leave or set off
Right, I'd better head off, it's getting late.
head off — 3 meanings
Same words, different jobs. Compare the meanings side by side so you know which one fits the situation.
phrasal verb3 meanings
head offsame phrase
Which one do you mean?
leave for a place
I usually head off to work around 8 a.m.
prevent something
The manager tried to head off any complaints by explaining the changes clearly.
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Meanings in detail
1. leave or set off
B1informalspoken
to leave a place and start going somewhere
Right, I'd better head off, it's getting late.
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Sign in to unlock2. leave for a place
B1neutralspoken
to start going somewhere, especially to leave a place and begin a journey.
I usually head off to work around 8 a.m.
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Sign in to unlock3. prevent something
B2neutralboth
to take action in order to stop something from happening.
The manager tried to head off any complaints by explaining the changes clearly.
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