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put off; to postpone to a future time; to delay the execution of; to delay; to withhold. Defer the spoil of the city until night. Shak. God . . . will not long defer To vindicate the glory of his name. Milton.

o the wishes or opinion of another; submission in opinion; regard; respect; complaisance. Deference to the authority of thoughtful and sagacious men. Whewell. Deference is the most complicate, the most indirect, and the most elegant of all compliments. Shenstone.

Serving to carry; bearing. [R.] "Bodies deferent." Bacon.

Expressing deference; accustomed to defer.

With deference.

he act of delaying; postponement. [R.] My grief, joined with the instant business, Begs a deferment. Suckling.

One who defers or puts off.

A subsiding from a state of ebullition; loss of heat; lukewarmness. A defervescency in holy actions. Jer. Taylor.

To put off or defer to another day, or indefinitely; to postpone; to close or suspend for the day; -- commonly said of the meeting, or the action, of convened body; as, to adjourn the meeting; to adjourn a debate. It is a common practice to adjourn the reformation of their lives to a further time. Barrow. 'Tis a needfu…

ix; to determine. [Archaic] The divine law . . . ascertaineth the truth. Hooker. The very deferring [of his execution] shall increase and ascertain the condemnation. Jer. Taylor. The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority . . . persuaded the queen to create twelve new peers. Smollett. The mildness and precision of…

n, the ceremonies, or polite observances of society. Delicacy of breeding, or that polite deference and respect which civility obliges us either to express or counterfeit towards the persons with whom we converse. Hume.

trading cities and districts. [Eng.] Blackstone. -- In conscience, In all conscience, in deference or obedience to conscience or reason; in reason; reasonably. "This is enough in conscience." Howell. "Half a dozen fools are, in all conscience, as many as you should require." Swift. -- To make conscience of, To make a…

The premium or interest paid by the buyer to the seller, to be allowed to defer paying for the stock purchased until the next fortnightly settlement day. [Eng.]

A putting off or deferring; procrastination; lingering inactivity; stop; detention; hindrance. Without any delay, on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat. Acts xxv. 17. The government ought to be settled without the delay of a day. Macaulay.

Inclined to defer or put off what ought to be done at once; given the procrastination; delaying; procrastinating; loitering; as, a dilatory servant.

perform, the duties required by one who has the right to claim submission, obedience, or deference; submissive to natural or legal superiors; obedient, as to parents or superiors; as, a dutiful son or daughter; a dutiful ward or servant; a dutiful subject.

he circumference of a greater circle; or a small circle, whose center, being fixed in the deferent of a planet, is carried along with the deferent, and yet, by its own peculiar motion, carries the body of the planet fastened to it round its proper center. The schoolmen were like astronomers which did feign eccentries,…

In truth; in fact; certainly; very well; -- formerly used as an expression of deference or respect, especially to woman; now used ironically or contemptuously. A fit man, forsooth, to govern a realm! Hayward. Our old English word forsooth has been changed for the French madam. Guardian.

Respect or reverential regard; deference; especially, respect paid by external action; obeisance. All things in heaven and earth do her [Law] homage. Hooker. I sought no homage from the race that write. Pope.

To regard or treat with honor, esteem, or respect; to revere; to treat with deference and submission; when used of the Supreme Being, to reverence; to adore; to worship. Honor thy father and thy mother. Ex. xx. 12. That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. John v. 23. It is a custom More honor'd…