English

Verb

put off ‎(third-person singular simple present puts off, present participle putting off, simple past and past participle put off)

1. (transitive) To procrastinate.

   Don't put off your homework to the last minute.

   Don't put your homework off to the last minute.

   Don't put it off to the last minute.

   Don't put it off.

2. (transitive) To delay (a task, event, etc.).

   The storm put off the game by a week.

   The storm put the game off by a week.

   I'm too busy to see Mr Smith today. I'll have to put him off.

3. (transitive) To distract; to disturb the concentration of.

   Please be quiet. I'm trying to concentrate and you're putting me off.

4. (transitive) To cause to dislike; to discourage (from doing).

   Almost drowning put him off swimming.

Usage notes

• The object in all senses can come before or after the particle, except that personal pronouns nearly always precede the particle.

Derived terms

• off-putting
• put-off (noun)

Translations

Adjective

put off ‎(comparative more put off, superlative most put off)

1. offended, repulsed

   The guest was quite put off by an odor.

2. daunted or fazed

   All but the most dedicated were put off by the huge task.

Anagrams

• off-put

See also

• set off
• throw off