Moving, Leaving, or Escaping (Off), Finishing, Canceling, or Delaying (Off), Starting, Succeeding, or Allowing (Off) and 7 More Topics · Phrasal Verbs with Off And In

to forcefully make someone or something leave by chasing after them threateningly

"The dog chases off the intruder."

"The farmer chased off the stray dogs that had been bothering his sheep by shouting and waving a large stick."

to leave a bus, train, airplane, etc.

"They will get off here."

"You should get off the train at the next station and then walk two blocks east to reach the museum entrance."

to leave one's spouse or partner to pursue a romantic relationship with someone else

"He went off with her."

"It was a shock to everyone when he decided to go off with his colleague and abandon his family."

(of a spacecraft or aircraft) to leave the ground, particularly vertically

"The rocket will lift off soon."

"The space shuttle lifted off from the launch pad exactly on schedule for its mission to the International Space Station."

to leave quickly, often in order to escape or avoid someone or something

"The thief made off with the money."

"The thief managed to make off with a valuable diamond necklace while the security guard was distracted by his phone."

to go somewhere, especially in a hurry or with little preparation

"Pack off the luggage quickly."

"They had to pack off their belongings in a rush when they heard the news about the evacuation."

to leave quickly or abruptly, often because of an urgent or unexpected situation

"He rushes off to his appointment."

"She had to rush off to an important meeting so she did not have time to say goodbye properly."

to leave in a hurry

"He shoots off now."

"The children had to shoot off to school immediately after breakfast this morning."

to swiftly depart from a place, often with the aim of avoiding something or someone

"The children skip off to school."

"The children skipped off to the park as soon as the school bell rang at the end of the day."

to leave a place, meeting, or situation without drawing attention to oneself

"He slid off the chair."

"Seeing that the conversation was becoming uncomfortable, he tried to slide off the topic as subtly as possible."

to leave a place quietly so that others may not notice one's departure

"She slips off her high heels."

"She slipped off her shoes at the door so that she would not track any mud onto the clean white carpet."

to move away from a location or situation

"He walks off his anger outside."

"He was so angry that he decided to walk off the job without giving any notice to his boss."

to take something without permission, especially by stealing

"Someone walks off with my wallet."

"Someone walked off with my umbrella from the restaurant and now I have to walk home in the rain."

to move away from a person, thing, or situation

"The dog backed off slowly."

"The dog growled at the stranger who quickly decided to back off and leave the property."

to take something or someone away from a place or situation and move them to a different one

"Bear off the injured man."

"The lifeguards had to bear off the struggling swimmer from the dangerous currents."

to quickly leave a place

"He will dash off."

"The busy executive had to dash off from the meeting to catch his flight."

to fall from a particular position to the ground

"The boy will fall off."

"Be careful not to fall off the ladder when you are cleaning the gutters."

to leave somewhere with something that one does not own

"The child runs off with toy."

"The shoplifter was caught trying to run off with a valuable necklace hidden in his jacket pocket."

to leave a surface and begin flying

"The plane will take off."

"After a brief delay, the aircraft was cleared to take off and begin its ascent."

to pass the time without doing anything important or productive

"Beat off the hours."

"During the long journey, they decided to beat off the hours by chatting."

to cancel what has been planned

"They call off the wedding ceremony."

"The organizers had to call off the outdoor concert because of the approaching thunderstorm and high winds."

to put a check mark on or near an item to show it is done or verified

"Check off completed tasks on your list."

"I need to check off each item on my shopping list as I put it into the cart."

to mark an item or task on a list as completed or canceled by drawing a line through it

"Cross off the completed tasks."

"You can cross off each task on your list as you complete it to see your progress throughout the day."

to cancel a commitment or obligation, often at the last minute, by providing an excuse

"She cried off party."

"Tom was supposed to attend the meeting on Saturday, but he cried off at the last minute, claiming he had a terrible headache and could not possibly come."

to complete or finalize something, especially in a successful or satisfying manner

"Finish off the remaining work."

"The boxer landed a powerful punch to finish off his already exhausted opponent in the final round."

to conclude or cease, often in an abrupt or incomplete manner

"Please leave off the last part."

"The speaker had to leave off mid-sentence when the fire alarm sounded unexpectedly."

to cancel or postpone a match or game due to heavy rain or unfavorable weather conditions

"The game was rained off yesterday."

"The charity cricket match was rained off due to the persistent bad weather."

to end a phone call

"She rings off without saying goodbye."

"She had to ring off because her phone battery was about to die and she did not have a charger."

to conclude an event or activity in a satisfying manner

"Round off the speech."

