I must share others' astonishment that "one-off" is regarded as slang or even unusual. The origin comes from pattern-making, as I understand it. A one-off was originally cast from a cheaply-made sand mould which was destroyed in the process. Hence one off the pattern or mould.

Now, if only I had the dosh to buy that Oxford Modern Terms book I saw the other day ...


The idiot also known as Capfka ...