off-duty
Meaning
Not engaged in or required for one's regular work
Structure
Usage
The officer was off-duty when he witnessed the accident.
Hospital staff can use the gym at off-duty hours.
She prefers to wear casual clothes when she is off-duty.
Etymology
The compound adjective "off-duty" is a relatively modern formation, emerging in the 19th century within structured professions like the military, police, and later other services. It combines the Old English adverb "off," denoting separation or removal from a state or position, with "duty," a term of obligation rooted in Anglo-French and ultimately the Latin verb debere (to owe). The literal logic is transparent: to be "away from one's obligation." This compound perfectly encapsulates the binary state of professional life, distinguishing time bound by formal responsibility from personal time free from such constraints.
Analysis
off: Old English, preposition/adverb meaning "away, away from". duty: Anglo-French (dueté), from Old French (deu), meaning "that which is owed".