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spirit off

C1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To take someone away so fast and secretly that nobody notices

Literal meaning: To move someone off like a spirit (ghost) — as if they simply vanished

Meanings

1 C1 idiomatic neutral

To take someone or something away from a place rapidly and covertly, often to prevent others from seeing or stopping it

"The bodyguards spirited the celebrity off before the crowd could reach her."

Grammar: separable
2 C1 idiomatic neutral

To remove a document, object, or piece of evidence from a location secretly and swiftly

"The files were spirited off to an undisclosed location before investigators arrived."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Often used in journalism and narrative writing to describe dramatic rescues, kidnappings, or clandestine removals. The verb 'spirit' here evokes the idea of something disappearing like a ghost. Typically used in the passive or with a human object.

Commonly used with

diplomat witness hostage celebrity document heir

Forms

Base
spirit off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
spirits off
he/she/it
Past simple
spirited off
yesterday
Past participle
spirited off
have + pp
-ing form
spiriting off
continuous

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Synonyms

whisk away smuggle out spirit away sneak away hustle out abscond with

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