beak off
C1 slang intransitive
In simple words
To answer back rudely or talk in a cheeky, disrespectful way.
Literal meaning: To use one's beak (slang: mouth) in an off (dismissive, insolent) way.
Meanings
1 C1
idiomatic
slang
To speak rudely or cheekily to someone in authority; to answer back with impudence. (Dialectal British slang)
"The boy beaked off at his teacher and ended up in detention for a week."
Usage notes
Very rare. Dialectal British English. 'Beak' here likely derives from slang for 'mouth' (beak = nose/face/mouth in some British dialects). Learners should use 'mouth off' or 'answer back' instead, as 'beak off' may not be understood by most speakers.
Commonly used with
teacher boss parent rudely insolently
Forms
Base
beak off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
beaks off
he/she/it
Past simple
beaked off
yesterday
Past participle
beaked off
have + pp
-ing form
beaking off
continuous
Understand "beak off" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "beak off" on Looplines