Come off means to become detached from something: to fall off, break off or peel off (a button, a handle, a sticker, paint). The second meaning is to succeed or happen as planned: people say it about a plan, a joke or a deal. The plan never came off means the plan never worked out.
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something + come off (+ something); come off + in your hand; plan/joke/deal + come off (= succeed)
- One of the buttons on my coat came off on the way to work.
- Soak the jar in warm water and the old label will come off easily.
- Their plan to open a café together never came off because of money problems.
What changed
First versionThis price sticker doesn't take off, even with hot water.
RevisionThis price sticker doesn't come off, even with hot water.
It's tempting to use take off, since that's the verb for removing a sticker. But take off needs someone doing the removing: I can't take off this sticker. When a thing separates, or refuses to separate, on its own, you need come off: the sticker doesn't come off.
Also remember Come off it! This is an informal British way of saying 'Don't be silly!' or 'I don't believe you!'. It expresses disbelief and has nothing to do with buttons falling off: Come off it, you didn't really meet the Prime Minister!
Your turn
I pulled the old door handle a bit too hard, and it ___ in my hand.
Show the answer
came off — The handle ended up in your hand, so it separated from the door by itself: came off. Took off without an object means 'left the ground', like a plane, or 'suddenly became successful', and neither fits a door handle.
Describe a small everyday mishap when something came off or broke off: a button, a handle or a heel. Say where it happened and what you did.
The heel of my shoe came off on my way to a job interview, so I bought a pair of cheap flat shoes in the nearest shop.
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