off-axisadj.adv.
/ˌɒfˈaksɪs/, U.S. /ˈɔfˈæksəs/, /ˈɑfˈæksəs/ A. adj.
Situated or occurring away from an axis (in various senses).
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the world > matter > physics > science of sound > sound-waves > [adjective] > away from axis
off-axis1939
the world > space > relative position > central condition or position > [adjective] > situated in the centre or middle > situated on the axis > situated away from an axis
off-axis1939
1939 Sci. Amer. Aug. 120/2 The ‘off-axis’ type..is exceedingly useful in practice because, with this arrangement, the photographic plate or film may be placed outside the light beam.
1958 Van Nostrand's Sci. Encycl. (ed. 3) 380/1 Rays from an off-axis point through any zone of a lens meet the focal plane in a comatic circle.
1971 J. H. Richardson Optical Microsc. for Materials Sci. i. 47 Even though a lens may be spherically corrected for objects situated on the microscope axis, spherical aberration may exist for off-axis objects.
1990 Gramophone May 2106/4 Off-axis listening revealed a fairly steep loss of treble and this made placement for optimum stereo quite critical.
2000 P. W. B. Semmens & A. J. Goldfinch How Steam Locomotives really Work v. 177 This lack of linearity produces an off-axis force on the piston rod.
B. adv.
Away from an axis.
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the world > matter > physics > science of sound > sound-waves > [adverb]
off-axis1962
1962 A. Nisbett Technique Sound Studio ii. 36 Place the second person just the same amount off-axis in the other direction.
1973 Optical Engin. 12 20/2 A 1 mm diameter pinhole in 1·5 mm lead severely vignettes the field off-axis.
1990 Gramophone May 2099/3 The usual pink noise test with one loudspeaker sited well out into the room revealed a smooth dispersion in the lateral plane, the response falling off gently as one moved significantly off axis.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.adv.1939