offhand

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Not friendly or polite; treating someone in a careless way.

   His offhand reply made her feel unwelcome.

2. 2
   adj

   Said or done without thinking or preparing in advance.

   It was just an offhand remark; he didn't really mean it.

3. 3
   adv

   Without preparation or time to think.

   I can't tell you the exact figures offhand.

From Middle English *ofhande, *ofhende, from Old English ofhende (“absent, lost”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *abahandijaz. Equivalent to (and re-formed as) off- + hand. Cognate with Icelandic afhendur. Compare onhand.

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