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Christine Christie Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

Off the cuffs/ad lib

Do both these sentences mean the same:


"During the celebration, he was asked to make a statement, and spoke OFF THE CUFFS."


"During the celebration, he was asked to make a statement, and spoke AD LIB."

  

Top answer

The dictionary lists these as (intransitive verb) synonyms, but in my experience there is a difference in actual usage. ")

— Anonymous

  • The dictionary lists these as (intransitive verb) synonyms, but in my experience there is a difference in actual usage.
  • ")
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2 Answers
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The dictionary lists these as (intransitive verb) synonyms, but in my experience there is a difference in actual usage. "Ad lib" is typically used as a transitive verb, as in: "He had not prepared anything to say at the banquet, but he ad libbed a speech, and it went over quite well with the audience." (You cannot say here: "He off the cuffed a speech.")


"Off the cuff" is t typic

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Christine ChristieOFF THE CUFFS

off the cuff. Not off the cuffs.

Christine ChristieDo both these sentences mean the same

Yes. Note that "speak off the cuff" is used about 50 times more often than "speak ad lib" (also "speak ad-lib"), so "speak ad lib" seems a little unusual.

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