Put Off Something

Also: Put something off

Meaning of Idiom ‘Put Off Something’

To put off something means to postpone it; to delay something; to hold for a later time. ¹,²

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Usage

As suggested by the variant listed above, you can put off something or put something off. For example:

“Tim decided to put off cleaning the garage until next week.”
“Tim put his chores off until tomorrow.”

Note that to put off is not the opposite of ‘to put on.’ Also compare put someone off.

Examples of Use

“I’m going to have to put off my vacation for now. I’m just too busy.”

“We have decided to put off our move to a new headquarters until we can find a more suitable location,” said the CEO.

“I always put off having children until the time was right but the time was never right.”

“Once you get to college you’ll have to stop putting things off to the last minute.”

Origin

Used since the late 1300s. ³

More Idioms Starting with P

• Preaching to the Choir
• Play Cat and Mouse
• Page-Turner
• Play Hardball
• Pain in the Neck, a

More Off Idioms

• Tick Off
• Ticked Off
• Blow the Lid Off (something)
• Go Off Half-Cocked
• Run Away With (something)

More Put Idioms

• Put Your Foot Down
• Put the Pedal to the Metal
• Put in One’s Two Cents Worth
• Put Someone Out To Pasture
• Put Up Or Shut Up

 

References

1. Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms]. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010.
2. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms]. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013
3. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms]. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013