to take off
273
3.2
- phrasal verb
- /teɪk ɔf/
:
irse
- Ron and me, we're taking off the day after tomorrow.
And then the next day I took off, then took a break.
- And then the next day I took off, then took a break.
- So I take off, go to Atlanta.
- People are immediately taking off, but the cheese isn't big enough.
- And then he said something's wrong and took off running.
- Bunch of people going to take off Tuesday and feeling good.
- So my mom took off when I was two years old.
- They cash in all the money, they take off and the school closes.
- And so she decides to take off running up the stairs, down the stairs.
- You see the militia take off before the mortars came.
- You know we so so then you guys take off.
- The guy was chasing boom, took off and we cry.
- The townspeople watch them take off on some.
Examples
-
Not a good time to take off, Max.
-
What they can't afford to do is take off and go someplace for a year or two.
Academic text (2010) -
And then it was night and I had to take off because my people needed me.
-
Some days you just want to take off.
-
You guys should probably take off.
-
OK, so we're going to take off down the side yard here.
-
And with that, she and her party took off for the opera.
Academic text (1994) -
The lecture is over and you can take off as you wish.
-
Late on those Friday nights, they took off south in the Plymouth, through the heat and crickets.
Fiction book (1992) -
When the sun began to set, they decided to take off and head back home.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To go away from a place, person, or group
∞
1.0
Leave a place or situation
∞
3.0
Leave a place quickly or suddenly
∞
1.0
Leave a place to do a task, for example to help people
709
1.0
To leave a place or person and go somewhere else
632
3.5
Leave a person, place, or situation without taking part anymore
333
1.8
Pass very quickly, often used for time
176
1.3
To leave a place to start a journey
125
1.0
To go out of a place or leave a situation
66
2.4
To begin a journey to go to another place
57
2.4
To begin a journey toward a place
41
6.3
Go away suddenly without warning or explanation
39
2.5
To leave a place to go to another place
37
3.5
To leave a place suddenly to show you are angry or upset
37
8.1
Tell someone to leave in a rude way
20
3.8
Leave suddenly because you are in a hurry
14
6.8
Leave a place or start a journey
12
7.7
Leave a place quickly, often in a rude way
11
3.5
Leave quickly to escape danger, often by flying
5
5.8
To leave a place suddenly and unexpectedly
5
4.9
Leave a place suddenly and quickly because you feel scared
3
4.1
To leave a group and move away in a different direction
3
3.9
To begin a journey to a place
2
2.5
Leave a place quickly because you are in a hurry
1
9.9
Leave a place very quickly
1
7.9
To leave a place quickly, often without saying goodbye
Leave a place quickly because you are not welcome
To leave a place suddenly, usually to go somewhere else
Antonyms
How Fast
Surface Forms
Morphology
take + off
The sense 'to become successful or popular' is a metaphorical extension of the literal 'take' + 'off' idea of departing or launching (as with a plane or a product), so there is a recognizable link to the constituent meanings. However, this extended, idiomatic sense is not fully predictable from the parts for an average B1 learner without prior exposure, making the expression only partially transparent.
Etymology
Take off meaning to leave comes from the same quick movement as a flying plane: a person moves away fast. So to 'take off' means 'to leave' a place suddenly or to go somewhere.