Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
one off /one-off
English answer:
one-off, one-time
English term
Denmark
one off /one-off
| 4 +5 | one-off, one-time |
Jenni Lukac (X)
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| 4 +2 | one-off [BE] |
Tony M
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| Origins & use |
Catharine Cellier-Smart
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Apr 9, 2013 06:13: Jenni Lukac (X) Created KOG entry
Non-PRO (2): Tony M, Yvonne Gallagher
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Responses
one-off, one-time
| agree |
Charles Davis
: "One-time" is an excellent suggestion for the US, though it probably wouldn't be used in the UK.
9 mins
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Thanks, Charles. It's unclear which market (perhaps both) the message is directed.
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| agree |
Tony M
: 'one-time' has a quite different meaning in EN (= 'used once to be'): "Chancellor and one-time bank-robber"
16 mins
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Thanks, Tony. "One-off" sounds informal to an American ear.
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| agree |
Arabic & More
1 hr
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Cheers and thanks, Amel.
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| agree |
jccantrell
: Gee, I would understand 'one-off' in a technical sense as being not series production but unique, hand made. So, in your context, I would get the drift, even as a Murkin.
2 hrs
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Thanks very much, jc.
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| agree |
Phong Le
2 days 19 hrs
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Thanks very much, Phong. Have a great weekend.
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one-off [BE]
However, it seems to be gaining some ground now in the US, so I would perhaps hesitate to say it wouldn't actually be understood — but would clearly be recognized as a Britishism.
In any event, a term probably best avoided for any kind of international readership.
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Note added at 6 mins (2013-03-26 11:52:07 GMT)
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**least**
| agree |
Yvonne Gallagher
11 mins
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Thanks, G2!
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| agree |
Cilian O'Tuama
: British- and Irishism ;-)
14 hrs
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Thanks, Cilian!
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Reference comments
Reunion
The Smart Solution
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: French to English, Creoles & Pidgins (French-based Other) to English, English
Origins & use
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/magazine/04FOB-onlanguage-...
Interestingly the post below has a poll where the question was asked: ""One-off" in an American context is:
Perfectly fine 69.19%
Borderline 13.64%
Over-the-top 17.17% "
In the comments "one of a kind" is also suggested as an alternative
“One-off”
http://britishisms.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/one-off/
Discussion
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/one-off_2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/business-english/...
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/one-shot
e.g. "many words or phrases simply pop into my head without my even knowing where they've originated" (see last comment at http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/2012/10/briti...