oddodd /ɒd $ ɑːd/ ●●● S1 W3 AWL adjective (comparative odder, superlative oddest) 
It was an odd thing to say. an odd way to behave They’re an odd couple. There was something odd about him. What she did was unforgivable, but the odd thing was he didn’t seem to mind. She was holding an extremely odd-looking weapon.it is/seems odd (that) It seemed odd that he wanted a picture of me.► see thesaurus at strange2the odd occasion/day/moment/drink etc especially British English a few occasions, days etc that happen at various times but not often and not regularly SYN occasional: Lack of sleep doesn’t matter on the odd occasion. I take the odd day off work. I like the odd glass of wine with my dinner. Jo smokes the odd cigarette.3various [only before noun] not specially chosen or collected: Any odd scrap of paper will do.4not in a pair/set [only before noun] separated from a pair or set: an odd shoeodd socks/gloves etc (=not a matching pair of socks etc) He was wearing odd socks.5odd number a number that cannot be divided exactly by two, for example 1, 3, 5, 7 etc OPP even number620-odd/30-odd etc spoken a little more than 20 etc: I have another 20-odd years to work before I retire.7the odd man/one out British English someone or something that is different from the rest of the group or not included in it: Which shape is the odd one out? I was always the odd one out at school.—oddness noun [uncountable] → oddly
WORD ORIGINodd
Origin:
1300-1400 Old Norse oddi ‘point of land, triangle, odd number’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- an odd combination
- an odd sock
- Reynolds was an odd choice to host the show.
- Timber? That's kind of an odd name for a kid.
- Apparently the odd arrangement was uninteresting to a teenager.
- He was the odd one out in a gifted family.
- I started out as a gofer, running errands for him and doing odd little jobs.
- One carried his dark jacket in an odd kind of bundle under one arm.
- She looked more odd than ever and her movements were beginning to stiffen.
- Spurred by some odd impulse, he threw the trowel as far as he could.
- There was an odd kind of silence.
THESAURUS
unusual or surprising, especially in a way that is difficult to understand, or that is a little frightening: · What’s that strange noise downstairs?· That’s strange – I’m sure I left my keys on the table.· a strange old man
especially spoken a little strange and making you feel slightly surprised or worried: · There’s a funny smell in the kitchen.· It’s odd that you can’t remember him at all.
especially written strange, especially in an interesting way. Curious is a little more formal than strange: · a curious fact· There’s something rather curious about small-town America.· She remembered curious little details.
strange – used about something that people know little about and are unable to explain or understand: · He had disappeared in mysterious circumstances.· There were reports of mysterious lights in the sky.
strange in a way that seems slightly crazy and amusing – used about people and their behaviour: · He lived completely alone and had some slightly eccentric habits.· an eccentric old lady
slightly strange, and different from what you would normally expect – used especially when this is either amusing or worrying: · She sometimes wears rather peculiar clothes.· He had a peculiar expression on his face.
Longman Language Activatorapproximately a number or amount a little more or a little less than a number, amount, distance, or time: · It should cost about $1500.· The church is about a mile away.· It's been about five years since I've seen Linda.· The chance of men being born colourblind is about 1 in 12.
a little more or a little less than a number, amount, distance, or time. Approximately is a little more formal than about and is used especially in written English: · Approximately 30% of the community is Polish.· Each disk stores approximately 144 pages of text.
approximately - used especially when you are trying to give someone a general idea of the number or amount: · A new kitchen would cost roughly $6,000.· The man was roughly my own age.· There were roughly 50 people there.
