Definitions for defer
dɪˈfɜrde·fer

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. postpone, prorogue, hold over, put over, table, shelve, set back, defer, remit, put offverb

   hold back to a later time

   "let's postpone the exam"

2. submit, bow, defer, accede, give inverb

   yield to another's wish or opinion

   "The government bowed to the military pressure"

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. To Deferverb

   1. To withold; to delay.

   Defer the promis’d boon, the goddess cries,
   Celestial azure brightning in the eyes. Alexander Pope, Odyssey, b. i.

   Neither is this a matter to be deferred ’till a more convenient time of peace and leisure. Jonathan Swift.

   2. To refer to; to leave to another’s judgment and determination.

   The commissioners deferred the matter unto the earl of Northumberland, who was the principal man of authority in those parts. Francis Bacon, Henry VII.

2. To DEFERverb

   Etymology: from differo, Latin.

   1. To put off; to delay to act.

   He will not long defer
   To vindicate the glory of his name
   Against all competition, nor will long
   Endure it. John Milton, Agonistes, l. 473.

   Inure thyself by times to the love and practice of good deeds; for the longer thou deferest to be acquainted with them, the less every day thou wilt find thyself disposed to them. Francis Atterbury.

   2. To pay deference or regard to another’s opinion.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defer

   To defer means to delay or postpone an action, decision, or event to a later time or date. It involves putting something off until a more suitable or convenient moment in the future. Deferring allows for additional time for consideration, preparation, or completion.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. Deferverb

   to put off; to postpone to a future time; to delay the execution of; to delay; to withhold

2. Deferverb

   to put off; to delay to act; to wait

3. Deferverb

   to render or offer

4. Deferverb

   to lay before; to submit in a respectful manner; to refer; -- with to

5. Deferverb

   to yield deference to the wishes of another; to submit to the opinion of another, or to authority; -- with to

6. Etymology: [OE. differren, F. diffrer, fr. L. differre to delay, bear different ways; dis- + ferre to bear. See Bear to support, and cf. Differ, Defer to offer.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Defer

   de-fėr′, v.t. to put off to another time: to delay:—pr.p. defer′ring; pa.p. deferred′.—ns. Defer′ment; Defer′rer, a procrastinator.—Deferred annuity (see Annuity); Deferred pay, an allowance paid to soldiers on their discharge, or to their relations on their death; Deferred shares, shares issued by a trading company, but not entitling the holder to a full share of the profits of the company, and sometimes to none at all, until the expiration of a specified time or the occurrence of some event. [L. differre—dis, asunder, ferre, to bear, carry.]

2. Defer

   de-fėr, v.i. to yield to the wishes or opinions of another, or to authority.—v.t. to submit to or lay before:—pr.p. defer′ring; pa.p. deferred′.—n. Def′erence, a deferring or yielding in judgment or opinion: regard: submission.—adj. Def′erent, bearing away, carrying off.—n. a deferent duct (as opposed to an afferent one) in the human body.—adj. Deferen′tial, expressing deference or respect.—adv. Deferen′tially. [L. deferre—de, down, and ferre, to bear.]

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. DEFER

   According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Defer is ranked #66553 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
   
   The Defer surname appeared 297 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Defer.
   
   93.9% or 279 total occurrences were White.
   2.6% or 8 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
   1.6% or 5 total occurrences were of two or more races.

Anagrams for defer »

1. freed

How to pronounce defer?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say defer in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of defer in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of defer in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of defer in a Sentence

1. Chris Christie:

   I’m not going to defer to anyone.

2. James Clapper:

   During my tenure as DNI, it was my practice to defer to the FBI director -- both (former FBI) Director (Robert) Mueller and Director Comey -- on whether, when, and to what extent they would inform me about such investigations.

3. Kim Chamberlain:

   Obviously, we would strongly prefer for states to defer to federal regulation, state legislation would be hugely problematic - it would be very difficult to train and supervise people if the rules differ from state to state on such a complex topic.

4. Michael Madden:

   People who are nominally her superiors most likely defer to her.

5. Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari:

   We have been really committed to paying this on time up until now, we are in discussions with the Kuwaitis, trying to defer the payment for two years or at least a year, to allow some space... to present a realistic budget.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=defer
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=defer
3. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
4. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer
5. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=defer
6. ^ Surnames Frequency by Census Records
   https://www.census.gov/topics/population/genealogy/data/2010_surnames.html