rip off

British  

verb

1. (tr) to tear violently or roughly (from)

2. slang (adverb) to steal from or cheat (someone)

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noun

1. slang an article or articles stolen

2. slang a grossly overpriced article

3. slang the act of stealing or cheating

rip off Idioms  

1. Steal, as in They fired him when they caught him ripping off some of the merchandise .

2. Cheat, defraud, as in These advertising claims have ripped off a great many consumers .

3. Copy, plagiarize, as in He was sued for ripping off someone else's thesis . All three usages are slang from the second half of the 1900s.

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Example Sentences

Some homes were ripped off their foundations after an overnight rainstorm, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesman for the city and county of Honolulu.

From The Wall Street Journal

“California and 35 other states are standing up for Americans who are sick and tired of being ripped off and having to scrimp and save to enjoy a night out,” Owens said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

He described the fuel market generally as a "rip off".

From BBC

"Whether it is petrol at the pumps or heating oil, there is no excuse for any business to use this as an opportunity to rip off customers."

From BBC

It comes after the chancellor said some heating oil companies are using the crisis in the Middle East "as an opportunity to rip off consumers".

From BBC

Related Words

• swindle