Off Definition

ôf, ŏf

offs

adverb

From a place or position.

He walked off in a huff.

American Heritage

So as to be or keep away, at a distance, to a side, etc.

To move off, to ward off.

Webster's New World

From a given course or route; aside.

The car swerved off into a ditch.

American Heritage

(a specified distance) Away:

Webster's New World

So as to be no longer on, attached, united, covering, in contact, etc.

Take off your hat, the paint wore off.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

adjective

Distant or removed; farther.

The off side of the barn.

American Heritage

Not on, attached, united, etc.

His hat is off.

Webster's New World

Not in operation, function, continuance, etc.

The motor is off.

Webster's New World

Not operating or operational.

The oven is off.

American Heritage

Less, smaller, fewer, etc.

Sales are off.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

preposition

(so as to be) No longer (or not) on, attached to, united with, covering, in contact with, etc.

It blew off the desk; a car went off the road.

Webster's New World

So as to be removed or distant from.

The bird hopped off the branch.

American Heritage

Away from but not far from.

To live off campus, anchored off the lee shore.

Webster's New World

By consuming.

Living off locusts and honey.

American Heritage

From the substance of; on.

To live off an inheritance.

Webster's New World

verb

To go away; leave.

Off or I'll call the police.

American Heritage

To kill; murder.

Webster's New World

(Singapore) To switch off.

Can you off the light?

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

noun

offs

The fact or condition of being off.

Turn the switch from off to on.

Webster's New World

The off side.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
oceanward

interjection

Go away; stay away.

Webster's New World

abbreviation

Offered.

Webster's New World

Office.

Webster's New World

Officer.

Webster's New World

Official.

Webster's New World

Office.

Wiktionary

affix

A contest of skill in a (specified) activity or field, esp. one in which finalists compete, as by preparing their own version of a recipe, to determine a champion.

A chili cook-off.

Webster's New World

prefix

Away from; off.

Wiktionary

idiom

off and on

In an intermittent manner:
slept off and on last night.

American Heritage

off and on

now and then; intermittently

Webster's New World

off with!

put off! take off! remove!

Webster's New World

off with you!

go away! depart!

Webster's New World

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Off

off and on
off and on
off with!
off with you!

Origin of Off

From Middle English of-, from Old English of-, æf- (“off, away, down, un-”), from Proto-Germanic *af- (“off, away”), from Proto-Indo-European *apo- (“off, away”). Cognate with Dutch af- (“off, away, down”), German ab- (“off, from, down”), Latin ab- (“from, of”), Ancient Greek απο- (apo-, “away from, without”).

From Wiktionary
Variant of Middle English of from Old English apo- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Cognate with Latin ab and Greek apo.

From Wiktionary