ph.

1. 推迟;拖延
If you hold off doing something, you delay doing it or delay making a decision about it.

2. （在比赛或竞赛中）抵挡住（对手的挑战）
If you hold off a challenge in a race or competition, you do not allow someone to pass you.

1. resist and fight to a standoff

e.g. Dallas had enough of a lead to hold the Broncos off

2. wait before acting

e.g. the scientists held off announcing their results until they repeated the experiment

Synonym: waithold back