pop-offn.adj.
/ˈpɒpɒf/, U.S. /ˈpɑpˌɔf/, /ˈpɑpˌɑf/ A. n.† 1. A gunshot. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > [noun]
gunning1570
fire1590
firing1684
squibbing1697
gunfire1801
gunnery1816
pop-off1843
pluffing1852
machine-gun fire1882
gun-play1897
loosing off1906
1843 P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 239 Not even the pop-off of a Milford snob to be heard.
2. U.S.
a. An outburst; a tirade.
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the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > invective or abuse > [noun] > tirade of invective or abuse
invective1523
raila1529
philippic1592
steletic1653
Steliteutic1751
tirade1801
diatribe1804
tertullianade1819
blast1874
pop-off1935
mouthful1941
flak1968
1935 Los Angeles Times 10 Mar. i. 29/5 Dizzy Dean's income this year will approximate $75,000..that popoff in New York by the great Cardinal pitcher, about being a holdout, was just another one of his little jokes.
1953 Marion (Ohio) Star 14 Oct. 4/7 I am scared by the addresses at $100-a-plate political dinners, the pop-offs by gassy senators and the views of politicians mainly interested in next year's elections.
1974 J. Millard Thunderbolt & Lightfoot 65 If you two guys can't manage to cool it..forget the whole thing. Because one more pop-off and I've had it up to here.
2001 M. Shropshire Pro x. 100 Bruno's sanctimonious little popoff stood out as a major factor..in all this lingering animosity.
b. A short-tempered or excessively outspoken person.
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the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > [noun] > irascible person
wasp1496
shit-fire1598
flesh-pistol1608
tinder-box1608
touchwood1617
Tartar1669
touch and go1675
spitfire1684
vengeance1712
spunkie1821
pepperbox1822
tempest1852
pepperer1864
gingersnap1889
pepperpot1894
spit-cat1898
spit kitten1912
slow burner1930
fireball1931
pop-off1938
1938 N.Y. Times 22 Jan. 10/5 Some writers are saying that the fans no longer are interested in the ‘Pop-off’ Dean..one of the greatest pitchers in modern baseball.
1939 G. S. Cochrane Baseball, Fan's Game 189 Pop-off,..an umpire baiter.
1945 Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch 7 Feb. 13/7 Allen, perennial pop-off..passes up no opportunity to emphasize his belief that players in New York games have been approached by gamblers.
1973 J. Wambaugh Onion Field x. 230 The beat cop had no reputation as a rollcall popoff. On the contrary, he was a quiet man.
1984 R. E. Morgan Disabling Amer. vi. 161 Rules cannot be inflected to pick up the endless variety and shades of cheaters, pop-offs, and eccentrics.
2000 Washington Post (Electronic ed.) 12 Nov. b1 Most..of Gore's staff pop-offs have held their tongues.
B. adj.
(attributive) Designating a type of safety valve for releasing pressure.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > control(s) > [adjective] > provided with a valve > relating to type of valve
shut-off1869
non-return1883
pop-off1902
poppet-valved1912
1902 Atlanta Constit. 3 Jan. 3/6 It was noticed that the pop-off valve was out of order, and it was while the employees were at work on this that the explosion occurred.
1946 Walla Walla (Washington) Union-Bull. 8 June 3/4 Never, under any circumstances, remove the pop-off safety valve from the boiler when there is steam pressure.
1977 Brit. Jrnl. Anaesthesia 49 71/1 There is a cooling coil and a safety pop-off valve, by which extra pressure is released and extra moisture in the circuit is expelled intermittently.
2001 Road & Track Aug. 68/3 There's..only slight lag from the turbos, as bypasses (instead of hissy pop-off valves) deal with excess boost.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1843