get off
HighInformal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To physically leave or disembark from a vehicle, bicycle, or horse; to depart from a place.
To escape punishment; to experience euphoria or pleasure; to send or dispatch something; to finish work and leave; to start a journey.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A highly versatile phrasal verb that can be transitive (with an object) or intransitive. Its meaning is heavily context-dependent, ranging from literal to highly idiomatic and slang.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the sense of finishing work, 'get off' is slightly more common in American English (e.g., 'I get off at five'). In slang, 'get off on (something)' meaning to enjoy something, including sexually, is used in both, but the sexual connotation is more prevalent in American English. 'Get off' as an exclamation meaning 'Stop!' ('Get off!') is common in UK informal speech.
Connotations
In both varieties, it can imply escaping a difficult situation or responsibility. The drug-related meaning ('to get off heroin') is neutral. The sexual slang meaning is considered vulgar.
Frequency
Extremely frequent in spoken English in both varieties, with a similar range of core meanings.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Intransitive: 'We get off at the next stop.'Transitive (separable): 'Can you get the children off the bus?'Prepositional Phrase (with 'on'): 'He gets off on loud music.'Prepositional Phrase (with 'with'): 'She got off with a warning.'Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “get off on the wrong foot”
- “get off your high horse”
- “get off the hook”
- “get off my back”
- “get off to a flying start”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare in formal writing; may appear in informal emails about leaving work ('I'll get off early tomorrow').
Academic
Virtually absent in formal academic prose due to its informal nature.
Everyday
Extremely common in all forms of spoken and informal written communication.
Technical
Not typically used, except perhaps in transport contexts (e.g., passenger instructions).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- You can get off at Leicester Square.
- He got off with a surprisingly small fine.
- I need to get this parcel off by noon.
- 'Get off!' she shouted at the dog.
American English
- Get off at the next exit.
- She gets off work at 6 PM sharp.
- He really gets off on extreme sports.
- The lawyer managed to get her client off.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please get off the bus at the museum.
- We get off school at three o'clock.
- Get off the grass!
- She got off the plane feeling very tired.
- If you hurry, you can get off early today.
- He got off the bicycle and walked it up the hill.
- Despite the evidence, the suspect got off scot-free.
- The new project is struggling to get off the ground.
- I wish my boss would get off my case about the report.
- The defendant's expensive lawyer ensured he got off with a mere suspended sentence.
- Some people get off on the adrenaline of public speaking.
- The company got off to a rocky start but eventually found its footing.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a GIF (GET) of a person jumping OFF a bus. The GIF helps you remember to 'get off'.
Conceptual Metaphor
ESCAPE IS DISMOUNTING (e.g., 'He got off the charge'). LIFE IS A JOURNEY (e.g., 'We need to get off by dawn').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить дословно 'слезать' для всех ситуаций. Например, 'get off the phone' означает 'положить трубку', а не 'слезть с телефона'.
- 'Get off work' означает 'закончить работу', а не 'сойти с работы'.
- В значении 'избежать наказания' не использовать глагол 'сойти', который в русском имеет другую сочетаемость.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'get off from' (redundant preposition) as in *'I got off from the train'. Correct: 'I got off the train'.
- Confusing 'get off' with 'get out of' for cars and taxis. Typically, you 'get out of' a car but 'get off' a bus/train/bicycle.
- Using the transitive form incorrectly: *'Get off it the bus' instead of 'Get off the bus' or 'Get it off the bus' (which has a different meaning).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence does 'get off' mean 'to escape punishment'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily informal to neutral. It is common in speech and informal writing but is generally avoided in very formal academic or official documents.
Typically, you 'get off' larger forms of public transport where you stand or walk to exit (bus, train, plane, bicycle, horse). You 'get out of' private, enclosed vehicles where you must open a door (car, taxi, small boat).
Yes, when it means to remove someone or something. For example, 'Can you get the cat off the table?' or 'I need to get this report off my desk.'
It means to derive excitement, pleasure, or sexual arousal from something. For example, 'He gets off on dangerous sports.' This usage is informal and can be vulgar depending on context.