defer

¹

[dih-fur]

verb (used with object)

deferred, deferring 

1. to put off (action, consideration, etc.) to a future time.

   The decision has been deferred by the board until next week.

2. to exempt temporarily from induction into military service.

verb (used without object)

deferred, deferring 

1. to put off action; delay.

defer

²

[dih-fur]

verb (used without object)

deferred, deferring 

1. to yield respectfully in judgment or opinion (usually followed byto ).

   We all defer to him in these matters.

   Synonyms: capitulate, acquiesce, submit, accede

verb (used with object)

deferred, deferring 

1. to submit for decision; refer.

   We defer questions of this kind to the president.

defer

¹

/ dɪˈfɜː /

verb

1. (tr) to delay or cause to be delayed until a future time; postpone

defer

²

/ dɪˈfɜː /

verb

1. to yield (to) or comply (with) the wishes or judgments of another

   I defer to your superior knowledge

Other Word Forms

• deferrer noun
• deferrable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of defer¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English deferen, differren “to delay”; defer ² differ

Origin of defer²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English deferren, from Latin dēferre “to carry from or down, report, accuse,” equivalent to dē- “from, away from, out of” + ferre “to carry”; de-, bear ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of defer¹

C14: from Old French differer to be different, postpone; see _differ

Origin of defer²

C15: from Latin dēferre, literally: to bear down, from _de- + ferre to bear

Synonym Study

Defer, delay, postpone imply keeping something from occurring until a future time. To defer is to decide to do something later on: to defer making a payment. To delay is sometimes equivalent to defer, but usually it is to act in a dilatory manner and thus lay something aside: to delay one's departure. To postpone a thing is to put it off to (usually) some particular time in the future, with the intention of beginning or resuming it then: to postpone an election. procrastinate.

Example Sentences

Even before this window, outstanding deferred transfer instalments were more than £3bn.

From BBC

It has suggested Niamh could stay in nursery and defer school for a year.

From BBC

In his long political career he has regularly been accused of not being interested in policy detail, and at Tuesday's news conference Farage repeatedly deferred to his colleague Zia Yusaf when questioned about Reform's policy.

From BBC

Instead of racing to put the fire out immediately, as was the practice for decades, they deferred to the doctrines of modern fire science.

From Los Angeles Times

It also granted them deferred action, which places individuals on a lower priority for removal proceedings.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adjourn 
• delay 
• extend 
• hold up 
• postpone 
• prolong 
• set aside 
• shelve 
• stall 
• suspend 
• waive