pair off

pair off

To form or become part of a pair. A noun or pronoun can come between "pair" and "off" if the verb is used transitively. OK, everyone pair off and come up with different ways you could apply what we talked about today to your work. We'll have to pair off the guests who didn't come with dates.
See also: off, pair
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

pair off

[for two people or other creatures] to form a couple or pair. All of them paired off and worked as teams to solve the puzzle. Everyone should pair off and discuss the issue for a while.
See also: off, pair
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

pair off

1. Put two persons together; also, become one of a couple, as in Jean mentally paired off her guests whenever she planned a party, or All the tennis players had to pair off for a round of doubles matches. [Late 1600s]
2. Also, pair up. Make a pair of, match, as in I always have trouble pairing up their socks. [Early 1900s]
See also: off, pair
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

pair off

v.
1. To arrange some things or people in groups of two: The drama coach paired off the students to rehearse scenes. The organizer paired the partygoers off and sent them on a treasure hunt.
2. To form pairs: The dance students paired off and practiced waltzing.
See also: off, pair
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • blow off
  • blow someone/something off
  • base off (of) (something else)
  • check off
  • bite off
  • blow off the map
  • cast off
  • brass off
  • brass someone off
  • brassed off
References in periodicals archive
As these sections pair off, a part of each twists into a helix, while another part zigzags to form a sheet.
Tumor suppressor's structure revealed
Mammals, for instance, may pair off but are more likely to have a range of mates.
Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity
The team found that slightly more than one-third of the distant galaxies pair off, compared with just 7 percent of nearby galaxies.
Tracking the evolution of galaxies
As expected, the players hail from the four provincial champions, who pair off in this weekend's All-Ireland semifinals.
AIB GONGS FOR STARS
She asks: "As a ruse to get her hapless sister and even more hapless brother-in-law out of her hair for a while, which film star sent the pair off to Ecuador to search for 50 identical monkeys for a film she was writing?" Now that's a real wild monkey chase!
SLAM SAM
Thomas Hitzlsperger's long ball set the pair off on a chase towards the Newcastle penalty area and the England striker was felled by a clumsy challenge by his opponent.
Football: O'Brien was hard done by -Robson
He also realized that the peptide is self-complementary: The order of amino acids is such that a second copy readily layered over the first because side chains made up of positive amino acids pair off with negative side chains.
Material peptide: a piece of protein yeast becomes a building block for scientists
WEXFORD and Longford pair off for their fifth competitive meeting in less than a year as they both embark on life in Division Two tomorrow.
Wexford v Longford, tomorrow, 2pm
The home side looked poised for victory at 1325, but in an incredible finish,Mattie Dale took three wickets and Rehan Rafique ran out the last pair off the last ball.
Cricket: Rainhill's island paradise
The German superstar has promised to back Irvine - and Coulthard's job will be to keep the Ferrari pair off Hakkinen's back.
MOTOR RACING: Coulthard in support role
And as their friends pair off, marry and procreate, the couple find their nuptials being pushed back further and further, not helped by a slimy professor (Rhys Ifans) with an unhealthy interest in Violet.
The late, late show; DVD OF THE WEEK; DVDs
Lana Clarkson (pictured), a 40-year-old Bmovie star, was found dead at Spector's home when a limousine driver reported hearing shots after he dropped the pair off in Spector's Mercedes-Benz.
Spector clues hunt
They play Lois and Tom, detectives who put their differences on hold for a night when they try to pair off two friends at a dinner party.
Pick of the Box
The judge fears TV viewers will boot the petulant pair off this weekend's show if they throw any more hissy fits.
CHER & KATIE TOLD TO BEHAVE