off
A1Universal across all registers, from informal to formal.
Definition
Meaning
Indicates separation, departure, disconnection, or a state of being away from a previous position or condition.
Used to indicate cessation, removal, reduction, incorrectness, or that something is not in operation, or as a general intensifier.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily functions as an adverb, preposition, adjective, and verb particle. Highly polysemous; its meaning heavily depends on context and the verb or noun it accompanies. In phrasal verbs, it often contributes a sense of completion or finality.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor lexical preferences. British English uses "off" more readily in food contexts (e.g., 'The milk's off'). In sports, 'off' for 'disallowed' is common in BrE (offside). The verb 'to off' (to kill) is very informal and more common in AmE.
Connotations
Similar core connotations. 'Off' describing subpar food/drink is more frequent and neutral in BrE. The phrase 'to be off' (to leave) is slightly more informal in AmE.
Frequency
Extremely high and similar frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Verb + off (phrasal verb)Adjective + off (e.g., well off)Off + noun (e.g., off switch)Noun + off (e.g., take-off)Be + off (departure/state)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Off the record”
- “Off the cuff”
- “Off the wall”
- “Off the beaten track”
- “Off your rocker”
- “Off the hook”
- “Off the top of your head”
- “Off and on”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The meeting was called off." "We wrote off the bad debt."
Academic
"The results were off by a statistically significant margin." "He set off a chain reaction."
Everyday
"Turn the lights off." "I'm off to work." "The milk smells a bit off."
Technical
"The device was powered off." "The measurements were taken off-axis."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He offed the television before bed.
- (Slang) The character was offed in the first episode.
American English
- She offed the engine. (less common)
- (Slang) The mob boss ordered him to be offed.
adverb
British English
- He drove off in a hurry.
- The match kicked off at three.
- My alarm went off too early.
American English
- She ran off down the street.
- Let's start the project right off.
- He took off his hat.
adjective
British English
- This milk is definitely off.
- She's having a bit of an off day today.
- The meat was declared off.
American English
- The milk tasted off.
- The player was off his game.
- The joke was in off-colour taste.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please turn the TV off.
- She got off the bus.
- We are off on holiday tomorrow.
- The concert was called off due to rain.
- He lives in a quiet street off the main road.
- I'm better off staying at home today.
- The negotiators broke off talks indefinitely.
- His estimate was way off the mark.
- She managed to fend off the attacker.
- The actor's performance was subtly off-key, suggesting inner turmoil.
- The new policy has set off a chain of unforeseen consequences.
- He was well off enough to retire early.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a light switch: ON means connected, present, active. OFF means the opposite: disconnected, gone, inactive.
Conceptual Metaphor
SEPARATION IS OFF (cut off, break off). COMPLETION/FINALITY IS OFF (finish off, pay off). INCORRECT/ABNORMAL IS OFF (off-key, off-colour).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'off' as 'of' (предлог родительного падежа). 'Off' in phrasal verbs often cannot be translated literally (e.g., 'put off' ≠ 'ставить прочь'). The adjective meaning 'bad' (e.g., 'off milk') has no direct single-word Russian equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'off' with 'of'. Using 'off' redundantly (e.g., 'He fell off of the chair' - 'off' is sufficient). Incorrect word order in phrasal verbs.
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The yoghurt is off', what does 'off' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. In 'He fell off the bike', it's a preposition (has an object 'the bike'). In 'He drove off', it's an adverb (modifies the verb 'drove').
'Off' relates to separation/distance ('get off the chair'). 'Of' indicates possession, origin, or relation ('a piece of cake', 'the capital of France'). They are different words.
Yes, but informally. It means 'to kill' (slang) or, less commonly, 'to turn/switch off'. The standard uses are as adverb, preposition, and adjective.
Because its core meaning of 'separation' or 'completion' is very versatile. It adds a layer of meaning to a verb, indicating an action is finished, removed, or distanced.