Onset vs. Offset: What's the Difference?

The beginning or start of something

An agent, element, or thing that balances, counteracts, or compensates for something else.

(Linguistics) The part of a syllable that precedes the nucleus. In the word nucleus (nklē-əs), the onset of the first syllable is (n), the onset of the second syllable is (kl), and the last syllable has no onset.

One thing set off or developed from something else.

(Archaic) An attack by military forces; an assault.

The start or initial stage; the outset.

(archaic) An attack; an assault especially of an army.

(Architecture) A ledge or recess in a wall formed by a reduction in thickness above; a setoff.

(medicine) The initial phase of a disease or condition, in which symptoms first become apparent.

(Botany) A shoot that develops laterally at the base of a plant, often rooting to form a new plant.

(phonology) The initial portion of a syllable, preceding the syllable nucleus.

(Geology) A spur of a mountain range or hills.

(acoustics) The beginning of a musical note or other sound, in which the amplitude rises from zero to an initial peak.

A bend in a pipe, bar, or other straight continuous piece made to allow it to pass around an obstruction.

A setting about; a beginning.

A short distance measured perpendicularly from the main line in surveying, used to help in calculating the area of an irregular plot.

(obsolete) Anything added, such as an ornament or as a useful appendage.

A descendant of a race or family; an offshoot.

(obsolete) To assault; to set upon.

An unintentional or faulty transfer of wet ink from a printed sheet to another surface in contact with it. Also called setoff.

(obsolete) To set about; to begin.

Offset printing.

A rushing or setting upon; an attack; an assault; a storming; especially, the assault of an army.

To counterbalance, counteract, or compensate for

A setting about; a beginning; - used especially of diseases or pathological symptoms.

To cause (printed matter) to transfer or smear onto another surface.

Anything set on, or added, as an ornament or as a useful appendage.

To produce by offset printing.

To assault; to set upon.

To make or form an offset in (a wall, bar, or pipe).

To set about; to begin.

To develop, project, or be situated as an offset.

The beginning or early stages;

(Printing) To become marked by or cause an unintentional transfer of ink.

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons);

Anything that acts as counterbalance; a compensating equivalent.

(international trade) A form of countertrade arrangement, in which the seller agrees to purchase within a set time frame products of a certain value from the buying country. This kind of agreement may be used in large international public sector contracts such as arms sales.

A time at which something begins; outset.

The offset printing process, in which ink is carried from a metal plate to a rubber blanket and from there to the printing surface.

(programming) The difference between a target memory address and a base address.

(signal analysis) The displacement between the base level of a measurement and the signal's real base level.

The distance by which one thing is out of alignment with another.

(surveying) A short distance measured at right angles from a line actually run to some point in an irregular boundary, or to some object.

An abrupt bend in an object, such as a rod, by which one part is turned aside out of line, but nearly parallel, with the rest; the part thus bent aside.

(botany) A short prostrate shoot that takes root and produces a tuft of leaves, etc.

A spur from a range of hills or mountains.

(architecture) A horizontal ledge on the face of a wall, formed by a diminution of its thickness, or by the weathering or upper surface of a part built out from it; a set-off.

(architecture) A terrace on a hillside.

Away from or off from the general locations and area where a movie’s, a film‘s, or a video’s scenery is arranged to be filmed or from those places for actors, assorted crew, director, producers which are typically not filmed.

(transitive) To counteract or compensate for, by applying a change in the opposite direction.

(transitive) To place out of line.

(transitive) To form an offset in (a wall, rod, pipe, etc.).

In general, that which is set off, from, before, or against, something

A short prostrate shoot, which takes root and produces a tuft of leaves, etc. See Illust. of Houseleek.

A sum, account, or value set off against another sum or account, as an equivalent; hence, anything which is given in exchange or retaliation; a set-off.

A spur from a range of hills or mountains.

A horizontal ledge on the face of a wall, formed by a diminution of its thickness, or by the weathering or upper surface of a part built out from it; - called also set-off.

A short distance measured at right angles from a line actually run to some point in an irregular boundary, or to some object.

An abrupt bend in an object, as a rod, by which one part is turned aside out of line, but nearly parallel, with the rest; the part thus bent aside.

A more or less distinct transfer of a printed page or picture to the opposite page, when the pages are pressed together before the ink is dry or when it is poor; an unitended transfer of an image from one page to another; called also setoff.

See offset printing.

To set off; to place over against; to balance; as, to offset one account or charge against another.

To form an offset in, as in a wall, rod, pipe, etc.

To make an offset.

The time at which something is supposed to begin;

A compensating equivalent

A horizontal branch from the base of plant that produces new plants from buds at its tips

A natural consequence of development

A plate makes an inked impression on a rubber-blanketed cylinder, which in turn transfers it to the paper

Structure where a wall or building narrows abruptly

Compensate for or counterbalance;

Make up for;

Cause (printed matter) to transfer or smear onto another surface

Create an offset in;

Produce by offset printing;