: 3 days/a minute/fifteen people etc or so approximately 3 days, a minute etc, or perhaps even more: · The baby usually sleeps for an hour or so after breakfast.· He suggested that I take a week or so off work.· There must be thirty people or so in the class.
informal spoken: a hundred/forty/thirty etc odd use this after numbers in tens, hundreds, or thousands: · "How old do you think he is?'' "Oh, I don't know. Seventy odd.''· It's been 30 odd years since I last saw him.
spoken: give or take a few miles/a couple of minutes/a pound etc use this when saying approximately what a number or amount is, when it may be a few miles more or less, a few minutes more or less etc: · The village is about fifty miles north of here, give or take a few miles.· He's said to be worth $26 million, give or take a few million.· "How long will the meeting last?" "A couple of hours, give or take."
spoken approximately, especially when you do not know the correct number or amount and are guessing what it is: · At a guess, I'd say around 3000 people took part in the demonstration.· It was a cold night. About two or three degrees at a guess.· "How much will it cost?" "A hundred and twenty pounds, at a guess."
words for describing something that happens sometimes but not often · The prisoners are allowed occasional visits from their relatives.the occasional/an occasional · The street was silent except for the occasional burst of laughter from one of the workmen.· I didn't know Terry very well, but we went out for an occasional drink together.
: the odd drink/game/occasion etc especially spoken a few drinks, games etc at various times, but not often and not regularly: · Jim and I have the odd game of cards together.· We get the odd complaint from customers, but mostly they're very satisfied.
happening for short irregular periods, often with long periods in between, not continuously: · She is the sort of person who works with intense but intermittent effort.· The afternoon will be warm but unsettled, with intermittent light rain.
happening sometimes, usually every few months, years etc: · She suffered periodic bouts of depression.· Periodic failures of the olive crop kept the country in constant debt.· The budget is subject to periodic review.
: casual user/visitor etc someone who does not often use something, visit somewhere etc: · Casual users of the library may not realize that they now need a computerized ticket.· Charging an entry fee for museums will not affect the casual visitor very much.
strange people, behaviour, objects or ideas · Pearl was a strange girl who never played with the other children.· He's very strange - you never really know what he's thinking.· Marla has some strange ideas about raising children.
an eccentric person has strange and slightly crazy habits or ideas, which people think are amusing: · Our neighbour is an eccentric old lady who has about 25 cats.· Mr. Withers is a little eccentric, but he's basically harmless.
strange and slightly frightening, and making you feel uncomfortable : · I don't really want to spend the evening with Helen - she's so weird.· She's dating a really weird guy who's into witchcraft and black magic.· The museum has a collection of the weirdest sculptures I've ever seen.
extremely strange, and very different from what is generally considered to be normal, especially in a frightening or slightly worrying way: · They tell the most bizarre stories about him.· The marriage between the two stars was as bizarre as it was short-lived.· Colin later took his own life in a bizarre suicide pact with his mother.
something that is outlandish is very strange, and not at all like anything you are used to: · Parts of Lisa's story sounded outlandish, and no one would believe her.· She came to the party wearing an outlandish costume and blond wig.
especially British slightly strange and difficult to understand: · Did Anna warn you that her aunt is rather... well, rather odd?· He's a bit funny - sometimes he's very friendly, other times he just ignores you.
slightly strange, and different from what you would normally expect, especially in a way that is either amusing or a little worrying: · She's actually very friendly in her own peculiar way.· Glenn started acting peculiar after his wife's funeral.
someone who is kinky , or who does kinky things, has strange ways of getting sexual excitement: · kinky sex· I think he's a bit kinky - but I like him.
informal someone who is warped has ideas or thoughts that most people think are unpleasant and strange: · Some of my professors at college were pretty warped.· In his statement the chief of police said, "We are dealing with a warped mind, and we have to take all precautions."· Only someone with a warped sense of humor would think the accident is funny.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY What she did was unforgivable, but the odd thing was he didn’t seem to mind. She was holding an extremely odd-looking weapon. an odd assortment of knives and forks As usual, the hero was facing insuperable odds. The British Air Force succeeded despite overwhelming odds against them. There was something rather odd about him. It struck me as odd that the man didn’t introduce himself before he spoke.
What she did was unforgivable, but the odd thing was he didn’t seem to mind. She was holding an extremely odd-looking weapon. (=not a matching pair of socks etc) He was wearing odd socks.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES He was wearing odd socks.· Children sometimes stared at him because of his odd appearance.
an odd assortment of knives and forks· He had a lot of peculiar habits, one of them being to stare at you without blinking.
