offshore

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   (of winds) coming from the land

   offshore winds

2. 2
   adj

   at some distance from the shore

   offshore oil reserves

3. 3
   adj

   Located in the sea away from the coast.

   an offshore oil rig

4. 4
   adj

   Located in another country, especially one having beneficial tax laws or labor costs.

   American companies use offshore services for one reason, said Herbert F. Schantz, a consultant in Sterling, Va.: cheap labor.

5. 5
   verb

   To move industrial production from one region to another or from one country to another, in order to seek lower business costs, such as labor.

   The McKinsey Global Institute says that 750,000 American service jobs have been “offshored” out of total U.S. jobs of about 140 million.

6. 6
   noun

   An area of or portion of sea away from the shore.

   This problem, so far as the offshores of the United States is concerned, is one that is eminently worthy of the attention of the United States Fish Commission and the support of Congress in its attempt to solve it.

7. 7
   noun

   An island, outcrop, or other land away from shore.

   The Nationalists see that they have nothing to gain—in fact, a lot to lose—by hanging onto the offshores as military bases.

8. 8
   noun

   Something or someone in, from, or associated with another country.

   If costs are unequally imposed by governments on their offshores, the government makes the U.S. banking industry less competitive.

Etymology

From off- + shore.