meaning of "go off"

lost_soul · Sun Dec 16, 2007 13:51 pm *meaning of "go off"*

Hi,

I came upon this meaning of "go off":

Alan · Sun Dec 16, 2007 14:02 pm *meaning of "go off"*

Hi LS,

'Go off' someone suggests that you have seen what that person is really like and as a result you no longer like them as in: 'When I discovered that X had accepted a huge fee for his services on the show and it was meant to be in aid of charity, I went right off him.'

It's also an expression often used lightheartedly when someone asks you to do something for them, which they could easily do by themselves, and in a joking way you say: Yes OK I'll help you but you can go off people you know!

Alan
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lost_soul · Sun Dec 16, 2007 14:25 pm *meaning of "go off"*

Thank you very much, Alan !
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Alex

How much upchuck would a woodchuck upchuck if a woodchuck could upchuck ?

(a guy from Russia)

Jamie (K) · Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:05 am *meaning of "go off"*

I don't think we have that usage of "go off" in North America. Alan's last sentence "...but you can go off people you know!" was not understandable to me. I can't figure out what it means.

In North America we have the expression "to go off on someone", which means you explode into sudden rage at the person and either start shouting at him or beating him. We can say that a professor lost patience with a student and went off on him. I suppose it's an analogy to a bomb exploding, because bombs also go off.

Yankee · Mon Dec 17, 2007 6:11 am *meaning of "go off"*

I don't think I've ever heard that expression in this neck of the North American woods either.
If it were used in the northeastern US, it might be easily misunderstood (i.e. misinterpreted as "go off on").

Better be careful when talking about what is and isn't used in "North America", though, Jamie. Some forum members don't seem to like it and may go off on you. Wink

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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

Alan · Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:05 am *meaning of "go off"*

Yankee · Mon Dec 17, 2007 13:58 pm *meaning of "go off"*

Hi Alan

From your first explanation, the meaning of the British expression "go off (somebody)" isn't particularly similar to the expression "go off on (somebody)" used in AmE. Your second definition of "go off" doesn't sound like the same meaning as "go off on" either. Can you also "go off something" in BE (i.e. "stop liking something")?
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

lost_soul · Mon Dec 17, 2007 14:15 pm *meaning of "go off"*

Hi, Amy

It dawned upon me !! The textbook (about phrasal verbs) I am working on at the moment is of a British origin and therefore some of the case studies (such as "lay on and go off") are unfamiliar to you but familiar to Alan Smile

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BTW, do you say only "go off on somebody", or you can also say "go off at somebody" ?
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Alex

How much upchuck would a woodchuck upchuck if a woodchuck could upchuck ?

(a guy from Russia)

Yankee · Mon Dec 17, 2007 14:20 pm *meaning of "go off"*

Ah HA! That explains it, then. Laughing

Yes, you can also "go off at somebody" (in AmE, anyway).
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

Jamie (K) · Mon Dec 17, 2007 14:22 pm *meaning of "go off"*

Yankee · Mon Dec 17, 2007 14:33 pm *meaning of "go off"*

I would tend to agree with that hallucination, Jamie. Laughing

(I mean, I agree that "go off at" would most likely be strictly verbal.)
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

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