As usual, the hero was facing insuperable odds. (=1, 3, 5, 7 etc)· You can’t work in pairs if you’ve got an odd number of people.
The British Air Force succeeded despite overwhelming odds against them.· I know it’s a terrible thing to say, but I wish he’d just go away.
· As we looked at each other I had a strange sensation.
· What’s that funny smell?
(=socks that are not a pair)· He was wearing odd socks – one blue one and one black one.
There was something rather odd about him. It struck me as odd that the man didn’t introduce himself before he spoke.· The sweets had a rather peculiar taste.
· These fruit drinks taste a bit funny until you get used to them.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· So this struck me as odd.· Not often shipped out in quantities, specimens are usually acquired as odd fish found in Redline Rasbora collections.· Something struck him as odd about the number of books cited for the new library.· He's as odd as the rest of them really.· Krankoor is as odd a name as Cranko.
· Ideas must not be rejected, irrespective of how odd they are.· And I had gone thirty-seven years into my life without realizing how odd the gaps in my knowledge were.· Clibber and Butterworth; how odd that I cans till remember their names.· He seems to mean it. How odd!· But how odd that she couldn't remember!· Paul speaks of suing for it before the praetor fideicommissarius. How odd.· I had become a current affair - how odd!· And how odd that after Downing St., not a single officer could be seen in Whitehall.
· Locally, conservation was known about, but it appeared in some rather odd guises.· In light of the research the experts reviewed, their conclusions were rather odd.· But even as it is, you get something rather odd.· That is, after all, a rather odd thing for a scientific hypothesis to do.· It is also rather odd, in that no etymology of it is known.· This is because, despite its great charm, it does look rather odd to most cat-lovers.· The rather odd character of the formula called for considerable ingenuity in the enterprise.· Jessamy was beginning to find it rather odd to be having this day out with her husband.
· She said something I found so odd that my vision of the world faintly changed and my despair lessened.· He said it was all so odd.· It would have looked so odd.· Well, it just seems so odd.· It's very kind of you but - but so odd.· It seemed so odd to think that they didn't know.· Clara even grew quite fond of Mrs Hill, and proud of herself for feeling fond of one so odd.
· We went up to the ward, by which time he was making very odd, rasping sounds as he breathed.· It was a very odd fin, and why was the creature swimming so slowly?· Emmie felt very odd: a little frightened but chiefly bored and irritated.· It was very odd that tiny Hsu Fu was so much steadier than the big long-range cutter.· I have spent years using buses, and seem to have a knack of sitting next to some very odd people.· The whole story sounded very odd.· I must say again that it is very odd for me to have to describe all this for you.· Anyway, it was a very interesting short weekend and I learnt some very odd things, all about the wonderful Gwendoline.
NOUN· And a couple of Action Man dolls in uniform, their limbs splayed at odd angles.· Like Los Alamos, it was cradled by mountains and hastily built in order to win a war from an odd angle.· His head, she realised was at an odd angle.· Fun-house reflections: deformations and odd angles.· The streets went off at odd angles.· His feet turned capricious, slipping off at odd angles.· As the building went up, the cross-section changed: the floors became smaller, with more odd angles and corners.· The trees lean at odd angles, like flowers in a vase.
· He brought in as ministers an odd assortment of incompetent relations and hangers-on.
· Established artists did the odd bit of teaching, sat on jury panels and chaired cultural meetings.· Like most interstates, it was an odd bit of space, a nar-row slot fenced by high trees.· The grey lines patterned the green-brown earth like odd bits of carpet.· My driving licences were still there and the odd bits of paper you always accumulate.
· They are the classic odd couple.· The playboy and the puritan made an odd couple, but they could use each other.· They are the hottest odd couple in the presidential campaign.· The odd couple had been together - privately and professionally - for more than 12 years.
· A few odd days of film work slotted neatly round that weekend, leaving her no ready excuse apart from cowardice.· On odd days he would work on the novel.· I couldn't even manage the children - friends took them for odd days.· We've been working on the Panch Chule expedition for a year, but it's just the odd day basically.· The Arbuthnots hunted on odd days with the Meath and Tom lived for the sport.· There may be odd days, however, when a problem arises.
