1 C1 informal
To remove a piece of clothing quickly and casually.
"He shucked off his wet raincoat and hung it by the door."
separable
shuck off
C1 informal separable transitive
To remove or discard something quickly, like a shell, covering, or unwanted obligation.
In plain English
To take off or get rid of something, like a coat or a problem, quickly and easily.
What does "shuck off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
To get rid of a responsibility, habit, or aspect of oneself.
"After moving abroad, she shucked off her old identity and started fresh."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To remove a shell/husk off — transparent in the literal sense.
Actually means
To take off or get rid of something, like a coat or a problem, quickly and easily.
Usage tip
Can be literal (removing clothes or shells) or figurative (getting rid of responsibilities, inhibitions, or constraints). Primarily American English. The core verb 'shuck' comes from the agricultural practice of removing husks. Informal and vivid.
Words that pair with "shuck off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
coat jacket clothes responsibility inhibitions past
How to conjugate "shuck off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
shuck off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shucks off
he/she/it
Past simple
shucked off
yesterday
Past participle
shucked off
have + pp
-ing form
shucking off
continuous
Hear "shuck off" in the wild
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