The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Defer \De*fer"\, v. i.
   To put off; to delay to act; to wait.
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         Pius was able to defer and temporize at leisure. --J.
                                                  A. Symonds.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Defer \De*fer"\, v. t. [F. d['e]f['e]rer to pay deference, to
   yield, to bring before a judge, fr. L. deferre to bring down;
   de- + ferre to bear. See Bear to support, and cf. Defer
   to delay, Delate.]
   1. To render or offer. [Obs.]
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            Worship deferred to the Virgin.       --Brevint.
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   2. To lay before; to submit in a respectful manner; to refer;
      -- with to.
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            Hereupon the commissioners . . . deferred the matter
            to the Earl of Northumberland.        --Bacon.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Defer \De*fer"\, v. i.
   To yield deference to the wishes of another; to submit to the
   opinion of another, or to authority; -- with to.
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         The house, deferring to legal right, acquiesced.
                                                  --Bancroft.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Defer \De*fer"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deferred; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Deferring.] [OE. differren, F. diff['e]rer, fr. L. differre
   to delay, bear different ways; dis- + ferre to bear. See
   Bear to support, and cf. Differ, Defer to offer.]
   To put off; to postpone to a future time; to delay the
   execution of; to delay; to withhold.
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         Defer the spoil of the city until night. --Shak.
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         God . . . will not long defer
         To vindicate the glory of his name.      --Milton.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

defer
    v 1: hold back to a later time; "let's postpone the exam" [syn:
         postpone, prorogue, hold over, put over, table,
         shelve, set back, defer, remit, put off]
    2: yield to another's wish or opinion; "The government bowed to
       the military pressure" [syn: submit, bow, defer,
       accede, give in]