Removing or Separating (Off): English Vocabulary List

to remove something through the process of boiling

"Water boils off fast."

"The chef had to boil off the excess liquid from the sauce to thicken it properly."

(of a path or road) to split into another direction, creating a separate route

"The road branches off to the left."

"The main road branches off into two smaller roads just past the old stone bridge over the river."

to cut or remove something, usually with a quick and forceful action

"Chop off the ends of carrots."

"The woodsman chopped off a large branch from the tree with one powerful swing of his sharp axe."

to remove something from a surface, area, etc. and make it clean

"Clear off the table please."

"After the party, we need to clear off all the decorations and put everything back in storage."

to forcefully or quickly remove something

"He flings off his wet coat."

"The horse tried to fling off its rider by bucking wildly and jumping sideways without any warning."

to separate a part of a business, organization, or group to create a new, independent entity

"Hive off the company."

"The company decided to hive off its underperforming division and sell it to another firm for a small amount of money."

to cut or remove something, especially in a quick or forceful manner

"Lop off the dead branches today."

"The gardener lopped off the dead branches from the tree to encourage new growth in the spring."

to group into sets of two

"Students pair off for the activity."

"The guests at the party began to pair off as the evening went on and the music became slower and more romantic."

to divide a space or area using a partition, wall, or similar barrier

"Partition off the room for privacy."

"The office used a movable screen to partition off a small space for private phone calls."

to remove a specific item from a larger group

"Separate off the bad apples."

"The farmer had to separate off the diseased plants to prevent the infection from spreading."

to physically remove something by shaking

"Shake off the dust now."

"He tried to shake off the annoying fly that kept buzzing around his head."

to leave a group or political party because of differences

"A group splits off from the main."

"A small group of members split off from the main organization to form their own separate club with different rules."

to eliminate something unwanted or challenging

"Throw off the bad mood."

"She managed to throw off the lingering effects of the flu and felt much better today."

to remove something, like dirt or stains, using water or cleaning products

"Wash off the dirt with soap."

"You need to wash off the dirt from the vegetables before you cook them or eat them raw."

to remove clothing or covering quickly or completely

"Strip off your wet clothes."

"The dancer had to strip off their costume quickly after the performance ended."

to become detached due to an explosion or a strong force

"His hat blew off."

"The strong gust of wind caused the temporary structure to blow off its foundations."

to use force to separate one thing from another

"Break off a piece of bread."

"He used considerable force to break off the large chunk of ice that had frozen onto the ship's deck."

to use a flame to remove something

"Burn off the extra wax."

"The chef used a blowtorch to burn off the excess sugar from the crème brûlée."

(of a portion or piece) to become detached or separated from a larger whole

"The button will come off."

"Be careful not to let the decorative sticker come off the car's paintwork when you wash it."

to use a sharp object like scissors or a knife on something to remove a piece from its edge or ends

"Cut off the crusts."

"She asked the baker to cut off the ends of the bread before slicing it."

to dismiss employees due to financial difficulties or reduced workload

"The factory laid off many workers."

"The factory had to lay off fifty workers due to a significant decrease in product demand."

to quickly and sharply remove something

"The sniper picks off targets one by one."

"The sniper picked off the enemy soldiers one by one from his hidden position in the tall grass."

to remove something, such as clothing or a covering, by pulling it away

"Pull off your shoes."

"She managed to pull off the tight bandage after a lot of effort."

to tear or remove something by force

"Rip off the label."

"The determined child managed to rip off the sticker that had been placed on his toy."

to remove a piece of clothing or accessory from your or another's body

"Take off your dirty shoes."

"Please take off your hat when you enter the classroom because it is polite to do so."