The term 'HELD OFF' can be summarized by two crossword solutions: 'STAVED' (6 letters) and 'ATBAY' (5 letters). 'STAVED' means to have kept something at bay or prevented it from happening, while 'ATBAY' means to have kept something away or prevented it from coming closer. Both terms imply a sense of keeping something away or preventing it from happening, which is the essence of the phrase 'HELD OFF'.