off one’s hands • out of one’s hands off one’s hands—no longer under one’s responsible charge: The lawyer planned a vacation as soon as the case was off his hands . out of one’s hands—not within one’s competence or respon- sibility: I tried to prevent your name being dragged in, but the situation was out of my hands . See also: off hand / out of hand. off one’s head • off one’s mind off one’s head—(coll.) crazy or behaving as if mad (also: out of one’s head): He must be off his head to go jogging in this weather. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase off the top of one’s head(coll.) without proper con- sideration; in an impromptu manner: He was impetuous and inclined to think off the top of his head at times. off one’s mind—1. said of smth. no longer causing worry or anxiety: And he had felt so happy…. His confession to June was off his mind. 2. = off one’s head: Politics is dirty. If so, one must be off his mind to enter politics. off one’s own bat • off the bat off one’s own bat—(coll.) 1. by one’s own efforts: I felt that I’d like to get some money off my own bat . 2. on one’s own initiative: Don’t think I’m being nosey, but you never tell me anything off your own bat . off the bat—(coll.) on the spot; right away: McGowan was also striving to catch the bright smiles tossed about by Rosy. He picked them off the bat . off one’s stroke • on the stroke off one’s stroke—(coll.) disconcerted or confused: Not that I enjoyed being shelled … but fear never paralyzed me or even pushed me off my stroke . on the stroke—1. (of a clock or bell) on the point of striking or ringing: He dressed himself hurriedly, for the dinner bell was almost on the stroke as he entered the house. 2. punctu- ally; on time: We agreed to meet for lunch, and he arrived on the stroke . off season • off time off season—(also: out of season) 1. at a wrong period: Because Eritrea was born off season , the world continues to put unfair demands on it and question its legitimacy. 2. said of a period of time other than the busiest or most popular for a particular activity: The country’s tourism sector would not immediately be affected, because it is now off-season . 3. outside the period of time during which hunting or fishing is officially allowed: Contact us with any questions you may have about any of our off season hunting opportunities. off time—1. one’s free or spare time: It helps us to work bet- ter together, as a team, if we can spend some of our off time in an activity together. 2. (also: out of time) not following the rhythm correctly (when playing a piece of music, etc.): Stevie sounds a little off time and a bit short of energy. off the beaten track • off the track off the beaten track—1. away from popular places; in an iso- lated, lonely place: The restaurant we’re going to tonight is off the beaten track . 2. away from familiar or usual subject: Our discussion only became really interesting when we got off the beaten track . off the track—1. away from the planned route: We like to stop there and admire the scenery. It’s off the track , but it’s worth the trip. 2. away from the proper subject; following the wrong course: We seem to have got off the track of our dis- cussions. off the cards • out of the cards off the cards—(sl.) work unofficially and informally, without disclosing one’s income: There are a lot of retired people now. Quite a few of them work, some of them may be working off the cards . out of the cards —outside the range of probability: A future in professional sports is out of the cards for most of these peo- ple. Cf.: on the cards—(U.S. also: in the cards) said of smth. very likely to happen: We have had some tight squeezes and it was on the cards that one day there really would be a prob- lem. off the cuff • on the cuff off the cuff—(coll.) 1. speak unofficially or informally: Even when she spoke off-the-cuff to the audience, she did so at the keyboard, improvising over a drizzle of piano notes. 2. do smth. immediately; without consideration: I was not agreeing off the cuff that Bill’s getting into the Royal would necessarily enhance his prospects. on the cuff—(coll.) on credit: Money was not important at all. All business was transacted on the cuff . off the ground • on the ground off the ground—(of a project, scheme, etc.) launched or started: With the school project now off the ground , Mr. Vaughn noted that the district will turn its attention to needed renovations. on the ground—on the spot where things are actually hap- pening, not at a distance: The United Nations investigation on the ground concluded that war crimes were taking place. off the hook • off the hooks off the hook—1. (of a telephone receiver) not on its rest: An- other phone crossed Sneed’s mind, the one in his own flat with its receiver off the hook . 2. (of a telephone)—ringing inces- santly: Ever since his name appeared in the newspapers his telephone has been ringing off the hook . 3. (coll.) no longer in difficulty or trouble: She was being kept by the senator, and now he’s off the hook , the hypocritical son of a bitch. 4. (sl.) excellent, fantastic: Wow, this party was off the hook ! What else is there to say? off the hooks—(sl.) 1. (dated) without delay; immediately: Baronets with twelve thousand a year cannot be married off the hooks . 2. out of humor; not feeling very well: I am not surprised to hear that he is ill; he has been off the hooks for the past week or so. 3. (dated) dead: He is dying; or dead probably by this time…. When old Golightly is off the hooks altogether, another guardian will be chosen. See also: on one’s own hook / on the hook. off the peg • on the peg off the peg —(usually of clothing ) made in standard sizes and available from stock, in contrast to items made to order (also: off the shelf ): Ship owners may buy vessels “off the peg ” instead of each vessel’s being an individual tailor-made job. on the peg—(Military) on a charge or under arrest: If the sergeant saw you, you’d be “on the peg .” off the shelf • on the shelf off the shelf—(usually of clothing ) made in standard sizes and available from stock, in contrast to items made to order (also: off the peg ): Few would buy off the shelf clothes if tailor-made clothes were as cheap and as available. on the shelf—1. in a state of inactivity or uselessness: The question of parliamentary reform could not be perpetually kept upon the shelf . 2. (coll., of a woman) unmarried and unlikely to marry: She has run through her chances in the matrimonial market and is now on the shelf . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase on the racktormented by anxiety, worry, etc.: The mas- ter was on the rack until the Board of Inquiry cleared his char- acter in regard to the collision between his boat and the liner. – 247 – off the shelf