off-the-cuff
off-the-cuff — adjective
1. describes something said or written on the spot, without time to plan the wordin
describes something said or written on the spot, without time to plan the wording or check the facts first
Felipe gave an off-the-cuff answer when the journalist asked about the new tax law.
attributive: an off-the-cuff + noun
The senator's off-the-cuff comment about retired nurses caused anger on social media.
collocation: off-the-cuff comment / remark
Iris kept her wedding speech short and off-the-cuff so it would feel personal.
Reporters loved the prime minister for her witty, off-the-cuff replies during press briefings.
An off-the-cuff joke during the team meeting accidentally hurt the new intern's feelings.
- impromptu
very close in meaning; slightly more formal and often used for performances or speeches
- spontaneous
broader; can describe a feeling or action, not only a piece of speech
- unrehearsed
focuses on lack of practice, not the absence of forethought
文法句型
an off-the-cuff + noun
off-the-cuff remark/comment/answer
用法筆記
Almost always sits before a noun (an off-the-cuff remark/answer/joke). Predicative use after 'be' (the answer was off-the-cuff) is grammatical but rarer. Carries a faint warning: such remarks are spontaneous, so they may be tactless or inaccurate.
常見錯誤
off-the-cuff — idiom
1. in a way that has not been planned: you talk straight from what comes to mind, w
in a way that has not been planned: you talk straight from what comes to mind, with no notes and no chance to weigh your words
Christopher hates speaking off the cuff, so he writes every word of his lectures down.
verb + off the cuff: speak / talk / answer
When the microphone was passed to Saira, she answered the question off the cuff and got a laugh.
I'm just talking off the cuff here, but I think we should postpone the launch until June.
Rachid was famous for replying off the cuff during interviews, sometimes saying things he later regretted.
文法句型
speak/say/answer + off the cuff
用法筆記
Used adverbially after verbs of speaking (speak, talk, say, answer, reply). Speakers often add 'just talking off the cuff' as a hedge to soften an unprepared opinion. Note the spelling: the adverbial idiom is written without hyphens (off the cuff), while the attributive adjective takes hyphens (an off-the-cuff remark).