Off (ŏf; 115), adv. [OE. of, orig. the same word as R. of, prep., AS. of, adv. & prep. √194. See Of.] In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as:
1. Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off.
2. Denoting the action of removing or separating; separation; as, to take off the hat or cloak; to cut off, to pare off, to clip off, to peel off, to tear off, to march off, to fly off, and the like.
3. Denoting a leaving, abandonment, departure, abatement, interruption, or remission; as, the fever goes off; the pain goes off; the game is off; all bets are off.
4. Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away; as, to look off.
5. Denoting opposition or negation.
The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on. Bp. Sanderson.
From off, off from; off. “A live coal... taken with the tongs from off the altar.” Is. vi. 6. — Off and on. (a) Not constantly; not regularly; now and then; occasionally. (b) (Naut.) On different tacks, now toward, and now away from, the land. — To be off. (a) To depart; to escape; as, he was off without a moment's warning. (b) To be abandoned, as an agreement or purpose; as, the bet was declared to be off. — To come off, To cut off, To fall off, To go off, etc. See under Come, Cut, Fall, Go, etc. — To get off. (a) To utter; to discharge; as, to get off a joke. (b) To go away; to escape; as, to get off easily from a trial. — To take off, to mimic or personate. — To tell off(Mil.), to divide and practice a regiment or company in the several formations, preparatory to marching to the general parade for field exercises. Farrow. — To be well off, to be in good condition. — To be ill off, To be badly off, to be in poor condition.