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单词 off
释义

offv.

Brit. /ɒf/, U.S. /ɔf/, /ɑf/
Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: off adv.
Etymology: < off adv., often used elliptically for phrasal verbs (see spec. senses below). Compare in v., back v.With quots. 18951 at sense 2, 2003 at sense 2 compare the following:1865 ‘L. Carroll’ Alice's Adventures in Wonderland viii. 122 The Queen..went stamping about, and shouting ‘Off with his head!’
1.
a. transitive. To put off, defer. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (transitive)]
forslowc888
eldc897
forsita940
gele971
lengOE
drilla1300
delayc1300
onfrestc1300
tarryc1320
jornc1330
dretchc1380
defer1382
forbida1387
to put offa1387
to put (also set) (something) in (or on) delaya1393
dilate1399
fordrawa1400
to put overc1410
latch?c1422
adjournc1425
prolongc1425
proloynec1425
rejournc1425
to put in respite1428
sleuthc1430
respitea1450
prorogue1453
refer1466
sleep1470
supersede1482
respectc1487
postpone1496
overseta1500
respett1500
enjourna1513
relong1523
retract1524
tarde1524
track1524
to fode forth1525
tract1527
protract1528
further1529
to make stay of1530
surcease1530
prorogate1534
to fay upon longc1540
linger1543
retard?1543
slake1544
procrastine1548
reprieve1548
remit1550
suspense1556
leave1559
shiftc1562
suspend1566
procrastinate1569
dally1574
post1577
to hold off1580
drift1584
loiter1589
postpose1598
to take one's (own) timea1602
flag1602
slug1605
elong1610
belay1613
demur1613
tardya1616
to hang up1623
frist1637
disjourn1642
future1642
off1642
waive1653
superannuate1655
perendinate1656
stave1664
detard1675
remora1686
to put back1718
withhold1726
protract1737
to keep over1847
to hold over1853
laten1860
to lay over1885
hold1891
back-burner1975
1642 E. Dering Coll. Speeches on Relig. 96 The further debate of this was offed [printed ofted] to the next day.
b. transitive. To withdraw from; to decline or refuse. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > statement > refusal > [verb (transitive)]
warnc897
willeOE
forbidc1000
warnc1000
willOE
asake1250
withsay1297
gainsayc1330
recusea1387
naitc1390
to say naya1393
again-say?a1400
denyc1400
withnayc1400
biwern1413
refuse?1435
resist1539
detrect1542
renege1545
detract1572
waive1642
declinea1691
nay-say1762
nay-saya1774
nix1903
off1908
ixnay1937
1908 A. S. M. Hutchinson Once aboard Lugger vi. vi. §2. 437 There's this locum tenens I was going to take up in the North. I haven't offed that yet—haven't refused it I mean.
2. intransitive. to off with: to take off instantly (cf. off adv. 8b). nonstandard, regional, or humorous. to off with a person's head: to decapitate unceremoniously (used with humorous allusion to the command ‘Off with his head!’: see etymological note).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away > from the position of being on > instantly
to off with1805
1805 R. Anderson Ballads in Cumberland Dial. 5 I off wi' my clogs, and as whisht as a mouse, Claver'd up to the window.
1892 Daily News 23 Feb. 5/1 They offed with his head.
1895 K. Grahame Golden Age 56 When the Queen said ‘Off with his head!’ she'd have offed with your head.
1895 Pall Mall Mag. Sept. 111 So then he offs with his diamond ring.
1936 ‘M. Innes’ Death at President's Lodging xi. 205 Then Campbell offs with the gown again.
1953 M. Traynor Eng. Dial. Donegal 201/1 Off..with: to take off. He offs with his coat.
2003 www.alanzeleznikar.com 21 Feb. (O.E.D. Archive) Centuries of monarchy came to an end on July 14, 1789, when a crowd rose up, freed..prisoners from the Bastille and then eventually toppled the monarchy of Louis XVI and ‘offed with his head’ with the guillotine.
3.
a. transitive. To take off or away, remove.In quot. 1887: to get rid of by swallowing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away > from the position of being on
latcha1225
off-wevec1300
to take offa1400
to get off1577
to lay offa1593
daff1609
off1826
1826 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Mar. 318/2 Off hands, if you please, and behave to the gentleman as a gentleman.
1834 C. A. Davis Lett. J. Downing, Major 32 As there was an eend of the dance, all the galls off shoes and stockings and went hum.
1887 R. Browning Fust & Friends 76 Awaiting thy sign To out knife, off mouthful.
1939 E. Strafford Found. Brit. Patriotism 128 Tyrants who went about offing peoples heads.
1994 J. Barth Once upon Time 14 But anyhow he's not offing your head.
b. transitive. U.S. slang and Indian English. To turn off, shut down.The two regional usages appear to have developed independently.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ceasing > cease from (an action or operation) [verb (transitive)] > cause to cease or put a stop to > cause (a thing) to cease action
stop1377
stintc1440
whoa1861
off1975
1975 M. Piñero Short Eyes 5 Off the fucking noise.
1977 C. McFadden Serial 119 I've gotta go tell Joan to off that goddamn rock [music].
1979 P. Nihalani et al. Indian & Brit. Eng. 130 Will you off the light before you leave, please?
1984 W. M. Henderson Stark Raving Elvis 58 No movies, man. We're going to off movies in that theater for good.
1996 Adv. Learner's Dict. (Indian ed.) Indian Eng. Suppl. 1462/1 Will you off the fan, please?
4. intransitive. To go off, make off (nonstandard or humorous). Frequently as to up and off. Also transitive, with it: to depart; (slang) to die. Cf. sense 6, and off adv. 8.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > [verb (intransitive)]
forsweltc888
sweltc888
adeadeOE
deadc950
wendeOE
i-wite971
starveOE
witea1000
forfereOE
forthfareOE
forworthc1000
to go (also depart , pass, i-wite, chare) out of this worldOE
queleOE
fallOE
to take (also nim, underfo) (the) deathOE
to shed (one's own) blood?a1100
diec1135
endc1175
farec1175
to give up the ghostc1175
letc1200
aswelta1250
leavea1250
to-sweltc1275
to-worthc1275
to yield (up) the ghost (soul, breath, life, spirit)c1290
finea1300
spilla1300
part?1316
to leese one's life-daysa1325
to nim the way of deathc1325
to tine, leave, lose the sweatc1330
flit1340
trance1340
determinec1374
disperisha1382
to go the way of all the eartha1382
to be gathered to one's fathers1382
miscarryc1387
shut1390
goa1393
to die upa1400
expirea1400
fleea1400
to pass awaya1400
to seek out of lifea1400–50
to sye hethena1400
tinea1400
trespass14..
espirec1430
to end one's days?a1439
decease1439
to go away?a1450
ungoc1450
unlivec1450
to change one's lifea1470
vade1495
depart1501
to pay one's debt to (also the debt of) naturea1513
to decease this world1515
to go over?1520
jet1530
vade1530
to go westa1532
to pick over the perch1532
galpa1535
to die the death1535
to depart to God1548
to go home1561
mort1568
inlaikc1575
shuffle1576
finish1578
to hop (also tip, pitch over, drop off, etc.) the perch1587
relent1587
unbreathe1589
transpass1592
to lose one's breath1596
to make a die (of it)1611
to go offa1616
fail1623
to go out1635
to peak over the percha1641
exita1652
drop1654
to knock offa1657
to kick upa1658
to pay nature her due1657
ghost1666
to march off1693
to die off1697
pike1697
to drop off1699
tip (over) the perch1699
to pass (also go, be called, etc.) to one's reward1703
sink1718
vent1718
to launch into eternity1719
to join the majority1721
demise1727
to pack off1735
to slip one's cable1751
turf1763
to move off1764
to pop off the hooks1764
to hop off1797
to pass on1805
to go to glory1814
sough1816
to hand in one's accounts1817
to slip one's breatha1819
croak1819
to slip one's wind1819
stiffen1820
weed1824
buy1825
to drop short1826
to fall (a) prey (also victim, sacrifice) to1839
to get one's (also the) call1839
to drop (etc.) off the hooks1840
to unreeve one's lifeline1840
to step out1844
to cash, pass or send in one's checks1845
to hand in one's checks1845
to go off the handle1848
to go under1848
succumb1849
to turn one's toes up1851
to peg out1852
walk1858
snuff1864
to go or be up the flume1865
to pass outc1867
to cash in one's chips1870
to go (also pass over) to the majority1883
to cash in1884
to cop it1884
snuff1885
to belly up1886
perch1886
to kick the bucket1889
off1890
to knock over1892
to pass over1897
to stop one1901
to pass in1904
to hand in one's marble1911
the silver cord is loosed1911
pip1913
to cross over1915
conk1917
to check out1921
to kick off1921
to pack up1925
to step off1926
to take the ferry1928
peg1931
to meet one's Maker1933
to kiss off1935
to crease it1959
zonk1968
cark1977
to cark it1979
to take a dirt nap1981
1843 H. W. Herbert Deerstalkers iii. 66 I..hitched up old Roan, and offed to Jess Wood's.
1858 J. Rayson Bruff Reaces st. 5 They off wi' a brattle, 'mang sticks and hats waving.
1889 T. E. Brown Manx Witch 18 ‘And will you go linkin with me?’ says Jack... ‘I'm thinkin I'd better,’ says Nessy... And offs with him.
1890 Punch 28 June 310/2 He found out after they'd off'd it that they didn't own a white mouse among 'em!
1895 Westm. Gaz. 21 Sept. 2/1 He took down his hat, an' off'd.
1930 J. Buchan Castle Gay iv. 72 He has probably offed it abroad.
1965 Listener 27 May 797/2 He ups and offs from wife, job, kids.
1993 ‘J. Gash’ Paid & Loving Eyes (1994) xxviii. 211 Ten minutes later..she upped and offed without so much as a word of warning.
5. intransitive. Nautical. Of a ship: to move off from shore (cf. offing n.). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > direct or manage ship [verb (intransitive)] > head in a certain course or direction > sail away from shore or ships
to stand off1591
to stand away1600
to bear away1614
to stand out to sea1625
outstand1866
off1882
1882 Ogilvie's Imperial Dict. (new ed.) (at cited word) We were offing at the time the accident happened.
6. transitive. Chiefly U.S. To kill. Also reflexive: to commit suicide.Cf. slang use at sense 4.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > killing > killing by specific method > kill [verb (transitive)]
off1967
1967 P. Thomas Down these Mean Streets xx. 198 If he lays a hand on me again, I'm gonna off him.
1977 Time 31 Jan. 52/1 There is a contract out on him and he will be offed as sure as next morning's sunrise.
1986 K. Friedman Greenwich Killing Time x. 39 Whoever offed Frank Worthington was methodical.
1997 J. Moore Never eat your Heart Out 136 After Pal Thayer's death people talked about why Pal ‘offed’ himself.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

offadv.prep.n.adj.

Brit. /ɒf/, U.S. /ɔf/, /ɑf/
Forms:

α. Old English–1700s of, Middle English–1600s ofe; English regional 1800s– of, 1800s– oft (Cumberland), 1800s– orf; Scottish pre-1700 af, pre-1700 afe, pre-1700 of, pre-1700 ofe.

β. late Old English– off, Middle English–1600s offe, 1600s affe, 1900s– hoff (colloquial); Scottish pre-1700 affe, pre-1700 offe, pre-1700 1700s– aff, pre-1700 1700s– off; also Irish English (northern) 1900s– aff.

Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: of prep.
Etymology: < of prep. (see etymological note at that entry).Developed from the strong form of of prep., the word regularly has final /f/. Both weak and strong forms are used for of prep. until the 17th cent., at which time the two words become fully differentiated. Off is uncommon in Old English, and is used with greater frequency only after c1400. In Old and Middle English off forms collocations with following verbs, which can be regarded as examples of the prefix (see off- prefix 1a). The form offe in early Middle English (at which period the spelling indicated a disyllable) appears to have final -e on the analogy of inne, adverb denoting rest within a place, originally contrasted with inn, adverb denoting motion towards a place. N.E.D. (1902) gives also the pronunciation (ǫ̀f) /ɒf/, /ɔːf/.
In this entry are included all examples of the adverb, whether under (α) the earlier spelling of, or (β) the later off; but, of the preposition, only those uses for which off is now the recognized form; for others see of prep.
A. adv.
I. General uses.Off has been used since the Middle English period with many verbs, e.g. buy v., come v., dash v., get v., go v., look v., mark v., palm v., pass v., rattle v.1, show v., take v., etc.: see the first element. In most of these the basic uses of off correspond to those given below, while (as with other phrasal verbs) the further developments take a more idiomatic turn.
1.
a. Expressing motion or direction from a place: to a distance, away, quite away; as in to go off, run off, drive off. to be off: to get going; to go away. be off with you: get going; go away (cf. off (with you)! at sense A. 8b). Also expressing resistance to motion towards: as in to beat off, hang off, keep off, ward off.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > [adverb] > away from some thing or place
awayeOE
outeOE
frowardOE
offOE
yondwardc1275
yonwarda1387
waywardsc1390
fromwarda1547
offward1582
fromwardsa1661
orf1845
α.
OE Blickling Homilies 5 Man sceolde mid sare on þas world cuman..& mid sare of gewitan.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) 3 Esdras iv. 9 If he seie to fallen of [a1425 L.V. throwe doun], þei fallen of.
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Reeve's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) Prol. l. 58 Leueful is with force, force of showue.
?c1500 Mary Magdalene (Digby) 379 Com of þan, let vs be-gynne.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. CCv Come of..thou that arte disposed to leaue all for the loue of Iesu.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. cclxijv Peces of ordinaunce whiche shot of.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 163 King Gald..flies af the feild.
1610 J. Healey tr. J. L. Vives in tr. St. Augustine Citie of God xv. xxvii. 569 The fittest forme for to keepe of the rayne and weather, was to bee ridged downe a proportioned descent from the toppe downeward.
