Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[offbeat] {adj.} , {informal} Nonconventional; different from the usual; odd. •/ Linguistics used to be an offbeat field, but nowadays every self-respecting university has a linguistics department. /

[off center] {adv. phr.} Not exactly in the middle. •/ Mary hung the picture off center, because it was more interesting that way. /

[off-center] {adj.} , {informal} Different from the usual pattern; not quite like most others; odd. •/ Roger’s sense of humor was a bit off-center. / Compare: OFF-KEY.

[off-color]or [off-colored] {adj.} 1. Not of the proper hue or shade; not matching a standard color sample. •/ The librarian complained that the painter had used an off-color green on the walls. / 2. {informal} Not of the proper kind for polite society; in bad taste; dirty. •/ When Joe finished his off-color story, no one was pleased. /

[off day] {n. phr.} A period when one is not functioning at his or her best; a period of weakness. •/ The champion was obviously having an off day; otherwise she would have been able to defeat her opponent. / Contrast: DAY OFF.

[off duty] {adj.} Not supposed to be at work; having free time; not working. •/ Sailors like to go sight-seeing, when they are off duty in a foreign port. / •/ It seems that all the taxis in New York are off duty whenever it rains. / — Often used with hyphens, before a noun. •/ The bank robber was captured by an off-duty policeman. / Contrast: ON DUTY.

[off feed]or [off one’s feed] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Not feeling well; lacking in vitality; droopy; moody. •/ Mary was worried; her canary was off feed. / •/ Jerry seemed to be off his feed; he did not joke and laugh with the others. /

[off (one/he/she/it) goes!] {v. phr.} Said of a person, a vehicle, or a memorable thing who/which has started leaving or moving, both as a statement of fact (declarative assertion) or as a command (imperative). •/ When the boat hit the water in the formal launching ceremony, they cried out simultaneously, "Off she goes!" /

[off guard] {adj.} In a careless attitude; not alert to coming danger; not watching. •/ In the second that the boxer was off guard, his opponent landed a knockout punch. / •/ Timmy s question caught Jean off guard, and she told him the secret before she knew it. / Contrast: ON GUARD.

[offhand] {adj.} 1. Informal; casual; careless. •/ Dick found Bob’s offhand manner inappropriate for business. / 2. In an improvised fashion. •/ Offhand, I would guess that at least five thousand people attended the festival. /

[off in a flash]See: IN A FLASH.

[off-key] {adj.} , {informal} 1. Not proper; queer. •/ When George told jokes at the funeral, everyone thought his action was off-key. / 2. In a false key. •/ John always sings off-key. / Compare: OUT OF LINE.

[off limits]See: OUT OF BOUNDS.

[off one’s back] {adj. phr.} 1. {informal} Stopped from bothering one; removed as an annoyance or pest. •/ "Having a kid brother always following me is a nuisance," Mary told her mother. "Can’t you get him off my back?" / •/ The singer was so popular with teenagers that he took a secret vacation, to keep them off his back. / Contrast: ON ONE’S BACK(2). See: GIVE THE SHIRT OFF ONE’S BACK.

[off one’s chest] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Told to someone and so not bothering you anymore; not making you feel worried or upset, because you have talked about it. •/ After Dave told the principal that he had cheated on the test, he was glad because it was off his chest. / •/ Father felt that Tom wasn’t helping enough around the house, so he got it off his chest by giving Tom a list of things to do. / Compare: MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF. Contrast: ON ONE’S CHEST.

[off one’s feet]See: KNOCK OFF ONE’S FEET, SWEEP OFF ONE’S FEET.

[off one’s hands] {adv. phr.} No longer in your care or possession. •/ Ginny was glad to have the sick dog taken off her hands by the doctor. / Contrast: ON ONE’S HANDS.

[off one’s head] {adj. phr.} Crazy; mad. •/ We had no doubt that the old man was off his head when we saw him jumping into the lake with his winter coat on. /

[off one’s high horse] {adj. phr.} , {informal} 1. Not acting proud and scornful; humble and agreeable. •/ The girls were so kind to Nancy after her mother died that she came down off her high horse and made friends with them. / 2. Acting friendly again; not angry and unpleasant any more; agreeable. •/ Sally wouldn’t speak to anyone all afternoon because she couldn’t go to the movies, but she’s off her high horse now. / Contrast: ON ONE’S HIGH HORSE.

[off one’s nut]See: OFF ONE’S HEAD.

[off one’s rocker]or [off one’s trolley] {adj. phr.} , {informal} Not thinking correctly; crazy; silly; foolish. •/ Tom is off his rocker if he thinks he can run faster than Bob can. / •/ If you think you can learn to figure skate in one lesson, you’re off your trolley. / Syn.: OUT OF ONE’S HEAD.

