專四考試常見詞辨析：defer還有延遲的意思

　　delay, postpone, defer, suspend, prolong, put off

　　這些動詞或短語動詞均有推延，延期之意。

　　delay : 普通用詞，多指因外界原因推遲或耽誤，也可指有意推遲。

　　My delay in going abroad is due to my illness.

　　postpone : 正式用詞，語氣較強，多指有安排的延期，常指明延期到一定的時間。

　　They postponed leaving because of the weather.(他們因天氣原因而延遲離開。)

　　defer : 正式用詞，語氣強于postpone，多指故意拖延。

　　The department deferred the decision for six months.(這個部門推遲了六個月才作決定。)

　　suspend : 指暫時中斷以待某種條件的實現。

　　Both sides in the conflict have agreed temporarily to suspend hostilities.(沖突雙方同意暫時停火。)

　　prolong : 指把時間延長至超過正常或通常的限度。

　　Two countries prolonged signing an agreement until details could be agreed on.(兩國推遲簽約直到就細節達成協議。)

　　put off : 口語用詞，與postpone同義，但較通俗。

　　The appointment was put off because of his illness.(由于他生病而推遲了約會。)