1777 J. Woodforde Diary 22 July (1978) 134 Cousin Lewis and Son went of this morning for Nottingham.
β. 1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 12 Neyther could we keepe off,..our outward enimies.c1575 Fawkner's Glasse in Perfect Bk. Kepinge Sparhawkes (1886) When she knowe her game fly fare ofe.1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 557 To drive off his melancholy thoughts.1726 Four Years Voy. Capt. G. Roberts 28 To send my Mate off with the Boat.1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. xvii. 180 She is gone off with two gentlemen in a post chaise.1783 H. Cowley Which is the Man? iii. ii. 29 I'll go and pack up a few things, and call a coach and be off, before Lady Bell comes from Court.1827 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey IV. vi. vi. 220 We had better order our horses, and be off.1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. vi. 115 Mr. Quilp put his hat on and took himself off.1842 R. H. Barham Lay St. Cuthbert in Ingoldsby Legends 2nd Ser. 229 Come, mizzle!—be off with you!—go!1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 65 I must be off into the woods.1896 Law Times 100 508/1 [He] succeeded in getting the animal under control, and rode off.1915 D. H. Lawrence Rainbow vi. 172 She beat him off.1934 C. P. Snow Search I. i. 11 He would set off, as though he and the church-bell had nothing in common.a1979 J. Grenfell Turn back Clock (1983) i. 10 Now, are you all ready? Then be off with you.1989 Weekly News (Glasgow) 27 May 28 Many defenders don't realise how strong he is, particularly in his ability to hold people off.2004 J. Colgan Do you remember First Time? xiii. 238 He would be off to Africa again soon with Madeleine and I'd never seen him again.
b. In figurative use, as to buy off, fall off, knock off, put off, etc. Cf. also sense A. 6a.
ΚΠ
α.
eOE Laws of Ine (Corpus Cambr. 173) lxxiv. §2. 122 Buton he him wille fæhðe ofaceapian.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 196v Þis stoon warneþ of venour as electrum doþ and putteþ of diuers dredes and feres.
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. cxxiv. 150 The kynge bought of sir Thomas Hallande,..and therle of Tankernyll, and payed for them twentie thousande nobles.
β. 1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 170 With fayre wordes [he] put them off for that tyme.1629 J. Earle Micro-cosmogr. (ed. 5) xxxiv. sig. G4v One whom no rate can buy off from the least piece of his freedome.1666 J. Davies tr. C. de Rochefort Hist. Caribby-Islands 268 They will fall off from what they have promised.1707 W. Funnell Voy. round World ix. 259 A small matter of Money will buy off a great Fault.1874 A. Trollope Lady Anna I. vii. 85 I mean it to be love, and I'm not going to be put off by Serjeant Bluestone.1902 G. H. Lorimer Lett. Merchant xiv. 203 By the time the real weather comes along everybody has guessed wrong and knocked the market off a cent or two.1934 G. B. Shaw On the Rocks i. 25 You have to buy him off with a scrap of dole.1964 R. Gover Here goes Kitten 36 I was not put off by her tactics.2000 R. W. Holder Taunton Cider & Langdons iv. 18 In 1925 the miners were bought off for a time by an agreement for a minimum wage.
c. Nautical. Away from land, or from the vessel; (also) away from the wind.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > [adverb] > away from land or from ship
off1611
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of wind > [adverb] > away from wind
off1611
1611 Bible (King James) Acts xxvii. 32 Then the souldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let her fall off [all prec. vv. away] . View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) i. i. 48 Lay her a hold, a hold, set her two courses off to Sea againe, lay her off. View more context for this quotation
1621 J. Fletcher et al. Trag. of Thierry & Theodoret iv. i. sig. H3v I would I had A conuoy too, to bring me safe off.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World vi. 132 He stood off to Sea, and we plied up under the shore.
1699 W. Dampier Voy. & Descr. ii. i. 22 Then she would fall off 2 or 3 Points from the Wind.
1723 D. Defoe Four Years Voy. 27 To sail to the Isle of Sal, and bring off all the People.
1882 G. S. Nares Seamanship (ed. 6) 107 Nothing off... To bring the ship's head nearer to the Wind.
1988 Mid-Atlantic Country Mar. 62/2 We were mowed down during one particularly violent series of wintry blasts, falling off the wind under working jib only.
d. In predicative use: gone off, just going off, about to go, leaving. Also figurative: fallen or falling asleep; (in quot. 1815) dying. off out (colloquial): away from home, out of doors; on the point of leaving a place, on one's way somewhere.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > aspects of travel > departure, leaving, or going away > [adverb] > setting out
off1791
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > sleep > [adverb]
asleep1154
slumberingly1647
off1852
undera1936
1791 ‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsemanship ix. 42 My horse..was off with me in a jiffey.
1815 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 16 He raised himself up..and said almost inarticulately, ‘I am off’, and expired.
1852 Mrs. Smythies Bride Elect xliv Come, Geraldine, it is time to be off!
1856 T. De Quincey Confessions Eng. Opium-eater (rev. ed.) in Select. Grave & Gay V. 76 I'm off for the Red Sea.
1865 G. W. Thornbury Dr. Marigold's Prescriptions: To be Taken in Water in All Year Round Extra Christmas No., 7 Dec. 32/1 ‘Why, you're talking in your sleep!’..‘What was I talking about?’..‘Greek, I think..but I was just off too.’
1907 E. M. Forster Longest Journey xxxi. 318 ‘For my part, I'm off’.
1964 J. Mitchell White Father viii. 191 Then he adjusted the microphone for Edward, picked up his trumpet, gave a downbeat and they were off, without any announcement.
a1966 ‘M. na Gopaleen’ Best of Myles (1977) 54 I been meself on a day's walk with the brother off out in Howth last March.
1976 J. Wilson Let's Pretend vii. 75 Once he's off, that's it... Like to carry him up to his cot, dear?
1978 J. Barfoot Abra xiv. 82 ‘Well, we're off then,’ she says.
1981 J. Sullivan Only Fools & Horses (1999) I. 1st Ser. Christmas Special 64 Grandad. I'm off out now, see you later. Del. Yeah tadda Grandad.
2001 C. Glazebrook Madolescents 172 I'm off to a limbo-dancing class straight from work.
e. colloquial. to be off (again): to be embarked on some (esp. habitual or obsessive) course of action; to begin speaking tiresomely or at length about a favourite subject.
ΚΠ
1815 S. J. Arnold Maid & Magpye i. ii. 23 Jul. This time..I am resolved to see to the bottom of the business. Ger. There! now she's off again! as if it followed, because a thing's mislaid, that it must be stolen.
1869 L. M. Alcott Little Women II. vi. 81 Jo was off again, making more droll revelations and committing still more fearful blunders.
1929 Radio Times 8 Nov. 388/3 Mr. Lance Sieveking..is off again. Was there ever such a one for experiments?
1987 A. Miller Timebends (1988) ii. 125 They were off, figuring the probable number of seats in the theater and dividing that into thirty million.
1993 Tatler July 124/1 He was an unstoppable fund of theatrical stories; ‘We who don the motley,’ was his usual opening and then he would be off, arms flailing, eyes flashing.
f. In colloquial phrases (originally with reference to Horse Racing). they're off (occasionally they are off): the race has started. to be off and running: to have started and be making good progress.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > continuing > progress, advance, or further continuance > progress or advance in an action [verb (intransitive)] > make good progress
to go or run on wheelsc1547
forge1769
to be off and running1823
to be well on one's (also the) way1900
to take or make strides1926
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > [interjection] > start
they're off1823
1823 ‘J. Bee’ Slang 129Now they are off’, said of horse-racing, on those courses where jockeys are cheatingly permitted to make three, four, five, or more false starts.
1833 Mirror of Lit. 27 July 59/2 They are off! ‘No, no’—cries one jockey whose horse turned his tail to the others.
1846 ‘Sylvanus’ Pedestrian & Other Reminisc. xxiv. 227 The horses are paraded, the flag is dropped—‘they're off!’ is repeated by twenty thousand tongues.
1872 B. Jerrold London viii. 74 Clear the course!.. A flutter goes through the sea of heads on the Grand Stand... They're off!
1928 E. O'Neill Strange Interlude viii. 288 They're off!.. Navy and Washington are leading—Gordon's third.
1962 Washington Daily News 31 July 29/3 It took a gent who wasn't good enough to make it in the National League to get them off and running.
1974 G. Chapman et al. Monty Python's Flying Circus (1989) xliii. 307 And they're off..(the starting stall doors fly open; out come eight identically dressed Queen Victorias).
1994 Magnet May 20/2 The band was off and running but its momentum was impeded temporarily by Dwyer's departure from the ranks.
g. In bad condition; wrong, abnormal, odd; spec. (a) of a person or animal: not in good condition or form; off-colour, slightly unwell; (b) of food: stale, sour, contaminated; (c) of social behaviour: unacceptable; ill-mannered; esp. in (it's) a bit off.Not always clearly distinguishable from sense A. 5b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > body or parts of horse > [adverb] > in poor physical condition
off1843
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > [adverb] > in a wrong way, amiss
on missc1225
overthwarta1382
a-crookc1500
awrya1513
wide?1529
astray1535
across1559
bias1600
outa1641
beside the bridge1652
on the wrong side of the post1728
abroad1806
off1843
way off1882
off beam1941
up the boohai?1946
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > [adverb] > unmannerly > unacceptably
off1916
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > expressions of disapproval [phrase]
shamea1352
I like that1720
to go up (also down) one1909
it's (just) not on1935
a bit off1966
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > unconformity > abnormality > [adverb] > oddly
odd1603
oddlya1616
quirkishly1673
queerly1698
singularly1752
quarely1805
rumly1819
funnily1837
peculiarly1847
funny1852
rummily1891
quirkily1926
off1966
1843 Satirist & Sporting Chron. 4 Feb. 2/1 The Bench however convinced that the Shiner's story was all moonshine,..for the affair was, as our sporting correspondent says ‘off’.
1846 Spirit of Times 18 Apr. 91/1 He had endurance and speed enough to make a good race in any crowd, when ‘all right’, but then, he [sc. a horse] was liable to be oftener ‘off’ than otherwise.
1868 H. Woodruff & C. J. Foster Trotting Horse Amer. xxxvi. 300 When a trotter wins with great ease,..it is assumed, not that the loser was ‘off’, but that the winner is greatly superior.
1916 ‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin ix. 153 ‘S'pose I'd best be makin' a move, though,’ he added ruefully. ‘Bit orf, I calls it!’
1941 E. Bowen Look at all those Roses 68 ‘Your caller sounded to me a bit off.’ ‘Oh, Mrs. Massey's had bad news. She..didn't feel well.’
1952 R. Finlayson Schooner came to Atia 140 Meat that tasted ‘off’.
1966 ‘W. Cooper’ Mem. New Man ii. v. 155 It is just a teentsy-weentsy bit off, isn't it, darling, not to let you know he was coming.
1974 Listener 24 Jan. 102/1 Something was a little off with the mechanism, so the feeder-belt chewed up the baggage in transit.
1983 P. Marshall Praisesong for Widow III. ii. 170 I began feeling strange. Not sick or anything, just ‘off,’ not myself.
1990 Green Mag. Apr. 20/1 Fish, especially oily types have been said to taste ‘off’ after irradiation.
h. colloquial and regional. Short for off one's head, nut, rocker, etc.: not in one's right mind, crazy, mad.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > [adverb] > madly
woodlyc1000
madlyc1225
out of (by, from, of) wit or one's wit1470–85
bedlamlya1569
bedlamlike1576
distractedly1608
madling1608
monthly1611
brainsicklya1616
maddinglya1625
frenzilya1688
crazily1814
insanely1828
dementedly1844
off1866
hippomaniacally1876
pathologically1925
manically1927
dottily1937
feyly1959
kookily1968
nutso1980
1866 W. Gregor Dial. Banffshire in Trans. Philol. Soc. 215 Aff, to be, to be deranged; as, ‘He wiz lang jummlet; bit he's aff athegeethir noo.’
1887 Lantern (New Orleans) 9 Apr. 3/2 Humor him as he was a little off.
1904 W. H. Smith Promoters i. 8 I've sometimes thought you were a trifle visionary, but I never considered you seriously off.
1928 ‘P. Grey’ Making of King 31 Ye're aff far eneuch a'ready—clean aff.
1975 B. Wood Killing Gift ii. i. 47 He was an old man, after all; perhaps he was just a little off... ‘No, gentlemen, I'm not senile.’
2.
a. Expressing separation from attachment, contact, or position on: not on or touching; (so as to be) loose or separate; as in to break off, cast off, cut off, put off, shake off, take off, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > absence > [adverb]
offeOE
outena1200
hereout?c1225
wayc1275
orf1845
α.
eOE Bald's Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) i. xxxv. 86 Smire mid hunige þæt þy þe raþor sio hryfing of fealle.
OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) v. 30 Gyf þin swiðre hand þe aswice, aceorf hi of, & awurp hi fram þe.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough interpolation) anno 656 Ic wille..þæt þær ne be numen of na geld na gaule.
c1175 ( Homily: Hist. Holy Rood-tree (Bodl. 343) (1894) 28 He mid his sweorde hire þæt heafod of asloh.
c1300 St. John Baptist (Laud) 98 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 32 Þo is heued was of i-smite.
c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. v. 170 (MED) Clement þe Cobelere caste of his cloke.
c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 52 Y wole leie myn arme to be smyte of.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll.) 30 He smote a knyght on the templis that hede and helme wente of to the erthe.
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) v. 641 Bot the king..with a wysk the hed of-strak.
?a1560 L. Digges Geom. Pract.: Pantometria (1571) ii. xix. sig. O iij v To cut of from any Trapezium..what part therof ye list.
