throw off

throw (someone or an animal) off (of) something and throw someone or an animal off

to divert or confuse someone or an animal away from something, such as the scent, track, or trail. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) She put a little detail in her story to throw the cops off of her trail. The diversion threw off the investigation.

See also: throw

throw someone or something off (of) something and throw someone or something off

to cast someone or something off something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The character in the movie wanted to throw the heroine off a cliff. He went to the middle of the bridge and threw off the gun used in the shooting.

See also: throw

throw someone off

to interrupt and confuse someone; to mislead someone. The interruption threw me off, and I lost my place in the speech. Little noises throw me off. Please try to be quiet. Your comment threw me off.

See also: throw

throw something off 

1. Lit. to cast something, such as a coat, off one's body. He threw his jacket off and dived into the icy water. He threw off his jacket.

2. Fig. to resist or recover from a disease. It was a bad cold, but I managed to throw it off in a few days. I can't seem to throw off my cold. I've had it for weeks.

3. Fig. to emit or give off an odor. The small animal threw a strong odor off. The flowers threw off a heavy perfume.

See also: throw

---

throw off something also throw something off

to quickly remove something The boys threw off their clothes and jumped into the lake. Dad threw the cover off and there was a beautiful new bike - just for me!

Opposite of: throw on something

See also: throw