"The singer rounded off the concert with her most famous song and the crowd gave her a standing ovation."

to complete a task thoroughly

"Polish off the cake."

"The diligent student managed to polish off the entire research paper before the deadline."

to avoid dealing with something, such as a responsibility or an issue

"Don't put off your homework."

"He has a tendency to put off important decisions until the very last moment."

to write the final message at the end of the letter or email that counts as one's signature

"The DJ signs off now."

"The news anchor signed off for the last time after forty years on television and the studio gave him a beautiful farewell party."

to successfully accomplish a goal or manage to do something difficult

"Can you bring off this deal?"

"It was a difficult plan but somehow the team managed to bring it off successfully in the end."

to start an action or reaction

"His words sparked off a debate."

"The controversial comment sparked off a heated debate among the guests at the dinner party."

to make something start or happen by pushing a button, saying something, or causing a reaction

"The alarm triggered off immediately."

"The loud noise triggered off a panic attack in the veteran who had been traumatized by his experiences during the war."

to handle or manage something, often perceived as difficult or challenging, successfully or with confidence

"She carried off the task."

"Despite the immense pressure, the young actress managed to carry off the demanding role with grace."

to start something with a rapid and successful beginning

"The team will jump off."

"The startup is poised to jump off into the market with an innovative product and aggressive marketing strategy."

to cause something to begin, particularly initiating an event or process

"The game kicks off at noon."

"The festival will kick off with a colorful parade through the main street of the town."

to initiate something, especially a process, event, or discussion

"Let's lead off."

"The keynote speaker will lead off the conference with an inspiring presentation on innovation."

to not punish someone for a wrongdoing, or only give them a light punishment

"The teacher lets off the student lightly."

"The teacher decided to let off the students with just a warning instead of giving them detention."

(of a plan or action) to succeed and have good results

"The plan will pay off."

"We are confident that all the sacrifices made will eventually pay off handsomely."

to successfully achieve or accomplish something

"He pulled off a difficult stunt."

"The magician managed to pull off an incredible trick that left the entire audience amazed and confused."

to make something operate, especially by accident

"It will set off."

"Be careful not to touch that wire, as it might accidentally set off the alarm."

to formally authorize a decision, action, or document

"Please sign off."

"The project manager will sign off on the final budget proposal by the end of the week."

to begin to act, happen, etc. in a particular manner

"Let's start off with introductions."

"Let us start off the meeting with a brief introduction from each team member."

to prevent entry or access by placing a barrier

"Block off the construction zone."

"The construction crew used orange barrels to block off the lane that was being repaired."

to restrict or block access to a particular area or passage

"Close off the unused room."

"The police had to close off the entire street to traffic while they investigated the serious accident."

to restrict access to a particular area by using a barrier

"They will cordon off."

"The authorities decided to cordon off the entire park after the discovery of a suspicious package."

to avoid entering or walking onto a specific area or surface

"Keep off the wet grass."

"Please keep off the grass because the ground is wet and the new seeds have not yet sprouted."

to stop a connection to an online account or computer system by doing specific actions

"Remember to log off after using the computer."

"Remember to log off from your computer at the end of the day to prevent unauthorized users from accessing your files."

to prevent a potential attacker from approaching by taking on a defensive posture

"The guard will stand off the thieves."

"The police officer had to stand off the angry crowd until more backup arrived at the scene."

to make something stop working usually by flipping a switch

"She switches off the lights now."

"Do not forget to switch off the computer before you leave the office to save energy and protect the equipment from power surges."

to resist or overcome a temptation, impulse, attack, etc.

"Fight off the cold."

"She tried to fight off the overwhelming urge to procrastinate on her assignments."

to begin a journey or depart from a place

"Head off now."

"We must head off early tomorrow morning to avoid the heavy traffic on the highway."

to resist defeat or unfavorable outcomes through defense or delay

"Hold off making a decision yet."

"The army managed to hold off the enemy attack until reinforcements could arrive to help defend the city."

to discontinue an activity

"Knock off the singing."

"The exhausted musician decided to knock off his practice session early for the evening."

to stop doing something

"Please lay off."

"After years of strenuous work, he decided to lay off and enjoy a well-deserved retirement."

to cause a machine, device, or system to stop working or flowing, usually by pressing a button or turning a switch

"Turn off the lights before leaving."

"Do not forget to turn off the stove after you finish cooking your dinner tonight."

to kill someone, typically in a deliberate, sudden, or violent manner

"The gangster bumped off his rival."

