Comments on: "The alarm just went off"

Question: "The alarm just went off"

spooksie — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:09:40 -0800

Why do people say "The alarm just went off" when really it just came on?

By: smackfu

smackfu — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:15:59 -0800

Maybe a similar construct to a bomb "going off", where there is no "on" state.

By: Decani

Decani — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:21:12 -0800

Simply because one meaning of the phrase "to go off" is to become active, or to begin to function. You're confusing this with the other meaning of the word "off". Same applies to "to set off", as in to start or to trigger.

By: RichardP

RichardP — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:35:46 -0800

Answers.com claims that the idiom "go off" or "went off" developed in the late 1500s and originally referred to the slipping of a gun's hammer such that the gun fired unexpectedly.

By: RichardP

RichardP — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:42:44 -0800

Oh wait, now that I reread that Answers.com entry I'm not sure it actually explains the origin of the original phrase "go off" or "went off."

By: 4easypayments

4easypayments — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:43:59 -0800

Sudden bursts of energy are often described as "going off", like a bomb, gun, rocket, fireworks, or booby traps. It's the idea of a momentary springing to life from a resting position, rather than moving from a steady-inactive to steady-active state. Alarms that stay "on" for long periods of time are described as being "on".

By: veedubya

veedubya — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:57:03 -0800

To me, 'went off' has always been used to describe going from quiet to loud. I, and others with a similar upbringing, use it for people, too. For example, we'd use the expression 'went off on one' to describe somebody who was calm, suddenly starting to rant and rave.

By: kimota

kimota — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 09:46:17 -0800

Life is simpler if you remember this rule: don't look for logic or consistency in prepositional phrases or idioms.

By: StickyCarpet

StickyCarpet — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 12:06:13 -0800

I have found myself saying: "can you shut that light back on?"

By: Goofyy

Goofyy — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 12:21:14 -0800

In Brooklyn, I've heard them say to 'close' the light.

By: clh

clh — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 15:49:04 -0800

I'm curious what the alarm clock's directions say. Is there any reference to the alarm "going off" or "turning on"?

By: dhartung

dhartung — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 18:37:57 -0800

clh, I believe usually the technical description is "sounds", e.g. "when the alarm sounds ..."

The off here is used in the sense of "away", cf. "run off". The electrical sense of "on/off" derives from the position of the switch, so is a much later development.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 05:54:16 -0800

It's like the Southern "cut on" as a back-formation of "cut off." I've heard many North Carolinians say "cut on the light."

By: blueberry

blueberry — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 01:34:28 -0800

In Nepal I often heard people say "close the light" (or the radio, television). I can't recall if they said open for turning on or not.