Home › Idioms

off the cuff

Meaning: Without much advance preparation; spontaneously.

Language: English

Literally: (Already vivid in English)

Category: Daily Life

Origin: Off the cuff is usually applied to speaking or writing. On the spur of the moment means that one makes a decision to do something suddenly and therefore without much preparation.

More idioms — Daily Life

  • old-boy network — The male connections that a man acquires, usually while in college or the military, later…
  • old fuddy-duddy — A person who is old-fashioned and not open to new technology or ideas.
  • old hat — Routine to the point of boredom (sentence 1); old-fashioned and outmoded (sentence 2).
  • put something on hold — To postpone something; to wait until later (sentences 1 and 2); to ask somebody to wait w…
  • on a treadmill — In a dull and boring routine.
  • on the ball — Mentally sharp or alert; well-prepared; efficient.

More English idioms

  • off the wall — Unusual; peculiar.
  • on a warpath — Looking for a fight; very angry and upset with someone or something.
  • on one's last legs — About to die, fail, or collapse.
  • on the blink — Not working correctly.
  • on the fritz — Not working correctly.
  • on the go — Constantly busy; very active.

← Back to Idioms

Loading the full interactive collection…