off-hour

American  

[awf-ouuhr, -ou-er, -ou^uhr, -ou-er, of-, awf-ouuhr, -ou-er, of-] / ˈɔfˈaʊər, -ˈaʊ ər, -ˌaʊər, -ˌaʊ ər, ˈɒf-, ˈɔfˈaʊər, -ˈaʊ ər, ˈɒf- /

noun

1. an hour or other period when a person is not at a job.

   I spend my off-hours reading.

2. a period outside of rush hours or greatest activity.

   I travel by subway during the off-hours.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or during an off-hour.

   The off-hour traffic will be lighter.

Etymology

Origin of off-hour

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

off-hour

He has a narrow margin that he needs to spend every waking off-hour fundraising to preserve.

From Slate ● Jun. 28, 2023

Other alternatives for those looking to hone their skills include off-hour deals: Buying weekday and nighttime lift tickets can cut costs.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2022

But late-night ridership is currently around 18% of previous ridership, and the late trains support people coming and going to off-hour jobs, the newspaper reported.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 23, 2021

Low-income commuters who rely on public transit face many challenges—multiple transfers, long waits, and off-hour travel—that aren’t measured in the usual ridership surveys.

From Science Magazine ● Jan. 6, 2021

There are off-hour trips to silent museums, where the boy tries and fails to walk through galleries as quietly as his instructor does, cringing when each footfall echoes.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern