hang fireDELAY, hang back, hold back, hold on, stall, pause, procrastinate, vacillate, adopt Fabian tactics, hang about/around, sit tight, hold one's horses
[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲
hang fire v. phr. 1. To fail or be slow in shooting or firing.
Smith pulled the trigger, but the gun hung fire and the deer escaped. 2. To be slow in beginning; to be delayed; to wait.
The boys' plans for organizing a scout troop hung fire because they could not find a man to be scoutmaster. [TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