Off vs. Of — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Off and Of
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Definitions
Off➦
Away from the place in question; to or at a distance
The man ran off
She dashed off to her room
We must be off now
Of➦
Expressing the relationship between a part and a whole.
Off➦
So as to be removed or separated
A section of the runway had been cordoned off
He whipped off his coat
Of➦
Expressing the relationship between a scale or measure and a value
An increase of 5%
A height of 10 metres
Off➦
Starting a journey or race; leaving
They're off!
The gunmen made off on foot
We're off on holiday tomorrow
Of➦
Indicating an association between two entities, typically one of belonging, in which the first is the head of the phrase and the second is something associated with it
A photograph of the bride
The son of a friend
The government of India
A former colleague of John's
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Off➦
So as to bring to an end or be discontinued
She broke off her reading to look at her husband
The Christmas party rounded off a hugely successful year
Of➦
Expressing the relationship between a direction and a point of reference
North of Watford
Off➦
(of an electrical appliance or power supply) not functioning or so as to cease to function
The electricity was off for four days
Switch the TV off
Of➦
Expressing the relationship between a general category or type and the thing being specified which belongs to such a category
The idea of a just society
The population of interbreeding individuals
This type of book
The city of Prague
Off➦
Having access to or possession of material goods or wealth to the extent specified
How are you off for money?
We'd been rather badly off for books
Of➦
Following a noun derived from or related to a verb.
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Off➦
(with preceding numeral) denoting a quantity produced at one time.
Of➦
Where the head of the phrase is a predicative adjective
I am certain of that
It was kind of you to ask
Off➦
Moving away and often down from
The coat slipped off his arms
He rolled off the bed
Trying to get us off the stage
Of➦
Indicating the relationship between a verb and an indirect object.
Off➦
Situated or leading in a direction away from (a main route or intersection)
In a little street off Whitehall
Single wires leading off the main lines
Of➦
Indicating the material or substance constituting something
Walls of stone
The house was built of bricks
Off➦
So as to be removed or separated from
They knocked $2,000 off the price
It's a huge burden off my shoulders
Threatening to tear the door off its hinges
Of➦
Expressing time in relation to the following hour
It would be just a quarter of three in New York
Off➦
Having a temporary dislike of
He's running a temperature and he's off his food
Of➦
Derived or coming from; originating at or from
Customs of the South.
Off➦
Characterized by performing or feeling worse than usual; unsatisfactory or inadequate
Even the greatest athletes have off days
Of➦
Caused by; resulting from
A death of tuberculosis.
Off➦
(of food) no longer fresh
The fish was a bit off
Of➦
Away from; at a distance from
A mile east of here.
Off➦
Located on the side of a vehicle that is normally furthest from the kerb; offside.
Of➦
So as to be separated or relieved from
Robbed of one's dignity.
Cured of distemper.
Off➦
Annoying or unfair
His boss deducted the money from his pay. That was a bit off
Of➦
From the total or group comprising
Give of one's time.
Two of my friends.
Most of the cases.
Off➦
Unfriendly or hostile
There's no one there except the barmaid, and she's a bit off
Of➦
Composed or made from
A dress of silk.
Off➦
The half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) towards which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball.
Of➦
Associated with or adhering to
People of your religion.
Off➦
The start of a race, journey, or experience
Now Ian is ready for the off
Of➦
Belonging or connected to
The rungs of a ladder.
Off➦
Leave
Supposedly loyal workers suddenly upped and offed to the new firms
Of➦
Possessing; having
A person of honor.
Off➦
Kill; murder
I finally snapped and offed the guy
Of➦
On one's part
Very nice of you.
Off➦
From a place or position
He walked off in a huff.
Of➦
Containing or carrying
A basket of groceries.
Off➦
At a certain distance in space or time
A mile off.
A week off.
Of➦
Specified as; named or called
A depth of ten feet.
The Garden of Eden.
Off➦
From a given course or route; aside
The car swerved off into a ditch.
