Off vs. Slight — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Off and Slight
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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
Slight
Small in size, degree, or amount
A slight tilt.
A slight surplus.
Off
So as to be removed or separated
A section of the runway had been cordoned off
He whipped off his coat
Slight
Lacking strength, substance, or solidity; frail
A slight foundation.
Slight evidence.
Off
Starting a journey or race; leaving
They're off!
The gunmen made off on foot
We're off on holiday tomorrow
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Slight
Of small importance or consideration; trifling
Slight matters.
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
Slight
Small and slender in build or construction; delicate.
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
Slight
To treat (someone) with discourteous reserve or inattention
"the occasional feeling of being slighted at others' underestimating my charms and talents" (Joseph Epstein).
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
Slight
To treat as of small importance; make light of
"If I have ... slighted the contributions of my many predecessors, let me offer a blanket apology" (Joseph J. Ellis).
Off
(with preceding numeral) denoting a quantity produced at one time.
Slight
To do negligently or thoughtlessly; scant
"It is a proper question to ask of an assignment whether some of its parts might be omitted or slighted" (Stanley Fish).
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
Slight
To raze or level the walls of (a castle or other fortification).
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
Slight
A deliberate discourtesy; a snub
"She got into the car, thinking how sensitive men are to slights from women and how insensitive to slights to women" (Marge Piercy).
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
Slight
Small.
Off
Having a temporary dislike of
He's running a temperature and he's off his food
Slight
Gentle or weak, not aggressive or powerful.
Give it a slight kick
A slight hint of cinnamon
A slight effort
A slight (i.e. not convincing) argument
Off
Characterized by performing or feeling worse than usual; unsatisfactory or inadequate
Even the greatest athletes have off days
Slight
Not thorough; superficial.
Make a slight examination
Off
(of food) no longer fresh
The fish was a bit off
Slight
Trifling; unimportant; insignificant.
We made a slight mistake
A slight pain
Off
Located on the side of a vehicle that is normally furthest from the kerb; offside.
Slight
Not far away in space or time.
In the slight future
Off
Annoying or unfair
His boss deducted the money from his pay. That was a bit off
Slight
Of slender build.
A slight but graceful woman
Off
Unfriendly or hostile
There's no one there except the barmaid, and she's a bit off
Slight
(regional) Even, smooth or level.
A slight stone
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.
Slight
(especially said of the sea) Still; with little or no movement on the surface.
The sea was slight and calm
Off
The start of a race, journey, or experience
Now Ian is ready for the off
Slight
(obsolete) Foolish; silly; not intellectual.
Off
Leave
Supposedly loyal workers suddenly upped and offed to the new firms
Slight
Bad, of poor quality.
Off
Kill; murder
I finally snapped and offed the guy
Slight
(dated) Slighting; treating with disdain.
Off
From a place or position
He walked off in a huff.
Slight
(transitive) To treat as unimportant or not worthy of attention; to make light of.
Off
At a certain distance in space or time
A mile off.
A week off.
Slight
(transitive) To give lesser weight or importance to.
Off
From a given course or route; aside
The car swerved off into a ditch.
Slight
(transitive) To treat with disdain or neglect, usually out of prejudice, hatred, or jealousy; to ignore disrespectfully.
Off
Into a state of unconsciousness
I must have dozed off.
Slight
(intransitive) To act negligently or carelessly. en
Off
So as to be no longer on, attached, or connected
He shaved off his mustache.
Slight
To render no longer defensible by full or partial demolition.
Off
So as to be divided
We marked off the playing field by yards.
Slight
To make even or level.
Off
So as to be no longer continuing, operating, or functioning
She switched off the radio.
Slight
(transitive) To throw heedlessly.
Off
So as to be completely removed, finished, or eliminated
Will the cats kill off the mice?.
Slight
The act of ignoring or snubbing; a deliberate act of neglect or discourtesy.
Off
So as to be in a state of sudden violent or loud activity
The firecracker went off. The alarm went off.
Slight
(obsolete) Sleight.
Off
So as to be smaller, fewer, or less
Sales dropped off.
Slight
Sleight.
Off
So as to be away from or not engaged in work or duty
They took a day off.
Slight
The act of slighting; the manifestation of a moderate degree of contempt, as by neglect or oversight; neglect; indignity.
Off
Offstage.
Slight
To overthrow; to demolish.
Off
Distant or removed; farther
The off side of the barn.
Slight
To make even or level.
Off
Remote; slim
Stopped by on the off chance that they're home.
