[Vocabulary] The machine is out/off.

[gurpreetgill4u]

Hello,

I would like to know the difference b/w the following sentences:
A) The oven is out.
B) The oven is off



Thanks for your time and consideration.

 

[gurpreetgill4u]

I was trying to understand the difference between "off" and "out", and I encountered these sentences. I could not understand what kind of notion they contribute to the following sentences:

3. Not operating or operational: The oven is off. Source(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/out)

4. Not operating or operational: The power has been out for a week.(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/off)

Thanks for your responsiveness.

 

[emsr2d2]

Did you notice that the examples you found used "the oven" only in the first example? The fact that "out" and "off" are both defined as "not operating or operational" in those examples doesn't mean that you can use either one of them in every sentence requiring a word with that definition.

When we talk about the electricity supply (the power), AmE uses "out". In BrE, we'd use "There's a power cut" or "There hasn't been any electricity for a week". Bear in mind that in the UK, we haven't had power cuts like that since the mid-1970s when there were strikes.

"The oven is off" means only "The oven is not currently switched on". If there's no electricity supply to it, you'd need something like "The oven isn't [currently] connected to the power". If it's broken, then use "The oven's broken/The oven's not working at the moment".

 

[GoesStation]

If it's a gas oven someone might say the oven is out or, more typically, the oven went out.

 

[emsr2d2]

I could just about imagine using "The oven went out" if I had just discovered that the flame was no longer lit. It would mean that I didn't purposely switch it off. Its being off would be a surprise.

I can't imagine using "The oven is out" at all.

 

[Skrej]

If I heard someone say "the oven is out", I'd assume they were referring to the pilot light, or possibly that there's currently no gas supply.

Edit: Or I suppose if it's an electric stove, then I'd assume it had no power.