O
Idioms beginning with "O"
Part of speech, explanation, example sentences, pronunciation
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Contents of O:
[off the hook] {adv. phr.}
Out of trouble; out of an awkward or embarrassing situation.
Thelma found she had made two dates for the same night; she asked Sally to get her off the hook by going out with one of the boys.
[off the record] (1) {adv. phr.}
Confidentially.
"Off the record," the boss said, "you will get a good raise for next year, but you'll have to wait for the official letter."
Contrast: [ON RECORD], [GO ON RECORD], [JUST FOR THE RECORD].
[off the record] (2) {adj. phr.}
Not to be published or told; secret; confidential.
The president told the reporters his remarks were strictly off the record.
- Sometimes used with hyphens, before the noun.
* /The governor was angry when a […]
[off the top of one's head] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal}
Without thinking hard; quickly.
Vin answered the teacher's question off the top of his head.
When Lorraine was asked to recite, she talked off the top of her head.
[off the wagon] {adj. phr.}, {slang}
No longer refusing to drink whiskey or other alcoholic beverages; drinking liquor again, after stopping for a while.
* /When a heavy drinker quits he must really quit. One little drink of whiskey is enough to drive […]
[off the wall] {adj. phr.}
Strange; out of the ordinary; stupid.
He has been making off-the-wall remarks all day; something must he the matter with him.
[off-again, on-again] or [on-again, off-again] {adj. phr.}, {informal}
Not settled; changeable; uncertain.
John and Susan had an off-again, on-again romance.
* /I don't like this off-again, on-again business. Are we going to have the party or […]
[off-center] {adj.}, {informal}
Different from the usual pattern; not quite like most others; odd.
Roger's sense of humor was a bit off-center.
Compare: [OFF-KEY].
[off-color] or [off-colored] {adj.}
1. Not of the proper hue or shade; not matching a standard color sample.
The librarian complained that the painter had used an off-color green on the walls.
2. {informal}
Not of the proper kind for polite […]