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 flight attendants are seeking an increase in wages and compensation for the work they do on the ground before and after flights take off and land, known as boarding pay and ground pay.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Many get married; some have children; careers can start to take off.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
We want to fly, at the end of this year, an X-Wing demonstrator, which will take off from the Cazaux airbase in the south of France.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Still, vegetation is relatively dry as the region heads into its peak fire season, and any ignition could quickly take off, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
I take off my coat, swing it at the weeds, swatting the clump until it stops burning.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
