[off.set] n (ca. 1555) 1 a archaic: outset, start b: cessation
2. a (1): a short prostrate lateral shoot arising from the base of a plant (2): a small bulb arising from the base of another bulb b: a lateral or collateral branch (as of a family or race): offshoot c: a spur from a range of hills 3 a: a horizontal ledge on the face of a wall formed by a diminution of its thickness above b: displacement c: an abrupt change in the dimension or profile of an object or the part set off by such change
4: something that sets off to advantage or embellishes something else: foil
5: an abrupt bend in an object by which one part is turned aside out of line
6: something that serves to counterbalance or to compensate for something else; esp: either of two balancing ledger items
7. a: unintentional transfer of ink (as from a freshly printed sheet) b: a printing process in which an inked impression from a plate is first made on a rubber-blanketed cylinder and then transferred to the paper being printed -- offset adj or adv
[2]off.set vb -set ; -set.ting vt (1792) 1 a: to place over against something: balance "credits ~ debits" b: to serve as a counterbalance for: compensate "his speed ~ his opponent's greater weight"
2: to form an offset in "~ a wall" ~ vi: to become marked by offset