Phrasal verb
fly off
Definition
phrasal verb. to leave a place quickly by flying, or to suddenly break away and move through the air. You use this when a bird leaves a tree or when a part of a machine breaks and moves fast.
phrasal verb. To depart a location via flight or to detach abruptly from a larger body and travel through the air. The verb is typically intransitive but can take a prepositional object to indicate the point of origin.
Examples
“The birds fly off as soon as they hear a loud noise.”
“While he was cycling down the hill, one of the pedals flew off and he lost control.”
“As the storm intensified, several loose shingles flew off the roof and scattered across the garden, posing a significant risk to anyone walking nearby.”
Examples
simple
“The birds fly off as soon as they hear a loud noise.”
contextual
“While he was cycling down the hill, one of the pedals flew off and he lost control.”
complex
“As the storm intensified, several loose shingles flew off the roof and scattered across the garden, posing a significant risk to anyone walking nearby.”
Usage
Often used without an object to describe a sudden departure or detachment.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'fly away'; 'fly off' often implies a specific starting point or a sudden, forceful detachment.
Pitfall
The bird flew off of the tree.
The bird flew off the tree.
The preposition 'off' does not require 'of' to indicate movement away from a surface.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
fly + off
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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