offing
/ˈɔfɪŋ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.61 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The area of the sea in which a ship can be seen in the distance from land, excluding the parts nearest the shore, and beyond the anchoring ground.
noun
The distance that a ship at sea keeps away from land, often because of navigational dangers, fog and other hazards; a position at a distance from shore.
noun
The foreseeable future. Chiefly in the phrase in the offing.
verb
present participle and gerund of off
Example Sentences
- "to see (a ship) in the offing"
- "I came to an Anchor in seven fathomes water in the offing to Sea."
- "September 30, 1659. I, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe, being shipwreck'd during a dreadful Storm, in the offing, came on Shore on this dismal, unfortunate Island, which I call'd the Island of Despair, all the rest of the Ship's Company being drown'd, and my self almost dead."
- "That's the Grampus's crew. I seed her reported in the offing this morning; a three years' voyage, and a full ship."
- "In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint […]"
- "[…] till I ſaw the Land tun out a great Length into the Sea, at about the Diſtance of four or five Leagues before me, and the Sea being very calm I kept a large, offing to make this Point; […]"
Etymology
Word Breakdown
- Suffix: off
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈɔfɪŋ/
- British English: /ˈɒfɪŋ/