1568 W. Turner Herbal iii. 54 Yelowe scales: whiche with a light occasion fall of.
a1600 ( W. Stewart tr. H. Boece Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) III. 449 He..of his claithis suddantlie hes done.
1646 J. Hall Horæ Vacivæ 67 The taking of the Plumets of a clocke to make it goe in the better Order.
β. lOE Canterbury Psalter: Canticles xvi. 8 Ego autem evaginato ab eo ipsius gladio amputavi caput eius : ic soðliches atæh from him his hagen sweord & achearf his heauod off.a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 29 Ȝif þin hefet were offe.c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 78 Hwen þe rinde is offe..hwiteð hit utewið.c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xix. 7 To ȝeue a litil boke of forsakynge, and to leeue off [v.r. forsake; L. dimittere].a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 172v In þe seuenþe ȝere..þay brennen offe þe brestes and þere fore þey were y-clepyd Amozones.?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 31 (MED) Do off þi schone of þi fete.c1440 Prose Life Alexander (Thornton) (1913) 71 (MED) Of sum þay bate offe þe nese; of sum þe eres.1535 Bible (Coverdale) Song of Sol. v. 3 I haue put off my cote.1568 E. Tilney Brief Disc. Mariage (new ed.) sig. Civv [He] bit off his owne tongue.1637 Decree Starre-Chamber conc. Printing §30 sig. H2v In the pulling off the knots.1678 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. iii. 56 Good steel breaks short off, all gray.1733 A. Ramsay Tea-table Misc. (ed. 9) I. 8 He took aff his bonnet.a1756 E. Haywood New Present (1771) 43 Let it stew..then strain it off.1834 T. Medwin Angler in Wales II. 154 The ball..struck one of the metal buttons on the breast of my coat, and glanced off.1886 Manch. Examiner 22 Feb. 6/1 The entire surface of a country..divided off into farmsteads.1929 E. Bowen Last September I. v. 58 Hercules tore off the tips of the bland leaves which kept slapping against his forehead.1967 G. Greene Chagrin in Coll. Stories (1972) 49 She took off thick winter gloves with a wringing gesture which made me think of handkerchiefs wet with grief.2001 Daily Tel. 9 July 3/3 A boy of eight has had his arm sewn back on after it was bitten off by a shark.
b. In predicative use, or as object complement: = come off, cut off, fallen off, etc.; esp. = put off or taken off (as clothes, etc.); no longer on.
ΚΠ
a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 29 (MED) Hu mahtest þu gan to þine aȝene liche ȝif þin hefet were offe?
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) 7211 (MED) If hit [sc. Samson's hair] were of, I were not þon No strenger þen anoþer mon.
a1500 in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 139 (MED) I wold hys hed were off by þe swere.
1530 W. Tyndale Pract. Prelates sig. Civv When the ringe was of, he commaunded to burye hir.
1602 J. Marston Antonios Reuenge ii. i. sig. C3v (stage direct.) Enter Balurdo with a beard, halfe of, halfe on.
1720 D. Defoe Mem. Cavalier 223 With some of his Clothes on, and some off.
1797 Anecd. Ld. Chatham (ed. 6) I. xiii. 253 The blossom was off, and the fruit was set.
1868 Law Rep.: Common Pleas Div. 3 423 The horse had his bridle off and a nose-bag on.
1900 T. Dreiser Sister Carrie xv. 160 A bench-worker seen high aloft in some window, his coat off, his sleeves rolled up.
1984 I. Huggan Elizabeth Stories 58 Shoes off at the door! How many times have I told You?
2017 T. R. Schoeb & K. A. Eaton Gnotobiotics 271/3 When applied, this and subsequent tape layers should cover half of the previous tape layer (i.e., half on/ half off).
c. figurative.In quot. 1710 short for ‘off their hands’.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > married person > married woman > [adverb]
off1710
?1476 J. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 604 If it so be that a-geyn my wyll it come of yow that I be cast off fro yowr seruyse and not wyllyngly by my desert.
1576 A. Fleming tr. Erasmus in Panoplie Epist. 356 Let us shake off this slouthfulnesse.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 96 Casteng aff al courtlie decore.
a1600 A. Montgomerie Misc. Poems xxiv. 75 Cast of thy comfort.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan iii. xxxiii. 204 The Books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and Samuel, to the time of Saul, describe the acts of Gods people, till the time they cast off Gods yoke, and called for a King.
1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 248. ⁋8 The common Design of Parents is to get their Girls off as well as they can.
1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 105. ¶3 Will. laught this off at first as well as he could.
1777 R. Watson Hist. Reign Philip II I. vii. 184 The people threw off the reserve which they had hitherto maintained.
1847 E. Brontë Wuthering Heights I. ix. 181 Edgar must shake off his antipathy, and tolerate him, at least.
1900 G. Ade Fables in Slang 56 One Day he ran away with a Girl who waited on the Table at his Boarding House, and his Parents Cast him Off.
1944 L. MacNeice Christopher Columbus i. 57 They have given me all that I asked—Let Talavera laugh that off if he can.
1993 Time 4 Jan. 59/1 The Poles threw off communism in 1989, but only now do they get to tut-tut about boudoir shenanigans among high-level politicians.
d. Theatre. Short for offstage adv. Also in extended use.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > a theatre > stage > [adverb] > off stage
off1774
offstage1861
1774 O. Goldsmith Retaliation 101 On the stage he was natural, simple, affecting, 'Twas only that, when he was off, he was acting.
1775 T. Campbell Diary 4 Mar. (1947) 44 The players..stood their ground for a long time—but were at length hissed off.
1775 T. Campbell Diary 4 Mar. (1947) 44 Mr. Vernon attempted to speak, but he w not be heared—still the cry was off, off.
1805 T. Dibdin in G. Colman John Bull (ed. 2) Prol. p. i To whom, thus midway placed, I say, be kind, John Bull before, Oh, spare John Bull behind (pointing off.).
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. II. 255 ‘But you must take care you don't knock a wing down...’ ‘I shall fall with my head “off”, and then I can't do any harm.’
?1863 T. Taylor Ticket-of-leave Man i. 7 (stage direct.) The Bellevue Tea Gardens,..ornamental orchestra and concert room... Music heard off.
1909 ‘I. Hay’ Man's Man vi. 83 Portentous trampings ‘off’ announced the return of the glee~party.
1923 Referee 12 Aug. 3/3 The leopardess..was heard to roar a good deal ‘off’,..making her only appearance [on the stage]—in a cage.
1954 T. S. Eliot Confidential Clerk i. 27 Lady Elizabeth Mulhammer's voice off: Just open that case, I want something out of it.
1993 Village Voice (N.Y.) 20 Apr. 93/5 He's more playfully resourceful at making his story happen, while the characters are telling it to us, through phones, answering machines, doorbells, and assorted noises off.
e. colloquial. Of an item of (esp. restaurant) food: deleted from the menu; no longer available.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > meal > menu > [adverb]
off1902
on1949
1870 D. J. Kirwan Palace & Hovel x. 154 On ‘off’ days they have soup and thick gruel for breakfast.]
1902 J. S. Farmer & W. E. Henley Slang V. 89/2 ‘Chops is hoff’ =‘there are no more chops to-day’.
1933 New Statesman 18 Mar. 331/2 All the plats du jour were ‘off’ and we bawled out the head waiter.
1953 ‘M. Innes’ Christmas at Candleshoe ii. 24 The celerity with which the less unpalatable dishes are prone to be ‘off’ in English hotels.
1966 N. Freeling Dresden Green ii. 123 Sorry sir, said the waitress in the teashop, the pudding's off. We can do you a nice ice-cream though.
1974 D. Chantler Man who Followed ii. 60 Tell the waiters..the Tutti-Frutti is off.
1993 V. Sage Mirror for Larks 42 Deaf-Aid said the steak was off.
3.
a. So as to exhaust or finish; so as to leave none; to the end; entirely, completely, to a finish; as to clear off, drink off, finish off, pay off, polish off, work off, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > end or conclusion > [adverb] > to the end
offeOE
awayOE
outc1175
the world > action or operation > completing > [adverb]
offc1440
consummatively1614
completively1651
perfectively1818
eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) (1980) ii. v Hwær hie..wæteres [hæfden] þæt hie mehten him þurst of adrincan.
OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 275 Ebibo, ic of adrince.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15118 To wasshenn offe þeȝȝre lic.
c1440 (?a1400) St. John Evangelist (Thornton) 228 in G. G. Perry Relig. Pieces in Prose & Verse (1914) 104 (MED) Þou..saynede þe coppe owtely and suppede it off syne.
1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 47 Socrates..compelled of malicious Iudges to take ye Cup,..and so to drink it off.
1660 A. Marvell Let. 17 Nov. in Poems & Lett. (1971) II. 2 Some seauenteen shipps to be payd of.
1732 J. Swift (title) A proposal to pay off the debt of the nation.
1861 Temple Bar 3 141 Read the Times..and get off by heart that portion..devoted to the news of the money-market.
1890 G. A. Smith Bk. Isaiah II. xii. 202 We do not..kill them off by gladiatorial combats.
1900 Westm. Gaz. 13 Dec. 2/3 What is known amongst breeders as ‘feeding off’ for table poultry is a thriving industry.
1992 I. Banks Crow Road xi. 267 I polished off the eclair..and started eyeing up a Danish pastry.
2000 Marie Claire (Johannesburg) Oct. 142/3 This look can be achieved by blowdrying the hair with a flat paddle brush and finished off with a straightening iron.
b. Finished, worked off; done with work. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > completing > [adverb] > completed
througha1616
off1683
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. Dict. 385 A Press-man usually says, ‘I am off’, meaning he has Wrought off his Token, his Heap, his Form.
1707 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. 26 Aug. (1886) II. 36 When ye Text of Livy is off I will consider.
c. spec. coarse slang. To the point of orgasm, esp. ejaculation.For bring, jack, jerk, pull, suck, toss, wank, whack off, etc.: see the first element.
ΚΠ
1865 ‘Philocomus’ Love Feast vi. 61 I'll jerk off, thinking of thee.
1879 Harlequin Prince Cherrytop 9 To the privy I would repair, And toss it off in the basin there.
1909 J. Joyce Let. 20 Dec. in Sel. Lett. (1975) 191 Do you frig yourself off first?
1943 P. Larkin Let. 13 Aug. in Sel. Lett. (1992) 62 So I piss about spending money,..tossing myself off (to put it crudely), and listening to Those Awful Blaring Jazz Things.
1998 G. Linehan & A. Mathews Speed3 (penultimate draft) in Father Ted (1999) 292/2 I'm having to yank meself off round the clock 'cause I'm not getting any proper sex with girls.
4.
a. So as to interrupt continuity or cause discontinuance, as in to break off, cut off, declare off, leave off, switch off, turn off, etc.
ΚΠ
α.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1879) VII. 377 Leve of [L Desiste], Alwyn, wiþ þy good wille.
a1425 (?a1400) Bk. Priue Counseling in P. Hodgson Cloud of Unknowing (1944) 171 (MED) It is speedful sumtyme to leue of þi corious worching in þi wittes.
1572 (a1500) Taill of Rauf Coilȝear (1882) 174 Is nane sa gude as leif of, and mak na mair stryfe.
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene vi. v. sig. Dd4 His deuotion..Breaking of. View more context for this quotation
β. 1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 31v It will soone wax barraine, and leave off fruit bearing.1657 R. Ligon True Hist. Barbados 43 Upon Saturday..they break off worke sooner by an houre.1722 D. Defoe Moll Flanders 350 She was the occasion of my Ruin, for she had persuaded me to go on, when I would have left off.1818 Sporting Mag. 3 91 The match went off, and all bets were declared void.1819 Metropolis (ed. 2) II. 69 The Duke has declared off, and the wounded lover does not seem to be anxious to make his proposals of marriage.1869 L. M. Alcott Little Women II. xx. 309 He turned off the gas, and kissed the picture in the dark.1892 Bookman Oct. 27/2 Zola began by being an idealist. He has not left off being one.1934 F. S. Fitzgerald Tender is Night i. xxiii. 115 Claude, who was checking stock, broke off his work..to make Abe a pick-me-up.1970 D. Brown Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee vi. 132 Their grand strategy soon became apparent—..cut off supplies for Carrington's troops, isolate them, and attack.1993 N.Y. Times 13 Apr. a12/1 The authorities cut off water and electricity to the cellblock.
b. Discontinued, stopped, given up; no longer in operation or going on.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ceasing > [adverb]
offa1625
a1625 J. Fletcher et al. Bloody Brother (1639) I. i. sig. C3 Those desires are off; Frayle thoughts.
1720 Amer. Weekly Mercury 8 Dec. 2/2 The Bargain made by the three Quakers for that Province is off, the Lords Justice having interposed.
1752 C. Lennox Female Quixote i. v His illness having been only a violent head-ache,..being now quite off.
1760 R. Heber Horse Matches ix. p. xxv Match off, by consent.
1785 Mrs. Fletcher in Wesley's Serm. lvii iii. 12, in Wks. (1811) IX. 36 His fever seemed quite off.
1808 Ann. 10th. Congress I. Sess. 181 If our embargo was off we should have more trade than would be enjoyed by us, if all the world were at piece.
1846 M. A. Richardson Local Historian's Table Bk. Hist. Div. V. v. 172 The boiler had been ‘off’ for two or three days.
1882 Daily News 15 Aug. 2/1 He understood that the whole negotiation was now off.
1901 Scotsman 12 Mar. 5/4 When football is ‘off’ and cricket not yet ‘on’.
1971 New Scientist 7 Jan. 18/1 The modems are silent... Power has been off for half an hour.
1989 Economist 25 Mar. 78/1 So the referendum is off, of indefinitely postponed.
c. Of a person: disengaged (from), done with, no longer committed to.Now rare except in proverbial phrase to be off with the old love (before one is on with the new) and variants (the ‘old song’ frequently said to be its source has not been traced).
