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take off

/teɪk ɒf/
phrasal verb★Intermediate◆phrasal verb
informal

to remove clothing or accessories

He took off his shoes before entering the house.

He removed his shoes before entering the house.

💡

Commonly used in everyday contexts.

informal

to leave a place quickly or suddenly

The thief took off when he saw the police.

The thief left quickly when he saw the police.

💡

Often used in informal or urgent situations.

informal

to become successful or popular suddenly

Her new song really took off last month.

Her new song became very popular last month.

💡

Used in business and entertainment contexts.

formal

to depart from a location, especially an airport

The plane took off at 10 AM sharp.

The plane departed at 10 AM sharp.

💡

Commonly used in aviation and travel contexts.

informal

to copy or imitate someone or something

He took off his friend's style.

He copied his friend's style.

💡

Used in informal contexts to describe imitation.

Collocations

take off workto leave work early or skip worktake off timeto have time off from work or school

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

take offphrasal verb
to remove clothing
take offphrasal verb
to leave quickly
take offphrasal verb
to become successful
take offphrasal verb
to depart from an airport

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

The meaning of 'take off' changes based on the context. Pay attention to the situation to understand the correct meaning.

⚡Gold Rule

Aviation Context

In aviation, 'take off' specifically means the departure of an aircraft from the ground.

📖Word Origin

The phrase 'take off' comes from the combination of the verb 'take' and the preposition 'off', indicating removal or departure.

📝Usage Notes

The meaning of 'take off' depends heavily on context. It can refer to removing clothing, leaving a place, becoming successful, or departing from an airport.

Word Breakdown

take
to grasp or remove
verb
+
off
away from or removed
preposition
English Dictionary

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