I. ˈäd adjective
( usually -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English odde, from Old Norse oddi point of land, triangle, odd number (as in such compounds as oddamathr odd man, oddatala odd number); akin to Old English ord point of a weapon, Old High German ort, Old Norse oddr, and probably to Lithuanian usnis thistle, hawthorn, Albanian usht ear of grain
1.
a. : that is without its corresponding mate : that lacks its complementary match : that is unpaired
found two pairs of shoes and an odd shoe in the closet
lost a glove somewhere and was unable to match the odd one
b.
(1) : that exists alone or is present alone in contrast with others that are paired or coupled or grouped : that is left over
four of them began playing bridge, and the odd player drew up a chair and watched
came without his wife and so turned out to be the odd guest at the party
(2) : that exists alone or is present alone as something that forms or that is designed to form part of a complete set or series : that is separated from an actual or contemplated complete set or series
had in his possession only two or three odd volumes of the original 12-volume set
c. chiefly dialect : that is the only one : single
just for this odd night — Margery Sharp
d. obsolete : excelling in a unique way : choice
2.
a.
(1) : being somewhat though insignificantly more than the indicated round number or than the indicated approximate quantity or extent or degree — used formerly with a preceding and
the eighty and odd pigeons — Matthew Arnold
but now usually used immediately following the numerical adjective and usually connected with it by a hyphen
a book of 300- odd pages
was 40- odd years old
(2) : increased by the addition of a fraction of one of the indicated units — now usually used following the substantive qualified by a numerical adjective
will cost 23 dollars odd
b.
(1) : that constitutes a remainder in comparison with an expressed or implied unitary amount (as of money) : that is left over as a remainder
used most of the check for necessary expenses and spent the odd dollars on his hobby
(2) : that does not total up to any very considerable amount : that does not constitute any very considerable unitary amount
had some odd change in his pocket
some odd nickels and dimes
c. archaic : some , several — used to indicate an indefinite usually small number of unitary amounts of lesser extent than an immediately preceding unitary amount
two thousand odd hundred cavalry — R.T.Wilson
three thousand and odd hundred clouds — Henry Petowe
3.
a. : being any member of a sequence of positive integers beginning with one and counting by twos : not divisible exactly by two — opposed to even
b. : having an odd number as one of a series
read every other odd page of the book
c. : marked by an odd number of units (as of measurement)
needed two odd -length boards, one of 3 feet and one of 5 feet
4. : that exists or occurs or is produced in addition to or apart from what is regular or planned in advance or taken into account: as
a.
(1) : that is a scrap or fragment
swept up the odd bits of metal left on the floor
(2) : that is one of several or many mixed or varied usually unrelated things : miscellaneous
rummaged around and picked up a few odd things we needed
(3) : haphazard , random , scattered
collected odd bits of information
found a few odd references to the book
b.
(1) : that occurs at an irregular or indefinitely determined time
the matter was brought up at one of the club's odd sessions
(2) : that occurs largely by chance : that occurs unpredictably : accidental , fortuitous
an odd stroke of luck
(3) : that occurs at some indefinitely indicated time : that comes along at some time or other
told her he would see her again some odd day
(4) : that occurs sporadically or in an isolated way : that crops up or materializes from time to time : happening or becoming available now and then : occasional , stray
manages to get in some reading at odd moments
at odd moments as a boy he was set to hoeing the family garden — Current Biography
c.
(1) : that does not form part of a regular schedule (as of work) : that is done or engaged in or attended to over and above a regular program or routine : incidental
does odd chores around the house, potters ineffectually round the garden — Geoffrey Gorer
try to supplement their pensions by taking on odd jobs — M.A.Abrams
(2) : that is engaged to do miscellaneous work especially requiring little training or skill
hired a couple of odd hands for the farm
had begun life as an odd boy in various steelworks — R.W.Pickford
d. : that is produced over and above what comes from a regular source : extra
hoped to make a few odd dollars during his summer vacation
e. : casual 4 b (2)
wear odd jackets and slacks — Richard Joseph
5. : that has an out-of-the-way location : secluded , remote
found it in some odd corner of the house
6. : that differs markedly from what is usual or ordinary or accepted : that is hardly or not at all the expected or normal thing : peculiar: as
a.
(1) : strange in behavior or action
a very odd way to show gratitude
has odd little habits
(2) : eccentric or mentally unbalanced
there must have been something odd about the man, or he wouldn't have buried himself alive — G.K.Chesterton
b.
(1) : strange in appearance
had an odd look in her eyes
(2) : grotesque or freakish in appearance
was one of the oddest creatures I had ever seen
c.
(1) : altogether unusual : most uncommon : quite extraordinary : singular , curious , queer
it's odd you didn't know
an odd collection of books
(2) : baffling , mysterious , inexplicable
suffered an odd impulse to get up and kick his chair over — Mary Austin
the young man had an odd effect on her, making her almost giddily loquacious — Harriet La Barre
Synonyms: see strange
II. adverb
Etymology: Middle English odde, from odde, adjective
archaic : oddly
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: odd (I)
1.
a. : a stroke in golf that when played will be one more than the number of strokes played for a hole by one's opponent
b. : a stroke deducted from a weaker opponent's golf score for a hole
2. : odd trick 1