· I would be inclined to remove the odd fish, though.· Not often shipped out in quantities, specimens are usually acquired as odd fish found in Redline Rasbora collections.· But the major struck him as an odd fish, rather.
· After his father died he did a lot of odd jobs, including shining shoes, boxing professionally and preaching.· Never use wicker chairs to stand on for odd jobs around the house.· She kept herself alive working odd jobs until she landed a position managing advertising accounts for a local magazine.· Guys I really have worked for, briefly, doing odd jobs.· Does odd jobs for Domestic Contacts.· Tock the butler and odd job man about the school.· Police say Avanesian got odd jobs, working to rebuild generators and alternators for auto-electrical shops in the area.
· He gave me an odd look as if I was telling strange stories.· After her outburst, she now remained silent, darting odd looks of triumph at her betrayer.· We received some odd looks from customers but most smiled and fussed over Spike & Molly.· When I came down the proprietor gave me an odd look and said the gentleman was waiting for me outside.· SHe noticed Tammuz flicking odd looks at the girl.
· When she married Glyn she would inherit this odd man too in a way.· Unless Spencer is traded, the latter seems to be the odd man out despite showing improvement in the preseason.· At each stage of the story, Britain has been the odd man out.· Joe and Rex could interact with one another, so the real odd man out was Loi.· Why is it always the odd man out?· It seemed there was no response that would cancel altogether my status as odd man out.· Picture some one being treated as an odd man out - in a family, in an office or at a party.· And Joe Bowie remains the odd man out, uncoupled at the end.
· Clearly the northern fleet is being reinforced from the southern; but why the odd numbers?· I have no idea why it is always an odd number.· An odd number of classes provides a neutral mid-point.· Three arrangements with eight fences; five with ten fences ... odd numbers ... Was there a pattern?· Erect verticals upon the odd numbers, 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.· An individual scorer might be useful where an odd number of people are concerned.· You need to have an odd number of colours, including the background.· Note that the verso always carries the even page number and the recto the odd number.
· On the odd occasion the jollities would get out of hand and the fists would fly.· Not on the odd occasion, but each time they took this fit.· However, on the odd occasion that I purchase fish elsewhere, I do quarantine the fish for two weeks.· The 69-year-old man, from Elsdon Street, handed over the cash on odd occasions over the past year.
· At first there is the odd sensation of panic, the feel of coming to an alien city.· Sam Fong experienced an odd sensation on seeing some one he had always thought to be his enemy.· Yet when he lowered his arm Meredith had the odd sensation that she'd lost.· So it produces an odd sensation to learn, again from Anna, that this superstition was in fact Dostoevsky's.
· Acid did odd things to your mind.· Why would they say such an odd thing?· He notices an odd thing about himself: he looks right.· The odd thing was, Ogea was little better.· She repeated what Rosalind Swain had said about odd things happening in adolescence, about adolescents harbouring poltergeists.· The odd thing was that that house had a leak.· It seems an odd thing to be grateful for.
· Acid did odd things to your mind.· At that special level all sorts of odd things happened...· She repeated what Rosalind Swain had said about odd things happening in adolescence, about adolescents harbouring poltergeists.· We followed our directions to the letter, but as we approached our destination, odd things started to occur.· Anyway, it was a very interesting short weekend and I learnt some very odd things, all about the wonderful Gwendoline.· They drive people mad and make them do all sorts of odd things.· Cheryl's been saying some odd things.· Such odd things seemed to be happening.
· It is most likely to occur when the bird of prey is behaving in an odd way.· At first speech returns-but in an odd way.· Papa would think that an odd way to describe the Almighty dollar.· In some odd way, I was heartened.· In an odd way, that might have been easier to bear.· She is a jock from a family of jocks, articulate only in that special, odd way that coaches are articulate.· Surprise and a strange excitement; in some odd way, the incident seemed to mark a life-change.· The raft looked tiny, vulnerable, but in an odd way, very seaworthy.
