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
Deep-fry the chops for 5 minutes, turning once, until golden brown, then place on a few sheets of paper towel to drain off any excess oil.
—
Gretchen McKay, Boston Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter now says LaVonne died after the dogs’ attack left her drained off her blood.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Cook Mushrooms Transfer mushrooms to a colander to drain off any free liquid.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2025
Here's how: Divide 3 pounds of your favorite meatloaf recipe into two 8-inch round cake pans and bake (drain off any liquid that remains in the pan).
—Kimberly Stoney, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
Call a licensed plumber to fix the leak and drain off any remaining water from the pipes.
—Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 19 Jan. 2024
In a 10-inch skillet cook sausage and onion over medium-high until meat is browned; drain off fat.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2024
Lemon trees need a chunky mix that lets water drain off quickly, Fleming says.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024
Gently shake the colander to drain off as much of the excess water as possible, then proceed with your recipe.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024
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Gretchen McKay, Boston Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter now says LaVonne died after the dogs’ attack left her drained off her blood.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Cook Mushrooms Transfer mushrooms to a colander to drain off any free liquid.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2025
Here's how: Divide 3 pounds of your favorite meatloaf recipe into two 8-inch round cake pans and bake (drain off any liquid that remains in the pan).
—Kimberly Stoney, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
Call a licensed plumber to fix the leak and drain off any remaining water from the pipes.
—Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 19 Jan. 2024
In a 10-inch skillet cook sausage and onion over medium-high until meat is browned; drain off fat.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2024
Lemon trees need a chunky mix that lets water drain off quickly, Fleming says.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024
Gently shake the colander to drain off as much of the excess water as possible, then proceed with your recipe.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Drain off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drain%20off. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
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