The UN Security Council is hoping to head off further violence.
New idioms dictionary. 2014.
head off — (something) to avoid something bad by doing something now. The UN Security Council is hoping to head off further violence. Etymology: based on the literal meaning of head someone or something off (= to stop the movement of people or animals by… … New idioms dictionary
head off — verb prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening (Freq. 3) Let s avoid a confrontation head off a confrontation avert a strike • Syn: ↑debar, ↑forefend, ↑forfend, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
head off — head (someone/something) off to stop the movement of people or animals by getting in front of them. The horses broke into a gallop, and Pete yelled for Jack to head them off … New idioms dictionary
head off — 1) PHRASAL VERB If you head off a person, animal, or vehicle, you move to a place in front of them in order to capture them or make them change the direction they are moving in. [V n P] He changed direction swiftly, turned into the hallway and… … English dictionary
head off — phrasal verb Word forms head off : present tense I/you/we/they head off he/she/it heads off present participle heading off past tense headed off past participle headed off 1) [transitive] to prevent something from taking place The police acted… … English dictionary
head someone/something off — 1 he went to head off the cars: INTERCEPT, divert, deflect, redirect, re route, draw away, turn away. 2 they headed off a row: FORESTALL, avert, ward … Useful english dictionary
head someone/something off — 1) he went to head off the visitors Syn: intercept, divert, redirect, re route, turn away 2) they headed off an argument Syn: forestall, avert, stave off, nip in the bud, prevent, avoid … Synonyms and antonyms dictionary
head someone/something off at the pass — head (or cut) someone/something off at the pass forestall someone or something the doctor s aim to head the infection off at the pass … Useful english dictionary
bite someone's head off — To speak to someone unnecessarily angrily • • • Main Entry: ↑bite * * * bite someone’s head off informal phrase to react angrily or rudely to someone when they think you have no reason for doing this There’s no need to bite my head off. I was… … Useful english dictionary
head — [hed] n. [ME hede, heved < OE heafod, akin to Ger haupt (OHG houbit, Goth haubith) < IE base * kaput (orig. prob. cup shaped) > L caput: merged in Gmc with word akin to OHG hūba, a cap, crest (Ger haube) < IE base * keu , to bend,… … English World dictionary
