off

AWF/ɔf/UKOF/ɒf/

34 meanings of off

1
removedadverb
So that something is removed or comes away.
She cut off the tags before wearing her new dress.
Please take your coat off.
UsageSay take your coat off or take it off (not ~~incorrect: take off it~~).
Similaraway
2
preposition
Not on something anymore, or away from or outside a place or area.
The cat jumped off the bed when I opened the door.
The wind blew my hat off my head.
UsageSay get off the bus, but get out of the car.
Oppositeon, onto
3
adverb
Away from here, or away from a place.
The kids ran off to play as soon as dinner was over.
The birds flew off when the dog barked.
Similaraway
Note
4
adverb
So that something stops working or stops existing.
Remember to turn off the stove before you go to bed.
Wolves were killed off in this area about a hundred years ago.
UsageSay turn off the light (not ~~incorrect: close the light~~).
Similarout
Oppositeon
5
preposition
No longer attached to or part of something.
A wheel came off my son's toy truck.
A button came off my coat while I was riding the bus.
Oppositeon
6
adjectivenot before a noun
Not switched on, so not working or not giving light.
Make sure the oven is off before we leave the house.
The heating is off in summer.
UsageSay the TV is off or leave the lights off.
Oppositeon
7
minus (amount)preposition
Taken away from a price or an amount.
All winter coats are thirty percent off this weekend.
Take ten dollars off the bill for the delay.
8
preposition
Near to and reached from a road, corridor, or other place.
There's a small coffee shop just off the main square.
The school is on a small lane off Park Street.
UsageSay just off the main road for a place very near it.
9
at seapreposition
At sea, some distance from a coast or point of land.
We saw dolphins swimming a little way off the beach.
The boat sank a mile off the coast.
UsageSay off the coast for in the sea near the land.
10
slow seasonadjective
Used of a time when you are not working, or when business is quiet, like the off season.
Hotels in this beach town are much cheaper in the off season.
Fewer tourists visit the island during the off months.
UsageSay a day off or time off for time when you do not work.
Similarlow, slack, quiet
Oppositepeak, high, busy
11
because ofprepositioncolloquial
Because of something, as a result of it.
She got the part off just one short audition.
He built the business off one good idea.
UsageOften in off the back of something.
Similarfrom
12
adjective
Having just started to go somewhere, on the way.
Where are you off to?
And they're off! The favorite takes an early lead.
UsageSay I'm off when you are leaving now.
Note
13
seems wrongadjective
Not quite right, or wrong in some way that you can notice.
The clock in the kitchen is off by about ten minutes.
The guitar sounds off because the bottom string needs tuning.
UsageSay something feels off when it seems wrong.
Similarwrong, inaccurate, incorrect
Oppositeright, correct, accurate
14
adjective
Used in well off and badly off to say how much someone has, especially money.
Our family used to be well off.
How are you off for milk?
UsageSay well off for rich and better off for in a better position.
Note

Less common meanings

15
away from workadjective
Not at work or school for a while, because you are ill or on holiday.
Our teacher was off for two weeks with the flu.
Half the class is off with the flu.
Similaraway, absent, out
Oppositein, present
16
canceledadjectivenot before a noun
Not going to happen after all, because it was canceled.
The trip to the zoo is off because the bus broke down.
The match is off if it rains.
UsageTo cancel it, say call it off: They called the match off.
Similarcanceled
Oppositeon
17
inappropriateadjectivenot before a noun
Not suitable or polite, a bit wrong to say or do.
I felt his comments were a bit off.
It was a bit off to leave without saying thanks.
UsageSay That was a bit off for a little rude.
Similarinappropriate, unacceptable, rude
Oppositeappropriate, acceptable
18
adjective
Lower or worse than usual, as sales, a mood, or how well someone plays can be.
My appetite has been off ever since I got sick last week.
Her game was off all afternoon.
UsageUse off by before an amount: sales were off by 10%.
Similardown
Oppositeup
19
adjectiveUK
Gone bad and not safe to eat or drink, mostly in British English.
Don't eat that yogurt. It's been open for weeks and it's off.
Smell that fish, I think it's off.
UsageSay the milk is off or the milk has gone off.
Similarbad, sour, rancid, spoiled
Oppositefresh
Note
20
prepositioncolloquial
Used after words like get, buy, or borrow to mean from a person, so the thing is no longer theirs.
Can I borrow a dollar off you?
I got this jacket off my brother when it got too small for him.
UsageIn formal writing, use bought it from someone.
Similarfrom
21
adjective
To the side, away from the main part.
He came in, took a look and squinched down into a chair in an off corner and didn’t open his mouth.
1937, Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching GodHere, off means off to the side, away from the middle of the room.
He took me down the corridor and into an off room.
Here, off means to the side, so a room away from the main hall.
Note
22
no longer takingpreposition
No longer taking or wanting something, like food or medicine.
He's been off his food since Tuesday.
She's off coffee while she's pregnant.
UsageUse with be, go, or stay: I'm off coffee, stay off alcohol.
Oppositeon
23
preposition
Away from work or school for a time.
He's off work with a bad back.
The kids are off school all next week.
UsageSay off work and off school, with no the.
24
adjective
Not on your body, or not fitted in place.
Your feet will feel better once those boots are off.
The lid was off, so the drink spilled.
UsageOpposite of on: with his hat off, keep your shoes off.
Oppositeon
25
verbslangtransitive
To kill another person.
The gang offed him before he could talk.
They wanted to off the witness.
UsagePast form: offed. It can sound cold or disrespectful when talking about someone's death.
Similarkill, murder, whack, waste
Note
26
sold out (menu)adjectivenot before a noun
Not available today, said of a dish on a menu.
Sorry, the chicken's off today.
The soup is off, we've sold out.
Similarunavailable
Oppositeavailable
Note
27
adverb
In the theater, out of sight of the audience.
Similaroffstage
Oppositeonstage
Note
28
high on (drug)prepositionslang
Affected by a drug you have taken.
He was off a couple of pills and making no sense.
They were off something strong that night.
UsageOff a pill means high on it, but off his meds means not taking them.
Similaron
Note
29
far side (vehicle)adjective
On the right side of a horse, or in Britain on the side of a vehicle away from the kerb.
The mechanic said the off rear tire was badly worn.
Check the off side wheel before you set out.
UsageUsed before a noun (the off wheel). The other side is the near side.
Oppositenear
Note
30
noununcountable
The start or beginning of something.
I liked our new teacher right from the off.
The game was exciting from the off.
UsageSay from the off for from the start.
Similarstart (entry), outset
Note
31
adjectiveslangAustralia
Very nasty or gross.
32
adjective
In cricket, on the side away from the batter's legs.
33
preposition
Used after a number to say how many parts, as in 50 off.
34
verbNigeriaPhilippinesSingapore
To turn something off.

Practice

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Origin

From Old English 'of' meaning 'from, off, away'. It goes back through old Germanic words to an ancient root meaning 'from, off, back'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Off descends from Old English of, meaning from, off or away. en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry runs through Germanic forms to an ancient root meaning from, off, back. en.wiktionary.org