MEANING
To delay, prevent, or ward off something threatening, usually for a limited time.
Use it for
Name an effort that postpones or resists an approaching threat.Describe buying time against a threat without suggesting it has been permanently solved.
Words that belong together
- stave off a crisis
- stave off hunger
- stave off closure
On the page
They burned driftwood to stave off the cold until dawn.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- stave off
- Past tense
- staved off
- Past participle
- staved off
- Present participle
- staving off
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- stave off
- Present continuous
- am/is/are staving off
- Present perfect
- have/has staved off
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been staving off
- Past
- staved off
- Past continuous
- was/were staving off
- Past perfect
- had staved off
- Past perfect continuous
- had been staving off
- Future
- will stave off
- Future continuous
- will be staving off
- Future perfect
- will have staved off
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been staving off
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
A separable phrasal verb: “stave a crisis off” is also possible. It usually suggests temporary resistance, not a permanent solution.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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