off

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   no longer on or in contact or attached

   clean off the dirt

2. 2
   adv

   at a distance in space or time

   the boat was 5 miles off (or away)

3. 3
   adj

   not performing or scheduled for duties

   He's off every Tuesday

4. 4
   adj

   not in operation or operational

   the oven is off

5. 5
   adj

   (of events) no longer planned or scheduled

   the wedding is definitely off

6. 6
   adj

   below a satisfactory level

   an off year for tennis

7. 7
   adv

   In a direction away from the speaker or other reference point.

   He drove off in a cloud of smoke.

8. 8
   adv

   Into a state of non-operation or non-existence.

   Please switch off the light when you leave.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Germanic *ab Proto-West Germanic *ab Old English æf Old English of Middle English of English off From Middle English of, from Old English of, af, æf (“from, off, away”), from Proto-West Germanic *ab, from Proto-Germanic *ab (“from”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epo (“from, off, back”). Doublet of of. Cognates Cognate with Scots aff (“away, off”), Saterland Frisian oawe, ou (“from”), West Frisian ôf (“away, off”), Dutch af (“from, off”), German ab (“from, off”), German Low German, Luxembourgish of (“off”), Yiddish אָפּ (op,…