Standoff

verb

Word Frequency: 0.3

Definitions

1.verbTo stand some distance apart from something or someone.

"He stood off from the fire, for fear of getting scorched."

2.verbTo prevent any would-be attacker from coming close by adopting an offensive posture.

"We took hold of anything that might serve as a weapon to stand off the menacing group of young men."

3.verbTo move away from shore.

4.nounA device which maintains a fixed distance between two objects, especially between a surface and a sign or electrical wiring.

5.nounA deadlocked confrontation between antagonists (see stand off and verb below).

"A tense standoff between demonstrators and police continued overnight."

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