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Defer vs Emulate - What's the difference?

defer | emulate |

As verbs the difference between defer and emulate

is that defer is to delay or postpone; especially to postpone induction into military service or defer can be (legal) to submit to the opinion or desire of another in respect to their judgment or authority while emulate is to attempt to equal or be the same as.

As an adjective emulate is

(obsolete) striving to excel; ambitious; emulous.

defer

English

Etymology 1

* From (etyl) differer, from (etyl) .

Verb

(deferr)
  • To delay or postpone; especially to postpone induction into military service.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Defer the spoil of the city until night.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1818 , author=Mary Shelley , title=Frankenstein , chapter=3 citation , passage=My departure for Ingolstadt, which had been deferred by these events, was now again determined upon.}}
  • to delay, to wait
  • * Milton
    • God will not long defer / To vindicate the glory of his name.
  • (American football) to choose to kick off after winning the opening coin toss.
    • Related terms
    * differ
    Derived terms
    * deferral

    Etymology 2

    * From (etyl)

    Verb

    (deferr)
  • (legal) To submit to the opinion or desire of another in respect to their judgment or authority.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Hereupon the commissioners deferred the matter to the Earl of Northumberland.
  • * 1899 ,
    • "Well, I must defer to your judgment. You are captain," he said with marked civility.
  • to render, to offer
  • * Brevint
    • worship deferred to the Virgin
    Derived terms
    * deference

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    emulate

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Verb

    (emulat)
  • To attempt to equal or be the same as.
  • To copy or imitate, especially a person.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 1 , author=Saj Chowdhury , title=Wolverhampton 1 - 2 Newcastle , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The Magpies are unbeaten and enjoying their best run since 1994, although few would have thought the class of 2011 would come close to emulating their ancestors.}}
  • (obsolete) To feel a rivalry with; to be jealous of, to envy.
  • * 1624 , John Smith, Generall Historie , in Kupperman 1988, p. 146:
    • But the councell then present emulating my successe, would not thinke it fit to spare me fortie men to be hazzarded in those unknowne regions [...].
  • (computing) of a program or device: to imitate another program or device

    • Related terms

    * emulation * emulator * emulous

    See also

    * mimic * copy * imitate * simulate

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Striving to excel; ambitious; emulous.
  • * Shakespeare
    • A most emulate pride.
    ----