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to bring off

to bring off

1 6.1
To succeed in doing something difficult
  • phrasal verb
  • /brɪŋ ɔf/
translation icon : lograr
  • She managed to bring off the presentation despite her nervousness.

Examples

  • After months of planning, they finally brought off the surprise party successfully.

  • If I may remind you... the three of us have always brought off things very well together.

  • Singers who cannot bring off the high note are always very clear about why it is unnecessary; but they are wrong.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • By showing Johnson that he could bring off his first important foreign mission, Humphrey wanted thereby to regain the respect of the demanding president.

    Academic text (1998)
  • But don't fret; if you can bring off this simple task, you're set for life.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Amazingly, he brought off this feat without altering or compromising.

    Academic text (2011)
  • It was impressive how he could bring off such a complex project on a tight deadline.

Synonyms

to manage
vsto bring off
3.2

To do something difficult, often with little help

implies success but not the coping or survival emphasis
to pull off
vsto bring off
301 4.1

To manage to do something difficult or unexpected

has the same meaning with no major difference
to negotiate
vsto bring off
28 4.1

Move carefully through or around something difficult, like a steep path

means achieving a difficult or unexpected task rather than only passing obstacles
to carry off
vsto bring off
2 5.3

To do something difficult successfully and with skill

is about success without the added sense of style or performance
to blow the doors off
vsto bring off
  • Informal
1 7.2

To do much better than people expect

means to succeed but not necessarily by a large margin
to pull out of the hat
vsto bring off
  • Informal
7.4

Produce a surprising idea that solves a difficult problem

is about succeeding at a task rather than only producing a surprise

Antonyms

898 1.0

Not succeed in doing something you wanted to do

64 3.9

Fail to reach the level people expect

How Successful

to triumph
60 3.4
to succeed
846 2.0
to bring off
1 6.1
to manage
3.2

Surface Forms

bring off infinitive
bringing off present participle
brings off third person singular
brought off past participle

Morphology

bring + off

The meaning 'to succeed in doing something' can be related to 'bring' (to cause/produce) combined with the particle 'off' which often signals completion or achieving an outcome, so a learner could infer a sense of bringing something to successful completion. However, using 'off' to indicate success is somewhat metaphorical and the specific sense 'succeed' is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Bring off may come from the picture of someone carrying a prize off the stage after a show. Taking the prize away shows they managed the hard task, so bring off means 'to succeed'.