sb. and a. [The verbal phrase take off (see TAKE v. 83) used as sb. or adj.]
A. sb. 1. A thing that ‘takes off’ or detracts from something (see TAKE v. 83 k); a drawback.
1826. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. II. 214 (French Emigrants). Notwithstanding these take-offs, our good duchess had still the air of a lady of rank.
1868. Ld. R. Gower, Remin. (1883), I. xvi. 304. The only take-off to being perfectly happy is the state of my dearest mother’s health.
2. An act of ‘taking off’ or mimicking (see TAKE v. 83 j); a mimic; a caricature. colloq.
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., A tak off, a descriptive burlesque…. A mimic, or satirical person.
1884. G. H. Boughton, in Harper’s Mag., Sept., 526/1. He trotted beside the car…, roaring with glee at his ‘take off.’
3. The act of ‘taking off,’ or springing from the ground, in leaping (see TAKE v. 83 n [b]); usually transf. a place or spot from which one takes or may take off. Also fig.
1869. Blackmore, Lorna D., x. Is she able to leap sir? There is a good take-off on this side of the brook.
1889. Boy’s Own Paper, 7 Sept., 780/3. It … also encourages the habit of judging the take-off with accuracy.
1905. Westm. Gaz., 15 May, 4/1. The true basis of offensive strategy is to ensure a sound ‘take-off.’ Ibid. (1906), 27 Aug., 4/1. The Great Western adopted Milford Haven as the ‘take-off’ for its service of steamers to Ireland.
4. Croquet. A stroke made from contact with another ball so as to send one’s own ball nearly or quite in the direction of aim, the other ball being moved only slightly or not at all.
1874. J. D. Heath, Croquet-Player, 39. This is a take-off, and a sharp tap is made. The direction C, in which the mallet is aimed, has approached very near to B, the direction to be taken by the striker’s ball Y. Ibid., 57. When the latter either is likely to miss his partner, or will have a long take-off to separate you.
B. attrib. or adj. 1. From which one ‘takes off’ or makes the spring in leaping: cf. A. 3.
1889. Boy’s Own Paper, 7 Sept., 780/3. The ground on the further side of the take-off line.
1896. Harper’s Mag., April, 731. It was a species of hurdle-racing, with the softest of take-off and landing sides [snow].
2. Applied to a part of mechanism for taking something off. Take-off board: see quots.
1896. British Printer, 138. The sheets should not be allowed to accumulate on the take-off board.
1907. Cambr. Mod. Hist. Prospectus, 97. So soon as the whole sheet is clear of the take-off drum, flyers … waft the sheet through a semicircular arc, and drop it on to the take-off board … fixed at the end of the press opposite that from which the sheet started.
