Off and on

Off and on
Off Off ([o^]f; 115), adv. [OE. of, orig. the same word as R. of, prep., AS. of, adv. & prep. [root]194. See {Of}.] In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as: [1913 Webster]

1. Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

4. Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away; as, to look off. [1913 Webster]

5. Denoting opposition or negation. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on. --Bp. Sanderson. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Off — ([o^]f; 115), adv. [OE. of, orig. the same word as R. of, prep., AS. of, adv. & prep. [root]194. See {Of}.] In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as: [1913 Webster] 1. Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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