TKG English Learner's Dictionary

off

offpreposition

American /ɔf/ British /ɒf/
American form: off of (common in speech and informal writing; some careful writers prefer off alone)
very commondefining vocabulary

Off shows movement or distance away from a surface, a road, a price, or a usual activity.

  1. away from a surfaceaway from a surface, position, or vehicle that something was on or in

    Collocations

    preposition + noun off the table, off the wall, off the bus, off the ladder

    Antonyms on

  2. leading away from a roada short distance from a larger road or place, or leading away from it

    Collocations

    preposition + noun just off the highway, off the coast, off the main road

  3. less than a priceless than a stated price by a particular amount

    Collocations

    phrase ten percent off the price, a dollar off the price, off the regular price

  4. not at work or schoolaway from work, school, or duty, for a period of time

    Collocations

    preposition + noun off work, off school, off duty

    1. anot eating, drinking, or using something as a habit

      Collocations

      preposition + noun off sugar, off caffeine

Usage

Off is also an adverb (turn the light off) and an adjective (the milk is off); this entry covers only the preposition, used directly before a noun phrase.

Common mistakes

Get down the bus at the next stop. Get off the bus at the next stop.
Off is used for leaving a bus, train, or plane, not down.

For translators

Meaning across languages Some languages use the same word for both down and off; keep them distinct in English: you get off a bus even on level ground.
Grammar trap Off is followed directly by a noun phrase; off of is also common in American speech and informal writing.
Pronunciation trap Off has the same vowel sound as dog and long; it does not sound like the word of, which has a different vowel and ends with a v sound.