come off

verb

1. (also preposition) to fall (from), losing one's balance

2. to become detached or be capable of being detached

3. (preposition) to be removed from (a price, tax, etc)

   will anything come off income tax in the budget?

4. (copula) to emerge from or as if from a trial or contest

   he came off the winner

5. informal,  to take place or happen

6. informal,  to have the intended effect; succeed

   his jokes did not come off

7. slang,  to have an orgasm

8. informal,  stop trying to fool me!

Idioms and Phrases

Happen, occur, as in The trip came off on schedule . [Early 1800s]

Acquit oneself, reach the end. This usage always includes a modifier, as in Whenever challenged he comes off badly , or This model is doomed to come off second-best . [Mid-1600s]

Succeed, as in Our dinner party really came off . [Mid-1800s]

See come off it .

Example Sentences

Later that month though, she was told her blood results might not have been accurate and advised to come off the medication immediately.

From BBC

New York magazine described him as "notoriously disciplined" and "dedicated to a self-control and self-containedness that can come off as coolness".

From BBC

Both programs were coming off successful trips to Hawaii.

From Los Angeles Times

At the time, the Trojans had a roster that included Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble, who were coming off their freshman season.

From Los Angeles Times

Will Smith comes off the bench and hits a walk-off home run in the ninth inning as the Dodgers overcome a Tanner Scott disaster in a 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• go off 
• go over 
• pan out