STAND OFF

а. держаться на расстоянии от; отодвинуться от; We stood off 500 of the enemy forces for nine days; б. отстранить, уволить (на время); 300 workers at the car factory were stood off when there was a lack of steel; в. мор. удаляться от берега; Three battleships were kept standing off as a silent threat to the island people.