take the heat off

take the heat off (of) (someone or something)

To alleviate the pressure placed on someone or something. Take the heat off of her—you know she'll pay up eventually. The government announced financial measures to take the heat off the struggling stock markets.
See also: heat, off, take
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

take the heat off (of) someone or something

Fig. to relieve the pressure on someone or something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) That really takes the heat off of all of us. The change in the deadline takes the heat off the office staff.
See also: heat, off, take
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • take the heat off (of) (someone or something)
  • take the heat off someone
  • the wherewithal for (something)
  • the wherewithal to (do something)
  • take the heat out of (something)
  • take the heat out of something
  • direct
  • direct (one's) attention to (someone or something)
  • direct attention to
  • clutch (someone or something) to (something)
References in periodicals archive
Celtic went on to win 4-1 but the incident caused huge controversy and Scott revealed he was delighted when Hoops boss Rodgers quit for Leicester just days later to take the heat off him.
It was awful having 60,000 screaming at me for that goal.. even dad was booing; ST JOHNSTONE v MOTHERWELL TODAY, 3PM, MCDIARMID PARK Well's Scott glad he didn't get kicked out by Hoops' father
Ricksen scored a wonder free- kick to take the heat off the beleaguered McLeish in what was a must-win game for Rangers.
Football: CIS OF LIFE FOR McLEISH; Eck relief as goal hero Ricksen answers SOS; Aberdeen 0 Rangers 2