Of➦
Centering on; directed toward
A love of horses.
Off➦
Into a state of unconsciousness
I must have dozed off.
Of➦
Produced by; issuing from
Products of the vine.
Off➦
So as to be no longer on, attached, or connected
He shaved off his mustache.
Of➦
Characterized or identified by
A year of famine.
Off➦
So as to be divided
We marked off the playing field by yards.
Of➦
With reference to; about
Think highly of her proposals.
Will speak of it later.
Off➦
So as to be no longer continuing, operating, or functioning
She switched off the radio.
Of➦
In respect to
Slow of speech.
Off➦
So as to be completely removed, finished, or eliminated
Will the cats kill off the mice?.
Of➦
Set aside for; taken up by
A day of rest.
Off➦
So as to be in a state of sudden violent or loud activity
The firecracker went off. The alarm went off.
Of➦
Before; until
Five minutes of two.
Off➦
So as to be smaller, fewer, or less
Sales dropped off.
Of➦
During or on a specified time
Of recent years.
Off➦
So as to be away from or not engaged in work or duty
They took a day off.
Of➦
By
Beloved of the family.
Off➦
Offstage.
Of➦
Used to indicate an appositive
That idiot of a driver.
Off➦
Distant or removed; farther
The off side of the barn.
Of➦
(Archaic)On
"A plague of all cowards, I say" (Shakespeare).
Off➦
Remote; slim
Stopped by on the off chance that they're home.
Of➦
Expressing distance or motion.
Off➦
Not on, attached, or connected
With my shoes off.
Of➦
From (of distance, direction), "off".
Off➦
Not operating or operational
The oven is off.
Of➦
Since, from (a given time, earlier state etc.).
Off➦
No longer taking place; canceled
The wedding is off.
Of➦
From, away from (a position, number, distance etc.).
There are no shops within twenty miles of the cottage.
Off➦
Slack
Production was off this year.
Of➦
Expressing separation.
Off➦
Not up to standard; below a normal or satisfactory level
Your pitching is off today.
Of➦
Indicating removal, absence or separation, with the action indicated by a transitive verb and the quality or substance by a grammatical object.
Finally she was relieved of the burden of caring for her sick husband.
Off➦
Not accurate; incorrect
Your statistical results are off.
Of➦
Indicating removal, absence or separation, with resulting state indicated by an adjective.
He seemed devoid of human feelings.
Off➦
Somewhat crazy; eccentric
I think that person is a little off.
Of➦
(obsolete) Indicating removal, absence or separation, construed with an intransitive verb.
Off➦
Started on the way; going
I'm off to see the president.
Of➦
Expressing origin.
Off➦
Absent, away from, or not engaged in work or duty
She's off every Tuesday.
Of➦
Indicating an ancestral source or origin of descent.
The word is believed to be of Japanese origin.
Off➦
Spent away from work or duty
My off day is Saturday.
Of➦
Introducing an epithet that indicates a birthplace, residence, dominion, or other place associated with the individual.
Jesus of Nazareth (after hometown)
Anselm of Canterbury (after diocese)
Anselm of Aosta (after birthplace)
Anselm of Bec (after monastery)
Pedro II of Brazil (after dominion)
Mrs Miggins of Gasworks Road, Mudchester (after place of residence)
Off➦
Being on the right side of an animal or vehicle.
Of➦
Indicating a (non-physical) source of action or emotion; introducing a cause, instigation; from, out of, as an expression of.
The invention was born of necessity.
Off➦
Being the animal or vehicle on the right.
Of➦
(following an intransitive verb) Indicates the source or cause of the verb.
It is said that she died of a broken heart.
Off➦
(Nautical) Farthest from the shore; seaward.
Of➦
(following an adjective) Indicates the subject or cause of the adjective.
I am tired of all this nonsense.
Off➦
(Sports) Toward or designating the side of the field facing the batsman in cricket.
Of➦
Expressing agency.
