BE OFF Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

be off

Leave, depart, as in I'm off to the races; wish me luck . This phrase, first recorded in 1826, was once commonly used as an imperative, meaning “go away”—as in Be off or I'll call the police —but today is rare in this context.
Be free from work, school, or some other regular occupation, as in The secretary is off today, but perhaps I can find it . [Mid-1800s]
Decline, as in The industrial stocks are off 50 points today . This usage, nearly always applied to securities or other prices, was first recorded in 1929, the year of the great stock market crash.
Be in poor condition; be stale or spoiled; not work properly. For example, This milk must be off; it tastes sour , or The kitchen clock is off by at least five minutes . [Early 1990s]

off, be

Discover More

Example Sentences

“Nothing should be off the table,” the official said, including “responses in the digital services sector.”

From

Beyond the many dear friends who lost their homes in the Palisades and Altadena fires, beyond the decimation to our once gorgeous coastline between Santa Monica and Malibu, I thought of my daughter who would soon be off to college, of my ailing father, of my marriage.

From

If this arrangement goes ahead, schools in neighbouring council areas would have different holiday dates, meaning families with siblings in different schools could be off at different times.

From

The fragile truce had mostly held until now, but this new wave of attacks suggests plans for a permanent end to the war may be off the table.

From

If it does not, then the EU Commission's 'ReArm Europe' project could be off to a shaky start.

From

Browse

�y��vlog

be off

Example Sentences