offhand - Definitions from Dictionary.com

6 results for: offhand

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

off·hand

Audio Help [awf-hand, of-] Pronunciation Key

–adverb

1.	cavalierly, curtly, or brusquely: to reply offhand.

2.	without previous thought or preparation; extempore: to decide offhand to take a trip.

–adjective

3.	informal, casual, curt, or brusque: an offhand manner.

4.	Also, offhanded. done or made offhand.

5.	Glassmaking. working manually and without the use of molds: offhand blowing.

[Origin: 1685–95; off + hand

]

—Related forms

off·hand·ed·ly, adverb

off·hand·ed·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. short, shortly, abruptly. 3, 4. impromptu, extempore.

—Antonyms 4. considered.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
offhand

To learn more about offhand visit Britannica.com

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

off·hand Audio Help   (ôf'hānd', ŏf'-) Pronunciation Key
adv.   Without preparation or forethought; extemporaneously.

adj.   also off·hand·ed (-hānd'ĭd)
Performed or expressed without preparation or forethought. See Synonyms at extemporaneous.

off'hand'ed·ly adv., off'hand'ed·ness n.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

offhand
adjective
1.	with little or no preparation or forethought; "his ad-lib comments showed poor judgment"; "an extemporaneous piano recital"; "an extemporary lecture"; "an extempore skit"; "an impromptu speech"; "offhand excuses"; "trying to sound offhanded and reassuring"; "an off-the-cuff toast"; "a few unrehearsed comments" [syn: ad-lib]
2.	casually thoughtless or inconsiderate; "an offhand manner"; "she treated most men with offhand contempt"
adverb
1.	without previous thought or preparation; "couldn't give the figures offhand"; "we decided offhand to go to Canada"; "she had made these remarks offhandedly"
2.	in a casually inconsiderate manner; "replied offhand, his mind a million miles away"; "she threw him over offhandedly without even a Dear-John letter"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ˌoffˈhand adjective

acting or speaking so casually that one is being rude
Example: offhand behaviour

Arabic:	خَشِن، فَظ، مُرْتَجَل
Chinese (Simplified):	傲慢无礼的,不客气的
Chinese (Traditional):	傲慢無禮的,不客氣的
Czech:	nedbalý
Danish:	nonchalant
Dutch:	nonchalant
Estonian:	viisakusetu
Finnish:	kursailematon
French:	cavalier
German:	lässig
Greek:	απότομος, αγενής
Hungarian:	fölényes(kedő)
Icelandic:	kæruleysislegur, ókurteis
Indonesian:	seenaknya
Italian:	brusco

Japanese:	ぞんざいな
Korean:	무뚝뚝한
Latvian:	familiārs; neceremoniāls
Lithuanian:	atsainus, nerūpestingas, be ceremonijų
Norwegian:	skjødesløs, nonchalant
Polish:	bezceremonialny
Portuguese (Brazil):	brusco
Portuguese (Portugal):	desatento
Romanian:	necuviincios
Russian:	бесцеремонный
Slovak:	nedbalý
Slovenian:	nevljuden
Spanish:	brusco, descortés
Swedish:	nonchalant
Turkish:	kaba, nezaketsiz

ˌoffˈhand adverb

without thinking about something first
Example: I can't tell you the answer offhand.

Arabic:	إرْتِجالا
Chinese (Simplified):	事先没想到地，随便地
Chinese (Traditional):	事先沒想到地，隨便地
Czech:	rovnou
Danish:	på stedet
Dutch:	onvoorbereid
Estonian:	pikema jututa
Finnish:	suoralta kädeltä
French:	spontanément
German:	lässig
Hungarian:	kapásból
Icelandic:	undirbúningslaust
Indonesian:	tanpa dipikirkan
Italian:	(su due piedi)
Japanese:	すぐに

Korean:	즉각
Latvian:	bez sagatavošanās; uz vietas
Lithuanian:	iš karto, nepagalvojus, ekspromtu
Norwegian:	på stående fot, på sparket
Polish:	od ręki, od razu
Portuguese (Brazil):	de improviso
Portuguese (Portugal):	de repente
Romanian:	pe loc
Russian:	без подготовки; тотчас
Slovak:	rovno
Slovenian:	iz rokava stresti
Spanish:	de improviso
Swedish:	på rak arm
Turkish:	ha deyince, hemencecik

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Offhand

Off\, prep. Not on; away from; as, to be off one's legs or off the bed; two miles off the shore. --Addison.

Off hand. See Offhand.

Off side (Football), out of play; -- said when a player has got in front of the ball in a scrimmage, or when the ball has been last touched by one of his own side behind him.

To be off color, to be of a wrong color.

To be off one's food, to have no appetite. (Colloq.)

Browse Nearby Entries: