one-off en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
From one + off. Probably from foundry work, in which molds are expensive and generally made to be reusable. A term long used by artists who are printmakers and sculptors to indicate a unique print or casting. If using traditional edition numbering, a one-off would be a "1/1", which is said, "one of one" meaning the first print in an edition of one.
Meanings
-
Occurring once, independent of any pattern; one-time.
Seeing Halley's Comet is a one-off, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The government insisted that the embarrassing loss of the tax records was a one-off event.
In July, South Western Railway and Network Rail ran a one-off Class 159 to Fawley, to demonstrate the line's viability. [...] A second 'fact-finding' trial passenger train for DfT officials is now proposed.
2020 December 16, “Network News: "Robust case" for Fawley branch line reopening”, in Rail, page 14:A County Fermanagh woman has officiated at the formal registration of the birth of Princess Charlotte at Kensington Palace. It's the second time she's been on royal baby duty at the palace as she previously officiated at the registration of Prince George. She said at the time that it was a "one-off" honour, but that has now been disproved with a repeat visit for Princess Charlotte.
2015 May 6, Colin O'Carroll, “Fermanagh woman thought registering a royal baby was a one-off honour... now Princess Charlotte has come along she's done it twice”, in Belfast Telegraph, archived from the original on 21 Apr 2023, retrieved 14 May 2015:Moreover, given that recent measures to cut the deficit have been more one-off than of a structural fiscal nature, meeting this debt target is likely only
2006 September 1, EIU Country Analysis, Malta: Country outlook:If such a casting was wanted in a hurry — a one-off job — there would be no question of molding it on a machine.
1905, Foundry, volume 50, page 198:
-
Special; remarkable; rare; unusual.
Grammy award-winning singer Celine Dion will reportedly earn $2 million for a one-off performance at the 2024 Olympics.
2024 July 25, Chinomso Sunday, “Celine Dion to Earn $2 Million for Olympic Ceremony Song”, in newscentral.africa, archived from the original on 26 Jul 2024:BMW is to create a one-off tribute to the iconic 3.0 CSL.
2015 May 13, Hunter Skipworth, “BMW to create one-off tribute to 3.0 CSL”, in Evo, archived from the original on 26 Sep 2020, retrieved 14 May 2015:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most one-off | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more one-off | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Synonyms
one-shot · singular · singular · unique · unique · nonce
Translations (36)
fr inouï (occurring once; one-time) · cmn 一次性 (occurring once; one-time) · hu egyszeri (occurring once; one-time) · fi ainutkertainen (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · nl eenmalig (occurring once; one-time) · bg еднократен (occurring once; one-time) · no enkelt- (occurring once; one-time) · ga aonuaire (occurring once; one-time) · fi kerta- (occurring once; one-time) · bg единствен (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · ru одноразовый (occurring once; one-time) · hu egyedülálló (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · fr unique (occurring once; one-time) · bg уникален (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · pl unikatowy (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · fi ainutlaatuinen (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · hu páratlan (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · ru едини́чный (occurring once; one-time) · de einmalig (occurring once; one-time) · no engangs- (occurring once; one-time) · af eenmalige (occurring once; one-time) · de eine Eintagsfliege sein (occurring once; one-time) · pl niepowtarzalny (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · pl unikalny (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · fr ponctuel (occurring once; one-time) · fr non récurrent (occurring once; one-time) · ru однократный (occurring once; one-time) · cs jednorázový (occurring once; one-time) · ru еди́нственный (occurring once; one-time) · pl jednorazowy (occurring once; one-time) · pl jednostkowy (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · fi ainutkertainen (occurring once; one-time) · de einmalig (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · hu kivételes (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · hu egyedi (singular; unique; special; remarkable) · de einzigartig (singular; unique; special; remarkable)