| Off | adv. [ OE. of, orig. the same word as R. of, prep., AS. of, adv. & prep. √194. See Of. ] In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as: [ 1913 Webster ] 1. Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Denoting the action of removing or separating; separation; as, to take off the hat or cloak; to cut off, to pare off, to clip off, to peel off, to tear off, to march off, to fly off, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Denoting a leaving, abandonment, departure, abatement, interruption, or remission; as, the fever goes off; the pain goes off; the game is off; all bets are off. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away; as, to look off. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Denoting opposition or negation. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on. Bp. Sanderson. [ 1913 Webster ]
From off, off from; off. “A live coal . . . taken with the tongs from off the altar.” Is. vi. 6. --
Off and on. (a) Not constantly; not regularly; now and then; occasionally. (b) (Naut.) On different tacks, now toward, and now away from, the land. --
To be off. (a) To depart; to escape; as, he was off without a moment's warning. (b) To be abandoned, as an agreement or purpose; as, the bet was declared to be off. [ Colloq. ] --
To come off,
To cut off,
To fall off,
To go off, etc. See under Come, Cut, Fall, Go, etc. --
To get off. (a) To utter; to discharge; as, to get off a joke. (b) To go away; to escape; as, to get off easily from a trial. [ Colloq. ] --
To take off
To do a take-off on,
To take off, to mimic, lampoon, or impersonate. --
To tell off (a) (Mil.), to divide and practice a regiment or company in the several formations, preparatory to marching to the general parade for field exercises. Farrow. (b) to rebuke (a person) for an improper action; to scold; to reprimand. --
To be well off, to be in good condition. --
To be ill off,
To be badly off, to be in poor condition. [ 1913 Webster ]
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| Off | a. 1. On the farther side; most distant; on the side of an animal or a team farthest from the driver when he is on foot; in the United States, the right side; as, the off horse or ox in a team, in distinction from the nigh or near horse or ox; the off leg. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Designating a time when one is not strictly attentive to business or affairs, or is absent from his post, and, hence, a time when affairs are not urgent; as, he took an off day for fishing: an off year in politics. “In the off season.” Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Designating a time when one's performance is below normal; as, he had an off day. [ PJC ]
Off side. (a) The right hand side in driving; the farther side. See Gee. (b) (Cricket) See Off, n. [ 1913 Webster ]
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