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
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
Gradually drain off and stir the fruit juice from the mug into the carton of yogurt, continuing until thoroughly blended.
—Nancy Baggett, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
The name of the game, Boe says, is to use seeding to drain off energy from the feeder clouds before it’s funneled into the main cloud.
—Kathryn Phillips, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
After some of the oil has drained off, use tongs to gently place the pallotte in the simmering marinara sauce.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2023
There may be a destruction of the rich, shallow-water habitats, as occurred when the Sundance Sea drained off the midcontinent.
—Robert Baker, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2019
If possible, slope the window sill downwards, so water easily drains off.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2023
Drain the juice: If your peaches are overripe or were sliced too far in advance and released some juice, drain off the excess before placing into the pie crust to reduce excess liquid.
—Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2023
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
Gradually drain off and stir the fruit juice from the mug into the carton of yogurt, continuing until thoroughly blended.
—Nancy Baggett, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
The name of the game, Boe says, is to use seeding to drain off energy from the feeder clouds before it’s funneled into the main cloud.
—Kathryn Phillips, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
After some of the oil has drained off, use tongs to gently place the pallotte in the simmering marinara sauce.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2023
There may be a destruction of the rich, shallow-water habitats, as occurred when the Sundance Sea drained off the midcontinent.
—Robert Baker, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2019
If possible, slope the window sill downwards, so water easily drains off.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2023
Drain the juice: If your peaches are overripe or were sliced too far in advance and released some juice, drain off the excess before placing into the pie crust to reduce excess liquid.
—Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drain off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Drain off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drain%20off. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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