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see off

B1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To go with someone to the place where they leave (like an airport) to say goodbye; or to beat someone who is causing a problem.

Literal meaning: To watch someone go off — extended to mean accompanying them to their departure or driving away a threat.

Meanings

1 B1 neutral

To accompany someone to the place where they are departing — such as an airport, station, or door — in order to say goodbye.

"The whole family drove to the airport to see her off before her move to Canada."

Grammar: separable
2 B2 idiomatic informal

To defeat, repel, or get rid of a rival, attacker, or threat.

"The home team saw off a strong challenge from their opponents in the second half."

"Boris Johnson saw off a leadership challenge from within his own party."

— BBC News, 2019
Grammar: separable
3 B1 informal

To chase away or force someone to leave.

"The guard dog saw off the trespassers before they could get near the house."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

The 'say goodbye' sense is very common in British English. The 'defeat/repel' sense is more informal and can refer to a sporting defeat, repelling an attacker, or overcoming an illness.

Commonly used with

guests visitors challenger competition rival infection

Forms

Base
see off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sees off
he/she/it
Past simple
saw off
yesterday
Past participle
seen off
have + pp
-ing form
seeing off
continuous

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