pry off

pry off

1. Literally, to remove something from some surface with the force of a lever. A noun or pronoun can be used between "pry" and "off." I tried to pry the bolts off this panel with a crowbar, but they wouldn't budge. We'll have to pry off the pieces that have become fused to the dashboard.
2. By extension, to separate someone from someone else with the use of great physical force. A noun or pronoun can be used between "pry" and "off." Jake and Elsa were being so gross kissing in the hallway like that, so I went over and pried him off her. I had to go over and pry off fans as the movie star made his way to his car.
See also: off, pry
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

pry something off (of) something

 and pry something off
to use a lever to get something off something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Tom pried the top off the jelly jar. He pried off the jar top.
See also: off, pry
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • pry (something) out of (someone or something)
  • pry from
  • pry up
  • prying
  • pried
  • pries
  • pry (someone or something) off of (someone or something)
  • jemmy
  • jemmy up
  • jimmy up
References in periodicals archive
There was no storm or whirlwind but the winds were strong enough to topple huge trees and pry off the roofs of a number of homes in two villages of Tacurong, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
They were struggling trying to pry off the heavy white marble lid off the sarcophagus when Swegles alerted eight agents who were in hiding in the cemetery.
Second, the lid is currently undergoing some modification as consumers have indicated that it's rather difficult to pry off. Johnson says this is being addressed by adding a pull tab feature to the lid.
"I was using it as a lever to pry off the back of my stereo speaker.
In toy take-apart (also known as wreck lab), unscrew some screws, pry off the back, and you and your students will be engaged in a fascinating journey through how toys are made and molded; how batteries connect to components; how pieces are stacked and fitted together in a compressed space; how circuit boards, resistors, and capacitors are used; and how a toy's exterior buttons, switches, and levers translate into circuits on the other side of the plastic.
Insurers would love to see their own group disability business stick and competitors' cases pry off easily.
The gum will become very brittle and should be easier to pry off the surface with a putty knife or scraper.
I was using a screwdriver to pry off a large rusted bolt.
Owsley said that there were numerous chops and cuts - chops to the forehead, chops to the back of the skull and also a puncture to the left side of the head that was used to essentially pry off that side and the purpose was to extract the brain.
Ross would pry off the stones from stolen rings because Cormiers and some other businesses refused to buy jewelry with stones.
Pry off the dust cover or Bearing Buddy over the axle.
whalebone corset digging into the pillowed flesh under her arm, pry off
Never try to pry off the stop cover plate as you may permanently damage it and its fit in the frame.
Some of you are taking a screwdriver or anything sharp that's handy to pry off the battery pack.
According to a report by the Bombo Radyo Iloilo, Delgado was able to pry off a portion of the shutters separating the men's shower room and gain access to the female portion of the communal bathroom.