take off
Britishverb
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(tr) to remove or discard (a garment)
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(intr) (of an aircraft) to become airborne
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informal to set out or cause to set out on a journey
they took off for Spain
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(tr) (of a disease) to prove fatal to; kill
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informal (tr) to mimic or imitate, esp in an amusing or satirical manner
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informal (intr) to become successful or popular, esp suddenly
noun
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the act or process of making an aircraft airborne
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the stage of a country's economic development when rapid and sustained economic growth is first achieved
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informal an act of mimicry; imitation
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Remove, as in Take off your coat and stay for a while , or I took my foot off the brake . [c. 1300]
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Deduct, decrease, as in He took 20 percent off the original price , or I want you to trim my hair, but please don't take off too much . [c. 1700]
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Carry or take away, as in The passengers were taken off one by one . [Late 1800s]
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Also, take oneself off . Leave, go away, as in I'm taking off now , or We take ourselves off for China next month , or, as an imperative, Take yourself off right now! [First half of 1800s]
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Move forward quickly, as in The dog took off after the car .
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Become well known or popular, or achieve sudden growth, as in That actor's career has really taken off , or Sales took off around the holidays . [Mid-1900s]
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Rise in flight, as in The airplane took off on time . [Mid-1800s]
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Discontinue, as in The railroad took off the commuter special . [Mid-1700s]
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Imitate humorously or satirically, as in He had a way of taking off the governor that made us howl with laughter . [Mid-1700s]
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Withhold service, as in I'm taking off from work today because of the funeral . [First half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The companies are also vying for physical infrastructure that would enable their aircraft to take off and land in crowded areas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
This month, Eve achieved its first transition flight, showing its prototype can take off vertically like a helicopter and move into flight like an airplane, which is one of the most challenging phases of development.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
While the first book won awards, it didn't sell particularly well and it was only when Thirteen, the novel which Cavanagh describes as having changed his life, was released did things really take off.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Many get married; some have children; careers can start to take off.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
Sometimes you need the wind behind you to speed things up; sometimes you need to head directly into the wind to help you take off.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