Slight
To throw heedlessly.
The rogue slighted me into the river.
Off
Not on, attached, or connected
With my shoes off.
Slight
To disregard, as of little value and unworthy of notice; to make light of; as, to slight the divine commands.
The wretch who slights the bounty of the skies.
Beware . . . lest the like befall . . . If they transgress and slight that sole command.
This my long-sufferance, and my day of grace,Those who neglect and scorn shall never taste.
Off
Not operating or operational
The oven is off.
Slight
Not decidedly marked; not forcible; inconsiderable; unimportant; insignificant; not severe; weak; gentle; - applied in a great variety of circumstances; as, a slight (i. e., feeble) effort; a slight (i. e., perishable) structure; a slight (i. e., not deep) impression; a slight (i. e., not convincing) argument; a slight (i. e., not thorough) examination; slight (i. e., not severe) pain, and the like.
Slight is the subject, but not so the praise.
Some firmly embrace doctrines upon slight grounds.
Off
No longer taking place; canceled
The wedding is off.
Slight
Not stout or heavy; slender.
His own figure, which was formerly so slight.
Off
Slack
Production was off this year.
Slight
Foolish; silly; weak in intellect.
Off
Not up to standard; below a normal or satisfactory level
Your pitching is off today.
Slight
Slightly.
Think not so slight of glory.
Off
Not accurate; incorrect
Your statistical results are off.
Slight
A deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
Off
Somewhat crazy; eccentric
I think that person is a little off.
Slight
Pay no attention to, disrespect;
She cold-shouldered her ex-fiance
Off
Started on the way; going
I'm off to see the president.
Slight
Having little substance or significance;
A flimsy excuse
Slight evidence
A tenuous argument
A thin plot
Off
Absent, away from, or not engaged in work or duty
She's off every Tuesday.
Slight
Almost no or (with `a') at least some; very little;
There's slight chance that it will work
There's a slight chance it will work
Off
Spent away from work or duty
My off day is Saturday.
Slight
Being of delicate or slender build;
She was slender as a willow shoot is slender
A slim girl with straight blonde hair
Watched her slight figure cross the street
Off
Being on the right side of an animal or vehicle.
Off
Being the animal or vehicle on the right.
Off
(Nautical) Farthest from the shore; seaward.
Off
(Sports) Toward or designating the side of the field facing the batsman in cricket.
Off
Off-color.
Off
So as to be removed or distant from
The bird hopped off the branch.
Off
Away or relieved from
Off duty.
Off
By consuming
Living off locusts and honey.
Off
With the means provided by
Living off my pension.
Off
(Informal) From
"What else do you want off me?" (Jimmy Breslin).
Off
Extending or branching out from
An artery off the heart.
Off
Not up to the usual standard of
Off his game.
Off
So as to abstain from
Went off narcotics.
Off
(Nautical) To seaward of
A mile off Sandy Hook.
Off
To go away; leave
Off or I'll call the police.
Off
To murder.
Off
In a direction away from the speaker or other reference point.
He drove off in a cloud of smoke.
Off
Into a state of non-operation or non-existence.
Please switch off the light when you leave.
Die off
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.
Off
(theatre) Offstage.
Noises off
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.
Off
Inoperative, disabled.
All the lights are off.
Off
Cancelled; not happening.
The party's off because the hostess is sick.
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.
Off
Rancid, rotten, gone bad.
This milk is off!
Off
Disgusting, repulsive, abhorrent.
Off
Less than normal, in temperament or in result.
Sales are off this quarter
Off
Inappropriate; untoward.
I felt that his comments were a bit off.
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?
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.
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
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
Off
(in phrases such as 'off day') Designating a time when one is not performing to the best of one's abilities.
Off
Presently unavailable.
— I'll have the chicken please.
— Sorry, chicken's off today.
Off
On the side furthest from the kerb (the right-hand side if one drives on the left).
The off front wheel came loose.
Off
(cricket) In, or towards the half of the field away from the batsman's legs; the right side for a right-handed batsman.
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.
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.
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!
Off
Used to express location at sea relative to land or mainland.
The island is 23 miles off the cape.
Off
Removed or subtracted from.
There's 20% off the list price.
Off
No longer wanting or taking.
He's been off his feed since Tuesday.
He's off his meds again.
Off
Out of the possession of.
He didn't buy it off him. He stole it off him.
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.
Off
To kill.
Off
To switch off.
Can you off the light?
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.
Off
In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as:
Off
Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off.
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.
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.
Off
Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away; as, to look off.
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
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