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social relations > lack of social communication or relations > separation or isolation > [adverb] > disengaged or done with
off1710
1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 223. ⁋ 5 A Youth married under Fourteen Years old may be off if he pleases when he comes to that Age.
a1733 Orpheus Caledonius i I'm aff with Wit.
1801 M. Edgeworth Belinda I. x. 306 I can give you my advice gratis, in the formula of an old Scotch song—‘'Tis good to be merry and wise, 'Tis good to be honest and true, 'Tis good to be off with the old love, Before you are on with the new.’
1847 J. J. Ruskin 8 Sept. in M. Lutyens Ruskins & Grays (1972) vi. 54 You..allowed yourself to be with E in a Way which if not off the other, was in my eye wrong.
1881 A. Trollope Ayala's Angel III. lix. 201 She had thought herself to be off with the old love before she was on with the new.
1930 E. H. Young Miss Mole 208 But it's no good being off with the old love before you are on with the new.
1962 H. D. Lewis Freedom & Hist. v. 106 To answer effectively..required a complete departure from the romantic individualism in which Rousseau had been nurtured... But he was loath to be off with the old love, and his early individualism thus persists in his more mature thought.
d. Away or free from one's work, school, service, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > [adverb] > off-duty or on leave
off-duty1776
on leave1811
off1853
1853 Observer 4 Dec. 5/5 Johnstone, the foreman engineer, said to me the morning of the accident, ‘You have not had a day off with this engine lately’.
1861 J. O'Neil Diary 1 Apr. in J. Burnett Useful Toil (1974) i. 78 At Low Moor there is a great many off. There is above a hundred looms standing.
1882 J. D. McCabe New York 384 Then begins five hours' patrol..after which he is ‘off’.
1883 B. Harte In Carquinez Woods ii. 51 It has been already intimated that it was his ‘day off’.
1885 A. Daly in A. Nicoll Hist. Eng. Drama 1660–1900 (1959) V. 333 (title of play) A night off; or, a page from Balzac.
1916 B. Ruck Girls at his Billet xviii. 242 I am sure your auntie..would be quite agreeable to letting us have the afternoon off for the ceremony.
1940 F. Sargeson Man & Wife (1944) 21 Of course Sally wasn't off for long. And they gave her a rise.
1968 Billboard 13 Jan. 38/2 Johnson returned to the stage after a year off to recover from injuries sustained in an auto accident.
1985 E. Leonard Glitz viii. 128 It was Anne-Marie's afternoon off.
2001 Adventure Trav. July 76/2 Break away from..‘comfort working’, where you kid yourself you're too important to be able to take time off.
e. to be off sick: to be absent from work, school, etc., owing to illness.
ΚΠ
1912 A. B. Paine Mark Twain II. cix Every boy has played off sick to escape school.]
1917 Jrnl. Polit. Econ. 25 675 She suffered from severe headaches and had been off sick ten days.
1964 G. L. Cohen What's Wrong with Hospitals? i. 22 Working people still talk about ‘going on the Panel’ when they're off sick, and don't see why they should use another term.
1985 Guardian (Nexis) 23 Oct. One man is still off sick, and two others are suspected of having had the disease.
2000 A. Bourdain Kitchen Confid. (2001) 90 He's the reason I am never off sick, go to sleep every night running tomorrow's prep lists and menus through my mind.
5.
a. At a distance; distant (in space or time); away; (also) not on target. Often after a statement of the distance; also in far off or (now rare) afar off.Frequently preceding another adverbial expression of location, as off to the side.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > distance or farness > [adverb]
wideOE
awaya1375
upon farc1380
offc1400
aferroma1425
at length?1611
in distans1645
the world > space > distance > distance or farness > [adverb] > at or to a distance
ferrenc888
farc900
longOE
afarc1300
yond13..
on length1340
alonga1382
adreigha1393
on dreicha1400
afar offc1400
far-aboutc1450
alengtha1500
distantlya1500
remote1589
remotely1609
yferrea1643
out of his (her, its, etc.) way1650
adistance1807
away1818
way1833
way1833
way off1836
way out1840
α.
c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) 3920 (MED) Of Perce Ich am, fer of by est.
c1475 Gregory's Chron. in J. Gairdner Hist. Coll. Citizen London (1876) 213 One come and sayd that she was ix myle of.
a1500 Disciplina Clericalis in Western Reserve Univ. Bull. (1919) 22 66 (MED) He left to hym no friend..fled fer of.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Matt. xxvi. f. xxxix Peter folowed hym a farre of [so 16th c. vv., 1611 off].
β. 1573 J. Sanford tr. L. Guicciardini Hours Recreat. (1576) 213 Greete a redde man and a bearded woman three myles off.1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 610 A little off runneth a River.a1625 J. Fletcher Humorous Lieut. i. ii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) 124/2 No; beleeve sir, I would have him fight, but not so far off from me.1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 14 We see the Cape or extreame point of Africk 12 leagues off.1671 R. Montague in Buccleuch MSS (Hist. MSS Comm.) (1899) I. 501 These are projects a great way off.1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones V. xv. xii. 294 A Street or two off . View more context for this quotation1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe II. i. 12 I think, thine own band lies as far off as York.1824 S. Ferrier Inheritance (1882) I. xviii There's a barber's bairn twa doors aff that wad maybe be glad o' them.1874 G. W. Dasent Half a Life II. 173 We shall meet at Oxford in October, not much more than a month off.1889 Testimony Alleged Election Outrages Texas (U.S. Senate, 50th Congr., 2nd Sess.) 717 Q. Is Watts's house on the main road?—A. No; it is off to the side.1897 H. Caine Christian i. xi. 50 Glory stood off from the looking-glass and looked.1915 A. Conan Doyle Valley of Fear ii. v. 263 Chester Wilcox lived..about five miles off in an adjacent valley.1977 H. Kaplan Damascus Cover (1978) iv. 33 On the pistol range Ari discovered..that his aim was way off.1988 Which? June 267/2 The benefits are..some years off.1999 R. Tremain Music & Silence (2000) ii. 211 They have a destination and it is not far off.2004 Trail May 105/1 Ignore a stile and path off to the left, keeping to the right of a wire fence.
b. figurative. Distant or remote in fact, nature, character, feeling, thought, etc.; far from what is true, accurate, or likely to be the case.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > difference > [adverb] > far or very different from
far1534
offa1555
a1555 N. Ridley Wks. (1841) 173 So far off is it that they do confirm this opinion of transubstantiation, that [etc.].
?1571 tr. G. Buchanan Detectioun Marie Quene of Scottes sig. Biiij So far was it of that hys lodging and thynges..was prouidit for him..that he found nat any ane token toward him of a freindly minde.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) ii. ii. 60 That's off, that's off. View more context for this quotation
a1641 R. Montagu Acts & Monuments (1642) 280 Cæsar..was altogether off from thinking it probable.
1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year 148 This, I say, was only a Rumour... But it was not so far off from being a Reality, as it has been thought.
1809 Deb. Congr. U.S. 26 Jan. (1853) 1185 Mr W[illiams] hoped these [expenditures] were not intended to enforce the embargo. If they were, he was entirely off.
1887 Presbyterian Banner (U.S.) Oct. The leader..is not merely off on the subject of future probation, but also with regard to the Lord's day.
1902 G. H. Lorimer Lett. Merchant xvi. 231 I may be off in sizing this thing up, because it's a little out of my line.
1930 Publishers' Weekly 8 Feb. 714/1 In proportion to its [sc. Baltimore's] population and wealth, its book sales are away off.
1994 Brit. Bike Mag. Mar. 62/1 I'm at a loss now,..perhaps I'm way off in assuming carburation.
c. Nautical. At a distance from the land; offshore.
ΚΠ
1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 iii. i. 76 The remnant Northward lying off from Trent. View more context for this quotation
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World iii. 44 In the morning we descryed a Sail off at Sea.
1726 Four Years Voy. Capt. G. Roberts 26 I lay off at an Anchor.
1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine at Off When a ship is beating to windward, so that by one board she approaches towards the shore, and by the other sails out to sea-ward, she is said to stand off and on shore, alternately.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast xxix. 327 Ten or a dozen men, with their trowsers rolled up, were constantly going, back and forth, from the platform to the boat, which was kept off where she would just float.
a1862 H. D. Thoreau Cape Cod (1865) x. 226 Standing southerly off into sea the rest of that day and the night following, with a fresh gale of wind, in the morning we found ourselves embayed with a mighty headland.
1990 T. Cunliffe Easy on Helm xv. 126 Some berths, on some occasions, will be impossible to enter directly under sail... Either you forget the whole thing, or you anchor off and warp in.
6.
a. In the way of abatement, diminution, disappearance, or decay, etc.; as in to fall off, cool off, go off, wear off, etc.
ΚΠ
1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear ii. 107 Loue cooles, friendship fals off, brothers diuide. View more context for this quotation
1632 in S. R. Gardiner Rep. Cases Star Chamber & High Comm. (1886) 121 Judgment was stayed and the Costes taken off.
1797 Monthly Mag. 3 501 Out of every thousand men, 28 die off annually.
1826 Examiner 695/1 The novelty had gone off a little.
1862 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers 2nd Ser. i. ii. 41 They'll cool off when they come to understand.
1893 National Observer 7 Oct. 536/1 The place seemed to have gone off a good deal.
1913 D. H. Lawrence Sons & Lovers i. 16 But although he was very steady at work, his wages fell off.
1964 I. Murdoch Italian Girl i. v. 67 The first shock seemed now to have worn off, the horror was dulled.
1989 Independent 30 Nov. 4 The steep increase in infections which we saw in 1988 has plateaued off.
2001 Total DVD Feb. 127/2 The galaxy of extras on the disc makes it worth checking out, even if the novelty of the movie itself has worn off.
b. By way of a discount or reduction in price (of a specified amount). Cf. sense B. 5.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > low price or rate > low price [preposition] > reduced by specified amount
off1881
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > low price or rate > [adverb] > to or at reduced price > by specified amount
off1881
1881 A. Trollope Ayala's Angel II. xxxi. 103 I made the fellow give me twenty per cent. off.
1965 New Statesman 9 Apr. 562/1 Don't be put off by the fact that both packets also say ‘3d off’.
1968 ‘J. le Carré’ Small Town in Germany v. 71 Don't matter what you fancy: radios, dish-washers, cars; he'll get you a bit off, like.
1997 H. H. Tan Foreign Bodies (1998) xvi. 149 They're selling a laser-disc player, thirty per cent off.
c. Of stocks, shares, etc.: down or lower in value or price (by a specified amount, esp. a number of points).
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > [adverb] > lower in price or value
below par1726
off1929
1929 Times 30 Oct. 14/1 Duke Power ‘opened’ at 130 off 39½ points, Newhaven Railway at 90 off 18.
1931 Daily Express 21 Sept. 14/4 Japanese bonds were only slightly off.
1964 Financial Times 12 Mar. 21/5 Belfast Ropework were 6d off to 35s 6d.
1977 Times 19 Nov. 17/5 By the close the FT Index was just 0·5 off at 480·5.
1994 Daily Tel. 22 June 26/7 The Dow closed off almost 34 points at 3708.29.
7. Opening or turning out from; adjacent, adjoining. Cf. sense B. 8.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > nearness > [adverb] > adjacently > to that
thereuponc1275
off1852
1852 M. S. Turner Let. Aug. in R. Stuart et al. Stuart Lett. (1961) I. 389 Well, we have two rooms, as large as your green room—& a shed room off, that is soaked with water when it rains.
1970 ‘D. Halliday’ Dolly & Cookie Bird ii. 20 My room had a balcony and a bathroom off.
1991 J. Neel Death of Partner 96 There's a nice little flatlet on the second floor. Bathroom, bedroom with double bed, kitchen off.
II. Phrases and idiomatic uses.
8. With main verb (as come, go, take, etc.) implied. Also with with preceding a noun phrase (as object of the implied transitive verb).
a. Usually with modal auxiliary. See also off v. (in various senses).
ΚΠ
eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) xxxv. 239 Ac ðonne hwa on ða leasunga befehð, ðonne ne mæg he of, ac sceal ðonne niede ðencean hu he hie gelicettan mæge.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) 2535 Awei he warp his gode breond & of mid þere burne.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1871) III. 443 (MED) He ȝaf dome..þat his heed schulde of.
c1450 (c1398) in C. Horstmann Sammlung Altengl. Legenden (1878) 187 (MED) Hire hede shalle ofe fulle sekyrly To morne.
c1475 Mankind (1969) 437 (MED) Wyll ȝe of wyth hys hede!
1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies ii. 218/2 Most part of them paint their bodies,..which colour wil not off.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) ii. iii. 64 Ile off, But first, Ile do my errand. View more context for this quotation
1617 B. Rich Irish Hubbub (1623) 24 He that pledgeth must likewise off with his cap.
1625 R. Jobson Pilgrimes II. vii. 923 We made an offer to shoot, but the Peece would not off.
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 111 If hee returned without victory, hee knew his head should off.
1646 N. Lockyer Serm. 19 I cannot hand off nor heart off.
1753 S. Foote Englishman in Paris ii. 43 We'll off in a Post-Chaise directly.
1886 R. L. Stevenson Kidnapped iii. 24 I'll aff and see the session clerk.
1960 J. Barth Sot-weed Factor ii. xii. 236 Give him ten pound and a fortnight to idle, he'll off to the shop for a great French shag and a ha'peck of powder.
