hold off

verb

1. tr to keep apart or at a distance
2. introften foll byfrom to refrain (from doing something)

   he held off buying the house until prices fell slightly

Example Sentences

The court agreed to hold off any decisions until today while all parties sorted out the historic implications of his re-election.

From BBC

They serve their superiors reliably yet sometimes secretly, occasionally contravening their superiors' domestic interests by distorting what they tell them about bargains being struck with adversaries to hold off blood-dimmed tides.

From Salon

Still, other media organizations, looking at the very same data, held off until Saturday morning before officially declaring Biden the winner, haunted by the memory of past missteps.

From Los Angeles Times

England held off a physical Samoa side to claim a hard-fought victory in the opening match of their two-Test series.

From BBC

On Monday, Judge William Henry Scott ruled that Young did not act illegally, but held off on deciding whether the term “black market” in the story implied criminality.

From Los Angeles Times