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write off
write off (to someone) (for something)
to send a written request for something away to someone. I wrote off to my parents for some money, but I think they are ignoring me. I wrote off for money. I need money so I wrote off to my parents.
write someone or something off
to drop someone or something from consideration. The manager wrote Tom off for a promotion. I wrote off that piece of swampy land as worthless. It can't be used for anything.
write someone or something off
(as a something) 1. . to give up on turning someone or something into something. I had to write Jill off as a future executive. The company wrote off the electric automobile as a dependable means of transportation. He would never work out. We wrote him off.
2. . to give up on someone or something as a dead loss, waste of time, hopeless case, etc. Don't write me off as a has-been. We almost wrote off the investment as a dead loss.
3. . to take a charge against one's taxes. Can I write this off as a deduction, or is it a dead loss? Can I write off this expense as a tax deduction?
write something off
to absorb a debt or a loss in accounting. The bill couldn't be collected, so we had to write it off. The bill was too large, and we couldn't write off the amount. We decided to sue.
write something off (on one's taxes)
to deduct something from one's income taxes. Can I write this off on my income taxes? I'll write off this trip on my taxes. Oh, yes! Write it off!
write somebody/something off
also write off somebody/something 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
also write something off1. 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 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.
3. 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.
write off
1. Reduce an asset's book value to zero because it is worthless, as in The truck was wrecked completely, so we can write it off. [Late 1600s]
2. Cancel from an account as a loss, as in
Since they'll never be able to pay back what they owe, let's just write off that debt. [Late 1800s] Also see
charge off, def. 2.
3. Regard as a failure or worthless, as in There was nothing to do but write off the first day of our trip because of the bad weather , or She resented their tendency to write her off as a mere housewife. [Late 1800s]
4. Amortize, as in
We can write off the new computer network in two years or less. Also see
charge off, def. 2.
write off
v.1. To cancel something from accounts as a loss: The bank has written off the account balance as an unrecoverable debt. After efforts to collect the payment failed, we decided to write it off. We wrote the trip off as a business expense.
2. To consider something a loss or failure: We wrote off the first day of our vacation because it rained all day. The doctors wrote him off when a treatment couldn't be found for his illness.
3. To deem someone or something inconsequential and disregard them: I wouldn't write off the option of going to nursing school. Critics wrote the singer off as a novelty act.
4. To send a written request: I wrote off to the university for an application.