offset
noun /ˈɒfsɛt 
/
/1A consideration or amount that diminishes or balances the effect of an opposite one: widow’s bereavement allowance is an offset against income...
- An individual can obtain relief on an annual investment of up to €31,750 by way of offset against taxable income.
- An offset is considered a benefit to you because the money was used to pay your debts, the IRS says.
- We'll gladly talk to whoever wins the competition about offsets when the contract is signed.
2The amount or distance by which something is out of line: these wheels have an offset of four inches...
- Three aspects of the wheels are relevant to the suspension design: wheel offset, aspect ratio, and tire width.
- Try different putter styles and offsets until you find one that seems easiest to get on the target line at address.
- Pile head displacement was measured automatically every 5 minutes by four displacement gauges at 90° offsets mounted on two reference beams supported by steel posts on either side.
2.1 Surveying A short distance measured perpendicularly from the main line of measurement: if it was a simple curve, he was taught the ‘ranging by offsets’ technique...
- The accuracy in measuring the vertical offset is constrained by the resolution of the available maps and errors are no more than + / - 10 m.
- The first segments make offsets on the abscissas and are steeper and extend approximately above C = 30%.
- We can estimate this deviation by measuring the same step height with different offsets, or different average positions, of the scanner relative to the surface.
2.2 Electronics A small deviation or bias in a voltage or current: [as modifier]: offset adjustment circuits...
- Voltage sensors can set secure voltage offsets.
- Concerning the gyroscope, two parameters need to be calibrated: voltage offset and volts per degrees per second.
- A second lookup table stores a plurality of DC adjust values, which are added during operation to further reduce DC offset.
3A side shoot from a plant serving for propagation: a present of tulip bulbs, offsets, and seeds for his garden...
- Most gardeners propagate sagos from offsets from the mother plant, but you can sow fertilized seeds.
- For those that do not produce seeds or offsets readily, propagation by bulb-scales is resorted to, each healthy scale being capable of producing a new bulb at its base.
- They rarely increase from seed, instead multiplying fairly rapidly from offsets of the mother bulb.
3.1A spur in a mountain range.
4 Architecture A sloping ledge in a wall or other feature where the thickness of the part above is diminished.You can also specify part wall thickness or clearance offset....
- Similar cracks occur at offsets in masonry walls.
5A bend in a pipe to carry it past an obstacle: allow for any bend you need including offsets for connecting the downpipe...
- This will allow for the offset of the venting elbow.
6 [mass noun, often as modifier] A method of printing in which ink is transferred from a plate or stone to a uniform rubber surface and from that to the paper: they produced banknotes by offset [as modifier]: offset printing...
- It is within that context that we should see this group of about one hundred offset lithographs published in 1970 and 1971.
- ‘It is one of the most heated debates in the print world: offset vs. direct lithography,’ said Creyts.
- The offset printing machines allow the simultaneous printing of both sides of the banknotes.
verb /ˈɒfsɛt / /ɒfˈsɛt / (offsets, offsetting; past and past participle offset)
/ /ɒfˈsɛt / (offsets, offsetting; past and past participle offset)1 [with object] Counteract (something) by having an equal and opposite force or effect: donations to charities can be offset against tax his unfortunate appearance was offset by a compelling personality...
- An increasing university student population has partly offset these effects.
- But part of the profit pressure is offset - at least on the income statement - with nonoperating gains.
- The decline in the primary sector was to an extent offset by the growth in production in the secondary sector.
Synonyms
counterbalance, balance, balance out, cancel, cancel out, even out/up, counteract, counterpoise, countervail, equalize, neutralize, nullify, compensate for, make up for, make good, redeem, indemnify;
atone for, redress, make amends for, make restitution for
rare equilibrize
2 [with object] Place out of line: several places where the ridge was offset at right angles to its length...
- In places these are offset along lines that run at right angles to the magnetic lineaments, but the reasons for this remained a mystery.
- Climbing the stairs to the upper room you are confronted with The Great Outdoors, a painting with a brave composition of a figure offset to one side of an infinite blue sky.
- A full frame consists of two 1920x540 line fields, offset slightly.
3 [no object] (Of ink or a freshly printed page) transfer an impression to the next leaf or sheet: there was some offsetting on to text