1994 R. Wallace Time's Fancy 9 Who'll off to market, singing cows, cows?
b. In imperative phrases. off! = stand off! be off! off with (something): take off (something). off (with you)!: go away! Cf off v. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > causing to go away > command to go away [interjection]
begonec1370
hencec1390
avauntc1485
vaunt1598
off1717
twenty-three1930
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > causing to go away > command to go away [phrase]
here lies our way1609
go scrape!1611
off (with you)!1809
on your way1865
twenty-three skidoo1926
(get) on your bike1980
c1475 Mankind (1969) 88 (MED) Anon of wyth yowr clothes.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard III v. vi. 74 Off with his sonne Georges head. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) i. i. 152 Off with't while 'tis vendible. View more context for this quotation
a1631 J. Donne Poems (1669) 98 Off with that wyerie Coronet and shew The haiery Diadem which on your head doth grow.
1717 E. Smith Phædra & Hippolytus v. 54 Off, or I fly for ever from thy sight.
1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas I. ii. vii. 246 Off with you! and do not return.
1822 Ld. Byron Vision of Judgm. xciii Some cried ‘Off, off!’ As at a farce.
1877 C. H. Spurgeon Serm. XXIII. 402 Off with your caps and throw them up and cry ‘Hurrah!’
1955 D. Eden Darling Clementine (1959) 76 Now off to bed with you and no more calling out.
1991 G. Eisman tr. S. Ousmane Niiwam & Taaw 12 ‘Come on, off with you,’ Malan the conductor shouted at them.
c. In imperative phrases, with keep or take implied, as fingers, mitts, paws, (etc.) off! Earliest in hands off!: see hands off int.paws off, Pompey!: see paw n.1 2c.
ΚΠ
a1593 C. Marlowe Massacre at Paris (c1600) sig. B8 Hands of good fellow, I will be his baile.
1600 T. Dekker Shomakers Holiday sig. Dv Gods pittikins, hands off sir, heers my Lord.
1760 A. Murphy Way to keep Him 4 Will. Come and kiss me, you jade, come and kiss me. Muslin. Paws off, Cæsar.
1871 C. M. Yonge Little Lucy's Wonderful Globe i. 8 Mustn't touch, my dear, only look; paws off.
1883 R. L. Stevenson Treasure Island iii. xiv. 114 ‘Hands off!’ cried Silver, leaping back a yard.
1967 T. Hughes Wodwo ii. 127 Girl: Put them down. Ripley: Fingers off.
1998 Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) (Nexis) 20 July 1 c In the meantime, mitts off the lemon drops; they're mine.
9. (either) off or on: (either) one way or another, in any way. neither off nor on: without reference, irrelevant (to); neither here nor there. See also off and on adv. Obsolete (in later use Scottish).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > relevance or pertinence > [phrase] > irrelevant
of purpose (also (out) of (a) (set) purpose)a1382
wide of (also from) the mark1536
neither off nor on1549
from the purpose1561
from (also out of) the bias1600
from the matter1658
(off) at, in, upon a tangent1825
1549 H. Latimer 2nd Serm. before Kynges Maiestie 6th Serm. sig. Tiv It was neyther of nor on, to that that Paule say.
1570 Mariage Witte & Sci. iv. i. sig. Di In good earnest Madam, speake of or on, Shal we speede at your hand, or shall we begone.
1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 826 Than chuse the to vse the Be vs or sic as ȝone Say sone now, have done now; Mak outher off or on.
1861 J. Barr Poems 170 Sae I'll be aff or on wi' her And that this very nicht.
10. Preceded by better, worse, badly, comfortably, etc.: situated in a specified way, as regards wealth, material goods, or other personal considerations; circumstanced or conditioned in the manner described. Also after how (as ‘how are they off?’, ‘how are you off for (something)’). Frequently (and earliest) in well off adv. See also bad off at bad adv. 2, badly off at badly adv. 2c, better off adv., worse off adv. [Probably from to come off at come v. Phrasal verbs 1: just as a person who has ‘come well out’ of a doubtful affair is said to be ‘well out’ of it, so a person who has ‘come well off’ from (or in) a struggle may be said to be ‘well off’; compare especially quots. 1733, 1740, 1762. The most common use may be explained as ‘that has come off, or fared (well or ill)’, in the battle of life.]
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > circumstance or circumstances > [adverb] > circumstanced or conditioned
off1715
1715 C. Johnson Country Lasses iv. 55 An ill-natur'd old Puppy, to engage a Man in a Quarrel too—However I think I am pretty well off; this is much better than the Discipline of Towser and the Ditch.
1733 J. Swift Apol. 55 Since I 'scap'd being made a scoff, I think I'm very fairly off.
1740 S. Richardson Pamela II. 251 Let me sit down, Miss, anywhere..for I have been sadly off.
1762 O. Goldsmith Citizen of World II. 98 Marriage is at present so much out of fashion, that a lady is very well off, who can get any husband at all.
1776 C. Lee in J. Sparks Corr. Amer. Revol. (1853) II. 485 How are you off in the article of intrenching tools?
1845 J. B. Mozley Laud in Ess. (1892) I. 179 The clergy..had lost the advantages of obits [etc.], and were miserably off.
1851 H. Mayo On Truths Pop. Superstit. (ed. 2) 186 The earth is the best off.
1865 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend II. iv. xii. 265 I am in another way of business. And I am rather better off.
1873 M. Oliphant Innocent III. xxi. 351 He was not well enough off to marry.
1884 H. Spencer in Contemp. Rev. June 772 While to the well-off the exaction means loss of luxuries, to the ill-off it means loss of necessaries.
1884 G. Allen Philistia III. 161 They are very badly off, poor people.
1915 W. S. Maugham Of Human Bondage xcvi. 508 She knew that they were comfortably off.
1956 A. J. Cronin Crusader's Tomb 184 If you are worse off than I, then you are badly off indeed.
1978 T. Murphy Crucial Week in Life Grocer's Assistant i. 16 How are you off for tea?
2001 Independent 12 July i. 3/1 An annual assessment of the capital's wealth has revealed that Londoners..are no better off than the rest of the nation.
11. Indicating precedence in time, as bang off, right off, straight off: straightaway, forthwith, immediately (see bang v.1 8d, right adv. 3b, straight adj. 2c). first off, next off: first, next, in sequence (see first adj., adv., and n.2 Phrases 2g, next adj., adv., and n. Compounds 3).
12. Used with a preceding numeral to represent a quantity in production or manufacture, or an item or number of items so produced. Usually as one off: see one-off n. Cf. once-off adj. and n. at once adv., conj., adj., and n. Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > one > only one > [adverb] > once
onceOE
onefold?a1804
off1934
1934 Proc. Inst. Brit. Foundrymen 26 552 A splendid one-off pattern can be swept up in very little time.
1935 Jrnl. Royal Aeronaut. Soc. 39 41 One off per machine does not give us much opportunity for reducing production costs.
1947 J. G. Crowther & R. Whiddington Sci. at War 49 Manufacturers found it very difficult to give up mass production, in order to make the 200 or so sets ‘off’.
1954 Archit. Rev. 116 411/2 Hills built the first part of Cheshunt as a ‘one off’ job, with no guarantees of further business, though of course it was intended to be the first of a line.
1970 Cabinet Maker & Retail Furnisher 30 Oct. 205/2 Without barrier coats mould breakdown can start after 60 units off.
1973 Physics Bull. Apr. 238/2 (advt.) Kienzle printers. 6 off, surplus to manufacturing requirements.
2002 P. Clabburn Shawls (ed. 2) 5 (caption) A superb shawl, probably a one off, named ‘the Bishop's wife's shawl’ at Carrow House.
III. Followed by prepositions, in all senses.
13.
a. Followed by from.
ΚΠ
c1425 Bk. Found. St. Bartholomew's (1923) 10 (MED) An hospitall howse a litill lenger of from the chirche..he began to edifie.
c1475 tr. Henri de Mondeville Surgery (Wellcome) f.149v (MED) Þe roller schal be first wounden twoward þe body..wyndynge þe roller vp to þe parties þat ben aboute wel fer of from þe wounde.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Matt. viii. f. xv A good waye off from them.
1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth viii. sig. D.iv Stand or syt a good waye of from the fyre.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World v. 109 The wind is commonly off from the Land.
1757 E. Perronet Mitre (new ed.) i. cclxxv. 60 For she's not farther off from home, Than home is far from her.
1871 T. Carlyle in J. W. Carlyle Lett. & Memorials (1883) III. 200 She wished to be off from the July bargain.
1904 W. H. Smith Promoters i. ii Just as surely as you can take that bottle off from the table.
1940 H. J. Grossman Guide to Wines, Spirits & Beers ix. 110 When all the wine is drawn off from the butts in the uppermost tier, new butts of fresh wine..replace the empty casks.
1992 Which? Aug. 434/2 Internal door leading off from the living-room doesn't have safety glass.
b. Followed by of. In later use colloquial (nonstandard) and regional. Cf. offa prep., offen prep.
ΚΠ
?c1450 in G. Müller Aus Mittelengl. Medizintexten (1929) 116 (MED) Take a sponfull of þe licour..of of þe fyir and sette it in good place tyl þat it be ny colde, soo as þou mayst suffryn to holdyn þer-in þin hand.
1567 A. Golding tr. Ovid Metamorphosis (new ed.) vi. f. 76 His eye went neuer off of hir.
1584 R. Norman tr. C. Antoniszoon Safegard of Sailers f. 49 The souther head of the Goodwin [sands] and the point at Douer, lie the one off of the other southwest and northeast.
1589 ‘M. Marprelate’ Iust Censure & Reproofe sig. C.iiijv To deale in such a suite, were to rebell against her Majestie, to pull the crowne off of her head,..and to shake off all authoritie.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 2 (1623) ii. i. 98 A fall off of [1594 Falling off on] a Tree. View more context for this quotation
1667 A. Marvell Let. 23 Nov. in Poems & Lett. (1971) II. 61 The Lords and we can not yet get of the difficultyes risen betwixt us.
1678 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 49 About a furlong off of the Porters Lodge. View more context for this quotation
1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant ii. 181 We were some three Leagues off of Sannas.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 306. ⁋6 I could not keep my Eyes off of her.
1720 D. Defoe Mem. Cavalier 281 I had perswaded him off of that.
1748 S. Richardson Clarissa V. xiii. 132 Biting my lip, [was to indicate] Get off of that, as fast as possible.
1775 P. Oliver in T. Hutchinson's Diary 7 Dec. I. 581 A Rebell Pirate..taken..off of Cape Ann.
a1805 in F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Pop. Ballads (1894) V. ix. 106/2 Aff o the weather [read wether] he took the skin, An rowt his bonny lady in.
1824 J. Wight Mornings at Bow St. 21 Two young men..were charged by a watchman with having ‘bother'd him on his bate,’ and refused to ‘go along off of it when he tould 'em.’
1843 T. C. Haliburton Attaché II. xii. 210 The groom has stole her oats, forgot to give her water, and let her make a supper sometimes off of her nasty, mouldy, filthy beddin'.
1868 J. Hartley Clock Almanack in Leeds Mercury Weekly Suppl. (1895) 5 Oct. He connot forshame To lift up his een off o' th' graand.
1875 P. Brooks New Starts in Life viii. 129 If you could have filled his pockets with gold, and feasted his hunger off of silver dishes.
1884 ‘M. Twain’ Adventures Huckleberry Finn vi. 45 I'd borrow two or three dollars off of the judge for him.
1909 G. Greig Mains's Wooin' 6 He's swallowed the dictionar', min, an's tryin' to get 'er aff o's stammack.
a1922 T. S. Eliot Waste Land Drafts (1971) 5 The reputation the place gets, off of a few barflies.
1962 F. Norman Guntz i. 15 I got hold of this very very old typewriter off of a friend of mine.
1974 J. Stubbs Painted Face xxiii. 284 Get off of me, will you, sir?
1990 B. Roche Poor Beast in Rain ii. i. 44 I was hangin' around here all the time, gettin' sweet nothin' off of you.
B. prep.
I. Of motion or direction.
1.
a. Of removal from a position on, attached to, or in contact with (anything): away from, down from, up from, so as no longer to lie, rest, or lean on.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > in the direction of [preposition] > away from
offeOE
fromwardsc1000
from offlOE
frowardsc1175
fromward?c1225
α.
eOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Parker) anno 797 Her Romane..hine of his setle afliemdon.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1123 Se kyng alihte dune of his hors.
c1175 ( Ælfric Homily (Bodl. 343) in S. Irvine Old Eng. Homilies (1993) 66 Crist..niðer asteah of heofenum.
a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 201 We habbeð don of us þe ealde man.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) 15375 Heo..droh of hire uingre an of hire ringe.
c1330 Gregorius (Auch.) (1914) 744 (MED) Þe chaunber dore of hokes sche hent.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 208v Leues falleþ of trees in wynter tyme.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) 15024 (MED) Bifor þair king þe childer kest branches þai brack of bogh.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll.) 608 Whan he sawe sir Trystram, he alyght adowne of his horse.
a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) 2798 Of his hors he felle vppon the playn.
1519 in J. S. Clouston Rec. Earldom of Orkney (1914) 94 That the nichtbouris..sall keip thair guidis af the ground of Sabay.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 321 Syne af his hors amang thame fell doun deid.
1575 in J. Fullarton Rec. Burgh Prestwick (1834) 76 Scho to be benneist & scurgit af the towne.
c1580 ( tr. Bk. Alexander (1925) I. i. 1221 All suddanly the hede can [he] tak Baith of the knycht and of the steid.
1642 tr. J. Perkins Profitable Bk. iii. §209. 93 To deliver seisin of land by force off a feoffment, is to remove all persons of the land.
1650 J. Nicoll Diary (1836) 14 To convoy his heid af the prick quhairon it was set.
1665 A. Marvell Let. 22 Oct. in Poems & Lett. (1971) II. 41 Our nauy is speeding to chase the Dutch again of our Seas.
1692 in J. D. Marwick Rec. Convent. Royal Burghs Scotl. (1880) IV. 663 The heavie burdenes..made sixteen families..remove of the place..being brock.
