/ ɒf; NAmE ɔːf; ɑːf/ adverb , preposition , adjective , noun , verb
■ adverb
HELP NOTE : For the special uses of off in phrasal verbs, look at the entries for the verbs. For example come off is in the phrasal verb section at come .
1.
away from a place; at a distance in space or time :
I called him but he ran off.
Sarah's off in India somewhere.
I must be off soon (= leave) .
Off you go!
Summer's not far off now.
A solution is still some way off.
2.
used to say that sth has been removed :
He's had his beard shaved off.
Take your coat off.
Don't leave the toothpaste with the top off.
3.
starting a race :
They're off (= the race has begun) .
4.
no longer going to happen; cancelled :
The wedding is off.
5.
not connected or functioning :
The water is off.
Make sure the TV is off.
6.
( especially BrE ) ( of an item on a menu ) no longer available or being served :
Sorry, the duck is off.
7.
away from work or duty :
She's off today.
I've got three days off next week.
How many days did you take off ?
I need some time off .
8.
taken from the price :
shoes with $20 off
All shirts have / are 10% off.
9.
behind or at the sides of the stage in a theatre
SYN offstage
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IDIOMS
- be well / better / badly, etc. off
- be better / worse off (doing sth)
- be off for sth
- off and on / on and off
■ preposition
HELP NOTE : For the special uses of off in phrasal verbs, look at the entries for the verbs. For example take sth off sth is in the phrasal verb section at take .
1.
down or away from a place or at a distance in space or time :
I fell off the ladder.
Keep off the grass!
an island off the coast of Spain
They were still 100 metres off the summit.
Scientists are still a long way off finding a cure.
We're getting right off the subject.
2.
leading away from sth, for example a road or room :
We live off Main Street.
There's a bathroom off the main bedroom.
3.
used to say that sth has been removed :
You need to take the top off the bottle first!
I want about an inch off the back of my hair.
4.
away from work or duty :
He's had ten days off school.
5.
away from a price :
They knocked £500 off the car.
6.
off of ( non-standard or NAmE , informal ) off; from :
I got it off of my brother.
7.
not wanting or liking sth that you usually eat or use :
I'm off (= not drinking) alcohol for a week.
He's finally off drugs (= he no longer takes them) .
■ adjective [ not before noun ]
1.
( of food ) no longer fresh enough to eat or drink :
This fish has gone off.
The milk smells off.
It's off.
2.
off (with sb) ( informal , especially BrE ) not polite or friendly :
He was a bit off with me this morning.
3.
( informal , especially BrE ) not acceptable :
It's a bit off expecting us to work on Sunday.
■ noun
[ sing. ] the off the start of a race :
They're ready for the off.
■ verb
[ vn ] ( informal , especially NAmE ) to kill sb
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English , originally a variant of of (which combined the senses of of and off ).