Offset

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: off=set

CIDE DICTIONARY

Offset, n. [Off + set. Cf. Set-off.].

•  In general, that which is set off, from, before, or against, something  [1913 Webster]
•  A short prostrate shoot, which takes root and produces a tuft of leaves, etc. See Illust. of Houseleek.  [1913 Webster]
•  A sum, account, or value set off against another sum or account, as an equivalent; hence, anything which is given in exchange or retaliation; a set-off.  [1913 Webster]
•  A spur from a range of hills or mountains.  [1913 Webster]
•  A horizontal ledge on the face of a wall, formed by a diminution of its thickness, or by the weathering or upper surface of a part built out from it; -- called also set-off.  [1913 Webster]
•  A short distance measured at right angles from a line actually run to some point in an irregular boundary, or to some object.  [1913 Webster]
•  An abrupt bend in an object, as a rod, by which one part is turned aside out of line, but nearly parallel, with the rest; the part thus bent aside.  [1913 Webster]
•  A more or less distinct transfer of a printed page or picture to the opposite page, when the pages are pressed together before the ink is dry or when it is poor; an unitended transfer of an image from one page to another; called also setoff.  [1913 Webster]
•  See offset printing.  [PJC]

Offset staff (Surv.), a rod, usually ten links long, used in measuring offsets.

Offset, v. t. 

•  To set off; to place over against; to balance; as, to offset one account or charge against another.  [1913 Webster]
•  To form an offset in, as in a wall, rod, pipe, etc.  [1913 Webster]

Offset, v. i. 

 To make an offset.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Offset, n. & v.
--n.
1 a side-shoot from a plant serving for propagation.
2 an offshoot or scion.
3 a compensation; a consideration or amount diminishing or neutralizing the effect of a contrary one.
4 Archit. a sloping ledge in a wall etc. where the thickness of the part above is diminished.
5 a mountain-spur.
6 a bend in a pipe etc. to carry it past an obstacle.
7 (often attrib.) a method of printing in which ink is transferred from a plate or stone to a uniform rubber surface and from there to paper etc. (offset litho).
8 Surveying a short distance measured perpendicularly from the main line of measurement.
--v.tr. (-setting; past and past part. -set)
1 counterbalance, compensate.
2 place out of line.
3 print by the offset process.

THESAURUS

Offset

absorb the shock, albertype, analog process, annul, antacid, antidote, antipode, antipodes, antipole, antithesis, antonym, atone for, balance, ballast, be at cross-purposes, be opposed to, behavior pattern, book printing, branch, break the fall, bring to nothing, buffer, cancel, cancel out, check, chromotypography, chromotypy, chromoxylography, clash, collotype, color printing, come to nothing, compensate, compensation, conflict, conflict with, consideration, contra, contradict, contrapose, contrast with, contravene, controvert, converse, counter, counteract, counteractant, counteraction, counteractive, counteragent, counterbalance, countercheck, counterirritant, counterpoint, counterpoise, counterpole, counterpose, counterterm, countervail, counterweigh, counterweight, counterwork, cushion, damp, dampen, deaden, digital process, electronography, electrostatic printing, equalize, equalizer, equipoise, equiponderate, equivalent, even out, even up, feeling, filiation, foil, frustrate, give-and-take, graphic arts, gravure, halftone engraving, history of printing, hunting, impress, impression, imprint, indemnify, input oscillation, invalidate, inverse, job printing, juxtapose in opposition, letterpress, letterpress photoengraving, line engraving, lithography, lithogravure, lithophotogravure, mackle, make amends, make good, make restitution, make up, make up for, makeweight, mimeograph, negate, negativate, negative, neutralize, neutralizer, nullifier, nullify, obverse, offcut, offprint, offset lithography, offshoot, onset, oppose, opposite, opposite number, oppugn, oscillatory behavior, outweigh, overcorrection of error, overshoot, palaeotypography, photo-offset, photochemical process, photoengraving, photogelatin process, photographic reproduction, photography, photolithography, phototypography, phototypy, photozincography, planographic printing, planography, play at cross-purposes, preventative, preventive, print, printing, printmaking, process, prophylactic, publication, publishing, quid pro quo, recompense, redeem, redress, reimburse, reissue, relief printing, remedy, repay, reprint, reverse, rotary photogravure, rotogravure, run counter to, self-excitation, set off, setoff, sheetwork, shoot, show consideration, show mercy, show pity, soften, soften the blow, something of value, sprout, square, square up, stamp, stencil, stop, stultify, suppress, the contrary, the other side, three-color printing, thwart, tit for tat, two-color printing, typography, typolithography, undo, vis-a-vis, vitiate, void, wood-block printing, xerography, xeroprinting, xylotypography, zincography

ROGET THESAURUS

Offset

Printing

VB print, compose, put to press, go to press, pass through the press, see through the press, publish, bring out, appear in print, rush into print, distribute, makeup, mortise, offset, overrun, rout.

Compensation

N compensation, equation, commutation, indemnification, compromise, neutralization, nullification, counteraction, reaction, measure for measure, retaliation, equalization, robbing Peter to pay Paul, set-off, offset, make-weight, casting-weight, counterpoise, ballast, indemnity, equivalent, quid pro quo, bribe, hush money, amends, counterbalance, counterclaim, cross-debt, cross- demand, compensating, compensatory, countervailing, in the opposite scale, equivalent, in return, in consideration, but, however, yet, still, notwithstanding, nevertheless, nathless, none the less, although, though, albeit, howbeit, mauger, at all events, at any rate, be that as it may, for all that, even so, on the other, hand, at the same time, quoad minus, quand meme, however that may be, after all is said and done, taking one thing with another, light is mingled with the gloom, every dark cloud has a silver lining, primo avulso non deficit alter, saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas.