Are postpone, put off, hold off, delay interchangeable without difference in this sentence?
I, for one, would prefer to postpone/put off/hold off/delay the meeting.
In American English, you could hear all four. More formal usage would favor 'postpone' or 'delay'. However, all four might be used in normal spoken English.
7 de septiembre de 2012
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'Put off' can not be used here, neither can 'hold off'. 'Postpone' and 'delay' can be used.
7 de septiembre de 2012
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I agree with petrifyer. I would not use put off or hold off. These two have specific implications and you have to be when you use them.
If you put a meeting off, it usually happens through negligence or avoidance. Just like you put off going on a diet or seeing a doctor.
To postpone a meeting is more of a strategic delay or an accommodation in schedule. You may or may not have a later date already schedule.
To hold off a meeting is usually a last minute delay with in indefinite schedule. It is usually not very long. A meeting can be held off for 15 minutes to allow the arrival of an important speaker. Very informal and implies that participants of the meeting were more than likely unaware of the delay.
And delay is a term too general to use here unless specifics are not important. To say a meeting was delayed, one can't help but wonder why it was a delayed.
Was it because an incompetent project manager kept putting it off?
Was it postponed because of conflicting schedules?
Or was it only held off for 10 minutes because the CEO had to run to the bathroom urgently?
8 de septiembre de 2012
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I would personally use any of those words in the sentence. They all sound fine and people would understand what you are saying.
7 de septiembre de 2012
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