On Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:10:50 +0000, Frederick Williams
<frederick.williams2@tesco.net> wrote:
<snip>
|> >>
|> >> Which is the correct word to use, "of" or "off", when listing
|> >> quantities? I often see "off" used and it just looks wrong. For
|> >> example -
|> >>
|> >> "Six-inch widgets - 4 off"
|> >>
|> >> shouldn't it be "4 of", with this being a shortened form of "4 of
|> >> (those)" ?
|> >
|> >No. "Off" is technical usage in this case and so may not square with
|> >everyday idioms.
|>
|> Okay, so what does it mean in that context?
|
|"Six-inch widgets - 4 off" means "Four six-inch widgets."
Not sure it is technical, as such. I thought it was a reference
to the practice of ordering the entire quantity in advance, but
only 'drawing them down' as needed. For example: I would order
(and possibly pay for), 30 sheets of plasterboard. But only need
a few at a time. So, I would write my requision for '5 off', and
'off' would mean 'off my previously stated/reserved quantity of
30, leaving 25 to draw at some later date/time'.
--
HowieC
www.writeproper.co.uk
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