head off
To get in front of and stop, turn back, or turn aside.
The sheriff said to head the cattle thieves off at the pass.
To block; stop; prevent.
He will get into trouble if someone doesn't head him off.
hit it off
To enjoy one another's company; be happy and comfortable in each other's presence.
Tom and Fred hit it off well with each other.
Mary and Jane hit it off from the first.
hold off
To refuse to let (someone) become friendly.
The president's high rank and chilly manner held people off.
To be rather shy or unfriendly.
Perkins was a scholarly man who held off from people.
To keep away by fighting; oppose by force.
The man locked himself in the house and held off the police for an hour.
To wait before (doing something); postpone; delay.
Jack held off paying for the television set until the dealer fixed it.
Mr. Smith held off from building while interest rates were high.
If the rain holds off for a few more days, they can finish planting the rest of the crop.
The judge agreed to hold off making a decision until new evidence could be introduced into court.
hot off the press
Just appeared in print.
Только что появившееся в печати.
This is the latest edition of the Chicago Tribune; it's hot off the press.
I just got it hot off the press; another bank has gone bankrupt!
Я только что узнал об этом из прессы; разорился еще один банк!
in a flash
in a trice
off in a flash
Very suddenly.
We were watching the bird eat the crumbs; then I sneezed, and he was gone in a flash.
Bob was looking over his notes for English class and in a flash he knew what he would write his paper about.
jumping-off place
A place so far away that it seems to be the end of the world.
Columbus' sailors were afraid they would arrive at the jumping-off place if they sailed farther west.
So you visited Little America? That sounds like the jumping-off place!
The starting place of a long, hard trip or of something difficult or dangerous.
The jumping-off place for the explorer's trip through the jungle was a little village.
keep off
To refrain from entering; stay away from.
"Keep off the grass," the sign in the park indicated.
kick off
To make the kick that begins a football game.
John kicked off and the football game started.
To begin; launch; start.
The candidate kicked off his campaign with a speech on television.
The fund raising drive was kicked off with a theater party.
To die.
Mr. Jones was almost ninety years old when he kicked off.