OFF
—adverb. 1 away; at or to a distance (drove off; 3 miles off). 2 out of position; not on, touching, or attached; loose, separate, gone (has come off; take your coat off). 3 so as to be rid of (sleep it off). 4 so as to break continuity or continuance; discontinued, stopped (turn off the radio; take a day off; the game is off). 5 not available on a menu etc. (chips are off). 6 to the end; entirely; so as to be clear (clear off; finish off; pay off). 7 situated as regards money, supplies, etc. (well off). 8 off stage (noises off). 9 (of food etc.) Beginning to decay. —prep. 1 a from; away, down, or up from (fell off the chair; took something off the price). B not on (off the pitch). 2 a temporarily relieved of or abstaining from (off duty). B temporarily not attracted by (off his food). C not achieving (off form). 3 using as a source or means of support (live off the land). 4 leading from; not far from (a street off the strand). 5 at a short distance to sea from (sank off cape horn). —adjective. 1 far, further (off side of the wall). 2 (of a part of a vehicle, animal, or road) right (the off front wheel). 3 cricket designating the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) to which the striker`s feet are pointed. 4 colloq. A annoying, unfair (that`s really off). B somewhat unwell (feeling a bit off). —none. 1 the off side in cricket. 2 start of a race. ? off and on intermittently; now and then. Off the cuff see *cuff1. Off the peg see *peg. [var of *of] usage the use of off of for the preposition off (sense 1a), e.g. Picked it up off of the floor, is non-standard and should be avoided.