[Grammar] Does the two sentences mean the same?

[Silverobama]

The dog wants off.

The dog wants out.


Thanks a lot


If the sentence sounds unnatural or old-fashioned to you, please let me know.

 

[Silverobama]

Need your help, thanks.

 

[5jj]

Do([STRIKE] es [/STRIKE]) the two sentences mean the same?

The dog wants off.

The dog wants out.

Both are quite informal.

If the dog wants (to be) off, it wants to leave.
If the dog wants (to be) out, it wants to be outside (eg, the house/cage/etc).

 

[riquecohen]

The dog wants off

The dog wants out. Okay. I would say "the dog wants to go out."


Thanks a lot


If the sentence sounds unnatural or old-fashioned to you, please let me know.

I find this question interesting because I've never heard this phrasal verb, want out, used in terms of wishing to leave a place or to go outside. However, Encarta, Macmillan and the Free Dictionary all give this as one of the definitions and use "the dog wants out" or "the cat wants out" as an example. In my experience, "to want out" generally means "to wish to leave a situation or relationship or no longer be invoved in it"(Macmillan.) As for "want off," I've never heard this in AmE.

 

[5jj]

In my experience, "to want out" generally means "to wish to leave a situation or relationship or no longer be invoved in it"(Macmillan.) As for "want off," I've never heard this in AmE.

I think that your understanding of 'want out' is one that most of us feel. I should have added this to my first post.
I should also have added that 'want off' is uncommon and/or colloquial, and that I recommend the use of neither 'want out' (with this meaning) nor 'want off'.