Off➦
Off-color.
Of➦
(following a passive verb) Indicates the agent (for most verbs, now usually expressed with by).
I am not particularly enamoured of this idea.
Off➦
So as to be removed or distant from
The bird hopped off the branch.
Of➦
Used to introduce the "subjective genitive"; following a noun to form the head of a postmodifying noun phrase (see also 'Possession' senses below).
The contract can be terminated at any time with the agreement of both parties.
Off➦
Away or relieved from
Off duty.
Of➦
(following an adjective) Used to indicate the agent of something described by the adjective.
It was very brave of you to speak out like that.
Off➦
By consuming
Living off locusts and honey.
Of➦
Expressing composition, substance.
Off➦
With the means provided by
Living off my pension.
Of➦
(after a verb expressing construction, making etc.) Used to indicate the material or substance used.
Many 'corks' are now actually made of plastic.
Off➦
(Informal) From
"What else do you want off me?" (Jimmy Breslin).
Of➦
(directly following a noun) Used to indicate the material of the just-mentioned object.
She wore a dress of silk.
Off➦
Extending or branching out from
An artery off the heart.
Of➦
Indicating the composition of a given collective or quantitative noun.
What a lot of nonsense!
Off➦
Not up to the usual standard of
Off his game.
Of➦
Used to link a given class of things with a specific example of that class.
Welcome to the historic town of Harwich.
Off➦
So as to abstain from
Went off narcotics.
Of➦
Links two nouns in near-apposition, with the first qualifying the second; "which is also".
I'm not driving this wreck of a car.
Off➦
(Nautical) To seaward of
A mile off Sandy Hook.
Of➦
Introducing subject matter.
Off➦
To go away; leave
Off or I'll call the police.
Of➦
Links an intransitive verb, or a transitive verb and its subject (especially verbs to do with thinking, feeling, expressing etc.), with its subject-matter; concerning, with regard to.
I'm always thinking of you.
Off➦
To murder.
Of➦
(following a noun (now chiefly nouns of knowledge, communication etc.)) Introduces its subject matter; about, concerning.
He told us the story of his journey to India.
Off➦
In a direction away from the speaker or other reference point.
He drove off in a cloud of smoke.
Of➦
(following an adjective) Introduces its subject matter.
This behaviour is typical of teenagers.
Off➦
Into a state of non-operation or non-existence.
Please switch off the light when you leave.
Die off
Of➦
Having partitive effect.
Off➦
So as to remove or separate, or be removed or separated.
He bit off the end of the carrot.
Some branches were sawn off.
Of➦
(following a number or other quantitive word) Introduces the whole for which is indicated only the specified part or segment; "from among".
Most of these apples are rotten.
Off➦
(theatre) Offstage.
Noises off
Of➦
(following a noun) Indicates a given part.
Off➦
Used in various other ways specific to individual idiomatic phrases, e.g. bring off, show off, put off, tell off, etc. See the entry for the individual phrase.
Of➦
Some, an amount of, one of.
On the whole, they seem to be of the decent sort.
Off➦
Inoperative, disabled.
All the lights are off.
Of➦
Links to a genitive noun or possessive pronoun, with partitive effect (though now often merged with possessive senses, below).
He is a friend of mine.
Off➦
Cancelled; not happening.
The party's off because the hostess is sick.
Of➦
Expressing possession.
Off➦
Not fitted; not being worn.
Your feet will feel better once those tight boots are off.
The drink spilled out of the bottle because the top was off.
Of➦
Belonging to, existing in, or taking place in a given location, place or time. Compare "origin" senses, above.
He was perhaps the most famous scientist of the twentieth century.
Off➦
Rancid, rotten, gone bad.
This milk is off!
Of➦
Belonging to (a place) through having title, ownership or control over it.
The owner of the nightclub was arrested.
Off➦
Disgusting, repulsive, abhorrent.
Of➦
Belonging to (someone or something) as something they possess or have as a characteristic; the "possessive genitive". (With abstract nouns, this intersects with the subjective genitive, above under "agency" senses.)
