different between offhand vs messy

English

Alternative forms

• off-hand

Etymology

From Middle English *ofhande, *ofhende, from Old English ofhende (“absent, lost”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *abahandijaz. Equivalent to off- +? hand. Cognate with Icelandic afhendur. Compare onhand.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /??f?hænd/
• Rhymes: -ænd

Adjective

offhand (comparative more offhand, superlative most offhand)

1. Without planning or thinking ahead.

2. Careless; without sufficient thought or consideration.

3. Curt, abrupt, unfriendly.

Synonyms

• (without planning): impromptu, extemporaneous, off-the-cuff; see also Thesaurus:impromptu

Translations

See also

• off the top of one's head

Adverb

offhand (comparative more offhand, superlative most offhand)

1. Right away, immediately, without thinking about it.
   • Offhand, I'd guess that that's a yellow-bellied sapsucker.
   • 1854, William Makepeace Thackeray, The Rose and the Ring:

     We will have no more of this shilly-shallying! Call the Archbishop, and let the Prince and Princess be married offhand!

2. In an offhand (adjective) manner.

Anagrams

• hand off, hand-off, handoff

English

Etymology

From mess +? -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m?si/
• Rhymes: -?si
• Hyphenation: messy
• Homophone: Messi

Adjective

messy (comparative messier, superlative messiest)

1. (of a place, situation, person, etc) In a disorderly state; chaotic; disorderly.

2. (of a person) Prone to causing mess.

3. (of a situation) Difficult or unpleasant to deal with.

Synonyms

(in a disorderly state): untidy, chaotic, disorderly, cluttered

Antonyms

• neat
• orderly

Derived terms

• messily
• messiness

Descendants

• ? German: Messie

Translations

Further reading

• messy in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• messy at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Symes

Middle English

Noun

messy

1. Alternative form of messe