Also: Take something off
Meaning of Idom ‘Take Off Something’
1. Remove; undress, as applied to clothing, jewelry, eyeglasses, etc. as in to take off one’s shirt or take off one’s glasses. 1Brenner, Gail Abel. Webster’s New World American Idioms Handbook. Wiley, 2003.,2Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Usage note: This meaning can be applied to Anything worn as clothing or jewelry as well as cosmetics (when washing off or removing makeup), bandages, and anything applied to the body that is removable. This idiom also applies to eyeglasses, but not contact lenses, which are “taken out.”
“Ed took off his glasses.”
“Ed took out his contact lenses.”
Used in this way, to take something off is the opposite of to put something on.
2. To decrease, subtract, or deduct, as in a price. 3Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
3. To take away, lead away, or carry off. 4Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Compare to take off.
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Examples Of Use
“I think its time to take off that bandage.”
“You should always take off your hat when indoors.”
“Take your pants off,” said the doctor. “I need to give you a prostate exam.”
“Just take a little off the sides and back,” said Rob to the barber. “I like to keep my hair long.”
“Since this refrigerator has a dent in it, maybe you’ll take some money off the price,” said Holly to the salesperson.
“I notice all your trinkets are taken off the shelves,” said Nicole. “Yes, I am going to sell them to an antique shop. They take up too much room,” said Fran.
“Sorry I’m late. The bus broke down and they took us all off. We had to walk five blocks to catch another one.”
Origin
The earliest meaning, as applied to clothing, dates from around 1300. The next two uses are from 1700 and the late 1800s, respectively. 5Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
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- Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)
- Take With a Grain of Salt
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Sources
