WordLens

go off

1 of 1verb
/ˈɡoʊ ˈɔf/
Forms:goes off,going off,went off,gone off
1

(of a gun, bomb, etc.) to be fired or to explode

  • The fireworks are scheduled to go off at midnight for the New Year's celebration.
  • The gun accidentally went off when it was dropped on the floor.
  • The bomb was designed to go off remotely with a single press of a button.
  • During the battle, the soldier's rifle went off unexpectedly.
  • The landmine was buried underground, waiting to go off if someone stepped on it.
2

to run away or leave abruptly, especially to avoid an unpleasant situation or person

  • The deer sensed danger and went off into the woods to escape from the approaching hunters.
  • She went off after hearing her ex-boyfriend's name.
  • In the middle of the night, the suspect attempted to go off and escape from custody.
  • The thief managed to go off with the stolen jewels before the alarm sounded.
  • The prisoner managed to go off while the guards were momentarily distracted.
Synonyms:
run offdecampabscondabsquatulatemake offbolt
3

to be activated and start functioning

  • The car's airbag went off upon impact, protecting the driver.
  • The sprinkler went off when the temperature in the greenhouse rose too high.
  • My airbags went off when I was in a car accident and collided with another vehicle.
  • The sprinkler system went off as soon as it detected a fire.
Synonyms:
firedischarge
4

to take place or occur in a particular way or manner

  • The party went off without a hitch, and everyone had a great time.
  • The business meeting went off smoothly, and important decisions were made.
  • The experiment went off successfully, yielding the expected results.
  • The concert went off beautifully, with the crowd cheering for an encore.
  • The school play went off perfectly, and the young actors received a standing ovation.
Synonyms:
go overcome off
5

to stop working or functioning

  • The power went off during the storm, leaving us in the dark.
  • The lights went off when the power went out.
  • The coffee machine went off when the brewing process was complete.
  • The washing machine went off when the cycle finished.
Antonyms:
go on
6

to experience a loss of interest or liking towards someone or something

transitive
  • Jenny went off her ex-boyfriend when she discovered he had been dishonest with her.
  • The children went off the idea of going to the amusement park after seeing the long lines and high prices.
  • Sarah went off her colleague after he constantly took credit for her work.
  • As he grew older, he went off video games and became more interested in outdoor activities.
  • I went off sushi after I got food poisoning from a bad experience at a restaurant.
7

(of food and drinks) to become spoiled or rotten and no longer be safe to consume

  • The milk went off because I left it out of the refrigerator for too long, and it started to smell sour.
  • I accidentally left the bread on the counter, and it went off, becoming stale and inedible.
  • The vegetables in the fridge went off after a week of neglect, and I had to throw them away.
  • He realized that the meat had gone off when he opened the package and noticed a foul odor.
  • Don't leave the leftovers out overnight; they might go off and become unsafe to eat.
8

(of alarms) to start making a lot of noise as a warning or signal

  • My alarm clock goes off at 6:00 AM sharp every morning.
  • The smoke detector went off while I was cooking, so I opened a window to let the smoke out.
  • The alarm on the burglar's phone went off to remind him to pick up his dry cleaning.
  • The timer on the oven went off to let me know the cake was ready.
  • The fire alarm went off during the school drill, signaling the students to evacuate.
9

to decline in condition or quality

  • The once beautiful garden has gone off due to neglect, with overgrown weeds and dying plants.
  • The relationship between the two friends went off when they had a falling out over a misunderstanding.
  • The old building has really gone off over the years, with its peeling paint and cracked walls.
  • The quality of the product went off, and customers complained about its performance.
  • The quality of their service has gone off, and I'm considering switching providers.
10

to depart from a place, usually for a specific purpose or activity

  • He went off to buy some groceries.
  • She often goes off to take a break when work gets too hectic.
  • I'll go off to the library to study for my exams.
  • They went off to explore the city and its attractions.
  • He's planning to go off to a conference next week.
11

to enter a state of sleep

  • The baby finally went off after a lullaby and some rocking in the crib.
  • He typically goes off around 10 p.m. to get a good night's rest.
  • The children had a fun day at the park, so they'll likely go off quickly tonight.
  • The medication helped her go off despite her insomnia.
  • The dog often goes off on the couch in the living room.
12

to express one's anger or irritation toward the person who caused it

  • When I mentioned his mistake, he went off on me, shouting and pointing fingers.
  • She can be very calm, but when you touch her belongings, she'll go off on you.
  • He went off on his co-worker for taking credit for his ideas during the meeting.
  • The teacher went off on the students for not completing their assignments on time.
  • She was calm for most of the argument, but eventually, she went off on her brother.