rake off
B2 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To take a secret or unfair cut of some money; or to scrape something away with a rake.
Literal meaning: Dragging a rake across a surface to remove material — pulling things off and away.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
informal
To take a percentage or share of money from a deal, often dishonestly or as a hidden commission.
"The manager was raking off ten percent of every contract the company signed."
Grammar: separable
2 B1 neutral
To remove material (such as leaves or debris) from a surface using a rake.
"He raked off the dead grass to prepare the lawn for new seed."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
The financial sense (taking a dishonest cut) is more common in everyday speech. The noun form 'rake-off' (meaning a corrupt commission) is widely used in journalism. The literal garden sense is much less common.
Commonly used with
percentage commission profits leaves debris cut
Forms
Base
rake off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rakes off
he/she/it
Past simple
raked off
yesterday
Past participle
raked off
have + pp
-ing form
raking off
continuous
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