Dictionary

offhand en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌɔfˈhænd/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English *ofhande, *ofhende, from Old English ofhende (“absent, lost”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *abahandijaz. Equivalent to (and re-formed as) off- + hand. Cognate with Icelandic afhendur. Compare onhand.

Meanings

1. Without planning or thinking ahead.
   • He must also be fluent in obscenity, offhand in sex. Most important of all, he must play tough. 1976 June 7, Nik Cohn, “Inside the Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night”, in New York Magazine:
   • She gave an offhand speech.
2. Careless; without sufficient thought or consideration.
   • In September 2019, on the papal plane en route to Mozambique, Francis acknowledged the sharp opposition he faced from conservative detractors in the United States in an offhand remark. He said, it was “an honor that the Americans attack me.” 2025 April 21, Jason Horowitz, Jim Yardley, “Francis, the First Latin American Pope, Dies at 88”, in The New York Times:
   • He doesn't realise how hurtful his offhand remarks can be.
3. Curt, abrupt, unfriendly.
   • She was quite offhand with me yesterday.

Forms

Relateds

off the top of one's head

Synonyms

impromptu (without planning) · extemporaneous · off-the-cuff

Translations (33)

es a vuelapluma (without planning or thinking ahead) · ru ре́зкий (curt, unfriendly) · bg безцеремонен (curt, unfriendly) · pt improviso (without planning or thinking ahead) · ru гру́бый (curt, unfriendly) · fr spontané (without planning or thinking ahead) · es descuidado (careless) · de unvorsichtig (careless) · de unfreundlich (curt, unfriendly) · de unüberlegt (without planning or thinking ahead) · es frío (curt, unfriendly) · tr hazırlıksız (without planning or thinking ahead) · gd fionnar (curt, unfriendly) · es irreflexivo (without planning or thinking ahead) · ru неосторо́жный (careless) · es espontáneo (without planning or thinking ahead) · de spontan (without planning or thinking ahead) · es displicente (curt, unfriendly) · fr négligent (careless) · es indiferente (without planning or thinking ahead) · de unbesonnen (careless) · es insensato (careless) · fr sur-le-champ (without planning or thinking ahead) · ru недружелю́бный (curt, unfriendly) · bg небрежен (careless) · de schluderig (without planning or thinking ahead) · grc αὐτοσχέδιος (without planning or thinking ahead) · de unbesonnen (without planning or thinking ahead) · pl bezceremonialny (curt, unfriendly) · de unüberlegt (careless) · tr doğaçlama (without planning or thinking ahead) · de nachlässig (careless) · bg импровизиран (without planning or thinking ahead)

offhand en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˌɔfˈhænd/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English *ofhande, *ofhende, from Old English ofhende (“absent, lost”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *abahandijaz. Equivalent to (and re-formed as) off- + hand. Cognate with Icelandic afhendur. Compare onhand.

Meanings

1. Right away, immediately, without thinking about it.
   • Offhand, I'd guess that that's a yellow-bellied sapsucker.
   • We will have no more of this shilly-shallying! Call the Archbishop, and let the Prince and Princess be married offhand! 1854, William Makepeace Thackeray, The Rose and the Ring:
2. In an abrupt or unfriendly manner.

Forms

Synonyms

out of hand

Translations (7)

fr spontanément (without thinking about it) · de spontan (without thinking about it) · es a vuelapluma (without thinking about it) · de schluderig (without thinking about it) · es espontáneamente (without thinking about it) · de unüberlegt (without thinking about it) · de unbesonnen (without thinking about it)