rip-off

Related to rip-off: rip-off artist

rip off

1. verb Literally, to tear or pull something off of someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "rip" and " off." The throng of screaming fans nearly ripped the singer's shirt off. Luckily, I remembered to rip off the price tag before handing Sara her gift.
2. verb To steal (something). A noun or pronoun can be used between "rip" and "off." The kids were caught going to different shops around the city and ripping off snacks. If you're ripping cars off, you're going to get caught!
3. verb To plagiarize or shamelessly copy something or someone. A noun or pronoun can be used between "rip" and "off." I can't believe he ripped my idea off like that! Hey, that was my idea! Don't rip me off like that!
4. verb To steal from or defraud someone; to cheat or swindle someone. A noun or pronoun can be used between "rip" and "off." The guy said it was a great deal for such a rare album, but I'm starting to think he ripped me off. The CEO was convicted for ripping off nearly a quarter of a million customers over the course of a decade.
5. noun An instance of theft or fraud; a cheat or swindle. The phrase is often used to indicate that the product promised or advertised was not what was delivered. In this usage, the phrase is usually hyphenated or spelled as a single word. They sign you up for recurring payments but never actually send the magazines. It's just a big rip-off. This didn't even come with batteries? What a rip-off!
6. noun An instance of blatant or shameless plagiarism. In this usage, the phrase is usually hyphenated. It's a cool-looking movie, but the plot is a total rip-off of "Alien." This didn't even come with batteries? What a rip-off!
See also: off, rip

rip-off

A bad deal; a fraudulent business or transaction. I can't believe I spent so much on this blender, and it's already broken. What a rip-off! I heard on the news that the charity is a rip-off, so don't send them any money.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

rip-off

1. n. a theft; a deception; an exploitation. (see also rip.) What a rip-off! I want my money back.
2. mod. having to do with theft and deception. I consider myself to be rip-off champion of North America.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • blow off
  • blow someone/something off
  • check off
  • base off (of) (something else)
  • bite off
  • blow off the map
  • cast off
  • cheese someone off
References in periodicals archive
As for the slew of MOBAs that spawned because of the success DotA and League saw, you can't really call a game a rip-off for using the MOBA format.
Cover Story: What a Rip-Off
holiday rip-offs revealed NEW research from Post Office Travel Money has revealed the 'holiday rip-offs' that could be responsible for almost seven-in-ten families busting their budgets on trips abroad by PS159 each.
travel buzz the latest news from the world of tourism
London: A ban on "rip-off" surcharges imposed on credit card spending came into force in Britain on Saturday, meaning traders must ensure that the extra fees reflect genuine processing costs.
Britain brings in ban on 'rip-off' surcharges
Once again, with a maker like Strider, who has a reputation for building strong, reliable field knives for serious work, a cheap "Strider'" rip-off that fails in a situation could get someone hurt, or worse.
Rip-off! Looks can kill ... you
Heretofore, the seniors market in Japan has largely been the playground of rip-off artists, preying on seniors with bogus investment schemes, or more recently by drawing them to new "retirement homes" and communities that are essentially designed to milk the government for whatever welfare subsidies they can and squeeze the retirement-home residents out of their savings.
Selling to seniors: the "grey panthers" duke it out with the rip-off artists in Japan's new growth market
GORDON BROWN has vowed to clamp down on rip-off warranty deals on electrical goods after a Sunday Mail campaign exposed the racket.
Brown hits warranty rip-offs
H Beaney pleads for fair play from bookies-and an investigation into the forecast rip-off
Greyhounds: Letters: Malpractice
It is expected to help protect customers from certain types of rip-off in which police sometimes have difficulty establishing a case.
Tokyo approves ordinance on rip-offs, effective from Dec
Peter Willmott Taunton, Somerset I'VE given up going by train because I'm fed RIP-OFF: Our up with being ripped off.
Rail firms should be pulled into line; Letters
THE scandal of rip-off car insurance must be tackled.
Driven to get fair deal for all; COMMENT Park House, 191 - 197 North Circular Road, Dublin 7 Tel: 01 868 8600, Fax 01 868 8626, irishmirror.ie
MILLIONS more people could be forced to use "rip-off " prepayment fuel meters over the next four years, Labour claimed yesterday.
END THE PRE-PAY METER 'RIP-OFF' High tariffs could be forced on millions more
HIGH-cost government phone lines are a rip-off and do not benefit callers, ministers have finally admitted.
Tories own up to help line rip-off
How much longer can any government quote Britain's free market economy as an excuse to allow these cartels to continue to rip-off the British public by artificially inflating prices to increase profit to exorbitant levels?
Rip-off Britain; You Say Email:letters@liverpoolecho.co.uk
Taxi-drivers have an advantage in that their customer is usually a foreigner, who will not seek his services again and is likely to pay the rip-off rate out of fear.
Our View: Paphos cabs being given a free rein to rip off tourists
The biggest rip-off at the pumps was changing from gallons to litres, the new measurements disguising the fact that prices had jumped yet again.
We're being ripped off with fuel prices; Mailbag letters also appear online at www.examiner.co.uk/views-and-blogs/reader-letters Mailbag