Today we are going to look at the idiom rip-off, which can be used as a noun or a verb. This expression means stealing or cheating. We often use rip-off when we feel we have been overcharged for something. In this case, we say that something is/was a rip-off:
-They charge $9 for a beer at the baseball stadium. What a rip-off!
-The tire center was such a rip off. I paid $100 for a new tire, and they charged me $85 for the labor.
We also use rip-off when we are dissatisfied with value of something we bought or service we paid for.
-That camera was a rip-off. The batteries last less than an hour, and the picture quality is terrible.
-Cheap sunglasses are always a rip-off. They break easily, and the lenses are usually not so good.
We can also use rip-off as a verb with the same meaning. For example, if someone or some business has cheated you, or if someone has stolen from you. In this case, the structure is:
[someone] ripped [someone] off
or
[someone] ripped off [someone’s thing]
-The mechanic at the tire center ripped me off.
-Someone ripped off my wallet while I was in the pool.
Have you ever had something ripped off? Have you ever been ripped off? Let us know.
If you know anyone who might be interested in this English language point, why not help them out! Just share this lesson with them. Thanks for studying today!
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