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go off on a tangent

   Also found in: Legal 0.01 sec.
go off on a tangent
Fig. to pursue a somewhat related or irrelevant course while neglecting the main subject. Don't go off on a tangent. Stick to your job. Just as we started talking, Henry went off on a tangent about the high cost of living.
See also: tangent

go off on a tangent  (British, American & Australian) also go off at a tangent (British)
to suddenly start talking about a different subject We were talking about property prices and you went off on a tangent.
See also: tangent


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Worse still is when you do finally get to ask your question and instead of giving you a straight answer they go off on a tangent and have clearly not been listening to you.
You can go off on a tangent with an audience-member without having an autocue saying 'get on with it'.
 
 
 
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