wave off
The phrase "wave off" can be used in various contexts, from casual social interactions to specific technical fields like aviation and sports.
Definition
B2General
(informal)To dismiss or reject something or someone with a hand gesture.
Example
- She waved off his concerns, insisting everything was fine.
- He waved off the waiter, indicating he didn't need any help.
C1Aviation
(technical)To signal an aircraft to abort its landing and go around for another attempt.
Example
- The landing signal officer had to wave off the incoming jet due to an obstruction on the runway.
B2Sports
(technical)For a referee to disallow a field goal using a hand gesture.
Example
- The referee waved off the shot, indicating it was made after the buzzer.
B2Social Interaction
(informal)To use a hand gesture to indicate that help or assistance is not needed.
Example
- He waved off his friend's offer to help with the heavy lifting.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "wave off":
wave awaywave throughwave goodbyebat awaybrush offbrush asideturn awaywave the white flagward offpush awayflick offpush offwalk offwipe offblow offlook offhead offfob offwalk awayclear offshake offbeat offride offfork offturn asidefend offsweep asidewhisk offfade awaywash awayback awaydrive offdrive awaybear offback offtalk to the handscare offwalk away fromdraw awaywind offkiss offfight offshove offpass offmake awaywire offgive the go-bygo awaykeep awaysee offwrite offbuzz off