ENGLISH
REFERENCE

offs

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɔfs// UK //ˈɒfs// offs

v. to kill someone. This is a very informal and tough way to talk about murder, often used in movies or crime stories.

v. to murder or assassinate an individual. Slang in register; typically used in the context of organised crime or hard-boiled fiction.


SIMPLE

The gang decided to off the witness before the trial.

CONTEXTUAL

In the movie, the villain hires a professional hitman to off his rival and take over the business.

COMPLEX

The plot thickens when the protagonist realizes that the same syndicate responsible for the heist is now attempting to off every person who knows the location of the vault.

Synonyms
Usage

Transitive phrasal verb — always requires a direct object. While 'off' can be a preposition or adverb, this specific sense functions as a verb.

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