'wave off the competition'

Question

Hi everybody,There is this sentence: Scientists have used a robotic crab to show that female fiddler crabs prefer males who can wave off the competition.Where does this 'off' belong to? I can't understand it. Is it the part of a phrasal verb (I didn't find an appropriate one)? Is it an adverb or a preposition? The males have to win the 'waving competition' in order to get the female. But the knowledge of this piece of information doesn't help me find an appropriate meaning.Um, can I use 'knowledge in this context? Maybe it can be good (based on oxford definition: "the state of knowing about a particular fact or situation") but I have never used it so far.The related article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2011/09/110909_witn_robocrab.shtmlThanks for your help in advance.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Hole One a New SeeIs it the part of a phrasal verb

Yes. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wave+off

Hole One a New See · Answer

It doesn't help me. There is this meaning:

To dismiss or refuse by waving the hand or arm

But why would a male crab refuse the competition? As I can see, these male crabs are competing with each other and the one which has the strongest claw (and is doing the better moves) wins.

I can't find the appropriate meaning. These two things (competition and the refusal of the competition) disagree with each other.

There is another meaning but it is represented as a 'sport-related' thing. Maybe, if we consider the words 'the competition' as the crabs who are involved in the competition, then consider 'wave off' as 'nullify' (~neutralise) (= wins against other crabs).

Is this second the appropriate meaning?

Thanks for your help in advance.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

To dismiss ~~or refuse~~ by waving the hand or arm

In your example, the verb is a little stronger than "dismiss."
When a teacher dismisses class, all the students get up and leave. Some run quite fast out of the classroom because they want to go out and play, or do what kids love to do these days.

A male crab with very large claws can just wave them around and the other males are intimidated and run away. It is a threatening behavior. He "waves off" the his competition - other male crabs that are not as well-endowed. Of course, one may decide to call his bluff.

Hole One a New See · Answer

Thank you very much. It is clear now <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

'wave off the competition'

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