1 B1 idiomatic informal
Used as an imperative to rudely tell someone to go away and stop bothering you.
"When the salesman knocked for the third time, she finally opened the door and told him to push off."
inseparable
push off
B1 informal inseparable intransitive
To tell someone rudely to go away, or to move away from a place; also used in boating to leave a dock.
In plain English
It means 'go away!' when you say it to someone, or it means to start moving away from somewhere.
What does "push off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To leave a place, especially by pushing a boat away from a dock or shore.
"They pushed off from the jetty just as the sun was rising over the water."
inseparable
3 B1 idiomatic informal
To leave or depart informally.
"It's getting late — I think I'll push off and head home."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To push something so that it moves off or away from a surface.
Actually means
It means 'go away!' when you say it to someone, or it means to start moving away from somewhere.
Usage tip
Chiefly British English. 'Push off!' as a dismissal is rude but not extremely offensive — milder than some alternatives. The nautical sense (leaving a dock by pushing against it) is more literal and neutral.
Words that pair with "push off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
boat shore dock crowd someone
How to conjugate "push off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
push off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pushes off
he/she/it
Past simple
pushed off
yesterday
Past participle
pushed off
have + pp
-ing form
pushing off
continuous
Hear "push off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "push off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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