doze off vs fall off vs go off vs finish off — off-phrasals (GiU Unit 141)
Which is right
Section titled “Which is right”I was very tired at work today. I nearly dozed off at my desk. ✓
doze off = fall asleep unintentionally (doze = light sleep + off = into sleep).
The off-family trap
Section titled “The off-family trap”| Phrasal | Meaning | Why not here |
|---|---|---|
| doze off | fall into sleep, unintentionally | ✓ tired at desk |
| drop off / nod off | same as doze off | synonyms, would also fit |
| fall off | drop from a surface | ✗ would mean the desk fell |
| go off | explode (bomb) / ring (alarm) / leave / stop liking (food) | ✗ no match |
| finish off | complete the last part / kill | ✗ |
off = transition into sleep
Section titled “off = transition into sleep”The off-particles that mean “into sleep”: doze off, drop off, nod off. All = unintentional sleep. Pattern: sleep-verb or drop-verb + off.
Contrast on-family: stay on, carry on, keep on (continue).
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use, Unit 141 — Phrasal verbs on/off 2. Ebot lesson 2026-09-05.