to head off
23
4.8
- phrasal verb
- /hɛd ɔf/
:
impedir
- The quick response from the police helped to head off any further violence during the protest.
- try to head off
- head off this threat
- efforts to head off
And so the violence is is designed to head off the threat before it becomes real.
- And so the violence is is designed to head off the threat before it becomes real.
Examples
-
Therefore, adaptation, even if it eventually occurs, may be too late to head off significant transitional difficulties and conflicts.
Academic text (2002) -
Nathan prods Puff, and they head off through the trees.
Fiction book (2001) -
I'm going out the back and head Joe off at the highway.
-
Loving was directed to craft a campaign to head off these rumors.
Academic text (1999) -
The easiest way to head off stress fractures is simple: rest.
Academic text (2007) -
However, something can be done to control development patterns to head off crowding, congestion, pollution, and lost open space.
Academic text (2003) -
As the school day ends, Billy grabs his trumpet case and heads off to jazz band.
Academic text (2014) -
IRF ambassadors have headed off the passage of some bad laws and achieved the release of some religious prisoners.
Academic text (2008) -
All five men stumbled to grab their briefcases and then headed off dejectedly in search of another congressman to cajole.
Fiction book (1999) -
She took early precautions to head off potential issues with the project deadline.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening
76
4.6
To turn attention away from a person or thing
73
5.0
To stop something bad from happening
55
4.0
To stop an opponent from moving forward by keeping your position
34
4.4
To keep harmful or unpleasant things away from you
34
3.9
Keep unwanted people or things away so they do not harm you
30
6.4
To stop something bad from happening for a while
17
7.1
Act early to stop a problem from happening
5
9.1
Prevent a problem or need by acting before it happens
2
9.9
To stop danger or harm from happening
To act before something happens to stop it
To stop something bad from happening
Antonyms
How Preventive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The preventive sense arises via a spatial/interceptive metaphor: 'head' (move toward) + 'off' (away/away from) yields the idea of moving to stop or divert something. A B1 learner who knows the constituents might guess a movement-related sense but would not reliably infer the specific meaning 'prevent by taking action in advance' without prior exposure, so the relation is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The verb head off comes from the image of moving in front of a person or thing to stop it, using your head (the front) to push it off its path. So, head off means 'to prevent something from happening' by acting early.