adv.
- From a place or position: drove off.
- At a certain distance in space or time: a mile off; a week off.
- From a given course or route; aside: swerved off into a ditch.
- Into a state of unconsciousness: I must have dozed off.
- So as to be no longer on, attached, or connected: shaved off his mustache.
- So as to be divided: marked off the playing field by yards.
- So as to be no longer continuing, operating, or functioning: switched off the radio.
- So as to be completely removed, finished, or eliminated: kill off the mice.
- So as to be smaller, fewer, or less: Sales dropped off.
- So as to be away from work or duty: They took a day off.
- Offstage.
- Distant or removed; farther: the off side of the barn.
- Remote; slim: stopped by on the off chance that they're home.
- Not on, attached, or connected: with my shoes off.
- Not operating or operational: The oven is off.
- No longer taking place; canceled: The wedding is off.
- Slack: Production was off this year.
- Not up to standard; below a normal or satisfactory level: Your pitching is off today.
- Not accurate; incorrect: Your statistical results are off.
- Somewhat crazy; eccentric: I think that person is a little off.
- Started on the way; going: I'm off to see the president.
- Absent or away from work or duty: She's off every Tuesday.
- Spent away from work or duty: My off day is Saturday.
- Being on the right side of an animal or vehicle.
- Being the animal or vehicle on the right.
- Nautical. Farthest from the shore; seaward.
- Sports. Toward or designating the side of the field facing the batsman in cricket.
- Off-color.
- So as to be removed or distant from: The bird hopped off the branch.
- Away or relieved from: off duty.
- By consuming: living off locusts and honey.
- With the means provided by: living off my pension.
- Informal. From: "What else do you want off me?" (Jimmy Breslin).
- Extending or branching out from: an artery off the heart.
- Not up to the usual standard of: off his game.
- So as to abstain from: went off narcotics.
- Nautical. To seaward of: a mile off Sandy Hook.
v., offed, off·ing, offs. v.intr.
To go away; leave: Off or I'll call the police.
v.tr. Slang
To murder.
idiom:
off and on
- In an intermittent manner: slept off and on last night.
[Variant of Middle English of, from Old English.]
USAGE NOTE The compound preposition off of is generally regarded as informal and is best avoided in formal speech and writing: He stepped off (not off of) the platform. Off is informal as well when used to indicate a source: formal style requires I borrowed it from (not off) my brother.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
