off
off Lexical Profile
off Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Not operating, functioning, or connected to a source of power.
"Please make sure the stove is off before we leave the house."
Canceled or no longer scheduled to take place.
"The outdoor concert is off because of the severe weather warning."
Slightly inaccurate, mistaken, or below the usual standard.
"His calculations were off by several thousand dollars."
No longer fresh or fit for consumption; spoiled or sour.
"This milk smells a bit off, so you should probably pour it out."
• adverb
Away from the place in question; to or at a distance in space or time.
"The flock of birds flew off as soon as we approached the tree."
So as to discontinue operation, flow, or electrical supply.
"He turned the television off and picked up his book."
So as to be removed, detached, or separated from something.
"She took her coat off and hung it beside the door."
Absent or relieved from regular work, duty, or service.
"I am taking tomorrow off to attend my sister's graduation."
• preposition
Moving away and often down from a surface, place, or object.
"The notebook rolled off the desk and landed on the rug."
Situated or leading in a direction away from a main road, coast, or room.
"They rented a quiet cottage on a small island off the coast of Maine."
Deducted from the regular price or total amount of something.
"Customers receive twenty percent off all winter coats this week."
Abstaining from or no longer consuming or engaging in something.
"The doctor advised him to stay off caffeine for a few weeks."
• noun
A state or position in which a switch, machine, or appliance is not operating.
"Turn the dial to off when you have finished using the equipment."
British In cricket, the half of the field toward which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball.
"The batsman drove the ball crisply through the off for four runs."
• verb
To kill or murder someone (slang).
"In the crime novel, the syndicate plotted to off the informant before the trial."
British To leave or depart from a place hurriedly (informal).
"As soon as the meeting ended, he offed to catch his train."
Word Nuance & Usage
Unlike 'of', which indicates possession or composition, 'off' denotes separation, removal, or deactivation. Avoid the nonstandard compound 'off of' in formal writing when simple 'off' or 'from' suffices (e.g., 'stepped off the platform').
• Rhymes for off
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'of', originally an stressed variant of the preposition 'of' meaning 'away' or 'away from', descending from Proto-Germanic '*ab'. The spelling distinction between 'of' and 'off' emerged in Middle English and became standardized in the 17th century.