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Temporize vs Defer - What's the difference?

temporize | defer |

As verbs the difference between temporize and defer

is that temporize is to deliberately act evasively or prolong a discussion in order to gain time or postpone a decision, sometimes in order to reach a compromise or simply to make a conversation more temperate while 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.

temporize

English

Verb

  • To deliberately act evasively or prolong a discussion in order to gain time or postpone a decision, sometimes in order to reach a compromise or simply to make a conversation more temperate.
  • (obsolete) To comply with the time or occasion; to humor, or yield to, the current of opinion or circumstances; also, to trim, as between two parties.
  • * Daniel
  • They might their grievance inwardly complain, But outwardly they needs must temporize .
  • (obsolete) To delay; to procrastinate.
  • (Francis Bacon)
  • (obsolete) To comply; to agree.
  • (Shakespeare)

    Derived terms

    * temporizer

    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.
  • 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

    * * ----