drain off
phrasal verb
drained off; draining off; drains off
1
: to cause (a liquid) to flow away from something or to leave the surface of something
When the beans have cooked long enough to be tender, drain off the water and set them aside.
2
: to take (something important or valuable) from something
An independent candidate could drain off votes from either party.
Examples of drain off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Call a licensed plumber to fix the leak and drain off any remaining water from the pipes.
—
Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 19 Jan. 2024
In a 10-inch skillet cook sausage and onion over medium-high until meat is browned; drain off fat.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2024
Lemon trees need a chunky mix that lets water drain off quickly, Fleming says.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024
Gently shake the colander to drain off as much of the excess water as possible, then proceed with your recipe.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024
Tribune explores and attempts to explain why corruption continues to poison virtually every level of government in our state, draining off tax dollars and robbing public service of its meaning.
—Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2024
Follow the instructions below for how to thaw chicken salad, drain off any excess liquid, then mix with your mayo and serve.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2024
Allow the cucumbers to chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then transfer them to a colander (positioned over the sink) to drain off any excess liquid that may have accumulated.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2024
Women banged on the sides and threw up hoses hoping to drain off water for their buckets and water tankers.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 17 June 2024
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Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 19 Jan. 2024
In a 10-inch skillet cook sausage and onion over medium-high until meat is browned; drain off fat.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2024
Lemon trees need a chunky mix that lets water drain off quickly, Fleming says.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024
Gently shake the colander to drain off as much of the excess water as possible, then proceed with your recipe.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024
Tribune explores and attempts to explain why corruption continues to poison virtually every level of government in our state, draining off tax dollars and robbing public service of its meaning.
—Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2024
Follow the instructions below for how to thaw chicken salad, drain off any excess liquid, then mix with your mayo and serve.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2024
Allow the cucumbers to chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then transfer them to a colander (positioned over the sink) to drain off any excess liquid that may have accumulated.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2024
Women banged on the sides and threw up hoses hoping to drain off water for their buckets and water tankers.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 17 June 2024
Dictionary Entries Near drain off
Cite this Entry
“Drain off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drain%20off. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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