Page 301 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

of the old school

lady—a pearl of the first water. Tom is ficer couldà’t help me because he was off
of the first water—a true gentlłman. duty.
of the old school holdingŁ attitudesŁ or offŁlikeŁa shłt away [from a place] vry
ideasŁthat were pàpularŁandŁimpàrtant in quickly. He finished his dnner and was
the past, but which are no longrŁcon- off like a shot. The thief grabbed the
sideredŁrelevant or inŁline with modern lady’s purse and was off like a shot.
trends.Ł Grammar was not much taught
in my son’s school, but fortunately he had offŁlimits and outŁofŁboundð forbiddn.
a teacher of the old school. Aunt Jane This area is off limts. You can’t go in
is of the old school. She never goes out there. Don’t go there. It’s out of bounds.
without wearing a hat and gloves. That knd of behavior is off limits. Stop
it!
offŁ again,Ł on again Go to on again, off
again. offŁ one’ nut Go to off one’s rocker.
offŁandŁon Go to on and off. offŁ one’ rocker and offŁ one’ nut;ŁoffŁ one’
trolley crazy; silly.Ł(Slang.) Somłtimes,
offŁ andŁ running sðartedŁ up andŁ gàing. Bob, I think you’re off your rocker. Good
(Also literal,ŁasŁinŁaŁfootrace.) The car grief, John. You’re off your nut. AbouŁ
was finally loaded by 9:30, and we were off this time of the dØy, I go off my trollły. I
and running. The construction of the głt so tired.
buildng was going to take two years, but
we were off and running, and it appeared offŁ one’ trolley Go to off one’s rocker.
we would finish on schedule.
offŁseason not inŁthe busyŁtime of the year.
offŁbase unrealisðic;Łinexact; wrong.Ł(Alsà We doà’t have much to do off season.
literalŁinŁbaseball.) I’m afraid you’re off Things are very quiet around here off
base when you state that this problłm will season.
take care of itself. You’re way off base!
offŁ someone ortsomething goeð sàmeone or
offŁcampuð not locatedŁonŁthe groundsŁof somethingŁ isŁ leaving.Ł (SaidŁ onŁ the de-
aŁ college or university.Ł Tom has an parture of someone orŁsàmething.) It’s
apartment off campus. The dean is off time to leave. Off I go. Sally looked at
campus and cannot be reached. the airplane taking off and said, “Off it
off-center not exactlyŁinŁthe centerŁorŁmid- goes.”
dle.Ł The arrow hit the target a lttle off- offŁ theŁ air not bràadcasðingŁ(aŁradio or
cłnter. The picture hanging over the television program).Ł The radio audi-
chair is a lttle off-cłnter. ence won’t hear what you say when you’re
offŁchynce slight possibility.Ł I need your off the air. When the performers were
phone number on the off chance I need off the air, the drector told them how well
more help. There’s an off chance that wł they had done.
might be hiring next month.
offŁtheŁ(beaten)Łtryck inŁanŁunfamiliar
off-color 1. not the exact color (that one place; on a route that isŁnot oftenŁtrav-
wants).Ł The book cover used to be red, eled.Ł (See also off the track.) Their
but now it’s a lttle off-color. The wall home is in a quiet neighborhood, off the
was painted off-color. I think it was meant beaten track. We like to stop there and
to be orange. 2. in bad taste; rude, vulgar, admire the scłnery. It’s off the track, but
or impolite.Ł That joke you told was off- it’s worth the trip.
color and embarrassed me. The night-
club act was a bt off-color. off-the-cuff spàntaneous;Łwithout prepa-
rationŁorŁrehearsal.Ł(Infàrmal.) Her re-
offŁduty not workingŁat one’sŁjob.Ł(The op- marks were off-the-cuff, but very sensible.
posite of on duty.) I’m sorry, I can’t talk I’m not very good at makng spłeches
to you until I’m off duty. The police of- off-the-cuff.

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