Both Uses of
defer
in
The Great Gatsby
- So Tom Buchanan and his girl and I went up together to New York — or not quite together, for Mrs. Wilson sat discreetly in another car. Tom deferred that much to the sensibilities of those East Eggers who might be on the train.
p. 26.9 *deferred = submitted or yielded
- I told him that all arrangements had been deferred until he came.
p. 168.3 *deferred = delayed
Definitions:
-
(1)
(defer as in: deferred the decision) delay or postpone (hold off until a later time)
-
(2)
(defer as in: deferred to her wishes) submit or yield (typically to another person's opinion because of respect for that person or their knowledge)