How to pronounce offing
American English pronunciation
AW-fing
- IPA
- /ˈɔfɪŋ/
- Syllables
- AW · fing (2 syllables, stress on the 1st)
- Also said
- AH-fing
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What offing means
Most people know offing in its everyday sense. Here's its other meaning.
The far part of the sea that can be seen from shore
In a sentence: From the cliff we watched a tall ship sail slowly across the offing, far beyond the harbor.
Where it comes from: It has been used in English since before 1600, and early books also spell it offin or offen. The phrase in the offing, meaning coming soon, grew from it.
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