Definition of the word wave off

The phrase "wave off" originates from the aviation industry, more specifically, from the context of air traffic control. When an air traffic controller detects various hazardous conditions, such as extreme weather or a malfunction in an aircraft, they may instruct the pilot to "wave off" and abandon the landing attempt. The term "wave off" stems from air traffic control tower's use of hand gestures to guide aircraft during landing approaches. The controller would raise their hand in a waving motion, signaling to the pilot that they needed to abort the landing and circle back to the air for another attempt. Over time, the hand gesture transformed into a verbal command, "wave off," which pilots now recognize and follow. The usage of this aviation term has expanded beyond the industry, with its meaning and association with risk, danger, or uncertainty perceived in various contexts, such as preventing entry in a specific location due to safety concerns, canceling an event or occasion due to adverse conditions or other factors beyond the parties' control, and so on.