why "off"?

[cambournepete]

If you're specifying a quantity of something you tend to say "10 off" or "12 off" etc.

Where does this use of "off" come from?

I'd like to explain it to my Taiwanese boss and other colleagues of assorted nationalities...

 

[dedee]

Pete,
my understanding of this is as in "can you take 12 off my order" or "Can you take 12 off the shelf".

I've not found an explanation on Google either.


Andy

 

[big soft moose]

my assumption is that its a corruption of, of - as in i'll have 12 of those

 

[Max Power]

I'm inclined to agree with Bsm ,its certainly used in the same context so makes sense

 

[BMac]

I agree with BSM and Alan.

When I worked on sites as a student millions of years ago I used to get cutting lists and they were written, say:

12No x 96 x 3 x 1 for twelve 8' x 3" x 1" planks and that was spoken as "Twelve number by ninety-six by three by one".

Is that method of communicating amounts still used or was it a local thing?

Brendan

 

[Harbo]

By is still used.

How do the American's verbally say their quarter measurements - is it "over" ie 8/4?


Rod

 

[matt]

It's always been "of" rather than "off" where I'm concerned and is used to add clarity when ordering dimensioned goods.

50 x 25 x 50
v.
50 of 25 x 50

 

[studders]

It's comes from the manufacturing industry I believe; in production you run(produce) '1000 off' not 1000 of.

 

[Smudger]

It's always been "of" rather than "off" where I'm concerned and is used to add clarity when ordering dimensioned goods.

50 x 25 x 50
v.
50 of 25 x 50

It's not the same.
One of 50 mil is not the same as one-off.

I'm struggling a bit with the etymology (anyone got an OED to hand?) but I suspect it may be something to do with a cutting or manufacturing process.

 

[Rich]

As an interesting aside to the above, according to Websters dictionary of phrase and fable, to " do off ones hat, and to do on ones hat has been shortened over the years to DOFF and DON, useless info, but of some interest.

Rich.

 

[thomvic]

I think it refers to engineering or woodworking drawings when an order might consist of "one off drawing A, seven off drawing B etc.etc."

Richard

 

[matt]

I'm not really sure about the context. When do you come across someone using the term "off" as opposed to "of"?

 

[Smudger]

"Type 3 armature: 16 off."
"OK boss."

 

[Green]

I vote for of as well. Never saw it written as 'off'

 

[Smudger]

I vote for of as well. Never saw it written as 'off'

You are joking, yes?

 

[Aled Dafis]

It's "off" for me.

I always thought the term came from manufacturing i.e. 25 off the production line.

Cheers

Aled

 

[Smudger]

That's my understanding. In the distant days when I did factory work it was always 'off'. If they meant 'of' they would have said 'of', I've always assumed.
But it's most common as 'one-off' - which I think clinches it.

 

[promhandicam]

off for me too. never seen of written in this context.

 

[Steve Maskery]

It is from old-time manufacturing, and it comes from pattern-making. My grandad was a pattern-maker.

You take so many off a pattern.

I have a pattern-makers rule. 2ft long. Well, it depends what scale you use. It has 4 different 2ft scales on it! It's used to make moulds for different materials. So if you were casting bronze you would use a different scale than if you were casting iron, because the shrinkage was different (and therefore the mould had to be different).

"Part A, 12 off" means take 12 casting from the mould for Part A.

S

 

[Smudger]

That makes sense of a 'one-off' as well. Thanks.