Keep the handle of the saucepan away from the flames.
Off➦
Less than normal, in temperament or in result.
Sales are off this quarter
Of➦
Forming the "objective genitive".
Off➦
Inappropriate; untoward.
I felt that his comments were a bit off.
Of➦
Follows an agent noun, verbal noun or noun of action.
She had a profound distrust of the police.
Off➦
(in phrases such as 'well off', 'poorly off', etc., and in 'how?' questions) Circumstanced.
Our family used to be well off; now we're very badly off.
How are you off for milk? Shall I get you some more from the shop?
Of➦
Expressing qualities or characteristics.
Off➦
Started on the way.
Off to see the wizard
And they're off! Whatsmyname takes an early lead, with Remember The Mane behind by a nose.
Of➦
Links an adjective with a noun or noun phrase to form a quasi-adverbial qualifier; in respect to, as regards.
My companion seemed affable and easy of manner.
Off➦
Far; off to the side.
He took me down the corridor and into an off room.
The off horse or ox in a team, in distinction from the nigh or near horse
Of➦
Indicates a quality or characteristic; "characterized by".
Pooh was said to be a bear of very little brain.
Off➦
Designating a time when one is not strictly attentive to business or affairs, or is absent from a post, and, hence, a time when affairs are not urgent.
He took an off day for fishing.
An off year in politics;
The off season
Of➦
Indicates quantity, age, price, etc.
We have been paying interest at a rate of 10%.
Off➦
(in phrases such as 'off day') Designating a time when one is not performing to the best of one's abilities.
Of➦
Used to link singular indefinite nouns (preceded by the indefinite article) and attributive adjectives modified by certain common adverbs of degree.
It's not that big of a deal.
Off➦
Presently unavailable.
— I'll have the chicken please.
— Sorry, chicken's off today.
Of➦
Expressing a point in time.
Off➦
On the side furthest from the kerb (the right-hand side if one drives on the left).
The off front wheel came loose.
Of➦
During the course of (a set period of time, day of the week etc.), now specifically with implied repetition or regularity.
Of an evening, we would often go for a stroll along the river.
Off➦
(cricket) In, or towards the half of the field away from the batsman's legs; the right side for a right-handed batsman.
Of➦
For (a given length of time).
I’ve not tekken her out of a goodly long while.
Off➦
Not positioned upon, or away from a position upon.
He's off the roof now.
I took it off the table.
Keep off the grass.
Of➦
(after a noun) Indicates duration of a state, activity etc.
After a delay of three hours, the plane finally took off.
Off➦
Detached, separated, excluded or disconnected from; away from a position of attachment or connection to.
The phone is off the hook
The coat fell off the peg.
He was thrown off the team for cheating.
We've been off the grid for three days now.
We're off their radar.
He's off the computer, but he's still on the phone.
Of➦
Denotes the number of minutes before the hour;Before (the hour); to.
What's the time? / Nearly a quarter of three.
Off➦
Used to indicate the location or direction of one thing relative to another, implying adjacency or accessibility via.
His office is off this corridor on the right.
We're just off the main road.
Look! There's a UFO off our left wing!
Of➦
(usually in modal perfect constructions) have, chiefly in depictions of colloquial speech.
Off➦
Used to express location at sea relative to land or mainland.
The island is 23 miles off the cape.
Of➦
In a general sense, from, or out from; proceeding from; belonging to; relating to; concerning; - used in a variety of applications; as:
Off➦
Removed or subtracted from.
There's 20% off the list price.
Of➦
Denoting that from which anything proceeds; indicating origin, source, descent, and the like; as, he is of a race of kings; he is of noble blood.
That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you.
Off➦
No longer wanting or taking.
He's been off his feed since Tuesday.
He's off his meds again.
Of➦
Denoting possession or ownership, or the relation of subject to attribute; as, the apartment of the consul: the power of the king; a man of courage; the gate of heaven.
