hold one's troops where they are; take no action
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesidiom
to hold one's troops where they are; to wait for the opportune moment
formalOriginal military strategy term meaning to keep troops in place, not advancing, to await a better opportunity. Often involves a tactical delay.
The enemy army approached fiercely, so the general decided to hold his troops in place and observe their movements first.
Before the situation becomes clear, the best strategy is to take no action.
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The company is undergoing restructuring, and the boss told us to hold off for now and wait for new instructions.
idiom
to deliberately stall; to drag one's feet after receiving a task
neutralModern extended meaning, often used in work or bureaucratic contexts to describe passive-aggressive resistance or intentional delay in carrying out an assignment.
It's been a week since the new plan was issued, but their department is still dragging its feet with no progress.
The supervisor urged him several times, but he just kept stalling, apparently having issues with this project.
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Don't just sit there doing nothing; get moving quickly, time waits for no one!