Keep apart or at a distance (4,3) Crossword Clue
Answer: HELD OFF (7 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Keep apart or at a distance (4,3)" with 7 letters is "HELD OFF".Held off means to keep something or someone apart, delay, or prevent action from occurring, often by maintaining a distance or postponing an event. It can be used in contexts where you resist engaging or delay a response, such as holding off on making a decision.
Why “Held Off” Fits
The clue asks for a phrase (4,3) meaning “keep apart or at a distance.” The answer, HELD OFF, fits exactly:
- Keep apart or at a distance: Held off means to delay, prevent, or keep something (or someone) away at a distance.
- Direct match: With enumeration (4,3), held off precisely matches the clue structure.
- Accurate idiom: It conveys both physical and figurative senses of keeping separate or postponing.
The phrase held off is widely used in both literal and figurative English:
- Origin and usage: From the verb “hold” (to keep, restrain) + “off” (at a distance), creating a phrase used since the 16th century.
- Contexts: Can refer to delaying bad weather, resisting an opponent, or postponing an event.
- Examples: “The team held off their rivals to win the game,” or “The storm held off until evening.” Both reflect the sense of keeping something at bay.
In quick crosswords, clues like “keep apart or at a distance (4,3)” usually signal phrasal combinations:
- Alternatives such as put off (3,3) or kept by (4,2) might surface, but they don’t capture the exact nuance of distance as held off does.
- The enumeration (4,3) strongly indicates a two-part phrase, guiding solvers toward idiomatic English expressions.
- With its clear length, everyday familiarity, and fitting meaning, held off is the correct solution.
