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

He felt like someone had pounded a wedge into the back of his skull and was trying to lift off the top.

From Literature

His voice began to crack, but the rocket was lifting off now, and there was no turning back.

From Literature

Bea took more pictures as the cloud began to rise, lifting off from where it had chased them on the ground.

From Literature

Consumers felt a bit better about the economy in January as sentiment lifted off from near-historical lows reached late last year, according to the University of Michigan’s monthly survey.

From The Wall Street Journal

The roof was lifting off the little shack.

From Literature