putoff

An excuse made to delay or stall.

Noun

  1. An excuse made to delay or stall.
    • I think I would have asked farther, but Alan gave me the put-off. “I am rather wearied,” he said, “and I would like fine to get a sleep.” - 1886 May 1 – July 31, Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped, being Memoirs of the...

Origin

Deverbal from put off.

Forms

putoffs