defer

¹

[ dih-fur ]

verb (used with object)

, de·ferred, de·fer·ring.

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)

, de·ferred, de·fer·ring.

1. to put off action; delay.

defer

²

[ dih-fur ]

verb (used without object)

, de·ferred, de·fer·ring.

1. to yield respectfully in judgment or opinion (usually followed by to ):

   We all defer to him in these matters.

   Synonyms: capitulate, acquiesce, submit, accede

verb (used with object)

, de·ferred, de·fer·ring.

1. to submit for decision; refer:

   We defer questions of this kind to the president.

defer

¹

/ dɪˈfɜː /

verb

1. intrfoll byto to yield (to) or comply (with) the wishes or judgments of another

   I defer to your superior knowledge

defer

²

/ dɪˈfɜː /

verb

1. tr to delay or cause to be delayed until a future time; postpone

Derived Forms

• deˈferrer, noun
• deˈferrable, adjective

Other Words From

• de·ferrer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of defer¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English deferen, differren “to delay”; defer ² differ

Origin of defer²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English deferren, from Latin dēferre “to carry from or down, report, accuse,” equivalent to dē- “from, away from, out of” + ferre “to carry”; de-, bear ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of defer¹

C15: from Latin dēferre, literally: to bear down, from de- + ferre to bear

Origin of defer²

C14: from Old French differer to be different, postpone; see differ

Synonym Study

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. procrastinate.

Example Sentences

Or will we simply see more senseless bloodshed and another generation of Palestinians defer their dreams of a homeland?

From The Daily Beast

Owens also accused her of making far more than she claims to need in order to defer the costs of her $58,000 tuition.

From The Daily Beast

So did Rush simply defer to the Pontiff when he was speaking about caring for the poor and helping those in need.

From The Daily Beast

The president respects him and has been known to defer to him.

From The Daily Beast

Messina asked to defer the conversation until after the midterm elections of 2010.

From The Daily Beast

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

From Project Gutenberg

Lady Engleton received the impression that Mrs. Temperley was too sure of her own judgment to defer even to the wisest.

From Project Gutenberg

The war, which then existed between the Persians and the Turks, could not make him defer the execution of his pious enterprise.

From Project Gutenberg

The answer to my invitation was that much as she would love to see me we should have to defer our meeting to some other time.

From Project Gutenberg

But as my marriage will lead me into far different scenes, I shall, if you please, defer them till some other evening.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• adjourn
• delay
• extend
• hold up
• postpone
• prolong
• set aside
• shelve
• stall
• suspend
• waive