come off

verb

1. (also preposition) to fall (from), losing one's balance

2. to become detached or be capable of being detached

3. (preposition) to be removed from (a price, tax, etc)

   will anything come off income tax in the budget?

4. (copula) to emerge from or as if from a trial or contest

   he came off the winner

5. informal,  to take place or happen

6. informal,  to have the intended effect; succeed

   his jokes did not come off

7. slang,  to have an orgasm

8. informal,  stop trying to fool me!

Idioms and Phrases

Happen, occur, as in The trip came off on schedule . [Early 1800s]

Acquit oneself, reach the end. This usage always includes a modifier, as in Whenever challenged he comes off badly , or This model is doomed to come off second-best . [Mid-1600s]

Succeed, as in Our dinner party really came off . [Mid-1800s]

See come off it .

Related Words

• go off 
• go over 
• pan out