[off one’s trolley]See: OFF ONE’S ROCKER.

[off season]See: LOW SEASON. Contrast: HIGH SEASON, ON SEASON.

[offshoot] {n.} A derivative; a side product. •/ The discovery of nuclear reactors was ah offshoot of research in quantum physics. /

[off the air] {adj. phr.} Not broadcasting; observing radio silence. •/ The talk show is off the air on Wednesdays and Fridays. /

[off the bat]See: RIGHT AWAY or RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

[off the beam] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. (Of an airplane) Not in the radio beam that marks the path to follow between airports; flying in the wrong direction. •/ A radio signal tells the pilot of an airplane when his plane is off the beam. / 2. {slang} Wrong; mistaken. •/ Maud was off the beam when she said that the girls didn’t like her. / Contrast: ON THE BEAM.

[off the beaten track] {adv. phr.} Not well known or often used; not gone to or seen by many people; unusual. •/ The theater is off the beaten track. / •/ We are looking for a vacation spot that is off the beaten track. / Compare: OUT OF THE WAY.

[off the cuff] {adv. phr.} , {informal} Without preparing ahead of time what you will, say; without preparation. •/ Some presidents like to speak off the cuff to newspaper reporters but others prefer to think questions over and write their answers. /

[off-the-cuff] {adj.} , {informal} Not prepared ahead of time. — Used of a speech or remarks. •/ Jack was made master of ceremonies because he was a good off-the-cuff speaker. /

[off the ground]See: GET OFF THE GROUND.

[off the handle]See: FLY OFF THE HANDLE.

[off the hog]See: LIVE HIGH OFF THE HOG.

[off the hook] {adv. phr.} Out of trouble; out of an awkward or embarrassing situation. •/ Thelma found she had made two dates for the same night; she asked Sally to get her off the hook by going out with one of the boys. /

[off the record(1)] {adv. phr.} Confidentially. •/ "Off the record," the boss said, "you will get a good raise for next year, but you’ll have to wait for the official letter." / Contrast: ON RECORD, GO ON RECORD, JUST FOR THE RECORD.

[off the record(2)] {adj. phr.} Not to be published or told; secret; confidential. •/ The president told the reporters his remarks were strictly off the record. / — Sometimes used with hyphens, before the noun. •/ The governor was angry when a newspaper printed his off-the-record comments. /

[off the top of one’s head] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} , {informal} Without thinking hard; quickly. •/ Vin answered the teacher’s question off the top of his head. / •/ When Lorraine was asked to recite, she talked off the top of her head. /

[off the wagon] {adj. phr.} , {slang} No longer refusing to drink whiskey or other alcoholic beverages; drinking liquor again, after stopping for a while. •/ When a heavy drinker quits he must really quit. One little drink of whiskey is enough to drive him off the wagon. / Contrast: ON THE WAGON.

[off the wall] {adj. phr.} Strange; out of the ordinary; stupid. •/ He has been making off-the-wall remarks all day; something must he the matter with him. /

[of it]See: WHAT OF IT.

[of late] {adv. phr.} , {formal} In the recent past; not long ago; a short time ago; lately; recently. •/ There have been too many high school dropouts of late. /

[of necessity] {adv. phr.} Because there is no other way; because it must be; necessarily. •/ Being a professional actor of necessity means working nights and Sundays. /

[of no avail]See: TO NO AVAIL.

[of old(1)] {adj. phr.} Of ancient times; of long ago. •/ Knights of old had to wear armor in battle. /

[of old(2)] {adv. phr.} From earlier experience. •/ You won’t get any money from Freddie. I know him of old. /

[of oneself]See: GIVE OF ONESELF.

[of one’s life] {adj. phr.} The best or worst; greatest. — Usually describing a time or effort. •/ At Disneyland, Tommy had the time of his life. / •/ His race for the presidency was the political fight of his life. /

[of one’s own accord]or [of one’s own free will] {adv. phr.} Without suggestion or help from anyone else; without being told; voluntarily. •/ On her mother’s birthday, Betsy did the dishes of her own accord. / •/ But Johnny hates baths. I can’t believe he would take one of his own free will. /

[of one’s own free will]See: OF ONE’S OWN ACCORD.

[of service] {adj. phr.} Valuable as a source of aid; helpful; useful. •/ When a visitor seems lost or confused, the courteous student will ask "May I be of service?" / •/ A good jackknife is often of service to a camper. /

[of sorts]or [of a sort] {adj. phr.} Not especially good; not very good; of common quality. •/ Joel was a magician of sorts, and popular at parties. /

[often]See: EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY SO OFTEN, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.

[of die devil]See: SPEAK OF THE DEVIL AND HE APPEARS.