Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Off

Off

(ŏf; 115)
,
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:
1.
Denoting distance or separation;
as, the house is a mile
off
.
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.
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
.
4.
Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away;
as, to look
off
.
5.
Denoting opposition or negation.
[Obs.]
The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either
off
or on.
Bp. Sanderson.
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.

Off

(ŏf; 115)
,
int
erj.
Away; begone; – a command to depart.

Off

,
p
rep.
Not on; away from;
as, to be
off
one's legs or
off
the bed; two miles
off
the shore.
Addison.
Off hand
.
See
Offhand
.
Off side
(Football)
,
out of play; – said when a player has got in front of the ball in a scrimmage, or when the ball has been last touched by one of his own side behind him.
To be off color
,
(a)
to be of a wrong color.
(b)
to be mildly obscene.
To be off one's food
or
To be off one's feed
, (
Colloq.
)
to have no appetite; to be eating less than usual.

Off

,
Adj.
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.
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.
Off side
.
(a)
The right hand side in driving; the farther side.
See
Gee
.
(b)
(Cricket)
See
Off
,
Noun.

Off

,
Noun.
(Cricket)
The side of the field that is on the right of the wicket keeper.
2.
A dead body; carrion.
Shak.
3.
That which is thrown away as worthless or unfit for use; refuse; rubbish.
The
offals
of other professions.
South.

Webster 1828 Edition


Off

OFF

,
Adj.
auf.
Most distant; as the off horse in a team.