go off - Definition & Meaning

go off

Third Person

goes off

Present Participle

going off

Past Tense

went off

Past Participle

gone off

(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.

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:

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:

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:

to stop working or functioning

Antonyms:

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.

(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.

(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.

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.

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

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.

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.