- keep on
- lay bare
- leave
- leave alone
- let go
- liberate
- loosen
- lose
- magnify
- maintain
- make vulnerable
- meet
- note
- offer
- OK
- open
- pay attention
- permit
- persevere
- persist
- please
- praise
- prolong
- promote
- prove
- punish
- push
- quicken
- quit
- raise
- rally
- refuse
- regard
- reject
- release
- remain
- resolve
- retain
- reveal
- rise
- rush
- sanction
- scatter
- seek
- sentence
- shorten
- soothe
- spur on
- stay
- stimulate
- stop
- straighten
- strengthen
- succeed
- support
- surrender
- take
- take in
- take on
- unblock
- unfasten
- urge
- validate
- vote
- want
- warm
- welcome
- worry
- yield
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
- abandon
- abate
- abide
- absolve
- abstain
- abstain from
- adjourn
- alleviate
- allow
- alternate
- amnesty
- antagonize
- anticipate
- arrest
- assail
- assault
- assort
- avert
- avoid
- avoid the issue
- baffle
- balance
- balk
- bar
- battle
- be dilatory
- be irresolute
- be reluctant
- be unwilling
- bear
- beat around the bush
- beat back
- beat off
- beg off
- bend
- bit
- block
- blow hot and cold
- brace
- brake
- brave
- break
- bridle
- brook
- brush off
- buck
- bypass
- cancel
- cast aside
- cede
- chase away
- check
- chide
- chill
- choke off
- circumlocute
- circumvent
- class
- classify
- combat
- come back at
- condone
- confound
- confront
- confute
- contend
- contest
- continue
- control
- controvert
- cool
- cool it
- cope
- cork
- corner
- counter
- counteract
- countervail
- cover up
- crab
- cramp
- cramp one's style
- crimp
- cross
- curb
- curve
- cut
- cut off
- dally
- dam
- dawdle
- dead-end
- debar
- debate
- decline
- decrease
- defeat
- defend against
- defer
- deflect
- defy
- delay
- demur
- deny
- deprecate
- desist
- detain
- deter
- deviate
- die
- die hard
- dillydally
- diminish
- disaccord
- disadvise
- disallow
- disapprove
- disclaim
- disconfirm
- discontinue
- discountenance
- discourage
- disfavor
- disincline
- dismiss
- disown
- dispense with
- disperse
- disprove
- dispute
- disregard
- dissent
- ditch
- dither
- diverge
- divert
- dodge
- doubt
- drag
- drag on
- drag one's feet
- drag out
- draw
- drive away
- drive back
- drive off
- drop
- drop back
- drop behind
- duck
- duel
- dwindle
- ease up
- elongate
- elude
- endure
- enter
- equivocate
- escape
- eschew
- evade
- evert
- excuse
- exonerate
- face
- fake out
- fall away
- falter
- fence
- fend
- fend off
- fight
- fight back
- fight off
- file
- filibuster
- flee
- flounder
- fluctuate
- fly in the face of
- foil
- forbear
- forbid
- force back
- force off
- forestall
- forfend
- forgive
- forgo
- freeze
- frighten
- frustrate
- fumble
- get back at
- give a rain check
- give cold shoulder to
- give the run around
- give the slip
- give thumbs down to
- give up
- glance off
- goldbrick
- grant
- grapple with
- group
- halt
- hamper
- hand over
- hang
- hang back
- hang fire
- hang off
- hang on
- hang tough
- hang up
- head off
- heave-ho
- hedge
- hem and haw
- hesitate
- hide
- hinder
- hold
- hold back
- hold down
- hold in
- hold off
- hold one's ground
- hold out
- hold out against
- hold over
- hold up
- hook
- hover
- ignore
- impede
- indispose
- inhibit
- intercept
- interdict
- interfere
- intermit
- interrupt
- invalidate
- jump
- keep
- keep at a distance
- keep at arm's length
- keep at bay
- keep back
- keep clear
- keep from
- keep going
- keep lid on
- keep off
- keep out
- kick
- kick in the teeth
- knock down
- label
- lag
- lag behind
- lash out at
- lay aside
- lay low
- lay over
- leave
- leave alone
- lengthen
- let slide
- limit
- linger
- loiter
- maintain
- make excuses
- mitigate
- moderate
- modify
- modulate
- mothball
- move
- mystify
- negate
- negative
- neglect
- nip in the bud
- nix
- nonplus
- not budge
- not budget
- not buy
- not care to
- not hear of
- not move
- obstruct
- obviate
- oppose
- oscillate
- overthrow
- overturn
- pad
- pardon
- parry
- pass up
- pause
- peg
- persevere
- persist
- pigeonhole
- pivot
- play a waiting game
- play for time
- poke
- ponder
- postpone
- preclude
- prevail against
- prevaricate
- prevent
- procrastinate
- prohibit
- prolong
- prolongate
- propose
- prorogue
- protest
- protract
- prove false
- pull back
- push back
- pussyfoot
- put a stop to
- put an end to
- put aside
- put back
- put down
- put down as
- put forward
- put in one's place
- put off
- put on back burner
- put on hold
- put on ice
- put on the bank burner
- put on the shelf
- put to flight
- put up a fight
- put up struggle
- put up with
- puzzle
- quash
- quibble
- quiet
- rank
- rebuff
- rebuke
- rebut
- recess
- recoil
- reduce
- refrain
- refrain from
- refuse
- refuse to receive
- refute
- regret
- reject
- relax
- release
- relinquish
- remain
- remain firm
- remit
- remove
- renege
- renounce
- repeal
- repel
- repress
- reprieve
- reprobate
- reprove
- repudiate
- repulse
- reschedule
- rescind
- reserve
- resign
- resist
- respite
- restrain
- restrict
- retard
- ricochet
- ride out
- rule out
- run for cover
- scare
- scrub
- scruple
- seesaw
- send away
- send off
- send regrets
- set aside
- set back
- shake
- shake and bake
- shake off
- sheer
- shelve
- shift
- shilly-shally
- shirk
- shrink
- shrink back
- shrink from
- shuffle off
- shun
- shut down
- shut out
- shy
- shy away
- sideline
- sidestep
- sidetrack
- sink
- sit and take it
- sit on fence
- skip
- skip out on
- skip town
- skirt
- slack
- slacken
- slew
- slight
- slip
- slow
- slow down
- slow up
- snooker
- snub
- soften
- sort
- spin out
- spurn
- stall
- stammer
- stand
- stand fast
- stand firm
- stand off
- stand one's ground
- stand still
- stand up against
- stand up to
- stave off
- stay
- stay away
- stay back
- stay out
- steer clear of
- step aside
- stick
- stick fast
- still
- stonewall
- stop
- straddle
- straggle
- stretch
- stretch out
- struggle against
- stumble
- stump
- stutter
- stymie
- submit
- suffer
- suggest
- suppress
- surrender
- suspend
- swerve
- tab
- table
- take
- take it
- take on
- take one's time
- talk out of
- tarry
- tell off
- temporize
- tergiversate
- think about
- think twice
- throw a monkey wrench into
- throw back
- throw cold water on
- thwart
- tie up
- tolerate
- top
- trail
- traverse
- turn
- turn aside
- turn away
- turn deaf ear to
- turn down
- turn from
- turn off
- turn one's back on
- turn over
- twist
- type cast
- vacillate
- veer
- violate
- volte-face
- waffle
- wait
- waive
- wane
- ward
- ward off
- warn
- waver
- weaken
- weather
- weave
- weigh
- wheel
- whip
- whirl
- win out
- wind
- withdraw
- withhold
- withstand
- yield
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019