standoff
or stand-off
[stand-awf, -of]
- a standing off or apart; aloofness.
- a tie or draw, as in a game.
- something that counterbalances.
- a prop for holding the top of a ladder away from the vertical surface against which it is leaning.
- Electricity. an insulator that supports a conductor above a surface.
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- standing off or apart; aloof; reserved: an uncordial and standoff manner.
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Origin of standoff
First recorded in 1830–40; noun, adj. use of verb phrase stand off
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for standoff
Contemporary Examples
He was threatening to immolate both of them when police ended a standoff by grabbing him.
Ex-MMA fighter Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller live-tweeted a standoff with police over domestic violence charges.
The MMA Fighters Have Gone Crazy: ‘Mayhem’ Miller the Latest in a Long Line of Psycho PugilistsRobert Silverman
October 10, 2014
Faced with this opponent, the United States has a variety of military options for using its aerial and standoff firepower.
Merah was gunned down by police after a tense manhunt and violent 32-hour standoff at his apartment.
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) spoke out against Bundy after the standoff.
Historical Examples
It was a standoff, by my cooking and doing other camp duties and marketing our products.
The Adventures of Two Alabama BoysH. J. Crumpton and Washington Bryan Crumpton
But the court will know that you have as much interest in lying as I have, and itll just be a standoff.
The Radio Boys at Mountain PassAllen Chapman
standoff
- US and Canadian the act or an instance of standing off or apart
- a deadlock or stalemate
- any situation or disposition of forces that counterbalances or neutralizes
- rugby short for stand-off half
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- (intr) to navigate a vessel so as to avoid the shore, an obstruction, etc
- (tr) to keep or cause to keep at a distance
- (intr) to reach a deadlock or stalemate
- (tr) to dismiss (workers), esp temporarily
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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