"The crime boss ordered his henchman to bump off the witness before he could testify in court."

to dispose of something by giving or selling it to someone else though persuasion or deception

"He palms off fake goods as real."

"The dishonest salesman tried to palm off a fake designer watch as a genuine luxury brand product."

to present oneself or something as someone or something else in a deceptive manner

"He passed off a fake."

"The con artist tried to pass off a counterfeit watch as a genuine designer piece."

to pretend not to be affected by a certain emotion or reaction

"He played off his fear."

"Even though he was deeply hurt, he managed to play off his emotions and appear unfazed."

(of an illness) to cause the death of a person or many people

"The flu carried him off."

"The virulent epidemic threatened to carry off a significant portion of the vulnerable population."

(of a gun, bomb, etc.) to be fired or to explode

"The alarm will go off."

"The soldiers were warned that the mines could go off if they stepped on them carelessly during the patrol."

to cause the death of a character in a work of fiction, typically for dramatic effects or to advance the plot

"They decided to kill off the hero."

"The author chose to kill off the protagonist in the sequel to create a shocking and unexpected twist."

to take someone's life, typically in association with criminal activity

"They knocked him off."

"The detective suspected that the syndicate had ordered a hit to knock off the rival gang leader."

to cause an explosive weapon to discharge

"Let off the firework."

"The soldier was ordered to let off a single shot to signal the all-clear."

to target and shoot individuals one after another

"The sniper will pick off enemies."

"The skilled marksman was tasked to pick off the enemy leaders one by one."

to kill someone intentionally and with prior planning

"They will polish off him."

"The assassins had meticulously planned to polish off their target during the gala."

to activate a bomb, an explosive, etc.

"Do not set off."

"The bomb squad worked diligently to disarm the device and prevent anyone from accidentally setting it off."

to make something a permanent and necessary part of a larger system or structure

"Build in extra storage space."

"The architect decided to build in some extra storage space behind the stairs to make the small apartment more functional."

to include or involve someone in a particular activity, decision, or plan

"Count me in for the trip."

"Do not count me in for the trip this weekend because I have to work and cannot get out of it."

to be involved in or conduct activities related to a particular kind of business, commodity, or trade

"He deals in antique furniture."

"The store mainly deals in antique furniture and vintage collectibles from the early twentieth century."

to enthusiastically start doing something without thinking about it

"Dive in and begin."

"The children dived into the pool as soon as their parents gave them permission to swim."

to participate in or become involved in a particular activity, conversation, etc.

"Do not engage in gossip."

"The students were encouraged to engage in meaningful discussions about the complex ethical issues raised in class."

to be socially fit for or belong within a particular group or environment

"She fits in with the group perfectly."

"The new employee is trying hard to fit in with the existing team and make friends."

to gently mix one ingredient into another by lifting and turning the mixture with a spatula or spoon

"Fold in the egg whites gently."

"You need to gently fold in the whipped cream without stirring too much so that the mixture stays light and airy."

to participate in an ongoing activity or opportunity when others are already involved

"He wants to get in on the deal."

"The investors wanted to get in on the profitable deal before it was too late and all the shares were sold."

to engage in an activity or interest as a hobby or pastime

"She goes in for swimming competitively."

"She decided to go in for the teaching profession because she loves working with young children and helping them learn."

to take part in an activity or event that others are already engaged in

"Join in the fun with us."

"The shy child was hesitant to join in the game with the other kids at the playground."

to get involved in something without delay

"Jump in the discussion."

"Seeing an opportunity to contribute, she decided to jump in and share her innovative ideas."

to get oneself or someone into trouble or difficulty

"He landed in trouble again."

"His careless words landed him in trouble with his boss who was not happy about the complaint from an important client."

to study a particular subject as one's main field of study at a college or university

"He majors in economics at college."

"He decided to major in economics at university because he was very interested in finance and business."

to choose to participate in something, typically by actively indicating one's willingness or consent to do so

"You can opt in online."

"You need to opt in to receive promotional emails from the company otherwise you will not get any special offers."

to be deeply surrounded by a significant amount of tradition or history

"The town is steeped in history."

"This ancient library is steeped in centuries of scholarly research and literary tradition."

to combine something with another substance or element

"Blend in the paint."

"The chameleon can blend in with its surroundings to avoid detection by predators."

to engage or involve someone in a particular activity, situation, or conversation

"Draw in the audience now."

"The captivating storyteller managed to draw in every child with his animated tales."

to join a group or organization

"We will fall in."

"New recruits are encouraged to fall in with the established traditions of the esteemed military academy."

to get involved in an argument, discussion, or activity and share one's opinions

"Please weigh in."

