take off

1. To remove, as from the surface or outside; to remove from the top of anything; as, to take off a load; to take off one's hat.

2. To cut off; as, to take off the head, or a limb.

3. To destroy; as, to take off life.

4. To remove; to invalidate; as, to take off the force of an argument.

5. To withdraw; to call or draw away. Locke.

6. To swallow; as, to take off a glass of wine.

7. To purchase; to take in trade. «The Spaniards having no commodities that we will take off.» Locke.

8. To copy; to reproduce. «Take off all their models in wood.» Addison.

9. To imitate; to mimic; to personate.

10. To find place for; to dispose of; as, more scholars than preferments can take off. [R.] Bacon.

11. To discount or deduct (from a price); the dealer took off twenty percent on remaining toys.
[PJC]

To rise sharply. For example, when positive news about a company's earnings is released, traders say that the stock takes off. The term is also used referring to the overall movement of stock prices, as in "When the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates, the stock market took off."

1.  Remove, as in Take off your coat and stay for a while, or I took my foot off the brake. [c. 1300]
2.  Deduct, decrease, as in He took 20 percent off the original price, or I want you to trim my hair, but please don't take off too much. [c. 1700]
3.  Carry or take away, as in The passengers were taken off one by one. [Late 1800s]
4.  Also, take oneself off. Leave, go away, as in I'm taking off now, or We take ourselves off for China next month, or, as an imperative, Take yourself off right now! [First half of 1800s]
5.  Move forward quickly, as in The dog took off after the car.
6.  Become well known or popular, or achieve sudden growth, as in That actor's career has really taken off, or Sales took off around the holidays. [Mid-1900s]
7.  Rise in flight, as in The airplane took off on time. [Mid-1800s]
8.  Discontinue, as in The railroad took off the commuter special. [Mid-1700s]
9.  Imitate humorously or satirically, as in He had a way of taking off the governor that made us howl with laughter. [Mid-1700s]
10.  Withhold service, as in I'm taking off from work today because of the funeral. [First half of 1900s]

Definition: leave; leave the ground
Antonyms: arrive, come, stay

The verb has 9 meanings:

Meaning #1: leave
  Synonyms: depart, part, start, start out, set forth, set off, set out

Meaning #2: take away or remove

Meaning #3: depart from the ground, as of an aircraft or balloon
  Synonym: lift off

Meaning #4: take time off from work; stop working temporarily
  Synonym: take time off

Meaning #5: mimic or imitate, esp. in an amusing or satirical manner

Meaning #6: remove clothes

Meaning #7: get started or set in motion, used figuratively, as of a project,
  Synonym: get off the ground

Meaning #8: prove fatal

Meaning #9: make a subtraction
  Synonyms: subtract, deduct