take off v.2
1. to die.
![]() | Out for the Coin 27: Mighty sudden taking off, but a ge’man, suh, right up to the finish of the funeral ce’monies. | |
![]() | Harry The Cockney 163: ‘Lord, if I was to be took off, though!’ [...] ‘Took off!’ I stammered. ‘It’s only your corn, isn’t it?’. | |
![]() | ‘Chokey’ 182: Jame’s body was gently swaying, suspended from his neck to two handkerchiefs tied to the electric light conduit. [...] He had only just ‘taken off.’. | |
![]() | Big Gold Dream 69: My God, don’t tell me another one has dropped dead — took off — departed, I mean. |
2. (US black) to start talking.
![]() | Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 16: What did the banter take off with? |
3. in drug uses [i.e. to get high adj.1 (3)].
(a) to take narcotics.
![]() | Junkie (1966) 61: Do you mind if I take off here? | |
![]() | Addict in the Street (1966) 70: You want a shot, Dom? You want to take off? | |
![]() | Panic in Needle Park (1971) 12: When he has finally injected the heroin (he calls it ‘shooting up,’ ‘taking off,’ ‘getting off’), he may or may not go on a ‘nod’ — his eyelids heavy, his mind wandering pleasantly — depending on how much heroin his body has become accustomed to. | |
![]() | S.R.O. (1998) 66: She would often as me to let her take off in my room. |
(b) to feel the effects of a drug.
![]() | Harder They Fall (1971) 34: Pass that opium pipe around and let’s all take off. | |
![]() | Howard Street 156: They’d just taken off an hour before. | |
![]() | Underground Dict. (1972). |
4. to go to, to visit; to leave.
![]() | Thicker ’n Thieves 106: The following Sunday when I saw Brenda take off, I went into action, immediately calling Captain Wingard . | |
![]() | They’re a Weird Mob (1958) 105: She takes orf to ’er sister’s place when we ’ave a bucks’ party. | |
![]() | Weed (1998) 162: She takes off to the doc and lets him clean her button. | |
![]() | Won’t Know Till I Get There 115: My father was going to take off and take her up there. | |
![]() | Sydney Morn. Herald 10 May 6/4: Ever since I’ve been back inside I’ve wanted to take off again. | |
![]() | (con. 1964-65) Sex and Thugs and Rock ’n’ Roll 333: I [...] told him about Natalie taking off. | |
![]() | Joey Piss Pot 122: ‘It’s just his taking off and not staying in contact makes no sense’. |
In phrases
(US) to leave very quickly.
![]() | Chains of Command 104: Tell me, why’d you grab those bars and take off like a big-assed bird? | |
![]() | One Star General 60: As soon as you hear me firing, hoist the sergeant on your back and take off like a big-assed bird for the lines. | |
![]() | All Fall Down (1990) 185: And any time I want to, I put this stuff in my pocket, and take off like a big- assed bird. | |
![]() | (con. c.1970) Short Timers (1985) 99: Lieutenant Shortround blows a whistle and then we’re all running like big-assed birds. | |
![]() | (con. c.1970) Phantom Blooper 113: I turn away and run like a big-assed bird, clumsy, limping, but ignoring the pain, thinking only that I either find cover most ricky-tick or my health record is going to be turned into a fuck story. | |
![]() | Lockie Leonard: Scumbuster (1995) 121: Well, you took off like a cut cat. |