"All team members are encouraged to thoughtfully weigh in on the strategic planning discussion."

to invite someone to enter a place, often a room, office, house, etc.

"Ask her in for coffee."

"The host asked the guests in and offered them something to drink while they waited for the others to arrive."

to put all one's attention into one thing

"Bury in her work."

"She decided to bury herself in her studies to prepare for the final exams."

to interrupt a conversation

"Do not butt in during our conversation."

"It is impolite to butt in on someone else's conversation when they are not addressing you."

to add one's share of money, support, or guidance

"Everyone chipped in for the gift."

"Everyone chipped in to buy a nice gift for the retiring teacher who had worked at the school for thirty years."

to concentrate and direct all one's effort, attention, and focus toward achieving a particular goal

"Dial in your focus."

"To win the championship, the athletes had to dial in their training and eliminate all distractions."

to visit a place or someone without a prior arrangement, often casually and briefly

"Drop in for coffee sometime."

"Please feel free to drop in for a cup of coffee whenever you are in the neighborhood."

to develop a positive relationship or connection with someone or a group, typically to gain their approval, favor, or influence

"He got in with them."

"He tried to get in with the popular crowd by pretending to like the same music and wearing the same clothes as them."

to surrender to someone's demands, wishes, or desires, often after a period of resistance

"Do not give in to pressure."

"After hours of arguing she finally decided to give in to her children's demands for a puppy."

to form a partnership or collaboration with someone or a group for a common purpose

"She went in with her sister."

"My brother and I decided to go in with each other to buy our parents a new television for their anniversary."

to ask someone to come inside and join one at a particular place, typically one's home

"Invite the guests inside now."

"The kind stranger invited the lost traveler in from the cold and gave him a warm bowl of soup."

to maintain a positive relationship or connection with someone, often for personal gain or advantage

"Keep in with your neighbors."

"It is a good idea to keep in with your neighbors because you never know when you might need their help with something."

to make a brief stop or visit to someone or somewhere, particularly to check on them

"Look in on the sleeping baby."

"The nurse looked in on the elderly patient every hour to make sure that he was comfortable and had everything he needed."

to make a short, usually unplanned, visit to a place or person

"Pop in for a visit sometime."

"I will pop in to see you on my way home from work if I have some extra time."

to greet someone into a place

"See in the guests."

"The family gathered to see in the new year with fireworks."

to guide someone to the designated room or space

"Show the visitor in please."

"The receptionist showed the visitors in to the manager's office and offered them coffee while they waited."

to act as a substitute for someone or something

"She will stand in for him."

"The understudy had to stand in for the lead actress who had suddenly become ill before the performance."

to contribute to a task, usually alongside others

"Pitch in and help us."

"Everyone pitched in to clean up the park after the festival and the work was finished in just a few hours."

to interrupt someone to say something

"He put in a word."

"During the heated debate, the moderator had to put in a word to calm the participants down."

to assist someone to become accustomed to a new environment

"Help them settle in."

"The host family worked diligently to help the exchange student settle in quickly."

to block the path of another vehicle by parking too closely

"The truck blocked in our car."

"The inconsiderate truck driver completely blocked in our car and we could not get out of the parking space."

to confirm your presence or reservation in a hotel or airport after arriving

"Check in at the airport two hours early."

"Passengers need to check in at least two hours before their international flight to allow enough time for security screening and baggage drop."

to approach or surround someone or something, often in a way that is threatening or confining

"The darkness closed in around them."

"The enemy troops began to close in on the small group of soldiers who were trapped in the valley below."

to enter a place, building, or location

"They go in through the front door."

"Please go in through the main entrance and take the elevator to the third floor where the conference room is located."

to let something or someone enter a place

"She lets in some fresh air."

"The security guard refused to let in anyone without a valid identification card even if they claimed to be employees."

to start using a computer system, online account, or application by doing particular actions

"Log in using your username and password."

"You must log in to your account using your username and password before you can access your personal information and settings."

to connect something to an electrical port

"Plug in the charger before using it."

"Before you can use the new printer you need to plug it into a power outlet and connect it to your computer."

to come or be received in large quantities or amounts, typically in a continuous and overwhelming manner

"Donations poured in rapidly."

"The donations poured in from all over the country after the news reported about the family who had lost everything in the fire."

to impolitely position oneself ahead of others already waiting in a line

"Do not push in line."

"The rude man pushed in front of us in the queue and the security guard asked him to go to the back."

to permit entry or admission to a particular place, group, or situation

"They allowed him in finally."

