WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

stave off
    v 1: prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's
         avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert
         a strike" [syn: debar, forefend, forfend, obviate,
         deflect, avert, head off, stave off, fend off,
         avoid, ward off]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

83 Moby Thesaurus words for "stave off":
   adjourn, anticipate, avert, bar, beat off, block, check, continue,
   counter, debar, defer, deflect, delay, deter, discourage,
   dishearten, drag out, drive back, drive off, estop, exclude,
   extend, fend, fend off, forbid, foreclose, forestall, hang fire,
   hang up, help, hinder, hold at bay, hold off, hold over, hold up,
   keep at bay, keep from, keep off, lay aside, lay by, lay over,
   obstruct, obviate, parry, pigeonhole, postpone, preclude, prevent,
   prohibit, prolong, prorogate, prorogue, protract, push aside,
   push back, put aside, put back, put off, put on ice, rebuff, rebut,
   recess, repel, repulse, reserve, rule out, save, set aside, set by,
   shelve, shift off, sleep on, stand over, stay, stop, stretch out,
   suspend, table, take a recess, turn aside, waive, ward, ward off