Away vs. Off — What's the Difference?

From a particular thing or place

Away from the place in question; to or at a distance

At or to a distance in space or time

So as to be removed or separated

At or by a considerable interval

Starting a journey or race; leaving

In a different direction; aside

So as to bring to an end or be discontinued

On the way

(of an electrical appliance or power supply) not functioning or so as to cease to function

In or into storage or safekeeping

Having access to or possession of material goods or wealth to the extent specified

Out of existence or notice

(with preceding numeral) denoting a quantity produced at one time.

So as to remove, separate, or eliminate

Moving away and often down from

From one's possession

Situated or leading in a direction away from (a main route or intersection)

Continuously; steadily

So as to be removed or separated from

Freely; at will

Having a temporary dislike of

Absent

Characterized by performing or feeling worse than usual; unsatisfactory or inadequate

Distant, as in space or time

(of food) no longer fresh

Played on an opponent's field or grounds

Located on the side of a vehicle that is normally furthest from the kerb; offside.

In golf, having the ball lying farthest from the hole and properly playing first among competitors.

Annoying or unfair

(Baseball) Out

Unfriendly or hostile

From a place, hence.

The half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) towards which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball.

Aside; off; in another direction.

The start of a race, journey, or experience

Aside, so as to discard something.

Leave

At a stated distance in time or space.

Kill; murder

In or to something's usual or proper storage place.

From a place or position

In or to a secure or out-of-the-way place.

At a certain distance in space or time

From a state or condition of being; out of existence.

From a given course or route; aside

So as to remove or use up something.

Into a state of unconsciousness

Come away; go away; take away.

So as to be no longer on, attached, or connected

On; in continuance; without intermission or delay.

So as to be divided

Without restraint.

So as to be no longer continuing, operating, or functioning

(Northern England) come on!; go on!

So as to be completely removed, finished, or eliminated

Not here, gone, absent, unavailable, traveling; on vacation.

So as to be in a state of sudden violent or loud activity

At a specified distance in space, time, or figuratively.

So as to be smaller, fewer, or less

Not on one's home territory.

So as to be away from or not engaged in work or duty

Out.

Offstage.

(golf) Being the player whose ball lies farthest from the hole (or, in disc golf, whose disc lies farthest from the target).

Distant or removed; farther

To depart; to go to another place.

Remote; slim

From a place; hence.

Not on, attached, or connected

Absent; gone; at a distance; as, the master is away from home.

Not operating or operational

Aside; off; in another direction.

No longer taking place; canceled

From a state or condition of being; out of existence.

Slack

By ellipsis of the verb, equivalent to an imperative: Go or come away; begone; take away.

Not up to standard; below a normal or satisfactory level

On; in continuance; without intermission or delay; as, sing away.

Not accurate; incorrect

Distant in either space or time;

Somewhat crazy; eccentric

Not present; having left;

Started on the way; going

Used of an opponent's ground;

Absent, away from, or not engaged in work or duty

(of a baseball pitch) on the far side of home plate from the batter;

Spent away from work or duty

From a particular thing or place or position (`forth' is obsolete);

Being on the right side of an animal or vehicle.

From one's possession;

Being the animal or vehicle on the right.

Out of the way (especially away from one's thoughts);

(Nautical) Farthest from the shore; seaward.

Out of existence;

(Sports) Toward or designating the side of the field facing the batsman in cricket.

At a distance in space or time;

Off-color.

Indicating continuing action; continuously or steadily;

So as to be removed or distant from

So as to be removed or gotten rid of;

Away or relieved from

Freely or at will;

By consuming

In or into a proper place (especially for storage or safekeeping);

With the means provided by

In a different direction;

(Informal) From

In reserve; not for immediate use;

Extending or branching out from

Not up to the usual standard of

So as to abstain from

(Nautical) To seaward of

To go away; leave

To murder.

In a direction away from the speaker or other reference point.

Into a state of non-operation or non-existence.

So as to remove or separate, or be removed or separated.

(theatre) Offstage.

Used in various other ways specific to individual idiomatic phrases, e.g. bring off, show off, put off, tell off, etc. See the entry for the individual phrase.

Inoperative, disabled.

Cancelled; not happening.

Not fitted; not being worn.

Rancid, rotten, gone bad.

Disgusting, repulsive, abhorrent.

Less than normal, in temperament or in result.

Inappropriate; untoward.

(in phrases such as 'well off', 'poorly off', etc., and in 'how?' questions) Circumstanced.

Started on the way.

Far; off to the side.

Designating a time when one is not strictly attentive to business or affairs, or is absent from a post, and, hence, a time when affairs are not urgent.

(in phrases such as 'off day') Designating a time when one is not performing to the best of one's abilities.

Presently unavailable.

On the side furthest from the kerb (the right-hand side if one drives on the left).

(cricket) In, or towards the half of the field away from the batsman's legs; the right side for a right-handed batsman.

Not positioned upon, or away from a position upon.

Detached, separated, excluded or disconnected from; away from a position of attachment or connection to.

Used to indicate the location or direction of one thing relative to another, implying adjacency or accessibility via.

Used to express location at sea relative to land or mainland.

Removed or subtracted from.

No longer wanting or taking.

Out of the possession of.

Placed after a number (of products or parts, as if a unit), in commerce or engineeringEngineering.

To kill.

To switch off.

(usually in phrases such as 'from the off', 'at the off', etc.) Beginning; starting point.

In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as:

Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off.

Denoting the action of removing or separating; separation; as, to take off the hat or cloak; to cut off, to pare off, to clip off, to peel off, to tear off, to march off, to fly off, and the like.

Denoting a leaving, abandonment, departure, abatement, interruption, or remission; as, the fever goes off; the pain goes off; the game is off; all bets are off.

Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away; as, to look off.

Denoting opposition or negation.

Away; begone; - a command to depart.

Not on; away from; as, to be off one's legs or off the bed; two miles off the shore.

On the farther side; most distant; on the side of an animal or a team farthest from the driver when he is on foot; in the United States, the right side; as, the off horse or ox in a team, in distinction from the nigh or near horse or ox; the off leg.

Designating a time when one is not strictly attentive to business or affairs, or is absent from his post, and, hence, a time when affairs are not urgent; as, he took an off day for fishing: an off year in politics.

Designating a time when one's performance is below normal; as, he had an off day.

The side of the field that is on the right of the wicket keeper.

Not in operation or operational;

Below a satisfactory level;

(of events) no longer planned or scheduled;

In an unpalatable state;

Not performing or scheduled for duties;

From a particular thing or place or position (`forth' is obsolete);

At a distance in space or time;

No longer on or in contact or attached;