Staved off (7)
I believe the answer is:
averted
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">staved off</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">('avert' can be a synonym of 'stave off')</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for averted that I've seen before include "Turned away or warded off" , "Turned aside or deflected" , "Prevented, warded off" , "Turned away (one's eyes)" , "Turned away; prevented" .)