Standoff

Noun

 * 1) A device which maintains a fixed distance between two objects, especially between a surface and a sign or electrical wiring.
 * 2) A deadlocked confrontation between antagonists (see stand off and verb below).
 * I don't want to get involved in the standoff between those two.

Derived terms

 * Mexican standoff
 * standoffish

Thesaurus
Tweedledum and Tweedledee, aloof, arrest, bell, check, checkmate, cutoff, dead heat, dead stop, deadlock, distant, draw, end, endgame, ending, even break, even chance, fair shake, fifty-fifty, final whistle, full stop, grinding halt, gun, half a chance, halt, insociable, knotted score, lockout, neck-and-neck race, odds, photo finish, reserved, sit-down strike, solitary, square odds, stalemate, stand, standoffish, standstill, stay, stop, stoppage, strike, the same, tie, toss, toss-up, touch and go, uncompanionable, walkout, withdrawn, work stoppage

Alternative forms

 * stand off
 * stand-off (adjective)