· There had been no sound in those days of course, twenty odd years ago now.· In even-numbered years, I think, we need more and in odd years less.· What he did would have looked classy even in today's harder, faster game of thirty odd years later.· We've done it since the oldest was five, so why stop it now, a mere 20 odd years later?
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► 20-odd/30-odd etcPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► odd bod► odd fish/queer fish► the dice/odds are loaded against somebody/something
- I was always the odd man out in my class at school.
- And Joe Bowie remains the odd man out, uncoupled at the end.
- At each stage of the story, Britain has been the odd man out.
- He was the odd one out in a gifted family.
- Others are widowed or divorced, and hate being the odd one out among friends who are all couples.
- Unless Spencer is traded, the latter seems to be the odd man out despite showing improvement in the preseason.
- Which of the following grape varieties is the odd one out? 4.
- Why is it always the odd man out?
- However, on the odd occasion that I purchase fish elsewhere, I do quarantine the fish for two weeks.
- Not on the odd occasion, but each time they took this fit.
- On the odd occasion the jollities would get out of hand and the fists would fly.
- This doesn't matter on the odd occasion; it is only a problem if it occurs regularly.
- We've been working on the Panch Chule expedition for a year, but it's just the odd day basically.
- We just used to banter, have the odd drink together, fool around in the snow.
- An odd number of classes provides a neutral mid-point.
- An individual scorer might be useful where an odd number of people are concerned.
- Clearly the northern fleet is being reinforced from the southern; but why the odd numbers?
- Erect verticals upon the odd numbers, 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.
- He said that we have to prove that no odd number can be perfect.
- I have no idea why it is always an odd number.
- Three arrangements with eight fences; five with ten fences ... odd numbers ... Was there a pattern?
- You need to have an odd number of colours, including the background.
- In the event, the cyclist defied the odds and survived.
- That Jaime Guerrero is alive to attend the dinner probably defies the odds.
- Even with the delay, Lee now faces long odds.
- Exactly thirty years after completing their only Wembley triumph, Leigh are at long odds to go all the way in 2001.
- Has slipped down the weights and could surprise at long odds here.
- Highbrook will be at longer odds than she should be as a result of her defeat last time out at Newmarket.
- Talbot would have taken long odds that he was cold sober.
- He was certainly odds-on favourite for the final.
- And then you go out with some other woman and she smells wrong.
- So, in short, if a fish smells fishy it is an indication that it is going off.
- The Adkinsons' neighbors smelled wrong in the air, but pinched their noses closed and kept to themselves.
- Why does fish usually smell fishy?
- Although confident, we know the odds are stacked against the climbers.
WORD FAMILYnounoddityadjectiveoddadverboddly
1strange different from what is normal or expected, especially in a way that you disapprove of or cannot understand: It was an odd thing to say. an odd way to behave They’re an odd couple. There was something odd about him. What she did was unforgivable, but the odd thing was he didn’t seem to mind. She was holding an extremely odd-looking weapon.it is/seems odd (that) It seemed odd that he wanted a picture of me.► see thesaurus at strange2the odd occasion/day/moment/drink etc especially British English a few occasions, days etc that happen at various times but not often and not regularly SYN occasional: Lack of sleep doesn’t matter on the odd occasion. I take the odd day off work. I like the odd glass of wine with my dinner. Jo smokes the odd cigarette.3various [only before noun] not specially chosen or collected: Any odd scrap of paper will do.4not in a pair/set [only before noun] separated from a pair or set: an odd shoeodd socks/gloves etc (=not a matching pair of socks etc) He was wearing odd socks.5odd number a number that cannot be divided exactly by two, for example 1, 3, 5, 7 etc OPP even number620-odd/30-odd etc spoken a little more than 20 etc: I have another 20-odd years to work before I retire.7the odd man/one out British English someone or something that is different from the rest of the group or not included in it: Which shape is the odd one out? I was always the odd one out at school.—oddness noun [uncountable] → oddly