stand off

stand off
{v.} 1. To stay at a distance; stay apart. * /At parties, Mr. Jones goes around talking to everyone, but Mrs. Jones is shy and stands off./ 2. To keep (someone or something) from coming near or winning. * /The soldiers defending the fort stood off a large band of Indians./ * /The other schools wanted to beat our team and win the championship, but our boys stood them all off./ Contrast: GIVE GROUND.

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • stand|off — stand off or stand|off «STAND F, OF», noun, adjective. –n. 1. a tie or draw in a game. 2. Figurative: »It is far easier to maintain a stand off between two superpowers than between three or four (Bulletin of Atomic Scientists). 3. a standing off… …   Useful english dictionary

  • stand-off — stand offs also standoff N COUNT A stand off is a situation in which neither of two opposing groups or forces will make a move until the other one does something, so nothing can happen until one of them gives way. → See also Mexican stand off… …   English dictionary

  • stand-off — ► NOUN 1) a deadlock between two equally matched opponents. 2) short for STAND OFF HALF(Cf. ↑stand off half) …   English terms dictionary

  • stand off — ► stand off move or keep away. Main Entry: ↑stand …   English terms dictionary

  • stand off — index deadlock Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • stand off — intransitive verb 1. : to stay at a distance in social intercourse or acquaintance : be unapproachable or unobliging 2. : to sail away from the shore transitive verb 1. a. : to hold at a distance : keep from advancing : repel …   Useful english dictionary

  • stand-off — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms stand off : singular stand off plural stand offs 1) a disagreement or fight in which neither opponent can do anything to win or achieve their aim 2) British a fly half in the game of rugby …   English dictionary

  • stand off — verb a) To stand some distance apart form something or someone. He stood off from the fire, for fear of getting scorched. b) To prevent any would be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture. We took hold of anything that might… …   Wiktionary

  • stand-off — /ˈstænd ɒf/ (say stand of) noun 1. → stand off half. 2. an agreement to suspend active hostilities, as in an industrial dispute. –adjective 3. standing off or apart; aloof; reserved …  

  • stand off — 1) stay at a distance, stay apart He always stands off from the rest of the students in his class. 2) keep someone or something from coming near or winning There was a stand off at the bank between the police and the bank robbers …   Idioms and examples

  • stand-off — i. To deliver weapons and still remain outside the effective range of the enemy defenses when on strike missions. ii. To have to park too far from the terminal to be able to use an air bridge. iii. To remain outside the airfield circuit or… …   Aviation dictionary

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