head off

English

Etymology

From head + off.

Verb

head off (third-person singular simple present heads off, present participle heading off, simple past and past participle headed off)

1. (intransitive) To begin moving away.

   (We will head off on our holidays tomorrow)

2. (transitive) To intercept.

   The cavalry will head off the bandits at the pass.

3. (transitive) To avoid some usually negative consequence.

   The government took steps to head off summertime shortages of gasoline.

Synonyms

• (intercept): cut off

Translations

to begin moving away

• Finnish: lähteä (fi)
• Spanish: echarse a andar (es)

to intercept

• Finnish: torjua (fi), pysäyttää (fi), katkaista (fi) tie (fi)

to avoid a negative consequence

• Finnish: välttää (fi), estää (fi), torjua (fi)