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a situation in which neither side has won a competition or argument, or an occasion when someone prevents officials from acting, usually by threatening violence: The battle of wills between teacher and student was a standoff. She locked herself in the house, but after a brief standoff, police convinced her to come out.
noun. stand· off ˈstand-ˌȯf. Synonyms of standoff. 1. a. : tie, deadlock. the two teams played to a standoff. b. : a counterbalancing effect. 2. : the act of standing off. standoff. 2 of 3. adjective. 1. : standoffish. 2. : used for holding something at a distance from a surface. a standoff insulator. stand off. 3 of 3. verb.
A standoff is a situation in which neither of two opposing groups or forces will make a move until the other one does something, so nothing can happen until one of them gives way.
a situation in which neither side has won a competition or argument, or an occasion when someone prevents officials from acting, usually by threatening violence: The battle of wills between teacher and student was a standoff. She locked herself in the house, but after a brief standoff, police convinced her to come out.
12 Jun 2024 · A device which maintains a fixed distance between two objects, especially between a surface and a sign or electrical wiring . Coordinate term: holdoff. A deadlocked confrontation between antagonists. Coordinate term: stalemate. I don't want to get involved in the standoff between those two.
The word standoff is often used in the context of tense or seemingly hopeless situations in which two opposing sides are not willing to negotiate or change their positions even a little.
A situation in which one force or party neutralizes or counterbalances the other and further action is prevented; a standstill: a standoff between demonstrators and the police.
A standoff happens when two people or groups can't move forward or proceed because of a disagreement, or when two teams have a tied score. In chess, a stalemate is a kind of standoff—when there's no way for a player to move without putting herself in check.
Definition of standoff noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
noun. a standing off or apart; aloofness. a tie or draw, as in a game. something that counterbalances. a prop for holding the top of a ladder away from the vertical surface against which it is leaning. Electricity. an insulator that supports a conductor above a surface. See more. adjective.