Off➦
Out of the possession of.
He didn't buy it off him. He stole it off him.
Of➦
Denoting the material of which anything is composed, or that which it contains; as, a throne of gold; a sword of steel; a wreath of mist; a cup of water.
Off➦
Placed after a number (of products or parts, as if a unit), in commerce or engineeringEngineering.
Tantalum bar 6 off 3/8" Dia × 12" — Atom, Great Britain Atomic Energy Authority, 1972
Samples submitted … 12 off Thermistors type 1K3A531 … — BSI test report for shock and vibration testing, 2000
I'd like to re-order those printer cartridges, let's say 5-off.
Of➦
Denoting part of an aggregate or whole; belonging to a number or quantity mentioned; out of; from amongst; as, of this little he had some to spare; some of the mines were unproductive; most of the company.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
It is a duty to communicate of those blessings we have received.
Off➦
To kill.
Of➦
Denoting that by which a person or thing is actuated or impelled; also, the source of a purpose or action; due to; as, they went of their own will; no body can move of itself; he did it of necessity.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts.
Off➦
To switch off.
Can you off the light?
Of➦
Denoting reference to a thing; about; concerning; relating to; as, to boast of one's achievements; they talked of many things.
Knew you of this fair work?
Off➦
(usually in phrases such as 'from the off', 'at the off', etc.) Beginning; starting point.
He has been very obviously an untrustworthy narrator right from the off.
Of➦
Denoting nearness or distance, either in space or time; from; as, within a league of the town; within an hour of the appointed time.
Off➦
In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as:
Of➦
Denoting identity or equivalence; - used with a name or appellation, and equivalent to the relation of apposition; as, the continent of America; the city of Rome; the Island of Cuba.
Off➦
Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off.
Of➦
Denoting the agent, or person by whom, or thing by which, anything is, or is done; by.
And told to her of [by] some.
He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
[Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil.
Off➦
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.
Of➦
Denoting relation to place or time; belonging to, or connected with; as, men of Athens; the people of the Middle Ages; in the days of Herod.
Off➦
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.
Of➦
Denoting passage from one state to another; from.
Off➦
Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away; as, to look off.
Of➦
During; in the course of.
Not be seen to wink of all the day.
My custom always of the afternoon.
Why, knows not Montague, that of itselfEngland is safe, if true within itself?
Off➦
Denoting opposition or negation.
The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on.
Off➦
Away; begone; - a command to depart.
Off➦
Not on; away from; as, to be off one's legs or off the bed; two miles off the shore.
Off➦
On the farther side; most distant; on the side of an animal or a team farthest from the driver when he is on foot; in the United States, the right side; as, the off horse or ox in a team, in distinction from the nigh or near horse or ox; the off leg.
Off➦
Designating a time when one is not strictly attentive to business or affairs, or is absent from his post, and, hence, a time when affairs are not urgent; as, he took an off day for fishing: an off year in politics.
Off➦
Designating a time when one's performance is below normal; as, he had an off day.
Off➦
The side of the field that is on the right of the wicket keeper.
Off➦
Not in operation or operational;
The oven is off
The lights are off
Off➦
Below a satisfactory level;
An off year for tennis
His performance was off
Off➦
(of events) no longer planned or scheduled;
The wedding is definitely off
Off➦
In an unpalatable state;
Sour milk
Off➦
Not performing or scheduled for duties;
He's off every Tuesday
He was off duty when it happened
An off-duty policeman
Off➦
From a particular thing or place or position (`forth' is obsolete);
Ran away from the lion
Wanted to get away from there
Sent the children away to boarding school
The teacher waved the children away from the dead animal
Went off to school
They drove off
Go forth and preach
Off➦
At a distance in space or time;
The boat was 5 miles off (or away)
The party is still 2 weeks off (or away)
Away back in the 18th century
Off➦
No longer on or in contact or attached;
Clean off the dirt
He shaved off his mustache
