The term 'stave off' means to prevent or delay something from happening. The crossword solutions for this term are 'FEND, ' 'WARD, ' 'AVERT, ' 'REPEL, ' 'REBUFF, ' 'RESIST, ' and 'ruleout.' FEND is a verb meaning to WARD off or defend against an attack. WARD is a verb meaning to protect or guard against danger, attack, or harm. AVERT is a verb meaning to turn away or prevent something from happening. REPEL is a verb meaning to drive back or force away by or as if by a physical force. REBUFF is a verb meaning to reject or rebut someone or something. RESIST is a verb meaning to withstand the force or effect of something. Ruleout is a verb meaning to eliminate or exclude something from consideration. All of these words can be used to describe the action of staving off something.