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to back off
[phrase form: back]
01
to move away from a person, thing, or situation
Intransitive
02
to no longer be involved in a task or obligation
Intransitive
03
to avoid telling someone what to do or criticizing them, allowing the person to handle the situation on their own
Intransitive
back off
v
Example
The cyclist decided to back off from the busy intersection to avoid a potential collision.
The firefighter was forced to back off when the flames intensified.
The crowd was asked to back off to give emergency responders room to work.
The hiker encountered a bear and wisely chose to back off slowly.
The dog growled, warning everyone to back off.
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