tie off

tie off

1. To fasten or secure something in place with a rope or cable tied in a knot. A noun or pronoun can be used between "tie" and "off." We tied our horses off outside the saloon. Be sure to tie off the boat before you leave the pier.

2. To seal or close the end or opening of something with a knot or something tied in a knot. A noun or pronoun can be used between "tie" and "off." We'll have to tie off the hose for the time being to avoid losing any more fuel. He began tying off his pants at the knee, just below the spot where they had amputated his leg.

See also: off, tie

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

tie something off

to tie the ends of something losing fluid, as blood vessels to prevent bleeding. The surgeons tied all the blood vessels off—one by one—as they were exposed. They tied off all the vessels very quickly.

See also: off, tie

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

tie off

v.

1. To attach and anchor someone or something with a knot: We tied off the rowboat and went ashore. I passed the rope through the metal ring and tied it off with a taut-line hitch.

2. To close or seal something with a knot: We tied off the legs of the scarecrow's pants and filled them up with hay. The clown inflated the balloon and tied it off.

See also: off, tie

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.