Off the cuff
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Done spontaneously without prep.
Origin
From 20th-century America, tied to 1930s speakers jotting points on cuffs; slang by 1938 for impromptu, as in a 'Variety' piece on ad-libbed lines. Possibly echoes actors' cuff notes in vaudeville.
Usage Examples
- He gave an off-the-cuff speech that wowed them.
- She answered off the cuff; pure instinct.
- That joke was off the cuff; no rehearsal!
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