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Phrasal Verbs

Be Off

What does the phrasal verb 'Be Off' mean? Clear definitions, real examples and a short video, explained by a British English teacher.

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What does ‘Be Off’ mean?

Related forms: (inseparable)

(intransitive) To be in an non functioning state. Not in the on position.

“The lights are on”.
“While the engine is on don't go near it”.

(intransitive) To leave. To start a journey, a race, a walk, a trip.

“3 2 1 Go! And they're off”.
“I am going to be off in 10 minutes”.
“He's off to the Caribbean next week”.

(intransitive) (used for food) To be rotten. To be in a state of putrefaction. To be unfit to eat.

“Don't use that milk, it's off”.
“Something in this fridge smells like it is off”.
“Is the chicken off, or can we eat it”.

(intransitive) (used for events) To be cancelled. To abandon plans.

“Tomorrow's meeting is off”.
“Yesterday's mach was off as the ground was waterlogged”.

(transitive) (inseparable) To not enjoy as one usually enjoys, to not do with one's habitual ability.

“I'm off my food because I have a painful stomach”.
“He's off his form, he is not playing like he usually does”.
“My concentration is off, I can't think clearly”.

(intransitive) (used for behaviour) To describe unacceptable behaviour.

“You're behaviour was a bit off. (very common, a bit posh)”.
“It's a bit off the way there was no food on the flight”.

(intransitive) (used for addiction) To resist an addiction.

“He's been off drugs for 3 years now”.
“He has been off the booze for 3 weeks”.

Watch: ‘Be Off’ explained

Video transcript

Hi. To be off. This is a phrasal verb with a multitude of meanings. Let's look at a simple one first. The light is on. The light is off. Not functioning, not working, not at work at this moment. OK. So you say, the light is on the light is off. Or for example: Today I am off work. OK. I am off. I am not going to work. I am not functioning for work. Notice this meaning is intransitive. The light is off. No direct object. Let's look at another one. To start, to leave, to begin. So. We are off on our holidays tomorrow. We are leaving for our holidays tomorrow. Ooh look! It's very late. I must be off. I must go. I must leave. Notice again intransitive. Let's look at another. This food is off, rotten, not fit to eat, not in a state to eat. OK. So.... sniff... phwoar... this milk is off! Is bad. Again intransitive, doesn't take a direct object. Let's look at another one. To cancel. So, our English class tomorrow is off. Is cancelled, is annulled, is not going to happen. OK. Again intransitive, no direct object. And another one, something that is not acceptable. This is off. It's not acceptable. Your actions yesterday were a bit off. Were not acceptable. OK. Again intransitive. Now let's try one more, but this one is transitive, it does take an object, and is inseparable. To not enjoy, to not do as usual or as normally. So for example: I am not feeling well, I am off my food. I'm not eating as normally, I'm not enjoying as normally. Notice, I am off my food. Here we have a direct object, but the object must go after the particle off. OK. He's not playing very well, he's off form. OK. Not a good as normal. Not performing as normal. So, there you go. To be off, quite a lot of meanings. Let's look at them again. The light is off. It's not on. It's not shining, it is off, it's switched off. We are off tomorrow on our holidays. To start, to leave. It's time I was off. This food is off, is bad, is not in a state to eat. Our lesson tomorrow is off, is cancelled. This is off, is not acceptable. OK. Your behaviour is off. OK. And then a transitive one, not enjoy. I am off my food. I'm off form. So there you go, be off. I hope that's clear for you. I hope to see you in another video. Thank's for watching. See you soon.

Other meanings & synonyms of ‘be off’

Be off is a wonderfully flexible phrasal verb — the meaning depends entirely on the context:

SenseMeaning & example
To leave / departTo go away. “Right, I’m off — see you tomorrow!”
Food gone badNo longer fresh. “Don’t drink that, the milk’s off.”
CancelledNot happening. “The wedding is off.”
Switched offNot working / turned off. “The heating is off.”
AbsentAway from work or school. “She’s off sick today.”
Be off somethingTo have stopped using / liking it. “I’m off coffee this week.”

For the ‘leave’ sense, good synonyms are set off, head off, get going, take off, make a move and depart.

More phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are everywhere in natural English. Keep building your collection:

Add OnAdd UpBe Up ToCarry OnCould Do WithGet AtKick OffWork OffYell At

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