/dɪˈfɜː/, /dɪˈfeː/, /dɪˈfɛː/
OriginOriginally a variant of (and hence a doublet of) differ; from Middle English differren (“to postpone”), from Old French differer, from Latin differō. Doublet of differ and dilate. See also infer, collate and confer, delate and defer, relate and refer as well as prelate and prefer among others.
- transitiveTo delay or postpone.
“We're going to defer the decision until we have all the facts.”
“Deferre the ſpoile of the Citie vntill night:”
“My journey to Ingolstadt, which had been deferred by these events, was now again determined upon.”
- common, especially, transitiveto postpone induction into military service.
- After winning the opening coin toss, to postpone until the start of the second half a team's choice of whether to kick off or receive (and to allow the opposing team to make this choice at the start of the first half).
- intransitiveTo delay, to wait.
“God […] will not long defer / To vindicate the glory of his name”
- ambitransitiveTo submit to the opinion or desire of others in respect to their judgment or authority.
“Hereupon the commissioners […] deferred the matter to the Earl of Northumberland.”
“"Defer/Defer/To the Lord High Executioner."”
“"Well, I must defer to your judgment. You are captain," he said with marked civility.”
- To render, to offer.
“worship deferred to the Virgin”
Formsdefers(present, singular, third-person) · deferring(participle, present) · deferred(participle, past) · deferred(past)