β. ?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 6 Foure graynes of þe same tree þat his fader ete þe appel off.1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) ii. 428 Then off his hand the brydill yhed.c1550 Clariodus (1830) iii. 2280 [Her] aff the land thay gart promit to go.1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 89 His Kerchefe was pulled off his head.a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) iv. i. 70 How she waded through the durt to plucke him off me. View more context for this quotation1670 J. Narborough in Acct. Several Late Voy. (1711) i. 84 And gathered several green Apples off the Trees.1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 160. ¶7 Take thine Eyes off the Bridge, said he.1743 H. Walpole Lett. (1857) I. 226 A man falling off a ladder.1816 W. Scott Antiquary I. xii. 261 I daresay he wad gar them keep hands aff me.1873 C. Kingsley Prose Idylls 129 The sheep have been driven off the land below.1881 J. F. T. Keane Six Months in Meccah vi. 158 I came across an object that nearly brought me off my beast.1902 R. Bagot Donna Diana xiii. 139 Leaving his housekeeper to clear away the empty plates and dishes and sweep the breadcrumbs off the wine-stained table cloth.1955 E. Bowen World of Love vi. 109 He had taken the chimney off the low-burning oil lamp.1989 Evening Tel. & Post (Dundee) 26 May 11 200 men had escaped off the rig.
b. figurative. From resting, depending, determining, etc., upon; as off one's hands (see hand n. Phrases 1h(a)), off one's head (see head n.1 Phrases 1h), etc.
ΚΠ
α.
c1400 J. Wyclif Eng. Wks. (1880) 291 Vnderstond, ȝe kingis; and schaak of ȝou rudenesse, ȝe þat jugen londis.
c1620 A. Hume Of Orthogr. Britan Tongue (1870) i. iv. §10 To put our men af their errour.
β. 1533 Rec. Dumfries Burgh Court in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue f. 136v, at Of Cum doun off jugement owt of the bar.a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) ii. iii. 233 Thou hast a sonne shall take this disgrace off me. View more context for this quotation1740 H. Bracken Farriery Improv'd (ed. 2) II. i. 52 If we took such Foals off their Dams the first Week they were dropt.1742 H. Fielding Joseph Andrews II. iv. ii. 187 He hath taken several Poor off our hands. View more context for this quotation1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas I. i. ii. 16 An honest jockey who would take it [sc. my mule] off my hands.1889 ‘J. S. Winter’ Mrs. Bob (1891) 152 That woman must be going off her head.1894 A. Conan Doyle Mem. Sherlock Holmes 215 I have been off my head ever since the blow fell.1903 A. H. Lewis Boss xix. 264 She's off her trolley. She toins sick; an' in a week she croaks.1930 Randolph Enterprise (Elkins, W. Va.) 2 Oct. 1/2 The..Foot Ball Team..played the team over there off their feet.1948 M. Laski Tory Heaven ix. 131 I do hope you'll like my biscuits..my hubby—I just can't keep him off them.1980 D. D. Burns Feeling Good (1981) 396 When it is time to go off the medicine, it would be advisable to do this gradually.1993 U. Chatterjee Last Burden (1994) iv. 182 Now that you're back, you can bicker with him, and keep him off my back awhile.
2. from off, fro off: off from, off. Cf. sense A. 13.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > in the direction of [preposition] > away from
offeOE
fromwardsc1000
from offlOE
frowardsc1175
fromward?c1225
lOE Canterbury Psalter i. 4 Tanquam pulvis quem proicit ventus a faciae terrae : swa þet dust þet se wind aworpet from of ansine eorþan.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) 25596 (MED) Ihesus, þou was tane fra of þe crosse.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. iii. sig. Ee4v Shall..Quite from th'earth [Faults Escaped; ‘of the earth’], their memory be raste?
a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) i. i. 145 Would I might neuer stirre from off this place. View more context for this quotation
1655 J. Phillips Satyr against Hypocrites 20 And then she shook the crums From off her apron white, and pickt her gums.
1718 A. Ramsay Christ's-kirk on Green iii. xvi I'se rive frae off ye'r hips the hool.
1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey I. 135 Wiping them [sc. tears] away from off the cheeks of the first and fairest of women.
1819 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto II lxxxviii. 163 As if to win a part from off the weight He saw increasing on his father's heart.
1842 D. Vedder Poems 84 Slates an' tiles, frae aff the houses, On the causey crown played smash.
1845 ‘Bon Gaultier’ Ballads 90 He lighted down from off his steed.
1923 Edinb. Evening News 29 Mar. 7/3 Pu' a bit heather frae off the Pentlands.
1952 ‘C. S. Forester’ Lieutenant Hornblower xv. 217 Hornblower extended his hand and picked a thread of oakum from off Buckland's lapel.
1998 R. Antoni World of Canes in S. Brown & J. Wickham Oxf. Bk. Caribbean Short Stories (1999) 407 Mr. Bootman would pick up the nuniforms from off the ships in the harbour.
3.
a. Of a source: from the charge or possession of; esp. with take, buy, borrow, hire, etc. Also expressed by from prep. Cf. of prep. Now chiefly colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > source or origin > [preposition] > from or coming from
offc1330
from1748
c1330 Otuel (Auch.) (1882) 599 (MED) Otuel caste of his hond Corsouse, his gode brond.
a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) 843 (MED) Holy watyr take of þe prestys hand.
c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 188 (MED) He [sc. a dog]..wolde neuer eate meate of no mans hand.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) 2 Chron. xxxv. 11 And they kylled the Passeouer, and the prestes toke it off their handes, and sprenkled it.
1669 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. i. 33 These Lines are taken off a Scale, that is divided into 20 parts to an Inch.
1753 W. Hogarth Anal. Beauty x. 108 It was drawn from a plaster-of-Paris figure cast off nature.
1885 Act 48 & 49 Victoria c. 41 §9 (3) A grand jury may..present any sum, to be raised off the county at large..for the purpose.
1891 C. T. C. James Romantic Rigmarole 36 A villager had come..to know whether Blincoe ‘would take a goose off him’.
1897 Daily News 1 June 3/5 She admitted borrowing the 1l. off the plaintiff.
1915 J. Conrad Victory II. vii. 139 In the evening we four sat round a bit of fire outside the sleeping-shed, eating broiled fish off plantain leaves.
1967 A. Christie Endless Night xvii. 159 We..chose steak and kidney pie off the menu and started.
1974 Liverpool Echo (Football ed.) 12 Oct. 1/2 Foggon went racing through again, but Boersma took the ball off him with a splendid sliding tackle.
1993 V. Seth Suitable Boy (1994) ix. 652 He enclosed the small snapshot of Lata he had got off the Mehras.
b. Cricket and Baseball. From the delivery of (a ball); from the bowling or pitching of (a player); from all the balls in (an over, inning, etc.).
ΚΠ
1839 Bell's Life in London 1 Sept. 4/2 Redgate now came out, and made a three off his first ball.
1859 All Year Round 23 July 305/2 He caught two of the town off my first ‘over’.
1882 Daily Tel. 24 June He next took Ramsay round to the leg boundary, and shortly stole a single off him also.
1899 N.Y. Times 7 Sept. 9/1 (heading) McJames' Steady Pitching. The Local nine made four hits off his delivery.
1935 Times 6 June 6/2 Hopwood was missed at short-leg off Reed when 15.
1991 M. Mantle My Favorite Summer iii. 33 The one that most people talk about is a ball I hit off Chuck Stobbs in 1954.
2000 Illawarra (Austral.) Mercury (Nexis) 19 Oct. 46 Keira under 13s need five runs to win off the final over.
4. Of material or substance, with dine, eat, etc. to live off: to subsist on, derive food, etc., from; (figurative) to be supported by.
ΚΠ
1815 W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 305 He always..eats a supper off pork steaks, nearly raw.
1827 P. Cunningham Two Years New S. Wales II. xxix. 216 Each day the convict sits down to dinner off either beef, pork, or plum-pudding.
1861 G. Meredith Evan Harrington I. viii. 124 An old gentleman who had dined there..four days in the week, off dishes dedicated to the particular days.
1885 W. D. Howells Rise Silas Lapham xxiii. 417 It's my business who lives off me; and so I tell you..I'm willing to take care of Zerrilla.
1913 H. Footner Jack Chanty 68 The Indians..live off the land during the summer.
1923 J. Buchan Midwinter ix. 150 He breakfasted..off cold beef and beer.
1970 Daily Tel. 12 Sept. 5/7 They lived off their recycled body wastes.
1995 Guardian 29 June (OnLine section) 2/4 They also found evidence that Boxgrove Man had dined off horse, rhino, red deer and cave bear.
5. Of deduction or lessening: from.
ΚΠ
1848 A. Alison Hist. Europe from French Revol. (ed. 7) I. iii. 224 The sums..which she saved off her allowance.
1871 G. MacDonald At Back of North Wind xiv. 148 He took a pound off what he had meant to ask for him, saying to himself it was a shame to part old friends.
1975 A. Beevor Violent Brink i. 5 Those irritating bits of paper offering her money off things she did not want.
1992 Wall St. Jrnl. 29 Dec. a2/4 GM is knocking $2,000 off the price of its Chevy S10 Blazer.
II. Of position.
6.
a. Nautical. To seaward of; at a short distance to sea from; (also) away from (the wind). off and on: alternately away from and towards (the shore). See also offshore adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > [adverb] > to seaward of
off?a1610
?a1610 A. Montgomerie Poems (1887) xlviii. 156 The roks lay off the land.
1669 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. iv. 138 Ready to give his best Judgement of his Distance off the Shore.
1707 W. Funnell Voy. round World v. 126 Off it lie two Rocks or small Islands.
1708 London Gaz. No. 4420/6 We lay off and on Buccaness all Day Yesterday.
1726 Four Years Voy. Capt. G. Roberts 3 The Stagg Rocks off the Lizard.
1776 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall I. xiii. 365 The fleet..had been stationed off the Isle of Wight.
1813 Examiner 4 Jan. 6/1 The enemy keeping two points off the wind.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast xxiii. 232 During the last twenty-four hours of the passage, we beat off and on the land, making a tack about once in four hours.
1879 J. A. Froude Cæsar xvi. 256 A sea battle..was fought off the eastern promontory of the Bay of Quiberon.
1912 J. Conrad Twixt Land & Sea 11 The Stella had experienced awful weather off the Cape.
1988 D. A. Thomas Compan. Royal Navy iii. 233/2 Calder lay off Ferrol with ten of the line..: he cruised 100 miles off Finisterre.
2001 Outside Oct. 95/3 This 150-mile-long archipelago about 50 miles off Cuba's southeastern coast is home to hundreds of mangrove-and palm-dotted cays.
b. Distant from (literal and figurative).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > distance or farness > distant from [preposition]
offa1627
a1627 T. Middleton et al. Widdow (1652) iii. i. 32 Two mile off this place.
1705 J. Addison Remarks Italy 375 About Two Miles off this Town.
1863 ‘G. Eliot’ Romola I. xiv. 243 He caught sight of Tessa, only two yards off him.
1885 W. D. Howells Rise Silas Lapham iii. 56 White, or a little off white.
1972 ‘H. Howard’ Nice Day for Funeral vii. 95 The time was nearly twenty minutes off ten.
2001 FourFourTwo Sept. 122/3 Whereas you would be able to stand five yards off a player in the First Division it will be two or maybe three at the most in the Premier League.
c. Sport (originally Golf). With a handicap of (a specified number).
ΚΠ
1890 Gloss. in H. G. Hutchinson et al. Golf (Badminton Libr. of Sports & Pastimes) 448 If your opponent has played one stroke more than you..your next stroke will be ‘the like’; if two strokes more..your next stroke will be ‘the one off two’; if ‘three more’—‘the one off three’, and so on.]
1954 Pop. Golf May 35/3 Fallon, playing off scratch..was round Moortown in 70 and Sand Moor in 74.
1976 Scotsman 15 Dec. 19/3 Jack Law, the Jedforest winger, is off 9 in hea[t] five.
1987 Waterski Internat. Mar. 6/2 Slalom is his favourite event, his personal best in competition is 4 at 39½ off, a mere busy short of the record.
2000 Guardian (Dar es Salaam) 27 May 20/7 While Ntege and Mabazi are six handicappers, Turya plays off handicap nine.
7.
a. Away from being on; not on; esp. no longer on. Formerly also (Scottish): †away from.off the stones: off the city pavement, out of the town (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > absence > with absence of (a thing) [preposition] > away from or out of > away from being on
off1681
offen1824
?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 141 (MED) If I were of lond, þe werre suld sone bigynne.]
1681 in J. D. Marwick Extracts Rec. Burgh Glasgow (1905) III. 300 Sundrie of the counsellouris wer aff the toune.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. 235/1 It is reported of the Spanish Dominions that the Sun is never off some part of it.
1759 R. Brown Compl. Farmer 112 As soon as the dew is off the ground.
1797 A. Radcliffe Italian II. i. 50 They are all off the bridge now.
1826 J. Wilson Wks. (1855) I. 178 Whene'er I hear..o' any man being killed aff his horse.
a1845 T. Hood Town & Country in Wks. (1862–3) I. 429 Not thus the city streamlets flow; They make no music as they go, Tho' never ‘off the stones’.
1870 Good Words Feb. 133/2 You can scarcely find footing when once off the beaten road.
1883 Homiletic Mag. 3 49/1 His difficulty is to keep off the topic. He can hardly be patient with the very thought of the man who does not love his Christ.
