stand off from
stand off from (someone or something)
To be removed from something or some group of people by some appreciable difference. Modifiers like "a bit" or "apace" are often used between "off" and "from." Tonya stood off from the rest of the party, not speaking to anyone and looking very much ill at ease. Make sure you stand off a bit from the blasting area. I stood off apace from the crowd of bystanders, not wanting to be noticed by the police.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
stand off from someone or something
to be or remain at some distance from someone or something. Charles stood off from the group. Mary stood off from the fireside, where all the excitement was taking place.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
References in classic literature
I have seen Winder make one of the house-servants
stand off from him a suitable distance to be touched with the end of his whip, and at every stroke raise great ridges upon his back.
They added that the hard
stand off from both sides will not end challenges being faced by the people of Taita Taveta.
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