take off

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Noun Phrase, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

take off, v. i. 

•  to begin a leap from a surface or a flight into the air; especially, (of a bird or an airplane) to leave the ground and begin to fly; as, flight CA123 took off on schedule at 3:00 PM.  [PJC]
•  To begin a period of accelerating growth or development; as, the economy took off in the third quarter.  [PJC]
•  To begin a journey; to depart.  [PJC]

take off, v. t. 

•  To remove, as from the surface or outside; to remove from the top of anything; as, to take off a load; to take off one's hat, coat or other article of clothing; to take off a coat of paint from a surface.  [1913 Webster]
•  To cut off; as, to take off the head, or a limb.  [1913 Webster]
•  To destroy; as, to take off life.  [1913 Webster]
•  To remove; to invalidate; as, to take off the force of an argument.  [1913 Webster]
•  To withdraw; to call or draw away.  [1913 Webster]
•  To swallow; as, to take off a glass of wine.  [1913 Webster]
•  To purchase; to take in trade.  [1913 Webster]
•  To copy; to reproduce.  [1913 Webster]
•  To imitate; to mimic; to personate.  [1913 Webster]
•  To find place for; to dispose of; as, more scholars than preferments can take off.  [1913 Webster]
•  To discount or deduct (from a price); the dealer took off twenty percent on remaining toys.  [PJC]

THESAURUS

take off

abate, abscind, absquatulate, act, act a part, act as, act out, advance, allow, ameliorate, amend, amputate, annihilate, ape, aspire, ban, bar, bate, bear, become airborne, begin, begone, bereave of life, blast away, blast off, bob, burlesque, carry away, carry off, cast off, charge off, chloroform, claw skyward, clear, clear out, clip, come along, come on, commence, copy, copycat, crop, cull, cut, cut away, cut down, cut off, cut out, cut short, decamp, deduct, depreciate, deprive of life, destroy, detach, develop, discount, disengage, dispatch, dispose of, dive in, do, do away with, do for, do to death, dock, doff, dog it, douse, down, draw back, drop, eliminate, enact, end, enucleate, eradicate, except, excise, exclude, execute, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, fall to, finish, finish off, float, fly, fly aloft, free, gain, gain altitude, gain ground, get ahead, get along, get rid of, get to, go ahead, go forward, graduate, grow better, hang, head, head into, hightail, hit off, hit off on, hover, imitate, immolate, impersonate, improve, isolate, jump off, kick back, kick off, kill, kite, knock off, lam, launch into eternity, lay low, leave the ground, liberate, light out, liquidate, look up, loose, loosen, lop, lynch, make, make allowance, make away with, make headway, make off, make progress, make strides, martyr, martyrize, masquerade as, meliorate, mend, mime, mimic, mock, mutilate, nip, pantomime, pare, parody, parrot, pass for, peel, perform, perk up, personate, pick out, pick up, pitch in, plane, play, play a part, plunge into, poise, poison, pose as, powder, pretend to be, progress, prune, purge, put away, put down, put off, put paid to, put to death, put to sleep, rebate, reduce, refund, release, remove, remove from life, root out, rotate, rule out, sacrifice, scrag, scram, send off, set about, set apart, set aside, set in, set out, set sail, set to, shape up, shave, shear, show improvement, skedaddle, skip, skip out, skyrocket, slaughter, slay, slip out of, soar, spire, split, stamp out, start, start in, start off, start out, starve, step out of, strike, strike off, strip, strip off, subtract, take, take a powder, take a premium, take away, take life, take off on, take out, taxi, throw off, to, travesty, truncate, turn to, unbar, unbind, unbolt, unbuckle, unbutton, unchain, unclasp, undo, unfasten, unfetter, unglue, unlace, unlatch, unleash, unlock, unloose, unloosen, unstick, unstrap, untie, unwrap, vamoose, weigh anchor, wipe out, withdraw, write off, zoom

ROGET THESAURUS

take off

Imitation

VB imitate, copy, mirror, reflect, reproduce, repeat, do like, echo, reecho, catch, transcribe, match, parallel, mock, take off, mimic, ape, simulate, impersonate, personate, act, represent, counterfeit, parody, travesty, caricature, lampoon, burlesque, follow in the steps of, tread in the steps, follow in the footsteps of, follow in the wake of, take pattern by, follow suit, follow the example of, walk in the shoes of, take a leaf out of another's book, strike in with, follow suit, take after, model after, emulate.

