I will defer to you...

[Donno]

Hi, teachers.

I'd like to ask if I used the phrasal verb 'to defer to somebody' correctly in the sentences.

- Before I had graduated in my course, I defer to my senior colleagues when writing reports.

- After I graduated in my course, I didn't have to defer to my supervisor in making reports. I could have done without their help.

- Apparently, the president always defer to his hired speechwriter for all of his speeches.

Thanks in advance

 

[billmcd]

Yes, they're OK in the sense that you mean "to delegate". But I would not classify the verb as a phrasal verb and in #1 it should be "deferred"; #2 should be "his/her help"; #3 should be "defers".

 

[Donno]

Billmcd,

Thank you for the corrections

My dictionary says it is to allow someone or something to make decisions for you or tell you what to do, even if you disagree with them, because of your respect for them or because of their higher rank.

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, that's my sense of the word, so your second example doesn't work. It was fine until you said you could have done it without their help, but that changed the sense of the sentence. You defer, as you say, when you will accept their opinion over your own (whether you disagree or not). It doesn't refer to your ability to do something on your own.

(The first example should have been in the past tense, by the way, and in the third, the president defers. In the English that I use, you complete a course, and you graduate from a program, but you don't graduate in or from a course.)

 

[Donno]

Re: I will defer to your suggestion.

Thanks for the reply.

How about this one

I used to defer to my supervisor when it comes to making decisions but now I could do without her opinion.

 

[Barb_D]

That's okay - it says you'll do what she says you need to do, but you'd prefer she keep her nose out of whatever issue you are facing.

(Do you know the expression "keep your nose out of it"?)

 

[Donno]

Hi,

I think it is another idiomatic expression but I don't know what it means. Anyways, I'll definitely google it.

Thanks

 

[vheissu]

Re: I will defer to your suggestion.

Thanks for the reply.

How about this one

I used to defer to my supervisor when it comes to making decisions but now I could do without her opinion.

One minor correction:

"I used to defer to my supervisor when it came to making decisions, but now I could do without her opinion."

Since defer is in the past, "comes" should also be in the past.