off base

off base
*off base
1. Lit. [of a runner in baseball] not having a foot touching the base. (*Typically: be \off base; get \off base.) •

The runner was off base but the first baseman didn't tag him out.

2. Fig. unrealistic; inexact; wrong. *Typically: be \off base; get \off base.) •

I'm afraid you're off base when you state that this problem will take care of itself.

You're way off base if you think I was to blame!

* * *
{adj. phr.}, {informal} Not agreeing with fact; wrong. * /The idea that touching a toad causes warts is off base./ * /When Tom said that the teacher's explanation did not agree with the book, the teacher was embarrassed at being caught off base./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • off base — {adj. phr.}, {informal} Not agreeing with fact; wrong. * /The idea that touching a toad causes warts is off base./ * /When Tom said that the teacher s explanation did not agree with the book, the teacher was embarrassed at being caught off base./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • off-base — adj. (Mil.) located outside a military base; as, off base housing. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • off-base — (adv.) unawares, 1936, American English, from OFF (Cf. off) (adv.) + BASE (Cf. base) (n.); a figurative extension from baseball sense of not in the right position (1898), from notion of a baserunner being picked off while taking a lead …   Etymology dictionary

  • off base — mod. off target; wrong; not relevant. (See also way off (base).) □ Your answer was completely off base. Try again. □ You are off base. I will have to deal with someone else …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • off base — adjective a) Situated or happening outside the boundaries of a military base. A Virginia lawmaker wants to improve off base living conditions for enlisted troops with families. b) Positioned somewhere between the bases, and hence vulnerable to… …   Wiktionary

  • off base — phrasal 1. wrong, mistaken < estimates were way off base > 2. unawares < caught off base by the charges > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • off\ base — adj. phr. informal Not agreeing with fact; wrong. The idea that touching a toad causes warts is off base. When Tom said that the teacher s explanation did not agree with the book, the teacher was embarrassed at being caught off base …   Словарь американских идиом

  • off base — phrasal 1. : completely or absurdly mistaken any man who said such a thing is certainly off base 2. : by surprise : unawares the sudden question caught him off base …   Useful english dictionary

  • off-base — /awf bays , of /, adj. located outside the perimeters of a military base: off base housing for officers. [1935 40] * * * …   Universalium

  • off base — Synonyms and related words: aberrant, abnormal, abominable, atrocious, bad, criminal, delinquent, deviant, disgraceful, disorderly, disruptive, evil, hardly the thing, ignominious, ill considered, ill seasoned, ill timed, illegal, improper,… …   Moby Thesaurus

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