Adjacent Words

Offset definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

OFF'SET, n. [off and set.]
1. A shoot; a sprout from the roots of a plant.
2. In surveying, a perpendicular let fall from the stationary lines to the hedge, fence or extremity of an inclosure.
3. In accounts, a sum, account or value set off against another sum or account, as an equivalent.
[This is also written set-off.]
OFF'SET, v.t. To set one account against another; to make the account of one party pay the demand of another.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got an early start"; "she knew from the get-go that he was the man for her" [syn: beginning, commencement, first, outset, get-go, start, kickoff, starting time, showtime, offset] [ant: end, ending, middle]
2: a compensating equivalent [syn: counterbalance, offset]
3: a horizontal branch from the base of plant that produces new plants from buds at its tips [syn: stolon, runner, offset]
4: a natural consequence of development [syn: outgrowth, branch, offshoot, offset]
5: a plate makes an inked impression on a rubber-blanketed cylinder, which in turn transfers it to the paper [syn: offset, offset printing]
6: structure where a wall or building narrows abruptly [syn: set-back, setoff, offset] v
1: compensate for or counterbalance; "offset deposits and withdrawals" [syn: offset, countervail]
2: make up for; "His skills offset his opponent's superior strength" [syn: cancel, offset, set off]
3: cause (printed matter) to transfer or smear onto another surface
4: create an offset in; "offset a wall"
5: produce by offset printing; "offset the conference proceedings"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Date: circa 1555 1. a. archaic outset, start b. cessation 2. a. (1) a short prostrate lateral shoot arising from the base of a plant (2) a small bulb arising from the base of another bulb b. a lateral or collateral branch (as of a family or race) ; offshoot c. a spur from a range of hills 3. a. a horizontal ledge on the face of a wall formed by a diminution of its thickness above b. displacement c. an abrupt change in the dimension or profile of an object or the part set off by such change 4. something that sets off to advantage or embellishes something else ; foil 5. an abrupt bend in an object by which one part is turned aside out of line 6. something that serves to counterbalance or to compensate for something else; especially either of two balancing ledger items 7. a. unintentional transfer of ink (as from a freshly printed sheet) b. a printing process in which an inked impression from a plate is first made on a rubber-blanketed cylinder and then transferred to the paper being printed • offset adjective or adverb II. verb (-set; -setting) Date: 1792 transitive verb 1. a. to place over against something ; balance <credits offset debits> b. to serve as a counterbalance for ; compensate <his speed offset his opponent's greater weight> 2. to form an offset in <offset a wall> intransitive verb to become marked by offset

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a side-shoot from a plant serving for propagation. 2 an offshoot or scion. 3 a compensation; a consideration or amount diminishing or neutralizing the effect of a contrary one. 4 Archit. a sloping ledge in a wall etc. where the thickness of the part above is diminished. 5 a mountain-spur. 6 a bend in a pipe etc. to carry it past an obstacle. 7 (often attrib.) a method of printing in which ink is transferred from a plate or stone to a uniform rubber surface and from there to paper etc. (offset litho). 8 Surveying a short distance measured perpendicularly from the main line of measurement. --v.tr. (-setting; past and past part. -set) 1 counterbalance, compensate. 2 place out of line. 3 print by the offset process.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Offset Off"set`, n. [Off + set. Cf. Set-off.] In general, that which is set off, from, before, or against, something; as: 1. (Bot.) A short prostrate shoot, which takes root and produces a tuft of leaves, etc. See Illust. of Houseleek. 2. A sum, account, or value set off against another sum or account, as an equivalent; hence, anything which is given in exchange or retaliation; a set-off. 3. A spur from a range of hills or mountains. 4. (Arch.) A horizontal ledge on the face of a wall, formed by a diminution of its thickness, or by the weathering or upper surface of a part built out from it; -- called also set-off. 5. (Surv.) A short distance measured at right angles from a line actually run to some point in an irregular boundary, or to some object. 6. (Mech.) An abrupt bend in an object, as a rod, by which one part is turned aside out of line, but nearly parallel, with the rest; the part thus bent aside. 7. (Print.) A more or less distinct transfer of a printed page or picture to the opposite page, when the pages are pressed together before the ink is dry or when it is poor. Offset staff (Surv.), a rod, usually ten links long, used in measuring offsets.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Offset Off*set", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Offset; p. pr. & vb. n. Offsetting.] 1. To set off; to place over against; to balance; as, to offset one account or charge against another. 2. To form an offset in, as in a wall, rod, pipe, etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Offset Off*set", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Offset; p. pr. & vb. n. Offsetting.] 1. To set off; to place over against; to balance; as, to offset one account or charge against another. 2. To form an offset in, as in a wall, rod, pipe, etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Offset Off"set, v. i. (Printing) To make an offset.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(offsets, offsetting) Note: The form 'offset' is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle of the verb. If one thing is offset by another, the effect of the first thing is reduced by the second, so that any advantage or disadvantage is cancelled out. The increase in pay costs was more than offset by higher productivity... The move is designed to help offset the shortfall in world oil supplies caused by the UN embargo. = balance VERB: be V-ed, V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Sprout, shoot, slip, branch, offshoot, twig, scion. 2. Counterpoise, counterbalance, set-off, equivalent.

Moby Thesaurus

absorb the shock, albertype, analog process, annul, antacid, antidote, antipode, antipodes, antipole, antithesis, antonym, atone for, balance, ballast, be at cross-purposes, be opposed to, behavior pattern, book printing, branch, break the fall, bring to nothing, buffer, cancel, cancel out, check, chromotypography, chromotypy, chromoxylography, clash, collotype, color printing, come to nothing, compensate, compensation, conflict, conflict with, consideration, contra, contradict, contrapose, contrast with, contravene, controvert, converse, counter, counteract, counteractant, counteraction, counteractive, counteragent, counterbalance, countercheck, counterirritant, counterpoint, counterpoise, counterpole, counterpose, counterterm, countervail, counterweigh, counterweight, counterwork, cushion, damp, dampen, deaden, digital process, electronography, electrostatic printing, equalize, equalizer, equipoise, equiponderate, equivalent, even out, even up, feeling, filiation, foil, frustrate, give-and-take, graphic arts, gravure, halftone engraving, history of printing, hunting, impress, impression, imprint, indemnify, input oscillation, invalidate, inverse, job printing, juxtapose in opposition, letterpress, letterpress photoengraving, line engraving, lithography, lithogravure, lithophotogravure, mackle, make amends, make good, make restitution, make up, make up for, makeweight, mimeograph, negate, negativate, negative, neutralize, neutralizer, nullifier, nullify, obverse, offcut, offprint, offset lithography, offshoot, onset, oppose, opposite, opposite number, oppugn, oscillatory behavior, outweigh, overcorrection of error, overshoot, palaeotypography, photo-offset, photochemical process, photoengraving, photogelatin process, photographic reproduction, photography, photolithography, phototypography, phototypy, photozincography, planographic printing, planography, play at cross-purposes, preventative, preventive, print, printing, printmaking, process, prophylactic, publication, publishing, quid pro quo, recompense, redeem, redress, reimburse, reissue, relief printing, remedy, repay, reprint, reverse, rotary photogravure, rotogravure, run counter to, self-excitation, set off, setoff, sheetwork, shoot, show consideration, show mercy, show pity, soften, soften the blow, something of value, sprout, square, square up, stamp, stencil, stop, stultify, suppress, the contrary, the other side, three-color printing, thwart, tit for tat, two-color printing, typography, typolithography, undo, vis-a-vis, vitiate, void, wood-block printing, xerography, xeroprinting, xylotypography, zincography