offhand

[awf-hand, of-]

adverb

cavalierly, curtly, or brusquely: to reply offhand.

without previous thought or preparation; extempore: to decide offhand to take a trip.

adjective

informal, casual, curt, or brusque: an offhand manner.

Also off·hand·ed. done or made offhand.

Glassmaking. working manually and without the use of molds: offhand blowing.

Origin of offhand

First recorded in 1685–95; off + hand

Related formsoff·hand·ed·ly, adverboff·hand·ed·ness, noun

Synonyms for offhand

1. short, shortly, abruptly. 3, 4. impromptu, extempore.

Antonyms for offhand

4. considered.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for offhanded

Historical Examples of offhanded

"I suppose they have a baby by now," she said in an offhanded tone.
Virgin Soil
Ivan S. Turgenev
Nobody hurt, you see, remarked Grizzly, in an offhanded way.
Ralph, the Train Dispatcher
Allen Chapman
But Lou was jolly and frank and offhanded, while Ruth was painfully shy and reserved, and that was the secret of the whole matter.
Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1896 to 1901
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Poor little Jane adds, "These words told me offhanded and without preparation agitated my soul within me."
Ten Girls from History
Kate Dickinson Sweetser
The cards were laid on the table by him, and Hop picked them up in an offhanded way.
Young Wild West at "Forbidden Pass"
An Old Scout

British Dictionary definitions for offhanded

offhand

adjective, adverb Also: offhanded

without care, thought, or consideration; sometimes, brusque or ungraciousan offhand manner

without preparation or warning; impromptu

Derived Formsoffhandedly, adverboffhandedness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012