delaying action

American  

noun

Military.

1. a maneuver in which a defensive force delays the advance of a superior enemy force by withdrawing while inflicting the maximum destruction possible without engaging in decisive combat.

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delaying action British  

noun

1. a measure or measures taken to gain time, as when weaker military forces harass the advance of a superior enemy without coming to a pitched battle

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Example Sentences

Authors of the report say that timeline “falls far short of protecting groundwater by delaying action until 2040.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2023

He argues that, while accurate data is needed, the search for ever-more-accurate numbers has become a form of delaying action itself.

From Salon • Nov. 16, 2022

Even paying law firms to defend Citgo has split the opposition, delaying action, people close to the matter said.

From Reuters • Oct. 22, 2021

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas called on governments thinking of delaying action any longer to study the "terrifying" report.

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2021

On this double-headed committee I deliberately thwarted his purpose throughout the entire session, delaying action and preventing any report upon his bill.

From Autobiography of Andrew Dickson White — Volume 1 by White, Andrew Dickson