Take off

Take off Take off Take off By Maeve Maddox A reader asks about the phrase â€Å"take off†: I read a line that said take off Saturday, which I had always understood to be â€Å"to take Saturday off.† What do you think? â€Å"To take off† is a phrasal verb used with more than one meaning. When the sense is â€Å"to stay away from work,† the particle off may appear next to take or following the day mentioned as being taken off. For example: I felt wiped out, and I was dreading Sunday each week, so I decided to  take Saturday off  to have a very simple day to read and explore my purpose in life.   The new law entitles  workers  at factories, eateries, hotels, movie theaters and private hospitals to  take off Saturday  or Sunday.   â€Å"Take Saturday off† may be more common, but â€Å"take off Saturday† is not incorrect. Here are some other examples of take off used as a verb: Do you take your shoes off while on a plane? (remove) The video shows a UFO that appears behind a commercial airliner taking off from the airport. (leaving the ground to fly) Have you ever  watched  someones  career take off  and wondered Why isnt that me? (become successful)   Its not  like  her to just  take off like  that.  (leave suddenly without telling anyone) You’ve booked your trip, researched the must-see attractions, recharged your electronics, packed your bags - and now you’re ready to lock the door and take off on your big vacation. (leave, get started) Here are examples of the noun take-off: When you fly, at  take-off, there is a strange  feeling  in your body, not explicable, but strange.  (the moment an airplane lifts off the ground) There seems to be a lot of things going on during the crucial moment of take off, and to a good extent, setting up for a take off. (the moment a surfboard connects with a wave) Tomlin sings â€Å"I Got You Babe† with Scred the Muppet and does a take-off on scat singing with some of the cast members, dressed as Bees. (a parody of) Because the verb take off has so many meanings, its use can lead to ambiguity, especially in contexts intended for non-native speakers of English. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Useful Stock Phrases for Your Business EmailsDoes "Mr" Take a Period?6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know