Re: "par coeur" origin


TOF wrote:
Peter T. Daniels wrote:
retrosorter wrote:


Once we're on the "by heart" subject, why is it that some people say
"off by heart?" Is it merely idiomatic with no logical explanation?

"Now that" we're on the subject

It's not "off by heart," it's "read it off" or "know it off."
--


Say what?

"I know my lines *by heart*; or *off by heart*"

TOF


The joining of the word "'off" with "by" does seem a tad unusual and I
can't think offhand of another example in English where this occurs.
Does it in essence represent a joining if the idiomatic verb ""know
off' with ''by heart'?

.

Relevant Pages

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