Taking

VB take, catch, hook, nab, bag, sack, pocket, put into one's pocket, receive, accept, reap, crop, cull, pluck, gather, draw, appropriate, expropriate, impropriate, assume, possess oneself of, take possession of, commandeer, lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on, help oneself to, make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution, intercept, scramble for, deprive of, take away, carry away, bear away, take off, carry off, bear off, adeem, abstract, hurry off with, run away with, abduct, steal, ravish, seize, pounce upon, spring upon, swoop to, swoop down upon, take by storm, take by assault, snatch, reave, snap up, nip up, whip up, catch up, kidnap, crimp, capture, lay violent hands on, get hold of, lay hold of, take hold of, catch hold of, lay fast hold of, take firm hold of, lay by the heels, take prisoner, fasten upon, grip, grapple, embrace, gripe, clasp, grab, clutch, collar, throttle, take by the throat, claw, clinch, clench, make sure of, catch at, jump at, make a grab at, snap at, snatch at, reach, make a long arm, stretch forth one's hand, take from, take away from, disseize, deduct, retrench, dispossess, ease one of, snatch from one's grasp, tear from, tear away from, wrench from, wrest from, wring from, extort, deprive of, bereave, disinherit, cut off with a shilling, oust, divest, levy, distrain, confiscate, sequester, sequestrate, accroach, usurp, despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home, drain, drain to the dregs, gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up, absorb, draw off, suck the blood of, suck like a leech, retake, resume, recover.

Destruction

VB be destroyed, perish, fall to the ground, tumble, topple, go to pieces, fall to pieces, break up, crumble to dust, go to the dogs, go to the wall, go to smash, go to shivers, go to wreck, go to pot, go to wrack and ruin, go by the board, go all to smash, be all over, be all up, be all with, totter to its fall, destroy, do away with, make away with, nullify, annual, sacrifice, demolish, tear up, overturn, overthrow, overwhelm, upset, subvert, put an end to, seal the doom of, do in, do for, dish, undo, break up, cut up, break down, cut down, pull down, mow down, blow down, beat down, suppress, quash, put down, do a job on, cut short, take off, blot out, dispel, dissipate, dissolve, consume, smash, crash, quell, squash, squelch, crumple up, shatter, shiver, batter to pieces, tear to pieces, crush to pieces, cut to pieces, shake to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, laniate, nip, tear to rags, tear to tatters, crush to atoms, knock to atoms, ruin, strike out, throw over, knock down over, fell, sink, swamp, scuttle, wreck, shipwreck, engulf, ingulf, submerge, lay in ashes, lay in ruins, sweep away, erase, wipe out, expunge, raze, level with the dust, level with the ground, waste, atomize, vaporize, deal destruction, desolate, devastate, lay waste, ravage gut, disorganize, dismantle, devour, swallow up, sap, mine, blast, bomb, blow to smithereens, drop the big one, confound, exterminate, extinguish, quench, annihilate, snuff out, put out, stamp out, trample out, lay in the dust, trample in the dust, prostrate, tread under foot, crush under foot, trample under foot, lay the ax to the root of, make short work of, make clean sweep of, make mincemeat of, cut up root and branch, chop into pieces, cut into ribbons, fling to the winds, scatter to the winds, throw overboard, strike at the root of, sap the foundations of, spring a mine, blow up, ravage with fire and sword, cast to the dogs, eradicate.

Displacement

VB displace, misplace, displant, dislodge, disestablish, exile, ablegate, set aside, remove, take away, cart away, take off, draft off, lade, unload, empty, transfer, dispel, vacate, depart.

Divestment

VB divest, uncover &c (cover), denude, bare, strip, disfurnish, undress, disrobe &c (dress, enrobe), uncoif, dismantle, put off, take off, cast off, doff, peel, pare, decorticate, excoriate, skin, scalp, flay, expose, lay open, exfoliate, molt, mew, cast the skin.

Navigation

VB sail, put to sea, take ship, get under way, set sail, spread sail, spread canvas, gather way, have way on, make sail, carry sail, plow the waves, plow the deep, plow the main, plow the ocean, walk the waters, navigate, warp, luff, scud, boom, kedge, drift, course, cruise, coast, hug the shore, hug the land, circumnavigate, ply the oar, row, paddle, pull, scull, punt, steam, swim, float, buffet the waves, ride the storm, skim, effleurer, dive, wade, fly, be wafted, hover, soar, flutter, jet, orbit, rocket, take wing, take a flight, take off, ascend, blast off, land, alight, wing one's flight, wing one's way, aviate, parachute, jump, glide.

Ascent

VB ascend, rise, mount, arise, uprise, go up, get up, work one's way up, start up, shoot up, go into orbit, float up, bubble up, aspire, climb, clamber, ramp, scramble, escalade, surmount, shin, shinny, shinney, scale, scale the heights, raise, elevate, go aloft, fly aloft, tower, soar, take off, spring up, pop up, jump up, catapult upwards, explode upwards, hover, spire, plane, swim, float, surge, leap.