"Eat off" is a phrasal verb.
/ iːt ɔf /
The phrase "eat off" generally means to eat food directly from a surface or dish, often implying that one is consuming food from someone else’s plate or that one is eating in an informal or makeshift manner.
It is not as commonly used in everyday conversation as some other phrases, but it can appear in both oral and written contexts. The phrase is particularly more frequent in casual, conversational settings.
"I often eat off my kids' plates after they’re done."
Translation: "A menudo como de los platos de mis hijos después de que ellos terminan."
"When we have a barbecue, we usually eat off disposable plates."
Translation: "Cuando tenemos una barbacoa, generalmente comemos en platos desechables."
"He doesn't mind if you want to eat off his plate."
Translation: "A él no le importa si quieres comer de su plato."
While "eat off" itself isn’t prominently used in idiomatic expressions, there are several related phrases that involve "eat" in different contexts:
Eat someone out of house and home
"When my cousin stayed over, she really ate me out of house and home."
Translation: "Cuando mi prima se quedo a dormir, realmente me comió todo."
Eat like a bird
"She eats like a bird and never finishes her meals."
Translation: "Ella come como un pájaro y nunca termina sus comidas."
Eat humble pie
"After losing the debate, he had to eat humble pie and admit he was wrong."
Translation: "Después de perder el debate, tuvo que tragarse su orgullo y admitir que estaba equivocado."
Eat one's words
"After the team's win, he had to eat his words about their chances."
Translation: "Después de la victoria del equipo, tuvo que tragarse sus palabras sobre sus posibilidades."
The verb "eat" comes from Old English "etan," while "off" is derived from Old English "of." The combination of "eat off" reflects a straightforward meaning related to consuming food directly from a surface.
Synonyms: nibble from, graze on, consume from
Antonyms: abstain from, avoid eating, leave uneaten