- putoff - a pretext for delay or inaction
--1 is a kind of pretext, stalking-horse
Derived form: verb put off1
- postpone, prorogue, hold over, put over, table, shelve, set back, defer, remit, put off - hold back to a later time; "let's postpone the exam"
--1 is one way to delay
Sample sentences:Derived form: noun putoff1
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP
- turn off, put off - cause to feel intense dislike or distaste
--2 is one way to repel, repulse
Sample sentence:
The performance is likely to put off Sue
- dishearten, put off - take away the enthusiasm of
--3 is one way to discourage
Sample sentence:
The performance is likely to put off Sue
- confuse, flurry, disconcert, put off - cause to feel embarrassment; "The constant attention of the young man confused her"
--4 is one way to embarrass, abash
Sample sentence:
The bad news will put off him
- hedge, fudge, evade, put off, circumvent, parry, elude, skirt, dodge, duck, sidestep - avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues); "He dodged the issue"; "she skirted the problem"; "They tend to evade their responsibilities"; "he evaded the questions skillfully"
--5 is one way to avoid
Sample sentence:
Somebody ----s something