hold off

verb

1. (tr) to keep apart or at a distance

2. to refrain (from doing something)

   he held off buying the house until prices fell slightly

Idioms and Phrases

Keep at a distance, resist, delay, as in This payment should hold off the creditors . [Early 1400]

Stop or delay from action, as in Let's hold off until we know more . [c. 1600]