lift off

Idioms  

1. Begin flight, as in The spacecraft was due to lift off at ten o'clock. The off in this idiom means “off the ground.” [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lift off

“If the neoclouds fail to lift off, that doubles back on Nvidia with reduced sales and even more reduced margins,” Goldberg said, referring to a key measure of profitability.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

The patient is usually able to lift off in the helicopter within about two hours of the decision that they need transport.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

The rescue spacecraft developed by the US startup Katalyst is slated to lift off Tuesday at 1023 GMT from a Pacific Ocean atoll aboard a small rocket named Pegasus.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

When a tidewater glacier thins enough, it can lift off the seabed and begin floating on the ocean surface.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 26, 2026

I could see the darkness lift off Connor like a blanket as his eyes lit up.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling

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