stave off

Từ điển WordNet v3.1 - WordNet Dictionary

verb

prevent the occurrence of;
prevent from happening (Freq. 3)
- Let's avoid a confrontation
- head off a confrontation
- avert a strike
• Syn:
debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, deflect,
avert, head off, fend off, avoid, ward off
• Derivationally related forms:
avoidable (for: avoid), avertible (for: avert), avertable (for: avert), obviation (for: obviate)
• Hypernyms:
prevent, forestall, foreclose, preclude, forbid
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something