work off

English

Verb

work off (third-person singular simple present works off, present participle working off, simple past and past participle worked off)

1. (transitive) To lose (weight) by doing physical work; to burn off the calories gained from eating something.

   We need to get moving to work off these donuts.

2. (transitive, by extension) To end (a debt) by doing labor for the person owed money.

   After thirteen years, I've worked off my student debt.

3. (transitive, archaic) To produce (printed matter etc.) by some process of work.
   • 1774, Philip Luckombe, A Concise History of Printing, page 158:

     Pale Colour. When the sheets are worked off with too little ink.