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Off and on   /ɔf ənd ɑn/   Listen
adverb
Off  adv.  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. (Obs.) "The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on."
From off, off from; off. "A live coal... taken with the tongs from off the altar."
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. (Colloq.)
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. (Colloq.)
To take off To do a take-off on, To take off, to mimic, lampoon, or impersonate.
To tell off
(a)
(Mil.) to divide and practice a regiment or company in the several formations, preparatory to marching to the general parade for field exercises.
(b)
to rebuke (a person) for an improper action; to scold; to reprimand.
To be well off, to be in good condition.
To be ill off, To be badly off, to be in poor condition.






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Off and on" Quotes from Famous Books



... his honesty of purpose, his fidelity of character, his eminent scholarship, his unswerving integrity, and his command of tongue, rendered him alike invulnerable to politicians and to royal minions. He was with Raleigh at Winchester and in the Tower, off and on, as required, from 1604 to 1618, except during the last voyage to Guiana. He was at the same time a pensioner, a companion, and confidential factotum of his old friend the Earl of Northumberland both in the Tower and at Sion for fifteen years. ...
— Thomas Hariot • Henry Stevens

... got it all ship-shape and proper yet," said Mr. Benn, slowly, "but it's in my mind's eye. It's been there off and on like for some time." ...
— Captains All and Others • W.W. Jacobs

... every little while, till I threw some things in my grip and started for the depot. There wasn't any train out last night that'd fetch me within fifty miles of here. I went back to my room and went to bed. But it didn't let up on me. Off and on, all night, just about the time I'd doze off a little, I'd seem to hear that voice. I went to the depot this morning, and caught the eight o'clock train out. I'd 'a' made it in here at two this afternoon if it hadn't been for a washout between here and the ...
— The Bondboy • George W. (George Washington) Ogden

... hadn't been there reg'lar; but he'd been in off and on, and when he comes to think how this old chap, that knew all his whims, and kept track of 'em so faithful, had dropped out without his ever having heard a word about it—why, he felt kind of broke up. You see, he'd always meant to do something nice for ...
— Odd Numbers - Being Further Chronicles of Shorty McCabe • Sewell Ford

... in one place of service for three or more years, five remained four years; two, four years and a half; nine, five years; three, six years; four, seven years; two, eight years; one, twelve years; three, fifteen years, and one, "eighteen years off and on;" in all, a total of thirty in 802 cases that were in one place of ...
— The Negro at Work in New York City - A Study in Economic Progress • George Edmund Haynes


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