View synonyms for

head off

verb

to intercept and force to change direction
to head off the stampede
to prevent or forestall (something that is likely to happen)
to depart or set out
to head off to school

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Idioms and Phrases

Block the progress or completion of; also, intercept. For example, They worked round the clock to head off the flu epidemic, or Try to head him off before he gets home. [First half of 1800s] This expression gave rise to head someone off at the pass, which in Western films meant “to block someone at a mountain pass.” It then became a general colloquialism for intercepting someone, as in Jim is going to the boss's office—let's head him off at the pass.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The most notorious was biting the head off a live bat while on stage in Iowa in 1982.

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Sir Keir was forced on Tuesday night to scrap key parts of the government's welfare reform legislation at the last minute to head off a backbench rebellion.

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City players will head off on holiday for about four weeks before reporting back to the club for the start of pre-season.

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There's heavy cloud cover at the moment and it feels like a lot of people have heeded the festival's advice to head off early to avoid the fierce heat this afternoon.

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Now this travelling roadshow heads off around Australia at breakneck speed.

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headnote head of state

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