drain off
phrasal verb
drained off; draining off; drains off
1
: to cause (a liquid) to flow away from something or to leave the surface of something
When the beans have cooked long enough to be tender, drain off the water and set them aside.
2
: to take (something important or valuable) from something
An independent candidate could drain off votes from either party.
Examples of drain off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Gradually drain off and stir the fruit juice from the mug into the carton of yogurt, continuing until thoroughly blended.
—
Nancy Baggett, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
The name of the game, Boe says, is to use seeding to drain off energy from the feeder clouds before it’s funneled into the main cloud.
—Kathryn Phillips, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
After some of the oil has drained off, use tongs to gently place the pallotte in the simmering marinara sauce.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2023
There may be a destruction of the rich, shallow-water habitats, as occurred when the Sundance Sea drained off the midcontinent.
—Robert Baker, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2019
If possible, slope the window sill downwards, so water easily drains off.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2023
Drain the juice: If your peaches are overripe or were sliced too far in advance and released some juice, drain off the excess before placing into the pie crust to reduce excess liquid.
—Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2023
In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, and sweet pepper over medium-high heat until browned; drain off fat.
—Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2023
Thaw them completely, drain off the liquid, and pat dry with paper towels before tossing with the other ingredients.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 30 July 2023
Nancy Baggett, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
The name of the game, Boe says, is to use seeding to drain off energy from the feeder clouds before it’s funneled into the main cloud.
—Kathryn Phillips, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
After some of the oil has drained off, use tongs to gently place the pallotte in the simmering marinara sauce.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2023
There may be a destruction of the rich, shallow-water habitats, as occurred when the Sundance Sea drained off the midcontinent.
—Robert Baker, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2019
If possible, slope the window sill downwards, so water easily drains off.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2023
Drain the juice: If your peaches are overripe or were sliced too far in advance and released some juice, drain off the excess before placing into the pie crust to reduce excess liquid.
—Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2023
In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, and sweet pepper over medium-high heat until browned; drain off fat.
—Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2023
Thaw them completely, drain off the liquid, and pat dry with paper towels before tossing with the other ingredients.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 30 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drain off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Drain off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drain%20off. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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