“Tee Off” Meaning, Origin and Examples

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What does the common idiom “Tee Off” mean? If you are an avid fan of the sport of golf, then you are probably familiar with this phrase. However, it doesn’t always mean to hit a golf ball off a tee. Here you will learn the idiomatic meaning of this phrase and discover the origin of it. You will also see some example sentences and conversations to help you better understand the meaning. Lastly, the article will be summed up with some synonymous words or phrases that you can use in place of this phrase to convey the same meaning.

“Tee Off” Meaning, Origin and Usage

Key Takeaways

  • The phrase “Tee Off” conveys specific actions or feelings related to either the sport of golf or emotional responses.
Tee Off
Tee Off – Created by 7ESL

“Tee Off” Meaning

The phrase “tee off” has two primary meanings, one in golf and another in informal language:

  • Golf Context: In golf, “tee off” refers to the action of starting play on a hole by hitting the ball from the teeing ground. This is the area where the golfer places the ball to take their first stroke on each hole.
  • Informal Context: Colloquially, “tee off” means to become angry or irritated. It often implies that someone is expressing their frustration or annoyance about a situation.

Example:

  • “It’s your turn to tee off; don’t forget to use a tee!”
  • “He really teed off when he found out about the last-minute changes.”

Origin of This Idiom

The idiom originated from the world of golf. At the beginning of any hole on a golf course, players must place their ball atop a tee and hit the ball to start the process of getting the ball to the hole. The initial hit starts the count on par and ends when the ball makes it into the hole. The idiom used in this sense has been used since at least the 1900s to mean the beginning of something. When the idiom is used per the second meaning stated above, it has been traced back to the mid-1900s as well.

Usage of “Tee Off”

  • In a golfing context:

“We plan to tee off at dawn to avoid the heat of the day.”

  • Talking about a golf tournament:

“The championship will tee off this Saturday, and everyone is excited to see who will win.”

  • In an informal context regarding annoyance:

“It really tees me off when people are late without any notice.”

  • During a discussion about frustration:

“His constant interruptions in the meeting are starting to tee off the entire team.”

Related Terms to “Tee Off”

  • Blow a fuse – to become very angry suddenly.
  • Flip out – to react in an extreme or emotional way, often due to anger.
  • Get worked up – to become agitated or excited, often negatively.
  • Lose one’s cool – to become angry or lose composure in a situation.
  • Snap – to suddenly become angry or lose control.

Synonyms for “Tee Off”

There are several synonymous words or phrases that you could use to replace the usage of this idiom in conversation, Some of the other similar words or phrases that you could use include:

  • Start
  • Begin
  • Piss off

“Tee Off” Examples

Sentence Examples

  • We need to tee off if we are going to get this meeting done on time.
  • It is a good idea not to tee off a sleeping dog or it may lash out and bite you.
  • When will the professor tee off his law course?
  • Before you tee off, I have something really amazing to show you!

Conversation Examples

A conversation between mother and daughter.

  • Mother: What is wrong with you?
  • Daughter: I am just really teed off at the moment mom, but I will get over it.
  • Mother: Why are you upset?
  • Daughter: Because Ryan accused me of doing something that I didn’t do today and then he broke up with me.

A conversation between two co-workers.

  • Co-worker 1: I think we should tee off so we can end this meeting on time.
  • Co-worker 2: The whole team is not here yet though.
  • Co-worker 1: We will just have to fill them in on what they missed when they arrive.
  • Co-worker 2: I think we should give them five more minutes so we don’t have to repeat anything.
  • Co-worker 1: Fair enough! We will begin in five.
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