stave off

S s

Definitions of stave off words

noun stave off one of the thin, narrow, shaped pieces of wood that form the sides of a cask, tub, or similar vessel. 1
noun stave off a stick, rod, pole, or the like. 1
noun stave off a rung of a ladder, chair, etc. 1
noun stave off Prosody. a verse or stanza of a poem or song. the alliterating sound in a line of verse, as the w- sound in wind in the willows. 1
noun stave off Music. staff1 (def 10). 1
verb with object stave off to break in a stave or staves of (a cask or barrel) so as to release the wine, liquor, or other contents. 1

before 1125

One of the 6% oldest English words

1125-75; (noun) Middle English, back formation from staves; (v.) derivative of the noun

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 88% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

avert — If you avert something unpleasant, you prevent it from happening.
beat back — to force to retreat; drive back
beat off — to drive back; repel
circumvent — If someone circumvents a rule or restriction, they avoid having to obey the rule or restriction, in a clever and perhaps dishonest way.
corked — (of a wine) tainted through having a cork containing excess tannin