head off

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to prevent a problem or unwanted event from happening

   Phrasal verb · Separable

   head off something / head something off

   Usage: A noun object may come before or after off; put a personal pronoun between the verb and particle, as in head it off.

   A quick apology helped head off a bitter argument between the neighbors.

   Sources and attribution

   OpenAI Codex authors; independent AI editorial review recorded in the corpus review archive. — Original project editorial material; cleared for The Missing Workbook

   • The Missing Workbook: original construction review

   A quick apology helped head off a bitter argument between the neighbors.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary