Stave (someone or something) off idiom
If you stave (someone or something) off, you guard or stand up against someone or something so that they cannot assault you.
The armed aggressors were too powerful for the kingdom to stave off.
If you stave (something) off, you cannot put it off or delay it any longer.
After having not eaten for 3 days, the prisoner could no longer stave his hunger off and decided to reveal all the secrets.
To delay taking action to solve something
To compete or defend someone or something in a strong or forceful way
To delay or postpone something that is predicted to be unpleasant, difficult or annoying for as long as possible
To leave someone waiting for an answer or a response
To tell someone the truth about something that they had not understood or received false information
I have to set my wife straight about what happened yesterday.