read off

English

Verb

read off (third-person singular simple present reads off, present participle reading off, simple past and past participle read off)

1. (transitive) To dictate from a list, especially in a way focused on sequential processing.

   Coordinate terms: count off, count out, read out

   When your name has been read off, come to collect your paper.

2. (transitive) To read from a scale or measure.

   Coordinate term: read out

3. (transitive, US, military, slang) To scold or reprimand.

   Coordinate terms: chew out, tell off

   • 1981, The Marine Corps Gazette:

     He also knows that he has a tendency towards being overweight and watches his diet carefully, and he can tell you everything there is to know about every man in his platoon. Yet, more than once, I've read him off for being partial to a couple of obvious earbangers, and the simplest problem can make him indecisive.

Translations

dictate from a list

• Swedish: läsa upp (sv), ropa upp

read from a scale

• Danish: aflæse
• Hungarian: leolvas (hu)
• Swedish: läsa av, avläsa (sv)