back off

back off

1. noun Go away! Stop bothering me! Back off! I told you I'm not going to the dance, and that's it! You need to back off, buddy. I've told you I'm not interested.
2. verb To retreat on a particular idea or course of action. Your aggressive approach is starting to annoy people—you need to back off a bit. Management seems to be backing off that initiative, at least for now.
3. verb To cause someone to retreat on a particular idea or course of action. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "back" and "off." Can you please back your minions off? They're harassing me.
4. verb To move backward away from something. Back off that other runner so you don't collide with her.
5. verb To move backward past the edge of something. If he's not careful, he's going to back off that narrow step.
See also: back, off
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

back someone or something off (from something)

to guide or move someone or something a short distance from something. I backed the car off from the curb a tiny bit. Using signals, I backed the car off from the crushed bicycle.
See also: back, off

back off

(from someone or something) Go to back away (from someone or something).
See also: back, off
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

back off

1. See back down, def. 2.
2. Relent, abandon one's stand. For example, The chairman wanted to sell one division but later backed off. [Mid-1900s]
See also: back, off
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

back off

v.
1. To move backward so that one is farther away from someone or something: Back off the car ahead of you: you're driving too close to it. The dog growled at me when I approached, so I backed off.
2. To move something backward beyond the edge of something: He accidentally backed the truck off the ledge and broke an axle.
3. To decrease the intensity or amount of something: I think I should back off the desserts for a little while so I can lose some weight.
4. To decide not to continue doing something or supporting an idea: You've made up your mind, so don't back off your idea now! Just before they were about to sign the papers to buy the new house, they got nervous and backed off.
5. To stop intimidating, threatening, or pressuring someone: Even as I left the store, the salesman wouldn't back off me. Whenever anyone bothers me, I just tell them to back off.
6. To cause someone or something to stop intimidating, threatening or pressuring: The angry dogs were barking at the poor kid, so I waved a stick and backed them off.
See also: back, off
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

back off, to

To retreat from a position, or yield; leave someone or something alone. For example, “When Jane learned about the required deposit, she backed off from the deal.” Or, “Mom thought Dad had punished the boys enough and told him to back off.” This usage dates from the first half of the 1900s.
See also: back
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • back off, to
  • buck off
  • echo back to
  • back to the salt mines
  • back in harness
  • back in(to) (the) harness
  • be back in harness
  • cut back
  • back over
  • back over (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
If it goes nowhere, we back off. And at no time do we push our clients into anything they don't want to do.
What to do when a client says "no" to providing referrals
One method is the selection of back off values from a different spectrum that has average back off values that are smaller than the back off values specified by the DCF in 802.11.
A cluster-based countermeasure against media access control layer attacks in IEEE 802.11 ad hoc networks
Everton struck the woodwork again as Barkley's low left-footed shot came back off the inside of the post.
McAleny's extra-time strike puts Everton through
Jones's mis-hit cross beat Gulacsi but came back off the crossbar before Hereford scored with their first shot on target in the 79th minute when Diagouraga rose in the box to nod home from a corner.
Football: Crewe 2 Hereford 1; Coca Cola FOOTBALL LEAGUE ONE
While many dancers feel lazy if they back off an intense schedule, less is more if you have been cramming everything in.
Advice for Dancers: former New York City Ballet dancer Linda Hamilton, Ph.D., is a lecturer, a psychologist in private practice, and the author or Advice for Dancers (Jossey-Bass). She has been offering advice to Dance Magazine readers since 1992
Others suggest that the central bank should further raise short-term rates as means of sending labor a message to back off excessive wage demands.
Why the ECB watches the Fed
"There is a willingness in today's environment to basically back off, let the fire increase in size if there isn't a firefighter safety issue," David Olson, Boise National Forest spokesman, told The Idaho Statesman.
Blazes may prove a good thing
However, despite these losses and plans to close 14 plants in the United States, Ford has stubbornly refused to back off its financial support for homosexual groups that has alienated many of the company's loyal customers.
Ford supports homosexual agenda despite boycott, losses
If you begin to tire, you can adjust your speed by shortening your stride and coming back off from the lean a bit.
Getting your lean on
The 'back off plate', developed by Dr Brian Clifford, from Aberystwyth, aims to prevent motorists from unintentionally tailgating.
If you can read this you're far too close
Sara's efforts help her overcome her grief, but also threaten her career as an angry female warns her that if she fails to back off she will lose her hands.
Funeral Music
"Phil Clapham had the good sense to back off when the gun was pointed at him and somebody shouted the order to shoot to kill.
Quick-thinking proved vital
headquarters in Santa Fe, customs agents searched the home of the group's president, seizing 30 gallons of the tea and triggering a lawsuit that may force the government to back off.
Psychedelic tea: drugs and religious freedom
Or perhaps you'll both decide to back off your mutual crush for now--that way, no one gets hurt.
Kidding around: my mom's best friend has a daughter who's 10, and I'm 13. She is too young to hang out with, but my mom makes me. I feel like I'm babysitting! I'm tired of playing with dolls. How can I let this kid know I'm not her friend without hurting her and our mothers' friendship?
Iceland has reportedly decided to back off from its plans to kill hundreds of whales over a two-year period.
Iceland backs off from plans to kill hundreds of whales - report