1940 H. G. Wells Babes in Darkling Wood iii. ii. 258 The engine was off the rails on its side in a cloud of steam.
1951 W. D. Edmonds They fought with What they Had xxxiv. 237 Most of the men kept off the subject of Christmas.
1976 T. Allbeury Only Good German ix. 61 When we got off course they sent up a chopper.
1985 G. Paley Later Same Day 169 I didn't mean to get off the subject.
2000 R. W. Holder Taunton Cider & Langdons ix. 43 [The warehouse supervisor] left the phone off the hook.
b. figurative. Of state or condition: (a) away from (something normal or usual); (b) not occupied with or engaged in; disengaged from; (also) having lost interest in, averse to. off form: in bad form. off one's food: having a temporary dislike of food. off one's game: see game n. 8j. See also off-duty adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > idleness, lack of occupation or activity > not occupied with [preposition]
off1681
the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > [preposition] > out of or from
ofOE
off1681
the world > action or operation > behaviour > customary or habitual mode of behaviour > unaccustomedness or state of disuse > away from (what is habitual or usual) [preposition]
off1795
the mind > emotion > hatred > feeling against or a settled dislike > impulse of aversion > averse to [preposition]
off1795
1681 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) I. 67 The grand jury for Middlesex were about finding a bill against the Kings guards as rioters, but they are now off it.
1699 W. Dampier Voy. & Descr. i. viii. 166 Finding it to be nought, he would have been off his bargain.
1795 ‘P. Pindar’ Pindariana 101 I am off my feeding.
1807 W. Scott Let. 14 Mar. (1932) I. 359 This principle that the pursuers are entitled to have their time compensated when they were bona fide off work.
1827 Examiner 187/2 She was scolding him, because he was off work.
1853 E. C. Gaskell Cranford iv. 74 I had a note to say her mistress was ‘very low and sadly off her food’.
1889 E. Dowson Let. 16 Nov. (1967) 117 You are perhaps right in being ‘off’ Gortsachoff's though the cooking is less deleterious than Pinolis.
1909 W. B. Yeats Let. 10 Dec. (1954) 544 She seemed as eager as ever about the play. I had thought she was off it.
1912 C. Mathewson Pitching in Pinch vii. 142 The Chicago pitchers were away off form in the series.
1929 E. Bowen Last September xxiv. 308 ‘What about their bungalow?’ ‘Oh, that was just an idea; they are quite off it.’
1973 ‘H. Carmichael’ Too Late for Tears xiii. 153 I'm off my food, that's all.
1994 Daily Mirror 4 Oct. (TV Daily Suppl.) 1/4 Cody declares herself ‘completely off men’ as her American boyfriend dumped her for her best friend.
c. Away from the consumption of (an addictive substance, etc.). Cf. on prep. 12f, 12g.
ΚΠ
1839 Spirit of Times 16 Nov. 434/1 Like swearing off from liquor and going into a grog-shop.]
1913 D. H. Lawrence Sons & Lovers iv. 71 You should tell him to keep off the drink.
1944 A. Wykes in Penguin New Writing 19 105 I'm off the beer.
1958 L. Uris Exodus iii. xviii. 461 I hope by the end of this week to have you completely off drugs.
1985 D. Koonitz Door to December ii. xix. 166 Help smokers get off cigarettes—by getting them onto drugs? Hells' bells.
2000 N. Griffiths Grits (2001) 21 Ee must still be off the smack.
8. Opening or turning out of; next to, leading from, not far from.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > nearness > near to [preposition] > in contact with > communicating with
off1718
1718 in D. Robertson S. Leith Rec. (1929) II. 34 An piece of ground..to be an entry to the said John his back door off the foregate in all times coming.
1845 J. W. Carlyle Lett. I. 312 In Mary's little room (off my uncle's).
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour II. 201/2 Watling-street, Bow-lane, Old-change, and other thoroughfares off Cheapside and Cornhill.
1860 All Year Round 28 July 372 In a small street off one of the west-central squares.
1929 E. Bowen Last September I. i. 5 Four rooms opened off it; at any moment a door might be opened, or blow open, sending a draught down one's neck.
1966 P. O'Donnell Sabre-tooth xxi. 283 I'll show you your room. There's a shower off it.
1985 J. Mortimer Paradise Postponed xviii. 214 Henry, Agnes and their child, Francesca, moved to a flat just off the King's Road.
2000 Arena July 157/3 The Hotel de Russie, just off the newly pedestrianised Piazza del Popolo.
C. n. [Chiefly absolute or elliptical uses of the adjective.]
1. Nautical. = offing n. rare (figurative in later use).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > region of sea or ocean > [noun] > offing
offa1584
offinga1600
a1584 S. Borough in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1589) ii. 327 The shippe lay thwart to wende a flood, in the off, at the Southsoutheast moone.
1989 Jackie 11 Nov. 6/2 All claim to be young free 'n' single at the mo and there are no plans in the ‘off’ for any of them to get hitched.
2. The condition, state, or fact of being off (in various senses).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > [noun] > fact of remaining inactive > condition or fact of being off
offa1669
a1669 J. Trapp in C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David (1878) V. Ps. cxvi. 10 I have had my offs and my ons,..I have passed through several frames of heart and tempers of soul.
1895 M. M. Dowie Gallia 119 I love to feel the on and off of the break and to watch the way the pole seems to feel its way through the traffic.
1972 Guardian 2 Dec. 8/8 People were asked to turn their gas taps to ‘off’.
1995 Amer. Scientist Sept. 404/2 A snap-action light switch is an extremely simple FSA, with just two stable states—off and on.
3. A young animal taken from its mother. Obsolete. rare.
ΚΠ
1829 H. D. Best Personal & Lit. Mem. 257 To buy Lincolnshire hogs or offs, lambs taken off from their mothers.
4. Cricket. = offside n.1 3. off-theory n. now rare a theory that favours concentrating the fielders on the off side and bowling the ball at or outside the off stump. Cf. leg theory n. at leg n. Compounds 2b.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricket ground > [noun] > side
leg side?1801
offside1816
leg1833
on-side1833
off1836
on1836
long on1843
long off1854
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > [noun] > theories
off-theory1883
leg theory1894
on-theory1896
1836 New Sporting Mag. 11 193 Thus if the bat be brought forward in a straight line to meet the ball moving in the same line, the ball will be struck directly to the bowler. It is on this principle, that more to the on or off, so will it be returned, and according as it is bowled, more to his left or right.
1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. viii. 388 Johnson the young bowler is getting wild, and bowls a ball almost wide to the off.
1883 W. L. Murdoch in Longman's Mag. Jan. 292 At the present time, when bowlers place their men on the off side and bowl on what I might term the ‘off theory’, batsmen should be very careful what ball they hit at.
1894 Daily News 23 Nov. 6/3 Steady cultivation of a break from the off is a better amusement than the premature affectation of being an Amphitryon.
1926 H. S. Altham Hist. Cricket xxi. 236 The off-theory was being to some extent abandoned.
1975 Cricketer May 14/2 Max Walker showed his ‘leg-cutter’ that snapped back from the off.
1988 Cricketer Aug. 19/2 Bradman hit only one four in front of the wicket on the off, but 14 to the on by means of drives and his celebrated pull.
5. colloquial. The start of a race (cf. sense A. 1f). Also (in extended use): the start (of anything), the beginning; departure; a signal to start or depart.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > beginning > [noun]
ordeOE
thresholdeOE
frumthc950
anginOE
frumeOE
worthOE
beginninga1225
springc1225
springc1225
commencementc1250
ginninga1300
comsingc1325
entryc1330
aginning1340
alphac1384
incomea1400
formec1400
ingressc1420
birtha1425
principlea1449
comsementa1450
resultancec1450
inition1463
inceptiona1483
entering1526
originala1529
inchoation1530
opening1531
starting1541
principium1550
entrance1553
onset1561
rise1589
begin1590
ingate1591
overture1595
budding1601
initiationa1607
starting off1616
dawninga1631
dawn1633
impriminga1639
start1644
fall1647
initial1656
outset1664
outsettinga1698
going off1714
offsetting1782
offset1791
commence1794
aurora1806
incipiency1817
set-out1821
set-in1826
throw-off1828
go-off1830
outstart1844
start1857
incipience1864
oncome1865
kick-off1875
off-go1886
off1896
get-go1960
lift-off1967
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > [noun] > start
start1845
off1896
flag-fall1899
getaway1912
society > travel > aspects of travel > departure, leaving, or going away > [noun] > setting out > instance of
sally1657
set-off1759
set-forth1829
take-off1928
off1968
1896 J. K. Snowden Web of Old Weaver xvii. 197 It flashed upon me that he was for off.
1946 Sporting Life 15 June 1/1 Some open betting saw Paper Weight favourite at the ‘off’.
1959 Times 14 Sept. 3/1 Matthews broke once and on the second ‘off’ knocked down the first hurdle.
1966 J. Porter Sour Cream xiv. 180 It was too late. The students nearest to him..thought this was the off. They began to move forward.
1968 ‘H. Calvin’ Miranda must Die iii. 34 ‘Time for off,’ he said... He was gone.
1973 T. Allbeury Choice of Enemies xiii. 62 Jock..waited for someone to give him the off, and James said, ‘O.K. Jock, you just give us the general picture.’
1978 Lancashire Life Apr. 50 (caption) Tangle-wrangle: Stan Lyons waits on the slipway for the ‘off’, while helpers sort-out the lines from his harness.
1999 I. Rankin Dead Souls xi. 68 Rebus knew..how juries could decide from the off which way they'd vote.
6. U.S. regional, South African, and Indian English. A period off work, esp. a day off. See sense D. 4a.In U.S. regional use chiefly among Pennsylvania Germans; in South Africa among urban, esp. township, speakers.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > [noun] > a period of > day or night
holidaya1400
play-day1558
playing day1575
non Le1636
whole holiday1753
rest day1800
Sunday out1837
day off1853
evening out1870
stop-day1879
night off1885
night out1890
off1926
1926 Amer. Speech 3 463 By ‘my off is all’, a sentence heard in North Central Pennsylvania, the speaker meant that his vacation was over.
1966 L. G. Berger Where's Madam 183 The watchboy supplied by Norman's firm hadn't come back from his ‘off’.
1971 in Dict. S. Afr. Eng. on Hist. Princ. (1996) (at cited word) I get my off once a week, on Sundays.
1980 J. Cock Maids & Madams 27 The only time she sees her children is on her ‘off’ on Sunday afternoons.
1993 S. Deshpande Binding Vine 153 It's Bhaskar, inviting me to his home for lunch. ‘I thought Thursday, perhaps. I have an off, and I know you're having vacations.’
2017 T. Peake North Facing iii. 27 Tea in the lounge—which Peggy would serve herself, Mosa having by now been given ‘off’.
D. adj. (chiefly attributive).
1.
a. Designating or relating to the right side of a horse, another animal, or a vehicle (opposed to the near side: see near adj. 3). Hence in compounds, as off horse (of a pair), off-foot, off-lead, off-leader, off-leg, off-ox (also figurative, a clumsy or stubborn person), off-wheel, off-wheeler. See also offside n.1 2. not to know (a person) from Adam's off-ox: not to know or recognize (someone) (at all) (see Adam n.1 Phrases 3b).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > body or parts of horse > [adjective] > right side of
further1578
off1593
1593 in D. Yaxley Researcher's Gloss. Hist. Documents E. Anglia (2003) 89 1 black cart gelding with a ringe on the offer buttocke xxxiijs. iiijd.
1674 London Gaz. No 926/4 Her off Leg before Wind-gaulled.
1708 London Gaz. No. 4477/4 His off-Knee is broke.
1764 Museum Rusticum 2 xiv. 52 To drive the cart so as the off-wheel should go in the same tract that the near wheel went in before.
1789 Trans. Soc. Arts 7 70 Enables the off-horse..to walk in the furrow.
1807 Balance (Hudson, N.Y.) 25 Aug. 267 We behold a clumsy, awkward off ox trying the tricks of a kitten.
1823 J. F. Cooper Pioneers I. iv. 51 I knew just the spot where to touch the off-leader.
1848 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers 1st Ser. vii. 90 Ez to the answerin' o' questions, I'm an off ox at bein' druv.
1849 T. De Quincey Vision Sudden Death in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Dec. 750/1 With the haunch of our near leader, we had struck the off-wheel.
1880 Jackson Sentinel (Maquoketa, Iowa) 25 Mar. I didn't know him from Adam's off ox, on account of the ha'r on his face.
1890 R. Kipling Barrack-room Ballads (1892) 35 Two's off-lead 'e answered to the name o' Snarleyow.
1894 A. Conan Doyle Mem. Sherlock Holmes 25 Silver Blaze with his white forehead and his mottled off fore leg.
1910 J. Hart Vigilante Girl x. 140 An iron ‘jockey-stick’ ran from the near leader's hames to the off-leader's bit.
1933 Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 1 Apr. 4/3 I don't know him from Adam's (or God's) off-ox.
1980 Daily Tel. 5 June 1 (caption) With a bone in his off-fore foot fractured, Henbit is led into the winner's enclosure.
a2010 R. Aitken River of Heaven (2011) 114 I didn't know Buson from Adam's off ox, and only as I put this manuscript together did I realize that this verse..was written by Buson.
b. Cricket. Designating the side of the field towards which the batter's feet are pointed when standing to face a delivery; (also) designating a ball, etc., hit on this side, or a batter who hits the ball in this direction. See also offside n.1 3. off-cutter n. a ball that deviates from the off-side to the leg-side after a fast or medium-fast delivery (see cutter n.1 5b (b)).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricket ground > [adjective] > side
off1773
on1836
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > bowling > [noun] > a ball bowled > types of delivery or ball
full toss1826
long hop1830
twister1832
bail ball1833
bailer1833
grubber1837
slow ball1838
wide1838
ground ball1839
shooter1843
slower ball1846
twiddler1847
creeper1848
lob1851
sneak1851
sneaker1851
slow1854
bumper1855
teaser1856
daisy-cutter1857
popper1857
yorker1861
sharpshooter1863
headball1866
screwball1866
underhand1866
skimmerc1868
grub1870
ramrod1870
raymonder1870
round-armer1871
grass cutter1876
short pitch1877
leg break1878
lob ball1880
off-break1883
donkey-drop1888
tice1888
fast break1889
leg-breaker1892
kicker1894
spinner1895
wrong 'un1897
googly1903
fizzer1904
dolly1906
short ball1911
wrong 'un1911
bosie1912
bouncer1913
flyer1913
percher1913
finger-spinner1920
inswinger1920
outswinger1920
swinger1920
off-spinner1924
away swinger1925
Chinaman1929
overspinner1930
tweaker1938
riser1944
leg-cutter1949
seamer1952
leggy1954
off-cutter1955
squatter1955
flipper1959
lifter1959
cutter1960
beamer1961
loosener1962
doosra1999
1773 Morning Post 16 July in G. B. Buckley Fresh Light on 18th Cent. Cricket (1935) 61 Having run a considerable number of notches from off-strokes.