"The bouncer would not allow in anyone who was wearing sneakers because the club had a strict dress code."

to pull or draw something in by winding it around a reel or similar device

"He reeled in a huge fish."

"The fisherman felt a strong tug on his line and began to reel in a huge fish."

to enter someone's property by force and without their consent, particularly to steal something

"They will break in."

"The burglars managed to break in through the back window, stealing valuable electronics."

to advance toward a particular location or point

"The train will draw in."

"As the storm intensified, the ships began to draw in towards the safety of the harbor."

to successfully secure admission to a college, university, or similar institution

"She will get in."

"After months of studying, she was thrilled to finally get into her dream university."

to forcefully open or break through something, often a door or barrier

"Kick in the door."

"The medicine takes about thirty minutes to kick in so you will feel better."

to begin to live in a new house or work in a new office

"They plan to move in together next month."

"The young couple decided to move in together after dating for two years to save money on rent."

to enter a place by making a turn from a road or path

"Please turn in here."

"Take the next exit and turn in at the large oak tree."

to physically confine or surround a person or thing so closely that they cannot move away or escape

"The cars boxed in the truck."

"The large truck boxed in my car so tightly that I could not pull out of the parking space at all."

to take someone suspected of a crime or violation into custody, typically by law enforcement

"Police will run him in."

"The officers had to run in the suspect for questioning regarding the recent burglary."

to encircle something entirely from all sides

"Shut in the room."

"The little boy shut himself in his room after his parents told him that he could not have any dessert."

to make something, such as an area, a vehicle, or a structure, impossible or difficult to use or enter due to a significant amount of snow

"We were snowed in completely."

"The mountain village was snowed in for three days after a huge blizzard blocked all of the roads."

to remain inside a place, typically one's home, and not go outside for a period of time due to reasons such as illness, personal preference, or safety

"Let's stay in and watch a movie."

"The family decided to stay in and watch a movie rather than go out in the bad weather."

to suppress the expression of one's feelings

"He tried to hold in tears."

"He tried to hold in his laughter during the serious ceremony but it was very difficult."

to murder someone

"They did him in."

"The detective suspected that the victim had been deliberately done in by someone known to him."

(of law enforcers) to arrest someone and take them to the police station

"They will bring him in."

"Authorities decided to bring in the suspect for questioning regarding the recent string of burglaries."

to suppress one's emotions or feelings

"She will keep in."

"It's unhealthy to keep in all your anger; you should find a way to express it."

to shut someone or oneself in a place by locking the door

"Lock in the prisoner."

"The security guard had to lock in the prisoners after the evening count was completed."

to collapse under pressure, often due to structural weakness

"The wall will fall in."

"The old bridge was unable to withstand the heavy storm and began to fall in."

to finally agree to something, even if one were against it at first

"He will cave in."

"Despite his initial resistance, the negotiator eventually managed to make the stubborn leader cave in."

to insistently bring up a sensitive topic in conversation, causing discomfort to the person being discussed

"Don't rub it in."

"It was unkind of him to keep bringing up her past mistakes and rub it in."

to secure a place to stay, typically in a hotel

"Book in at the hotel."

"Please book in your appointment with the receptionist before you leave the clinic."

to record one's arrival at work by using a timekeeping system, usually involving the use of a clock or electronic device

"Employees clock in at nine."

"All employees must clock in when they arrive at work to record their exact starting time."

to include an additional recipient in an email by forwarding or sending a copy of the original message to them

"Copy me in on the email."

"Please copy me in on the email so that I can see the response from the client."

to take into consideration, particularly in decision making

"Factor in the time."

"When planning your budget, it's important to factor in unexpected expenses that might arise."

to submit or deliver something, such as an assignment, document, application or lost item, usually to a person in authority or to an organization

"Hand in your homework now."

"Please remember to hand in your homework assignments to the teacher by Friday afternoon."

to officially include or consider someone or something when making a decision or within a particular category or set of options

"The judge ruled in her favor."

"The judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff and ordered the defendant to pay damages for the injuries caused by his negligence."

to indicate that something is about to happen

"The new year ushered in changes."

"The invention of the internet ushered in a new era of global communication and information sharing."

to request for someone's presence at a specific location

"Call in the doctor."

"The manager decided to call in the expert consultant to assess the company's financial situation."

to inform someone with facts or news

"Fill me in."

"Could you please fill me in on the details of the meeting I missed?"

to give someone or something to the authorities or the person in charge

"Please turn in your homework."

"The students were instructed to turn in their completed assignments by Friday afternoon."