defer

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English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Originally a variant of (and hence a doublet of) differ; from Middle English differren (to postpone), from Old French differer, from Latin differō.

Verb[edit]

defer (third-person singular simple present defers, present participle deferring, simple past and past participle deferred)

  1. (transitive) To delay or postpone.
    We're going to defer the decision until we have all the facts.
    1. (especially more common, historically) to postpone induction into military service.
  2. (American football) 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).
  3. (intransitive) To delay, to wait.
Derived terms[edit]
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From late Middle English differren (to refer for judgement), from Middle French déférer, from Latin dēferō.

Verb[edit]

defer (third-person singular simple present defers, present participle deferring, simple past and past participle deferred)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To submit to the opinion or desire of others in respect to their judgment or authority.
  2. To render, to offer.
    • 1872, Daniel Brevint, Saul and Samuel at Endor:
      worship deferred to the Virgin
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Anagrams[edit]

Latin[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

dēfer

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of dēferō