also kickoff, kick off, 1857, "first kick in a football match," from kick (v.) + off (adv.). The verbal phrase also is from 1857. Figurative sense of "start, beginning event" is from 1875.

"leave quickly," by 1956, perhaps from bugger off (see bugger (v.)), which chiefly is British (by 1920s) but was picked up in U.S. Air Force slang in the Korean War. Also see bug (v.3). To bug out "leave quickly, scram" is from 1953.

"not employed or occupied with one's normal work," 1743, from off (prep.) + duty.

see off-color.

"an act of fraud, a swindle," 1969, from verbal phrase rip off "to steal or rob" (c. 1967) in African-American vernacular, from rip (v.) + off (adv.). Rip was prison slang for "to steal" since 1904, and was also used in this sense in 12c. The specific meaning "an exploitative imitation" is from 1971, also "a plagiarism." Related: Ripped-off.

verbal phrase; see set (v.) + off (adv.). From 1590s as "make prominent by contrast," 1610s as "adorn." Intransitive sense of "start on or as on a journey" is from 1774. Meaning "separate from contect" (in typography) is from 1824; sense of "ignite, discharge, cause to explode" is from 1810.

"a farewell" (especially a funeral), 1872 ("Mark Twain"), from the verbal phrase send off "cause to be sent" (attested by 1660s), from send (v.) + off (adv.). Earlier a send-off was "a start," as on a journey or race (1841), hence "a display of good-will on the occasion of such."

"something that dampens one's spirits" recorded by 1971 (said to have been in use since 1968), from verbal phrase turn off "stop the flow of" (1850), from turn (v.) + off (adv.). Turn-off (n.) as "place where one road diverges from another" is from 1881.

"drive (something) away by violent blows," 1640s, from beat (v.) + off (adv.). The meaning "masturbate" is recorded by 1960s.

"rejected matter, that which is vile or despised," 1520s; literally "that which is scoured off;" from off (prep.) + verbal noun from scour (v.1) "cleanse by hard rubbing."