hold off

What does "hold off" mean?

1. To delay doing something
2. To resist or defend against an attack
3. To wait before making a decision

Examples

• Let's hold off on making a decision until we have more information.
• The soldiers held off the enemy for three days.
• Can you hold off the creditors for another week?
• If the rain holds off, we'll have the picnic outside.
• I'm going to hold off buying a new car until prices drop.

How to use it

'Hold off' for weather means the bad weather hasn't started yet. 'Hold off on' a decision is very common in business contexts. Suggests waiting for better timing.

Word order

For delaying: often 'hold off on' + noun/verb-ing. For resisting: separable ('hold the enemy off').

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• hold on

  To wait for a short time

• hold up

  To delay or slow down something

• hold back

  To prevent someone or something from advancing

• hold out

  To resist or survive in a difficult situation

• hold down

  To keep something at a low level

• hold together

  To remain in one piece without breaking