| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop a proceeding |
| Synonyms: | curb, defer, delay, discontinue, hold off, hold over, hold up, postpone, prorogue, put off, recess, restrain, shelve, stay, suspend |
| Antonyms: | begin, convene, convoke, encourage, further, keep on, open, rally, stimulate, urge |
| Main Entry: | delay |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause stop in action |
| Synonyms: | adjourn, arrest, bar, bide time, block, check, choke, clog, confine, curb, dawdle, defer, detain, deter, dilly-dally, discourage, drag, encumber, filibuster, gain time, hamper, hold, hold over, impede, inhibit, interfere, intermit, keep, keep back, lag, lay over, linger, loiter, obstruct, postpone, prevent, procrastinate, prolong, prorogue, protract, put off, remand, repress, restrict, retard, shelve, slacken, stall, stave off, stay, suspend, table, tarry, temporize, withhold |
| Notes: | various things may cause a delay, but a postponement will result from the action of a person |
| Antonyms: | advance, dispatch, expedite, further, hasten, hurry, rush, speed |
| Main Entry: | hold up |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | postpone |
| Synonyms: | delay, detain, hinder, hold off, impede, interfere, interrupt, pause, prorogue, retard, set back, slow down, stay, stop, suspend, waive |
| Antonyms: | allow, continue, forward, permit, promote |
| Main Entry: | postpone |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | put off till later time |
| Synonyms: | adjourn, cool it, defer, delay, give a rain check, hang fire, hold off, hold over, hold up, lay over, pigeonhole, prorogue, put back, put on back burner, put on hold, shelve, suspend, table |
| Antonyms: | carry out, continue, do, expedite, forward, maintain, persevere |
| Main Entry: | put off |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defer, delay |
| Synonyms: | adjourn, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag one's feet, hold off, hold over, lag*, lay over, linger, loiter, poke*, postpone, prorogue, put back, reschedule, retard, shelve, stay, suspend, tarry, trail |
| Antonyms: | accomplish, achieve, carry out, do, succeed |
| Main Entry: | recess |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop action |
| Synonyms: | adjourn, break off, break up, call time, dissolve, drop, drop it, pigeonhole, prorogate, prorogue, put on hold, rise, shake, sideline, take a break, take a breather, take five, take ten, terminate |
| Antonyms: | continue |
| Main Entry: | remit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop, postpone |
| Synonyms: | abate, absolve, alleviate, amnesty, cancel, condone, decrease, defer, delay, desist, diminish, dwindle, ease up, excuse, exonerate, fall away, forbear, forgive, halt, hold off, hold up, intermit, mitigate, moderate, modify, modulate, pardon, prorogue, put off, reduce, relax, release, repeal, reprieve, rescind, respite, shelve, sink, slack, slacken, soften, stay, suspend, wane, weaken |
| Antonyms: | encourage, forge, forward |
| Main Entry: | shelve |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defer, postpone |
| Synonyms: | delay, dismiss, drop, freeze*, give up, hang up, hold, hold off, hold over, hold up, lay aside, mothball, pigeonhole, prolong, prorogue, put aside, put off, put on back burner, put on hold, put on ice, scrub, sideline, slow up, stay, suspend, table, tie up, waive |
| Antonyms: | carry out, do, go ahead |
| Main Entry: | stay |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hold in abeyance |
| Synonyms: | adjourn, arrest, check, curb, defer, delay, detain, discontinue, halt, hinder, hold, hold over, impede, intermit, interrupt, obstruct, postpone, prevent, prorogue, put off, shelve, stall, stop, suspend, ward off |