off and on

off and on

Intermittently. It's been snowing off and on since last night, but not much has accumulated. We had been dating off and on for about a year, but we didn't get serious until last month.

See also: and, off, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

off and on

Also, on and off.

1. Intermittently, from time to time. For example, I read his column off and on, or We've been working on the garden all summer, on and off. [Early 1500s]

2. Also, off again, on again; on again, off again. Uncertain, vacillating, as in Theirs is an off again, on again relationship, or The peace talks are on again, off again. Some believe this term originally referred to minor railroad accidents, where a train went off track and then on again. [Mid-1800s]

See also: and, off, on

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

off and on

intermittently; now and then.

See also: and, off, on

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

ˌoff and ˈon

,

ˌon and ˈoff

not regularly; not continuously: It rained on and off all week.

See also: and, off, on

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017