off

/ɔːf//ɑf//ɒf//ɔf/

noun

1
(usually in phrases such as 'from the off', 'at the off', etc.) Beginning; starting point.
“He has been very obviously an untrustworthy narrator right from the off.”

1
Inoperative, disabled.
“All the lights are off.”
2
Cancelled; not happening.
“The party's off because the hostess is sick.”
3
Not fitted; not being worn.
“The drink spilled out of the bottle because the top was off.”
4
Rancid, rotten, gone bad.
“This milk is off!”
5
Less than normal, in temperament or in result.
“sales are off this quarter”
6
Inappropriate; untoward.
“I felt that his comments were a bit off.”
7
(in phrases such as 'well off', 'better off', 'poorly off') Circumstanced.
8
Started on the way.
“And they're off! Whatsmyname takes an early lead, with Remember The Mane behind by a nose.”
9
Far; off to the side.
“He took me down the corridor and into an off room.”
10
Designating a time when one is not strictly attentive to business or affairs, or is absent from a post, and, hence, a time when affairs are not urgent.
“He took an off day for fishing. an off year in politics; the off season”
11
(in phrases such as 'off day') Designating a time when one is not performing to the best of one's abilities.
12
(of a dish on a menu) Presently unavailable.
“— I'll have the chicken please.”
13
(in relation to a vehicle) On the side furthest from the kerb (the right-hand side if one drives on the left).
“The off front wheel came loose.”
14
In, or towards the half of the field away from the batsman's legs; the right side for a right-handed batsman.

1
In a direction away from the speaker or object.
“He drove off in a cloud of smoke.”
2
Into a state of non-operation or non-existence.
“Please switch off the light when you leave.”
3
So as to remove or separate, or be removed or separated.
“He bit off the end of the carrot.”
4
Used in various other ways specific to individual idiomatic phrases, e.g. bring off, show off, put off, tell off, etc. See the entry for the individual phrase.

1
Not positioned upon; away from a position upon.
“He's off the roof now.”
2
Detached, separated, excluded or disconnected from; away from a position of attachment or connection to.
“He was thrown off the team for cheating.”
3
Used to indicate the location or direction of one thing relative to another, implying adjacency or accessibility via.
“His office is off this corridor on the right.”
4
Used to express location at sea relative to land or mainland.
“The island is 23 miles off the cape.”
5
Removed or subtracted from.
“There's 20% off the list price.”
6
No longer wanting or taking.
“He's been off his feed since Tuesday.”
7
(more properly 'from') Out of the possession of.
“He didn't buy it off him. He stole it off him.”
8
Placed after a number (of products or parts, as if a unit), in commerce or engineering.
“I'd like to re-order those printer cartridges, let's say 5-off.”

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