fall off
phr. v.. A2 Elementary Oxford
phr. v.. To accidentally drop from a surface or a higher position.
phr. v.. An intransitive phrasal verb meaning to become detached from a surface or object and descend due to gravity.
A button falls off my coat.
Be careful on that ladder or you might fall off and hurt yourself.
The ancient plaster, weakened by years of damp, began to fall off the walls in large, crumbling sheets.
- Particles
- off
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- fall + off
Usage
Often used for objects attached to something larger, or for people on bikes, horses, or chairs.
Teaching tip
Contrast with the general verb 'fall'; 'fall off' specifically means to fall from a surface (a horse, a cliff, a wall).
Pitfall
He fell the horse.He fell off the horse.'Fall off' is intransitive, meaning the subject does the action; you cannot 'fall' an object.