1 B1 neutral
To remove a lid, cap, or component by rotating it in the unscrewing direction.
"Screw off the fuel cap carefully and check the tank level."
separable
screw off
B2 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To remove something by unscrewing it; also used as a rude way to tell someone to go away.
In plain English
To take something off by turning it (like a lid), or a rude way of telling someone to leave you alone.
What does "screw off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic slang
(Vulgar/slang) A rude command telling someone to go away or stop bothering you.
"When the persistent salesman knocked for the third time, he opened the door and told him to screw off."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To screw (rotate) something off (away from its position).
Actually means
To take something off by turning it (like a lid), or a rude way of telling someone to leave you alone.
Usage tip
Has two distinct senses: a practical, literal one (removing a lid or cap by rotating it) and a vulgar dismissal ('screw off!' = 'go away!'). The dismissal sense is rude and should be avoided in polite contexts. More common in American English.
Words that pair with "screw off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
lid cap top bolt nut
How to conjugate "screw off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
screw off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
screws off
he/she/it
Past simple
screwed off
yesterday
Past participle
screwed off
have + pp
-ing form
screwing off
continuous
Hear "screw off" in the wild
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Other ways to say "screw off"
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