stave off

stave off

verb

Definition of STAVE OFF

transitive verb

1

: to fend off <staving off creditors>

2

: to ward off (as something adverse) : forestall <trying to stave off disaster>

Examples of STAVE OFF

1. <managed to stave off the invaders>
2. <the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies>

First Known Use of STAVE OFF

1611

Related to STAVE OFF

Synonyms: beat off, fend (off), rebut, repulse, repel, turn away, turn back

Related Words: defy, fight, hold off, oppose, resist, stand off, withstand; deflect, ward (off); rebuff, snub, spurn

Near Antonyms: embrace, hail, welcome

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with STAVE OFF

back off, beg off, bind off, blastoff, blow off, break off, bring off, brush-off, bug off, bump off, burn off, buy off, call off, cast-off, castoff, change off, charge off, checkoff, check off, Chekhov, choke off, come off, cook-off, cry off, cutoff, cut off, die-off, die off, draw off, drop-off, drop off, dust off, face-off, face off, falloff, far-off, fire off, first off, flip off, fob off, get off, give off, go off, goof-off, handoff, hand off, hands-off, haul off, head off, hold off, jump-off, kickoff, kick off, kill off, kiss-off, kiss off, knockoff, knock off, Khrushchev, laugh off, layoff, lay off, leadoff, leave off, lie off, liftoff, make off, nod off, one-off, palm off, pass off, Pavlov, pawn off, payoff, pay off, peel off, pick off, pickoff, play-off, pop off, pull off, push off, put off, rake-off, reel off, rip-off, rip off, roll-off, rub off, runoff, Sarnoff, sawed-off, seal off, sell off, sell-off, send-off, setoff, set off, show-off, show off, shrug off, shutoff, shut off, sign off, sign-off, sound off, spin-off, spin off, square off, squeeze off, standoff, stand off, straight off, strike off, swear off, takeoff, take off, Tambov, tap-off, teed off, tee off, tell off, throw off, tick off, tip-off, touch off, trade-off, turnoff, turn off, well-off, Wolof, work off, write-off, write off