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foist off

C1 informal separable transitive
In simple words

Make someone take something they don't want, often by being sneaky or pushy about it.

Meanings

1 C1 idiomatic informal

To trick or pressure someone into accepting something that is unwanted, inferior, or not rightfully theirs.

"He tried to foist off his unwanted furniture on his new flatmates by saying it was a gift."

Grammar: separable
2 C1 idiomatic informal

To transfer an unwanted task, responsibility, or problem to someone else.

"The manager was always foisting off the most tedious administrative work onto the junior staff."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Primarily used in American English. The construction is typically 'foist something off on someone.' Implies a degree of dishonesty or at least social pressure. Often used for unwanted tasks, inferior goods, or unreasonable opinions being imposed on others.

Commonly used with

work task responsibility inferior goods opinion problem

Forms

Base
foist off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
foists off
he/she/it
Past simple
foisted off
yesterday
Past participle
foisted off
have + pp
-ing form
foisting off
continuous

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