throw off
To quickly remove something, to escape from something, or to confuse and distract someone so they make a mistake.
Meanings
To remove something quickly, especially clothing.
"She threw off her coat as soon as she got inside and collapsed on the sofa."
To cause someone to lose concentration, accuracy, or balance; to confuse or mislead.
"The noise from the street threw off my concentration during the exam."
To escape from someone or something following or constraining you.
"The spy took several different routes to throw off anyone who might be following him."
Has several common senses. 'Throw off the scent' is a common idiom meaning to mislead. 'Throw off one's balance/concentration' means to disrupt someone's focus. Also used to mean removing clothing quickly. Quite versatile and common in both British and American English.
Commonly used with
Forms
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