stave off
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Related to stave off: touch base, drop off
stave
(stāv)n.
1.
a. A narrow strip of wood forming part of the sides of a barrel, tub, or similar structure.
b. One of the wooden planks in a stave wall.
2. A rung of a ladder or chair.
3. A staff or cudgel.
4. Music See staff1.
5. A set of verses; a stanza.
tr.v. staved or stove (stōv), stav·ing, staves
Phrasal Verb: To crush or smash inward, often by making a hole. Often used with in: "The jetliner had staved in the south side of the structure. The plane had ripped a hole 150 feet wide" (Bill Sammon).
stave off
To keep or hold off; repel: "For 12 years, we've sought to stave off this ultimate threat of disaster" (New York Times).
[Back-formation from staves, pl. of staff.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
stave off
vb
(tr, adverb) to avert or hold off (something undesirable or harmful), esp temporarily: to stave off hunger.
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
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Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
stave off
verb hold off, avert, ward off, parry, evade, fend off, keep at bay, keep at arm's length a desperate attempt to stave off defeat
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
stave
nounA fairly long straight piece of solid material used especially as a support in walking:
stave off
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
w>stave off
vt sep
attack → zurückschlagen; threat, crisis, cold → abwehren; defeat, disaster, bankruptcy → abwenden; hunger, boredom → lindern
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007