释义 |
off centre, off-centre, phr. (adv.) and a. Also (U.S.) -center. [f. off prep., off- 4 b + centre n. and a.] Not quite coinciding with a central position, awry; wrong, mistaken; eccentric.
1929D. Hammett Dain Curse (1930) xii. 127 He had gone off center, was a dangerous maniac. 1932Kansas City (Missouri) Times 30 May 12 This dear old country of ours can't be so terribly off center. 1934Webster, Off-center, Philately, of a stamp, having margins of unequal width. 1947J. Steinbeck Wayward Bus xviii. 291 The scar on his lip made the smile off-center. 1952L. A. G. Strong Darling Tom 12 A round mahogany table with a doily a little off-centre. 1958Observer 25 May 16/7 Miss Anna Kavan's weird, off-centre art. 1960Times 23 June 15/2 The need to write..cannot be assuaged without tugging the character of its victim a little off-centre. 1971Listener 25 Nov. 714/3 An out-of-date idea hung onto by slightly off-centre intellectuals. 1975J. Wainwright Square Dance 196 The arrival of the Watfords had thrown little Thelma more than slightly off-centre. |