Search
Select the dictionary language
to peel off
01
take off, as with some difficulty
Grammatical Information
Composition
phrasal
Action verb
Regular
Separable
Particle
off
Base verb
peel
Present tense
peel off
3rd person singular
peels off
Present participle
peeling off
Past simple
peeled off
Past participle
peeled off
02
peel off the outer layer of something
03
peel off in scales
04
come off in flakes or thin small pieces
05
leave a formation
06
to run away quickly, often to escape violence or the police
Slang
What does "to peel off" mean in street slang?
The structure is a phrasal verb where "peel" suggests separating or pulling away, combined with "off" to indicate departure, likely drawing from the image of a car's tires peeling out during a fast getaway. It is used to describe running away quickly, often to escape violence, the police, or a dangerous situation. People typically say someone "peeled off" when they suddenly sprinted from a scene or drove off at high speed to avoid getting caught.
Examples
When I saw that tall guy coming after me, I peeled off.
