One off?

Bob Luken

One-off, one off? Do you use this term? In your own words (before you google it) what does it mean and where did you hear of it? Where did it come from? Don't look it up just yet. Tell me only of your own experience.

90+ Irishman

I do and for me it's hyphenate. I use it to describe something that is unique and no other copies of it exist. Such as a handmade humidor. Toombes trunk-a-dor for example is one-off to me. Nothing else besides that one exists of those. He made it, one-off.

Martel

Something that just happens once. It's not regular or repeated. I might give a student a test outside of class and say it's a one-off. I can't do this all the time or for every student. It's an exception to the rule, so they get a single one-off of schedule test/review/tutoring, etc.

Bob Luken

Do you guys remember learning this phrase? I think the first time was hearing a TV host of a custom car show use it to describe a customized auto as a one-off edition of a particular model. I've never used the phrase. I usually resist new words and phrases. I say the old tried and true "one of a kind". Or unique. But not one-off. And if I ever hear someone use it IRL, just for fun, I will most definitely appear ignorant and demand an explanation as if they had uttered entirely unintelligible gobbledygook. "One-off? Is that a quantity? Would two-off be twice as off? And what is it off,......of,... anyway?"

raisindot

I've really only heard it used in the business world, and it usually refers to either a product or event or program designed to be executed just once. For example, a former company that many events with a common theme around the country would occasionally do a "one off" event that was aimed toward a specific group of prospects or clients and held just once.

First Warrior

I've been makin one off pieces for 35 years. I usually work in series, that is the bowls and sculpture I make have common origins and elements but each piece is unique to it's self. I usually title each piece and that sets off the one off quality. The customer gets something special.

Ken Light

I only remember it from when I collected comics back in the 90s. It was a one-issue thing rather than an ongoing series or mini-series.