1836 New Sporting Mag. July 195 Crossing the leg over at off-balls is another rule that I should like to see more men adopt.
1836 New Sporting Mag. July 195 The mode of handling the bat, for ‘On hitting’ must be similar to what is requisite for ‘Off hitting’.
1836 E. Jesse Angler's Rambles 298 His off-hits between point and slip, were the admiration of the club.
1851 J. Pycroft Cricket Field vii. 151 A good off-hitter should send the ball according to its pitch, not to one point only, but to three or four.
1888 A. G. Steel in A. G. Steel & R. H. Lyttelton Cricket (Badminton Libr. of Sports & Pastimes) iii. 183 Left-handed batsmen are notoriously strong and powerful in their off hitting.
1904 F. C. Holland Cricket 9 Nearly all off strokes can be classed under one of the four principal hits—the off drive, the cut drive, the square cut, and the late cut.
1955 Times 5 July 4/2 Singh..was making his off-cutters seem more sinister than one feels they really were.
1966 E. R. Dexter Ted Dexter Declares ii. 21 They gave me a bit of bowling and I started with medium-pace swingers and off cutters.
1995 Guardian 8 Aug. ii. 4/3 Ambrose takes a vast swipe, but only succeeds in deflecting Cork's off-cutter into his stumps.
2. Nautical. Further from the shore; seaward. Hence gen.: situated further off or on the far side from another object or the observer, more distant, further, far. Chiefly in offside n.1 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > [adjective] > farther from shore
outc1350
off1666
offshore1840
1666 London Gaz. No. 66/4 The Lilly Fregat,..then in the off-gage of her station, near this Coast.
1745 London Mag. 397 Whilst I had to do with this Ship, the largest of all got on my Off-Bow, put me between two Fires.
1788 T. Jefferson Jrnl. 3 Mar. in Papers (1956) XIII. 9 The camel is shaped to the ship on the near side, and straight on the off one.
1833 Pearl & Lit. Gaz. 21 Dec. 79/3 I was for letting into him [sc. a bear] at once, but Zeb says..‘dont waste your powder man, I want to shoot him just under the off ear, that's the spot,’ so I held up.
1992 Women & Guns July 38/2 Actuating the laser..is accomplished by means of a toggle switch conveniently located on the left side of the mount. The off-hand can reach it easily.
3. Lying off from, situated aside from, leading out of the main part. See off- prefix 1d, in the same sense, and cf. sense B. 8. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > nearness > [adjective] > adjacent > to the main part
off1809
1809 R. Kerr Agric. Surv. Berwick 117 The smaller farms, which cannot be thus thrown together, owing to separations of property, are fast falling into the hands of spirited farmers, as separate or off farms.
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour II. 201/1 The ‘off’ parts of St. Paul's Church-yard.
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour II. 423/2 Friar-street is one of the smaller off thoroughfares.
1897 W. H. Thornton Reminisc. Clergyman i. 10 I rode with him one day to his off farm..and bought my first horse.
4.
a. Designating a period or occasion when a person is not at work, on duty, at his or her business, at school, etc., or when normal activity, productivity, profit, etc., is diminished or suspended. Also (occasionally) in extended use, designating a person or persons not on duty, or a falling stock market. See also off-season n., off-year n.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > [adjective] > at or having leisure > having time off
watch-free1581
off1826
sabbatical1836
off duty1852
spare1919
1826 F. Reynolds Life & Times I. iv. 151 On Mrs. Siddons's nights, Mr. Harris (being sure of an over-flow from Drury-lane,) only put up his weakest bills, reserving the strongest for his off nights.
1843 Knickerbocker 22 325 After an ‘off night’ when I was allowed to stay in town.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) ix. 76 It was with a team of these very horses, on an off-day, that Miss Sharp was brought to the Hall.
1870 J. K. Medbery Men & Myst. Wall St. 137 An ‘off’ market, is where prices have fallen either in a week, a day, or even an afternoon.
1875 ‘M. Twain’ Old Times Mississippi ii, in Atlantic Monthly Feb. 218/2 The ‘off-watch’ was just turning in, and I heard some brutal laughter from them.
1875 All Year Round 3 Apr. 23/1 That estimable lady..had arranged those meetings on the quiet off-evenings.
1897 Manch. Guard. 16 Oct. That in future all such meetings be held on ‘off days’ in preference to ‘market days’.
1899 J. Pennell in Fortn. Rev. 65 123 This has been an off, a profitless, year in practical cycle construction.
1913 A. G. Bradley Other Days v. 161 On the rare off-days [we] raided such crows and magpies' nests as we could find.
1922 Life 6 Apr. 20/1 In the same film we see the aged philosopher as a combination of the Vagabond in ‘The Tavern’ and something that Chic Sale might do on an off-night.
1928 Weekly Disp. 18 Mar. 2/4 He'd never have picked up that skill in the Lagos Lagoon in the few off-watches he'd get from a branch-boat.
1932 E. E. Reynolds Nansen i. 9 There was plenty of fun as well as hard work. One account of an off-hour is worth extracting as illustrating Nansen's geniality in whatever company he might find himself.
1976 National Observer (U.S.) 17 Jan. 19/2 Dr. Moskowitz is passionate about reading, theater, music, and writing, which is her newest off-hours activity.
1997 E. White Farewell Symphony (1998) ii. 74 On days when he was performing, Jimmy attended just one class, in the morning, but on off days he took so many that he crawled home.
b. Designating a period or occasion when a person is not on his or her usual form or is feeling slightly unwell, or when any production, performance, etc., is not up to the usual standard. Also (occasionally) in extended use, designating something marked by conditions unfavourable to a good performance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > unskilfulness > [adjective] > lacking one's usual skill
off1908
off form1912
1908 Sketch 11 Sept. 340/2 Rhodes had an ‘off-day’ and could do nothing.
1929 Star 21 Aug. 5/2 It was certainly Elder's off-night. He was not feeling in the best of form.
1930 F. E. Baily It won't do any Harm xiii. 260 You happened to ask me when I was in what I call an off-moment.
1959 Manch. Guardian 24 July 4/2 Tolstoy or Balzac in an off-moment might be almost anyone.
1959 T. Griffith Waist-high Culture (1960) 169 Such doubts arise in us all, at least on our off days.
1974 Index-Jrnl. (Greenwood, S. Carolina) 23 Apr. 6/6 ‘Destroyer can't handle an off track.’ On a fast track though..Destroyer looks like a Kentucky Derby winner.
1998 Courier-Jrnl. (Louisville, Kentucky) 15 June e4/4 The Houston Astros took advantage of a rare off-day by closer Jeff Shaw and rallied for a win.
5. Of an electrical device: corresponding to or producing the state of being disconnected or off (sense A. 4b). Also in extended use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > circuit > device to open or close circuit > [adjective] > turning on or off
off1899
on1899
on-off1931
1899 J. Pigg Railway ‘Block’ Signalling vii. 363 In the ‘off’ position of the signal arm the switch makes such contacts as passes a ‘holding down’ current from the battery at the local station.
1935 D. L. Sayers Gaudy Night xvi. 327 The switch..stood in the ‘Off’ position, and she struck it down.
1960 Pract. Wireless 36 425/2 A two-pole toggle switch..could be used in the S1 position thus isolating the mains completely from the equipment when the switch is in the ‘off’ position.
1975 L. Deighton Yesterday's Spy vii. 52 Schlegel bashed the ‘off’ button and the music ended with a loud click.
1988 D. Lodge Nice Work i. i. 4 Vic..hits the Off button on the clock.
2001 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 20 Sept. 35/1 We have a new miracle drug..that ‘switches your anxiety to the Off Position’.
6. Physiology. Of, relating to, exhibiting, or designating a response to the cessation of a stimulus. Chiefly attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > action of nervous system > [adjective] > electrical phenomena
electromotive1800
neuroelectric1843
bioelectric1849
rheoscopic1851
anelectrotonic1862
monophasic1888
off1903
on1903
bioelectrical1910
neuroelectrical1914
rheobasic1917
myoelectric1955
myoelectrical1970
1903 F. Gotch in Jrnl. Physiol. 29 393 The third or terminal portion is a second rise due to the sudden change from light to darkness; this I propose for brevity to term the OFF effect.
1934 Jrnl. Physiol. 81 26 The increase in P III and its rapid return at ‘off’ account for the increased off-effect of the light-adapted eye.
1941 S. H. Bartley Vision xii. 287 The off-response first appears when the light flash is very short.
1948 Jrnl. Physiol. 107 57 The on-sensitivity to blue (B-on) was taken as the fundamental sensitivity... For those elements which showed no on-effect the off-sensitivity to blue (B-off) was used.
1972 H. Tamar Princ. Sensory Physiol. iv. 153/2 Some 5 per cent of all color-responsive ganglion cells seem really to have receptive fields with centers which are either ‘on’ or ‘off’ to one color.
1991 NeuroReport 2 231/2 Control the silent period of off-responses by the activation of K+ currents.
7. Of a taste or smell (esp. of food or drink): stale, sour, contaminated, rancid; cf. sense A. 1g(b). Recorded earliest in off-flavour n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [adjective] > stale, decaying, or infested
oldeOE
fustya1492
stale1530
overkept1837
overhung1895
skippery1899
off1913
1913 A. P. Hitchens in Science 12 Sept. 376/2 No off-flavor was present in normal control cheese.
1942 Science 19 June 10/1 [Dehydrated foods] become tough, or develop hay-like ‘off’ tastes and odors.
1955 F. G. Ashbrook Butchering xii. 226 The fruit residues in the vinegar may give the fish an ‘off’ taste.
1993 Dog World Oct. 38/2 Aldehydes and ketones..contribute to the ‘off’ smell and taste, but are relatively benign, as they are metabolized like sugar.

Compounds

In phrases with the and noun, used attributively or as adj.See also off the cuff at cuff n.1 2c, off-the-rack adj., off the shelf at shelf n.1 1e, off-the-shoulder at shoulder n. 2j, etc.
off-the-course n. occurring away from a racecourse.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > betting > [adjective] > type of betting
ante-post1865
off-track1931
off-the-course1951
off-course1960
on-course1964
on-track1964
1951 B. S. Rowntree et al. Eng. Life & Leisure ii. 126Off the course’ betting on greyhounds, although by no means a rarity, is not the common occurrence that it is in the case of horse races.
1991 Hist. Today Oct. 38/1 Legal off-the-course outlets for cash (ready-money) betting were introduced only quite recently, in May 1961.
off-the-face adj. of a hat, hair, etc.: not covering or shading any part of the face.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > headgear > [adjective] > hat > other
round1565
four-corner1640
basoned1728
cockled1745
featherlessa1845
Christy1867
pullover1877
pugreed1881
sailor-shape1897
off-the-face1908
weepered1908
1908 Sears, Roebuck Catal. No. 117. 1036/2 Pretty ‘off the face’ hat for children.
1992 Hair Flair (BNC) Thick wavy hair has been styled upwards..for this off-the-face look.
off-the-job n. (a) done or happening away from one's work; (b) unemployed.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > lack of work > [adjective] > not working or unemployed
servicelessc1450
unlabouredc1450
masterless1471
unwrought1550
unplaced1558
labourless1576
flag-fallen1609
unlabouring1619
disemployed1651
hireless1651
unengaged1654
unemployed1667
unworking1696
untoiling1748
workless1758
occupationless1822
placeless1828
out of work1833
non-working1841
unhired1852
jobless1862
out of (or in) collar1862
non-employed1876
spare1919
on the beach1923
in dry dock1927
off-the-job1950
on (also upon) the street(s)1980
unwaged1981
society > occupation and work > working > [adjective] > working > done or occurring while > not
off-the-job1950
1950 Internat. Organization 4 490 The recommendations dealt also with..on- and off-the-job training, recruitment of instructors, [etc.].
1967 Time 21 July 51 Some sort of new company-financed plan enabling an off-the-job worker to maintain ‘his normal living standard’ for up to a year.
1986 Marketing 11 Sept. 83/4 The course tries to relate off-the-job learning with an on-the-job experience.
off-the-map n. insignificant, obscure, of no account or consequence.
ΚΠ
1915 War Illustr. 2 328/1 One of the curious off-the-map incidents of the war was brought to notice the other day.
1938 E. Bowen Death of Heart i. i. 19 An off-the-map, seedy old family friend.
off-the-road n. located, operated, or occurring away from roads.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > road > [adjective] > located or occurring away from road
wayside1649
off-the-road1946
1946 Fortune Aug. 185/2 Willys will aim it [sc. a light four-wheel-drive truck] at farmers, dairymen, and others who..encounter a lot of off-the-road haulage.
1962 Guardian 4 Oct. 14/2 Off-the-road training grounds for learner drivers.
1998 Jrnl. Torrey Bot. Soc. 125 40/2 Disturbance from recreational use (e.g., trampling and off-road vehicle traffic) causes changes in foredune microclimate..and vegetation.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

> see also

also refers to : off-prefix
<
v.1642adv.prep.n.adj.eOE
see also
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