off-the-cuff

American  

[awf-thuh-kuhf, of-] / ˈɔf ðəˈkʌf, ˈɒf- /

adjective

1. with little or no preparation; extemporaneous; impromptu.

   a speaker with a good off-the-cuff delivery.

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off the cuff Idioms  

1. Impromptu, extemporaneous, as in His speech was entirely off the cuff. This term supposedly alludes to the practice of speakers making last-minute notes on the cuff of a shirtsleeve. [1930s]

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Etymology

Origin of off-the-cuff

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

His work, like his life, seemed like a running improvisation, and the prose work that became “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” offers a nod to the author’s off-the-cuff sensibility.

From The Wall Street Journal

His predecessor, Francis, was a charismatic Argentinian known for his off-the-cuff comments and dramatic gestures.

From BBC

Few people deliver more creative off-the-cuff insults than lawyers.

From Salon

The chancellor went to some effort in her off-the-cuff UK sales pitch to worldwide investors in the US last week.

From BBC

A love of off-the-cuff attacking rugby was one of the reasons behind her move from Saracens to Loughborough Lightning in 2020.

From BBC