Off adv. In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as:
1. Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off.
2. Denoting the action of removing or separating; separation; as, to take off the hat or cloak; to cut off, to pare off, to clip off, to peel off, to tear off, to march off, to fly off, and the like.
3. Denoting a leaving, abandonment, departure, abatement, interruption, or remission; as, the fever goes off; the pain goes off; the game is off; all bets are off.
4. Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away; as, to look off.
5. Denoting opposition or negation. [Obs.]
The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on. --Bp. Sanderson.
From off, off from; off. “A live coal . . . taken with the tongs from off the altar.” --Is. vi. 6.
Off and on. (a) Not constantly; not regularly; now and then; occasionally. (b) Naut. On different tacks, now toward, and now away from, the land.
To be off. (a) To depart; to escape; as, he was off without a moment's warning. (b) To be abandoned, as an agreement or purpose; as, the bet was declared to be off. [Colloq.]
To come off, To cut off, To fall off, To go off, etc. See under Come, Cut, Fall, Go, etc.
To get off. (a) To utter; to discharge; as, to get off a joke. (b) To go away; to escape; as, to get off easily from a trial. [Colloq.]
To take off To do a take-off on, To take off, to mimic, lampoon, or impersonate.
To tell off (a) Mil., to divide and practice a regiment or company in the several formations, preparatory to marching to the general parade for field exercises. --Farrow. (b) to rebuke (a person) for an improper action; to scold; to reprimand.
To be well off, to be in good condition.
To be ill off, To be badly off, to be in poor condition.