off base — {adj. phr.}, {informal} Not agreeing with fact; wrong. * /The idea that touching a toad causes warts is off base./ * /When Tom said that the teacher s explanation did not agree with the book, the teacher was embarrassed at being caught off base./ … Dictionary of American idioms
off-base — adj. (Mil.) located outside a military base; as, off base housing. [WordNet 1.5] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
off-base — (adv.) unawares, 1936, American English, from OFF (Cf. off) (adv.) + BASE (Cf. base) (n.); a figurative extension from baseball sense of not in the right position (1898), from notion of a baserunner being picked off while taking a lead … Etymology dictionary
off base — mod. off target; wrong; not relevant. (See also way off (base).) □ Your answer was completely off base. Try again. □ You are off base. I will have to deal with someone else … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
off base — adjective a) Situated or happening outside the boundaries of a military base. A Virginia lawmaker wants to improve off base living conditions for enlisted troops with families. b) Positioned somewhere between the bases, and hence vulnerable to… … Wiktionary
off base — phrasal 1. wrong, mistaken < estimates were way off base > 2. unawares < caught off base by the charges > … New Collegiate Dictionary
off\ base — adj. phr. informal Not agreeing with fact; wrong. The idea that touching a toad causes warts is off base. When Tom said that the teacher s explanation did not agree with the book, the teacher was embarrassed at being caught off base … Словарь американских идиом
off base — phrasal 1. : completely or absurdly mistaken any man who said such a thing is certainly off base 2. : by surprise : unawares the sudden question caught him off base … Useful english dictionary
off-base — /awf bays , of /, adj. located outside the perimeters of a military base: off base housing for officers. [1935 40] * * * … Universalium
off base — Synonyms and related words: aberrant, abnormal, abominable, atrocious, bad, criminal, delinquent, deviant, disgraceful, disorderly, disruptive, evil, hardly the thing, ignominious, ill considered, ill seasoned, ill timed, illegal, improper,… … Moby Thesaurus
