give off

gave off; given off; giving off; gives off

Definition of give off

transitive verb

1 : to send out as a branch

2 : emit gave off an unpleasant smell

intransitive verb

: to branch off

Examples of give off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One group of indigenous Aztec performers walked rhythmically to the beat of a drum as traditional Aztec incense gave off a smoky, distinct aroma. — Diego Mendoza-moyers, ExpressNews.com, "West side Diez y Seis parade blends culture, community," 14 Sep. 2019 They each were photographed individually in feminine ruffled designs, then came together to pose in a few mother-daughter pics that give off strong Betty and Sally Draper vibes. — Colleen Kratofil, PEOPLE.com, "January Jones and Kiernan Shipka Have a Mad Men Reunion Modeling for Rodarte's Spring Campaign," 4 Sep. 2019 The colorful racing silks mounted on the walls and the wooden cabinet of mementos gave off an air of tradition and legacy. — Vanessa Hua, SFChronicle.com, "The curious power of a day at the races," 7 June 2019 Its lush vegetation absorbs heat-trapping carbon dioxide and the moisture given off by its trees affects rainfall patterns and climate across South America and beyond. — Washington Post, "Brazil’s environmental workers tell of decline before fires," 18 Sep. 2019 The infrared cameras can be used to track employees—or at least, the heat given off from their bodies. — The Economist, "Companies are taking advantage of their new ability to track their workers," 12 Sep. 2019 Red, in this instance, refers to the electromagnetic radiation given off by stars. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "This Supercomputer Is Out Here Just Generating Millions of Universes," 13 Aug. 2019 The vivid colors of the nebula are due to the radiation given off by the juvenile stars. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Telescope captures cosmic Seagull Nebula in flight," 7 Aug. 2019 Sound waves trap small bubbles within water, making them shrink, expand, and eventually give off a flash of light. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Watch This Guy Punch Water So Hard, Light Comes Out," 6 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'give off.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about give off

Dictionary Entries near give off

given the circumstances

give of one's time

give of oneself

Statistics for give off

Last Updated

27 Oct 2019

Time Traveler for give off

The first known use of give off was in 1831

See more words from the same year

WORD OF THE DAY

bruit

to spread as a report or rumor

Test Your Vocabulary

Confusing Words—A Quiz

I invented a brand new toaster robot and ______ it "Sir Toasts-a-Lot."

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.