take off
/ˌteɪk ˈɔf/
Reviewed on
Type
Phrasal verb
Meaning
To remove a piece of clothing or an accessory from the body.
Please take off your muddy shoes before walking onto the carpet.
He had already taken off his jacket by the time he sat down.
To leave the ground and begin to fly.
The airplane is scheduled to take off in twenty minutes.
Heavy fog prevented the morning flights from taking off on time.
To become suddenly popular, successful, or widespread.
Her online retail business really began to take off last spring.
Do you think this new fashion trend will actually take off?
To leave a place hurriedly or abruptly.
As soon as the movie ended, they took off to avoid the parking lot rush.
I need to take off right now, or I will miss my bus.
To spend a specified amount of time away from work or school.
She plans to take off three days next week for a family trip.
Are you going to take off any time during your summer vacation?
To subtract an amount from a price, total, or score.
The store will take off twenty percent if you pay in cash.
Can you take ten dollars off the price since the box is damaged?
How it's used
When this means “remove clothing”
Both orders mean the same thing.
- take off the coat
- take the coat off
it and them go in the middle: “take it off.” Not “take off it.”
He took his wet boots off by the front door.
When this means “leave the ground”
- take off
The jet took off smoothly despite the rain.
When this means “spend time away from work”
Both orders mean the same thing.
- take off some time
- take some time off
it and them go in the middle: “take it off.” Not “take off it.”
She took two weeks off after the project finished.
Collocations
- take off your shoes
- take off your hat
- clear to take off
- prepare to take off
- really take off
- take off running
- take time off
- take a day off
Antonyms
- put on
- land
Idioms
take off the gloves
to begin arguing or competing in a ruthless or direct manner
The candidates took off the gloves during the final televised debate.