stave off

British  

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to avert or hold off (something undesirable or harmful), esp temporarily

   to stave off hunger

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stave off Idioms  

1. Keep or hold away, repel, as in The Federal Reserve Board is determined to stave off inflation. This metaphoric expression transfers beating something off with a staff or stave to nonphysical repulsion. [c. 1600]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stave off

Inside the secretive lab shaping America’s retail landscape: At a Florida lab few have ever seen, a team of researchers is trying to stave off a purported epidemic of shoplifting.

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

Public health officials, however, have advice for residents to stave off illness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

“We are in love with our institution,” said Atul Dev, a retired army officer who is part of a group leading efforts to stave off eviction in the courts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

But for one celebrity in China, even a legion of devoted fans was not enough to stave off the wrath of the internet.

From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026

At least that’s what I kept telling myself, in a vain attempt to stave off the epic loneliness I now felt.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline