OFF-THE-CUFF Definition & Meaning

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off-the-cuff

[ awf-thuh-kuhf, of- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

with little or no preparation; extemporaneous; impromptu:
a speaker with a good off-the-cuff delivery.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of off-the-cuff¹

First recorded in 1940–45

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Idioms and Phrases

Impromptu, extemporaneous, as in His speech was entirely off the cuff . This term supposedly alludes to the practice of speakers making last-minute notes on the cuff of a shirtsleeve. [1930s]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Rapid executive orders and the president's willingness to announce his policies on social media or in off-the-cuff remarks have already shown the ability to move markets.

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Though an outsider in the family, Jackie’s comedic chops have rendered him a fan favorite for his off-the-cuff lines and seamless delivery.

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Indeed, Trump has long been advised to “flood the zone” with so many off-the-cuff and preposterous ideas and promises that the opposition can barely adjust to establishment news formats to counter them.

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Others were offered seemingly off-the-cuff - a product of Trump's "think out loud" style and openness to adopting ideas others had suggested to him.

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When US President Donald Trump began speaking 10 days ago of Gaza as a demolition site, calling to "clean out that whole thing", it wasn't clear how far these were off-the-cuff remarks.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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