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meaning of defer

Synonyms of defer

continuance, prorogation, adjourn, delay, hold off, hold up, postpone, remit, shelve, stay, suspend, table

Defer

11 dictionary results for: defer

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

de·fer1

[di-fur] Pronunciation Key verb, -ferred, -fer·ring.

–verb (used with object)

1.	to put off (action, consideration, etc.) to a future time: The decision has been deferred by the board until next week.

2.	to exempt temporarily from induction into military service.

–verb (used without object)

3.	to put off action; delay.

[Origin: 1325–75; ME deferren, var. of differren to differ

]

—Related forms

de·fer·rer, noun

—Synonyms 1. Defer, delay, postpone imply keeping something from occurring until a future time. To defer is to decide to do something later on: to defer making a payment. To delay is sometimes equivalent to defer, but usually it is to act in a dilatory manner and thus lay something aside: to delay one's departure. To postpone a thing is to put it off to (usually) some particular time in the future, with the intention of beginning or resuming it then: to postpone an election. 3. procrastinate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

de·fer2

[di-fur] Pronunciation Key verb, -ferred, -fer·ring.

–verb (used without object)

1.	to yield respectfully in judgment or opinion (usually fol. by to): We all defer to him in these matters.

–verb (used with object)

2.	to submit for decision; refer: We defer questions of this kind to the president.

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME deferren < L déferre to carry from or down, report, accuse, equiv. to dé- de- + ferre to bear¹

]

—Synonyms 1. accede, submit, acquiesce, capitulate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

de·fer¹   (dĭ-fûr') Pronunciation Key
v.   de·ferred, de·fer·ring, de·fers

v.   tr.

To put off; postpone.
To postpone the induction of (one eligible for the military draft).

v. intr.
To procrastinate.

[Middle English differren, to postpone, differ; see differ.]

de·fer'ra·ble adj., de·fer'rer n.

Synonyms: These verbs mean to put off until a later time: deferred paying the bills; postponing our trip; shelved the issue; stay an execution; suspending train service.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

de·fer²   (dĭ-fûr') Pronunciation Key
v.   de·ferred, de·fer·ring, de·fers

v.   intr.
To submit to the opinion, wishes, or decision of another through respect or in recognition of his or her authority, knowledge, or judgment. See Synonyms at yield.

v.   tr.
To commit or entrust to another.

[Middle English deferen, from Old French deferer, from Latin dēferre, to carry away, refer to : dē-, de- + ferre, to carry; see bher-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

de·fer'rer n.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
defer (1)

"delay," c.1375, from O.Fr. differer, from L. differre "set apart, put off, delay," also "be different, differ," from dis- "apart" + ferre "carry" (see infer). Etymologically identical with differ; the spelling and pronunciation differentiated from 15c., partly by association of this word with delay.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
defer (2)

"yield," 1479, from M.Fr. deferer, from L. deferre "carry away, transfer, grant;" modern sense is from meaning "refer (a matter) to someone," from de- "down, away" + ferre "carry" (see infer). Deferential is from 1880.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

defer
verb
1.	hold back to a later time; "let's postpone the exam"
2.	yield to another's wish or opinion; "The government bowed to the military pressure" [syn: submit]

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Defer

De*fer"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deferred; p. pr. & vb. n. Deferring.] [OE. differren, F. diff['e]rer, fr. L. differre to delay, bear different ways; dis- + ferre to bear. See Bear to support, and cf. Differ, Defer to offer.] To put off; to postpone to a future time; to delay the execution of; to delay; to withhold.

Defer the spoil of the city until night. --Shak.

God . . . will not long defer To vindicate the glory of his name. --Milton.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Defer

Defer the spoil of the city until night. --Shak.

God . . . will not long defer To vindicate the glory of his name. --Milton.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Defer

De*fer"\, v. i. To put off; to delay to act; to wait.

Pius was able to defer and temporize at leisure. --J. A. Symonds.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Defer

De*fer"\, v. t. [F. d['e]f['e]rer to pay deference, to yield, to bring before a judge, fr. L. deferre to bring down; de- + ferre to bear. See Bear to support, and cf. Defer to delay, Delate.]

1. To render or offer. [Obs.]

Worship deferred to the Virgin. --Brevint.

2. To lay before; to submit in a respectful manner; to refer; -- with to.

Hereupon the commissioners . . . deferred the matter to the Earl of Northumberland. --Bacon.

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