What is the Origin of Phrases ‘On the Cuff’ and ‘Off the Cuff’?
First, let us discuss the meaning of the word “cuff”.
Cuff is a curved metal article that fits the wrist firmly without a clasp, kind of like a bracelet. It was traditionally worn by many men, including bartenders. It is now out of fashion but even today, the lower part of a sleeve that fits over the wrist is called ‘cuff’.
Anyway, it is believed that in old times, many bartenders would write the due amounts on their cuffs. So, if a customer bought a drink without immediately paying, he would say — “put it on the cuff” which meant that he would pay for it later.
Thus, to put something on the cuff means to get something on credit; to buy something for which the payment will be done in the future.
For example —
“I don’t have any cash right now, can you please put it on the cuff? I will pay you in the evening.”
The author is asking to give him something on credit for which the payment will be done later in the evening. I hope that’s clear.
Now, let’s discuss the phrase — “off the cuff”.
To say something off the cuff means to say it spontaneously; to say something without preparation.
It is believed that speakers at an event would often write last-minute notes on their cuffs so that they could refer to them if they forgot what to say. So, if a speaker was speaking off the cuff, it meant that he was speaking spontaneously, he was speaking extemporarily.
The hyphenated form of this phrase is often used as an adjective.
For example —
“Our prime minister is an excellent orator. He can make an off-the-cuff speech about almost anything.
It means that he can speak impromptu on any topic without any prior preparation.
I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.
Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.
