# off

Pronunciation: US say "AWF" /ɔf/; UK/AUS say "OF" /ɒf/

## Adverb

1. So as to remove, separate or come away, often placed after the object.
   - Simple: So that something is removed or comes away.
   - _The gardener cut the dead branches off and stacked them by the shed._
   - _She wiped the dust off before she sat down._
3. Away, in a direction leading from the speaker or from some point of reference.
   - Simple: Away from here, or away from a place.
   - _She waved and walked off down the street._
   - _The ship sailed off toward the horizon at dawn._
4. Into a state of not operating or not existing.
   - Simple: So that something stops working or stops existing.
   - _Turn the engine off before you refuel._
   - _Whole species died off when the climate changed._
27. In the theater, offstage or out of the audience's view.
   - Simple: In the theater, out of sight of the audience.

## Preposition

2. Not on, moved away from, or outside the limits of a surface, place, or area.
   - Simple: Not on something anymore, or away from or outside a place or area.
   - _Keep your muddy boots off the sofa, please._
   - _The cat jumped off the wall._
5. Detached, separated or disconnected from something, or excluded from a group.
   - Simple: No longer attached to or part of something.
   - _The handle snapped off my favorite mug while I was washing it._
   - _A button had come off his coat._
7. Subtracted or removed from an amount, especially a price.
   - Simple: Taken away from a price or an amount.
   - _The store knocked fifty dollars off the sofa._
   - _He had a month taken off his sentence for good behavior._
8. Leading from, or lying near and reached from, something else.
   - Simple: Near to and reached from a road, corridor, or other place.
   - _The bathroom is off the hall, second door._
   - _They live in a quiet cul-de-sac just off the main road._
9. At sea, at a stated or implied distance from a coast, headland, or mainland.
   - Simple: At sea, some distance from a coast or point of land.
   - _A tanker was anchored two miles off the harbor._
   - _The wreck lies off Cornwall in shallow water._
11. As a result of; on the strength of. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Because of something, as a result of it.
   - _She made her name off a single viral video._
   - _The singer landed a record deal off the back of one hit song._
20. Out of the possession of someone, as when getting, buying, or taking something from them. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Used after words like get, buy, or borrow to mean from a person, so the thing is no longer theirs.
   - _She bought her first car off an uncle who was moving overseas._
   - _Some kid at the park tried to grab my phone off me._
22. No longer taking, wanting or using something one usually takes.
   - Simple: No longer taking or wanting something, like food or medicine.
   - _He's off his meds again and it shows._
   - _I've been off sugar for a month._
23. Not attending a usual place for a time, usually because of illness or holiday.
   - Simple: Away from work or school for a time.
   - _She's been off work since the accident._
   - _Are you off school tomorrow for the holiday?_
28. Under the influence of a drug or other substance. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Affected by a drug you have taken.
   - _The guy was off a perc and couldn't stand up._
   - _By midnight he was clearly off something, laughing at nothing and talking way too fast._

## Adjective

6. Of a light, machine, or supply, not switched on, operating, or running.
   - Simple: Not switched on, so not working or not giving light.
   - _The engine's off but the radio is still playing._
   - _Why is the water off this morning?_
10. Of a time, not spent on business or duty, or when things are quiet.
   - Simple: Used of a time when you are not working, or when business is quiet, like the off season.
   - _The hotel closes for the off season._
   - _Even in an off year the campaign spent millions._
15. Absent for a time from work, school, or another usual place, especially through illness or leave.
   - Simple: Not at work or school for a while, because you are ill or on holiday.
   - _She is off until Monday, but I can take a message for her._
   - _Two of the nurses are off sick this week._
12. Started on one's way; departed or departing.
   - Simple: Having just started to go somewhere, on the way.
   - _We're off to the coast for the weekend._
   - _Right, I'm off now, and I'll see you tomorrow._
16. Canceled and not going ahead, as a party, deal, or wedding may be.
   - Simple: Not going to happen after all, because it was canceled.
   - _The wedding's off now that she has given back the ring._
   - _Is the picnic still on? No, it's off._
13. Not correct or not as it should be.
   - Simple: Not quite right, or wrong in some way that you can notice.
   - _Something about his story seemed off, so I asked a few more questions._
   - _The colors are slightly off in the print._
14. Circumstanced or provided for, especially with money, used after words like well, badly, or better, or with how.
   - Simple: Used in well off and badly off to say how much someone has, especially money.
   - _They're comfortably off now that the house is paid for._
   - _Her parents are quite well off, but they live very simply._
17. Inappropriate, out of order, or not quite the done thing.
   - Simple: Not suitable or polite, a bit wrong to say or do.
   - _Turning up late to her own party was a bit off._
   - _I thought it was a bit off that he read her messages without asking._
18. Below the usual level or standard, in performance, results, or mood, as in an off day.
   - Simple: Lower or worse than usual, as sales, a mood, or how well someone plays can be.
   - _Attendance was off by a third after the price rise._
   - _I've been a little off since the news._
19. Of food or drink, gone bad or rancid and no longer fit to consume. *(UK)*
   - Simple: Gone bad and not safe to eat or drink, mostly in British English.
   - _The cream was off, so I threw it away._
   - _Don't eat that, it's been off for days._
21. Lying to the side, away from the center or the usual path.
   - Simple: To the side, away from the main part.
24. Not being worn, or not fitted in place.
   - Simple: Not on your body, or not fitted in place.
   - _Shoes off, please, the floor's just been cleaned._
   - _The cap was off and the pen had dried out._
26. Of a dish on a menu, not available at the moment because sold out or not being served.
   - Simple: Not available today, said of a dish on a menu.
   - _The waiter said the fish was off, so I had the lamb._
   - _Half the specials were off by nine o'clock._
29. Of a horse, on its right-hand side; in Britain, of a vehicle, on the side farthest from the kerb, the right-hand side.
   - Simple: On the right side of a horse, or in Britain on the side of a vehicle away from the kerb.
   - _The off rear light isn't working._
   - _The sorrel was favoring its off forefoot._

## Verb

25. To kill someone. *(slang)*
   - Simple: To kill another person.
   - _Somebody offed the accountant before the trial._
   - _He'd off his own brother for that kind of money._

## Noun

30. The beginning or starting point of something, usually in set phrases such as from the off.
   - Simple: The start or beginning of something.
   - _The favorite took the lead from the off and was never caught._
   - _Bags packed and boots on, the whole family was ready for the off by seven._

## Other meanings

- (adjective) Revolting or gross enough to make one recoil.
- (adjective) In cricket, on or toward the part of the ground that a batter faces in the stance, which is a right-hander's right.
- (preposition) Used after a number in trade or engineering to give a count of parts or items, as in 50 off.
- (verb) To make a light, machine or other device stop working by using its switch.

## Origin

Old English had of, af, æf ("from, off, away"), which became Middle English of. Behind it lie Proto-Germanic *ab ("from") and, further back, the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂epo ("from, off, back"). It is a doublet of of, and its relatives include Dutch af, German ab, Latin ab, and Ancient Greek apó.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/off (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).