From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishoff-the-recordˌoff-the-ˈrecord, off the record adjective PRIVATE/NON-GOVERNMENTan off-the-record remark is unofficial and is not supposed to be made public The prime minister’s remarks were strictly off the record. —off the record adverboff the recordoff the recordRECORDif you say something off the record, you do not want people to repeat what you say, for example in newspapers or meetings May I talk to you, strictly off the record? → record
Examples from the Corpus
off the record• Off the record, police officers are saying they are more and more unwilling to arrest those found in possession of small amounts of cannabis.• You want to be off the record?• Nothing is off the record here.• There is no off the record.• They said in 1976 that a tuned track could shave as much as 7 seconds off the record for the mile.• I shaved and showered, clipping two seconds off the record, and was soon out on the highway heading for Faketown.• Officials, speaking off the record, said they were still worried about the situation.• Strictly off the record, my feeling is that we are going to lose the election.• Skaters and coaches will admit this, off the record.• Well, I don't blame you, after ... All right: from here on you're totally off the record.• The rest of the discussion, says Himmelstein, was off the record. 