English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
COLLOCATIONS
She knows the long poem ~off head~ (nonstandard).
She knows the long poem ~off hand~ (nonstandard).
She knows the long poem *by heart* (standard).
If you know something such as a poem by heart, you have learned it so well that you can remember it without having to read it.
His children toys are made ~with hand~ (nonstandard).
His children toys are made *by hand* (standard).
If you do something by hand, you do it using your hands rather than a machine.
I didn’t mean to be ~off head~ with you; I was just in a hurry (nonstandard).
I didn’t mean to be *offhand* with you; I was just in a hurry (standard).
If you say that someone is being offhand, you are critical of them for being unfriendly or impolite.
GAB
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