write off
[verb]
Synonyms: depreciate, decry, devaluate, devalue, downgrade, lower, mark down, underrate, undervalue, write down, belittle, derogate, detract (from), discount, disparage, downcry, minimize, run down

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

write off phrasal verb (see also write)

1. to write a letter to a company or organization asking them to send you goods or information Synonym : send off, write away
write off for
Are you going to write off for that free poster?

2. write somebody/something ↔ off to decide that someone or something is useless, unimportant, or a failure Synonym : dismiss
write somebody/something ↔ off as
After six months of work, we eventually wrote the project off as a non-starter. ⇒ write-off

3. write something ↔ off to officially say that a debt no longer has to be paid, or officially accept that you cannot get back money you have spent or lost:
The United States agreed to write off debts worth billions of dollars.
The Inland Revenue wrote off £900 million in unpaid taxes.

4. write something ↔ off to make an official record of the amount of money that you have spent on things relating to your business, in order to reduce the amount of tax that you have to pay
write something ↔ off against
The costs of setting up a business can be written off against tax.

5. write something ↔ off British English to damage a vehicle so badly that it can never be used again:
At thirteen he stole a car and wrote it off. ⇒ write-off

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

ˈwrite-off noun [countable]

1. British English a vehicle that has been so badly damaged that it can never be used again:
The car was a complete write-off.

2. a period of time when you fail to achieve anything:
This morning was a complete write-off.

3. an official agreement that someone does not have to pay a debt

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

write off
write (someone/something) off
to decide that someone or something is not important.
Most critics wrote him off as a minor artist until he received that huge grant.

Everyone had pretty much written off the team after they lost their tournament last week.

Americans no longer dream of their children becoming president — in fact, many write it off as not worth the effort.

write off (something)
1.
to accept that a debt will not be paid.
Last year the bank wrote off $17 million in bad loans.

I'll probably never see the money I loaned my brother, so I guess I'll write it off.

2.
to decide that something will not be successful.
For a long time, both political parties have written off the Greens.

Since they behave oddly, people tend to write them off as weirdos, but many members of the group are important business people.

3.
to charge something as a business expense.
You can write off your cell phone and all the costs of service for it.

I'm giving the furniture to a local church and writing it off as a donation.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

write off something
write off (something)
1.
to accept that a debt will not be paid.
Last year the bank wrote off $17 million in bad loans.

I'll probably never see the money I loaned my brother, so I guess I'll write it off.

2.
to decide that something will not be successful.
For a long time, both political parties have written off the Greens.

Since they behave oddly, people tend to write them off as weirdos, but many members of the group are important business people.

3.
to charge something as a business expense.
You can write off your cell phone and all the costs of service for it.

I'm giving the furniture to a local church and writing it off as a donation.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

write something off
write (someone/something) off
to decide that someone or something is not important.
Most critics wrote him off as a minor artist until he received that huge grant.

Everyone had pretty much written off the team after they lost their tournament last week.

Americans no longer dream of their children becoming president — in fact, many write it off as not worth the effort.

write off (something)
1.
to accept that a debt will not be paid.
Last year the bank wrote off $17 million in bad loans.

I'll probably never see the money I loaned my brother, so I guess I'll write it off.

2.
to decide that something will not be successful.
For a long time, both political parties have written off the Greens.

Since they behave oddly, people tend to write them off as weirdos, but many members of the group are important business people.

3.
to charge something as a business expense.
You can write off your cell phone and all the costs of service for it.

I'm giving the furniture to a local church and writing it off as a donation.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

write off
1. • write off
1). accept (a loss or trouble) and not worry any more about it
He decided to write off his bad experience at his old job.

2). remove (an amount) from a business record, cancel (a debt)
The bank was forced to write off a large amount of its debt.

2. • write off (a loan/debt)
to remove a loan/debt from a business record, to cancel a debt
It was impossible for the bank to collect the money so they were forced to write off the loan.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

write off(1)
v. phr.
1. To remove (an amount) from a business record; cancel (a debt); accept as a loss.
If a customer dies when he owes the store money, the store must often write it off.
Compare: CHARGE OFF.
2. To accept (a loss or trouble) and not worry anymore about it; forget.
Mr. Brown had so much trouble with the new TV set that he finally wrote it off and bought a new one.
Jim's mistake cost him time and money, but he wrote it off to experience.
Compare: CHARGE OFF².
Antonym: CHALK UP². To say that (something) will fail or not be good; believe worthless.
Just because the boys on the team are young, don't write the team off.
Compare: COUNT OUT.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

write-off(2)
n. A loss.
This last unfortunate business venture of ours is an obvious write-off.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