[General] About 'Off'

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

"This young lady is your friend? Miss Sharp, I am very happy to see you. Have you and Emmy been quarrelling already with Joseph, that he wants to be off?"

be off = leave, depart

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes.

 

[vil]

be off - 2

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

I'm sorry, the lamb is off, may I suggest some chicken?

be off = end (about eating in a restaurant)

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: be off - 2

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

I'm sorry, the lamb is off, may I suggest some chicken?

be off = end (about eating in a restaurant)

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

If the waiter says "Sorry, the lamb's off", it means they don't have any (or at least they're not prepared to sell it to you!). It's short for "off the menu", whereas the food that you can order is "on the menu".

Of course, if the lamb has already been served and the customer calls the waiter over to say "Excuse me, the lamb's off", it has a totally different meaning. It means that the food has gone bad, spoiled, rotten, mouldy etc!

 

[vil]

be off - 3

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

This fish is off. I won't buy it, I do not buy it.

be off = spoiled (of food)

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: be off - 3

Yes. Coincidentally, I just added this definition to your "be off - 2" post.

 

[MASM]

Re: be off - 2

If the waiter says "Sorry, the lamb's off", it means they don't have any (or at least they're not prepared to sell it to you!). It's short for "off the menu", whereas the food that you can order is "on the menu".

This context is clear. Although I was wondering if you could use "off the menu" to refer to dishes that are not written on the menu but they can offer them to you at the restaurant on a specific day.
They sometimes do that where I live and I'd like to know if you'd use it that way.

For example: " We've got lamb chops in tomato sauce but also off the menu we've got garlic chicken"

 

[vil]

be off - 4

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

I'm off at 6.00; let's meet then/let us look around at this time

be off = released from work

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

 

[vil]

be off - 5

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

Oh dear, Father's off again on his favorite subject-himself!

be off = colloq . create a plate, (begin a long talk on some topic)

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

 

[vil]

be off - 6

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?
How are you off for clothes?
be off = colloq . squirrel

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V

 

[vil]

be off - 7

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

If Jim and Mary are quarrelling already, it looks as if their marriage is off to a bad start.

Be off to = to begin with (smth.)

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V

 

[vil]

be off - 8

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

Be off with the old love before you are on with the new.

be off with = colloq . released, get rid

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V

 

[vil]

be off - 9

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

The industrial stocks are off 50 points today.

go off = decline

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V

 

[riquecohen]

Re: be off - 4

Yes. Also "I get off at..."

 

[riquecohen]

Re: be off - 5

Yes. You could also say that '''he´s gone off again on his favorite subject."
.I´ve never heard the expression "create a plate."

 

[Red5]

All 'Off' threads have now been merged into this one. Please continue to post related discussion of 'off' here.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: be off - 4

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

I'm off at 6.00; let's meet then/let us look around at this time

be off = released from work

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

Yes, it means the time you finish work.

What time are you off tonight?
What time do you get off work?
I'm off at 6, so I'll meet you at 6.30.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: be off - 5

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

Oh dear, Father's off again on his favorite subject-himself!

be off = colloq . create a plate, (begin a long talk on some topic)

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

I've never heard "create a plate" either. Is that a direct translation from your native language?

The meaning is correct, though.

Oh god, he's off again!!

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: be off - 6

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?
How are you off for clothes?
be off = colloq . squirrel

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V

It means "Do you have enough...?"

How are you off for money?

"Squirrel" doesn't really work here. If you "squirrel things away" then you hoard them, or hide them.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: be off - 8

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

Be off with the old love before you are on with the new.

be off with = colloq . released, get rid

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V

Hmmm, I'm not sure about this one. I've never heard it used like that, but that doesn't mean it's wrong.

The only usage I've heard for "be off with", is when it's followed by "you".

"Be off with you!" = Go away!