off

1. Finished with one's work for the day. Often followed by the word "work." I'll be off at 6, if you want to meet me then. I need to get these presents wrapped before my wife gets off work.

2. Not attending work or school. I can't wait to be off on my vacation next month. I'm off for two weeks for Christmas, so we'll definitely hang out then!

3. Not correct or accurate. Often followed by "on (something)." The measurements were a bit off, so the shelves don't fit quite right. Sorry, your guess was way off! They were off on their initial valuation by several hundred thousand dollars.

4. Having begun something. Often followed by "on (something)." Dad's off on another mission to protect us innocent kids from violence in the media. I heard you're travelling to India—when are you heading off?

5. Traveling (to some place). We're off to the Bahamas for the next two weeks! I heard you're travelling to India—when are you heading off?

6. Of food, spoiled or rotten. Yuck, I think this milk is off! I think these chicken breasts have gone off—they smell kind of funny.

off (someone)

To kill someone, especially as a means of silencing or disposing of them. The gang offed the accountant before he could use his knowledge as leverage with the district attorney. I puked my guts out the first time I offed somebody. Now it feels like second nature.

*off (work)

and off from work; off of work

1. having left one's work at the end of the day. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) What time do you get off from work? I get off work about five o'clock. She gets off from work later than I do.

2. absent from one's work with permission. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) I think I can get off of work so I can go to the doctor. Sorry, I can't join you. Things are busy at the office, and I can't get off.

*off

(on something)

1. incorrect in one's planning or prediction. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) I was off on my estimates a little bit. I guess I was off too much.

2. to have started on something, such as a task or a journey. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) What time should we be off on our trip? We should be off by dawn. I'm off on my diet again.

3. Sl. to get high on some kind of drug. Max likes to get off on marijuana.

off

1. mod. alcohol or drug intoxicated. She is truly off.

2. tv. to dispose of someone or something; to kill someone. The crooks offed the witness before the trial.

3. in. to die. (see also outed.) The guy just falls down and offs, right there on Main Street.

offed

verb

See outed

off

/out of (one's) gourd Slang

Very foolish; crazy.

off

/out of plumb

Not vertical.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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