Deferred
dɪˈfɜːrd
Definitions
2 meaningsTo postpone; to put off to a future time.
dɪˈfɜːr
To postpone or put off (an action or event) to a later time.
They decided to defer the decision until after the investigation was complete.
💡 Simply: Think of it like hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock. You're delaying something, like a deadline, to do it later. Like when you DEFERRED your homework because you had to attend a birthday party.
👶 For kids: When you say, "Let's do that later!" You are deferring something.
More Examples
The professor deferred the test until after the students had finished the reading.
The bank agreed to defer the loan payments for six months.
How It's Used
"The meeting was deferred until next week due to the CEO's absence."
"The company deferred payment on its loan."
To submit to the opinion or judgment of another; to yield.
dɪˈfɜːr
To submit to or yield to the opinion or judgment of another.
In matters of protocol, one should always defer to the senior officer.
💡 Simply: It's like respecting someone's expertise and letting them make the call. For example, when you DEFER to the doctor's advice about your health.
👶 For kids: When you listen and do what someone says because you think they know best.
More Examples
The employees deferred to the manager's expertise on the project.
The court deferred to the precedent set by the previous case.
How It's Used
"The judge deferred to the jury's decision."
"She deferred to her elders on matters of tradition."
Idioms & expressions
deferred gratification
The act of resisting an immediate reward or temptation in order to obtain a greater one later.
"He understood the concept of deferred gratification, saving his allowance instead of spending it immediately."
From Middle English *deferren*, from Old French *deferrer* ("to delay, postpone"), from Latin *differre* (“to put off, postpone, delay, to be different”), from *dis-* (“apart”) + *ferre* (“to carry, bear”).
The word 'defer' has been used since the 14th century in English, originally meaning 'to put off' or 'delay.' Its usage expanded to include 'submit to' or 'yield to' in later centuries.
Memory tip
Imagine you're running late; you DEFER the appointment to fit it into your day.