971
off spin
office 'party n a party just before Christmas in the offices of
a company or organization, given for the people who work
there
**CULTURAL NOTE** Office parties are usually relaxed
occasions, at which managers and workers behave less
formally than usual towards each other and most people
drink a lot of alcohol. People often make jokes about
office parties, suggesting that some people have brief
sexual relationships at these events. The jokes usually
refer to people kissing or having sex 'behind the filing
cabinets'.
**of·fi·cer** /'ɒfɪsər || 'ɔː-, 'ɑː-/ n 1 a person in a position of
command in the armed forces: The officers live here, and the
enlisted men over there. → see also FLYING OFFICER, NCO 2 a
person who holds a position of some importance, especially
in government, a business, or a club: a local government
officer | the Public Health Officer | a customs officer → see
also RETURNING OFFICER 3 a policeman: Certainly, officer! |
(AmE) Officer Jones will help you.
Civil servants are people who work for the
government, and an official is someone who works for a
government or other large organization in a position of
responsibility: a meeting between civil servants from the
Department of Transport and important railway officials.
An officer is usually a member of the armed forces in a
position of command, or a member of the police force,
but the word is sometimes used like official. A clerk is
an office worker of fairly low rank. This word is also used
in American English for someone who works in a shop (a
sales clerk), but in British English shop assistant is
used.
**officers' quarters** n [P] buildings or rooms in a military
camp etc where officers live
**of·fi·cial¹** /ə'fɪʃəl/ n a person who holds an OFFICE: a union/
government official → see OFFICER (USAGE)
**official²** adj 1 of, from, or about a person in a position of
power and responsibility: an official position | official duties |
You have to get official permission to build a new house. | an
official inquiry into the cause of the accident 2 made known
publicly: Their engagement is not official yet. → opposite
UNOFFICIAL; see also OFFICIALLY
Compare an official letter about my income tax
and a rather officious letter from my neighbour,
complaining about the noise from my radio.
**Official 'Birthday, the** the day when the British Queen or
King's birthday is officially celebrated, especially with the
ceremony of TROOPING THE COLOUR in London. It is not the
same as the Queen or King's own personal birthday, and it is
always on the second Saturday of June.
**of·fi·cial·dom** /ə'fɪʃəldəm/ n [U] often derog officials as a
group
**of·fi·cial·ese** /əˌfɪʃə'liːz/ n [U] infml derog the language of
government officials, considered unnecessarily hard to
understand
**official 'list** n a list of current prices of STOCKS and SHARES,
printed daily by the London STOCK EXCHANGE
**of·fi·cial·ly** /ə'fɪʃəli/ adv 1 publicly and/or formally: They
have officially announced their engagement. | The new hospi-
tal was officially opened last week. 2 according to what is
stated publicly (but may not be true): Officially, he's on
holiday; actually, he's in hospital. → opposite UNOFFICIALLY
**official re'ceiver** n (often caps.) a RECEIVER
**Official 'Secrets Act, the** a UK law by which people
who work for the government are not allowed to discuss their
work with people who do not work for the government or to
make known information which should be kept secret. Gov-
ernment workers must 'sign the Official Secrets Act' (=agree to
obey this law), and they can be put in prison if they break
this agreement. → compare FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
**of·fi·ci·ate** /ə'fɪʃieɪt/ v [(at)] to perform official duties: Two
priests officiated at the wedding.
**of·fi·cious** /ə'fɪʃəs/ adj derog too eager to give orders or to
offer advice: An officious little guard came and told me not to
whistle in the museum garden. → see OFFICIAL (USAGE) —ly
adv —ness n [U]
**off·ing** /'ɒfɪŋ || 'ɔː-, 'ɑː-/ n in the offing coming soon: I think
in her case a promotion is in the offing.
**off-'kilter** adj 1 not completely straight or correctly bal-
anced: The paintings were slightly off-kilter. 2 unusual in a
strange or interesting way: her off-kilter sense of humour
**'off-licence** n BrE a shop where alcohol is sold to be taken
away. It may also sell other things, e.g. newspapers and
chocolates: If you're going past the off-licence could you get
me some beer and some crisps?
**off 'limits** adj not open to anyone who does not have
permission to enter, take part etc: Off-limits areas of
discussion | The officers' quarters are off limits to non-army
personnel.
**off-line** /'ɒflaɪn || 'ɔːf-/ adj, adv not directly connected to
and/or controlled by a computer: an offline terminal | Your
job just knocked the printer offline. → opposite ONLINE
**off-'load** v [T(onto)] to get rid of (something unwanted): We
managed to off-load all those old typewriters (onto a friend of
mine).
**off-'message** adj, adv (of a politician) saying things that are
different from the ideas of the political party he or she
belongs to → opposite ON-MESSAGE
**off-'peak** adj 1 less busy: Telephone charges are lower during
off-peak periods. 2 used or in effect during less busy periods:
off-peak electricity | Big reductions for off-peak holidays. →
compare PEAK¹
**off-'piste** adj not on the usual SKI slopes: off-piste skiing
—off-piste adv
**off-print** /'ɒfprɪnt || 'ɔːf-/ n tech a separately printed article
from a magazine: offprints of articles about physics from
'Scientific American'
**'off-putting** adj unpleasantly surprising and/or causing dis-
like: I found his aggressive manner rather off-putting. → see
also PUT OFF
**off-road 'vehicle** n a vehicle which is built very strongly,
so that it may be used to travel on rough ground as well as
on normal roads
**CULTURAL NOTE** In Britain and the US, many people who
spend most of their time in towns and cities still buy
off-road vehicles because they are fashionable and look
impressive.
**off-set¹** /'ɒfset, ˌɒf'set || 'ɔːfset, ˌɔːf'set/ v offset; present
participle offsetting [T] to make up for; balance: The cost of
getting there was offset by the fact that the hotels are so cheap. |
He offset his travel expenses against tax.
**off-set²** /'ɒfset || 'ɔːf-/ n, adj of or being a method of printing
in which ink is moved onto rollers before it goes on the
paper. Very many books, magazines, and newspapers are
printed this way in Western countries.
**off-shoot** /'ɒfʃuːt || 'ɔːf-/ n a new stem or branch: (fig.) an
offshoot of a large organization
**off-shore** /ˌɒf'ɔːr || ˌɔːf-/ adv, adj 1 in the water, at a dis-
tance from the shore: Britain's offshore oil | [after n] two miles
offshore 2 (of financial matters) based abroad in countries
where the tax system is more favourable than in the home
country: offshore banking | an offshore account/
fund 3 (coming or moving) away from the shore: an off-
shore wind → compare INSHORE, ONSHORE
**'off side** n [the] the OFF
**off-side** /ˌɒf'saɪd || ˌɔːf-/ adj, adv 1 (in certain sports) in a
position in which play is not allowed: That player is offside. |
[after n] She's two yards offside. → opposite ONSIDE 2 [A no
comp.] especially BrE on the right-hand side, especially of an
animal or of a car or road: the offside rear light of a car →
opposite NEARSIDE
**off-'site** adj, adv happening away from a particular place,
especially a place of work: the off-site disposal of harmful
waste | A small team worked off-site on the project. → opposite
ON-SITE
**'off spin** n [U] (in cricket) SPIN that makes a ball turn from the
off (OFF) side towards the leg (LEG) side when it bounces
(BOUNCE)