offhand
See also: off-hand
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English *ofhande, *ofhende, from Old English ofhende (“absent, lost”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *abahandijaz. Equivalent to off- + hand. Cognate with Icelandic afhendur. Compare onhand.
Pronunciation
- (US) IPA(key): /ˌɔfˈhænd/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ænd
Adjective
offhand (comparative more offhand, superlative most offhand)
- Without planning or thinking ahead.
- She gave an offhand speech.
- Careless; without sufficient thought or consideration.
- He doesn't realise how hurtful his offhand remarks can be.
- Curt, abrupt, unfriendly.
- She was quite offhand with me yesterday.
Synonyms
- (without planning): impromptu, extemporaneous, off-the-cuff; see also Thesaurus:impromptu
Translations
without planning or thinking ahead
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careless
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See also
Adverb
offhand (comparative more offhand, superlative most offhand)
- Right away, immediately, without thinking about it.
- Offhand, I'd guess that that's a yellow-bellied sapsucker.
- 1854, William Makepeace Thackeray, The Rose and the Ring:
- We will have no more of this shilly-shallying! Call the Archbishop, and let the Prince and Princess be married offhand!
- In an offhand (adjective) manner.
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