From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishoffsetoff‧set1 /ˈɒfset, ˌɒfˈset $ ˈɒːfset, ˌɒːfˈset/ ●○○ AWL verb (past tense and past participle offset, present participle offsetting) [transitive] 1 EQUALif the cost or amount of something offsets another cost or amount, the two things have an opposite effect so that the situation remains the same Cuts in prices for milk, butter, and cheese will be offset by direct payments to farmers.offset something against something He was able to offset his travel expenses against tax.2 DIFFERENTto make something look better by being close to it and different His blonde hair offset a deep tan.3 to do something that will make an action or activity carbon neutral If you have to travel by air, offset your carbon emissions by supporting renewable energy projects.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
offset• That was partly offset by a 27. 4 % increase in overseas deliveries.• The obvious contradiction that this created between Reagan as campaigner and as governor was partly offset by compensatory reductions in property taxes.• The impact of the savings this year will be offset by investments in several businesses.• The savings on staff wages are offset by the increased maintenance costs.• Chairman John Reeve said Severfield has taken out credit insurance to offset future bad debt problems.• Streaks of blond in his hair offset his deep tan.• $3000 was spent in US schools to offset the disadvantages of about 6 million school children.• Profits in GM's computer services were not enough to offset the huge losses in its automotive operations.• Suprise traumatized her, offsetting the sting of the slap.• His gravitas, offset with a flickering irony, gives the production a strong moral centre.offsetoff‧set2 /ˈɒfset $ ˈɒːf-/ adjective TCNrelating to a method of printing in which ink is put onto rollers and the paper then passes between the rollers —offset noun [uncountable]Examples from the Corpus
offset• The needles are then slightly offset.• There were seven offset litho printers in the country.• Letterset a printing process combining offset printing with a letterpress relief printing plate.• If such estimates are correct, then offset schemes would be impractical on a large scale.• The stitch lines are offset to prevent cold spots occurring.• Circuit to adjust offset with no effect on input offset or input offset drift.From Longman Business Dictionaryoffsetoff‧set1 /ˈɒfset, ˌɒfˈsetˈɒːfset, ˌɒːfˈset/ verb (past tense and past participle offset, present participle offsetting) [transitive]ACCOUNTING if something such as a cost or sum of money offsets another cost etc, it has the effect of reducing or balancing it, so that the situation remains the sameHe expects the fourth quarter to be profitable, though not profitable enough to offset losses earlier in the year.The cost of the flight was offset by the cheapness of the hotel.offset something against somethingHe was able to offset his travel expenses against tax.→ See Verb tableoffsetoff‧set2 /ˈɒfsetˈɒːf-/ noun1[uncountable]BANKING the legal right of a bank to take money from a customer’s bank account if a loan has not been paid2[countable]ACCOUNTING an amount of money recorded on one side of a LEDGER (=financial record) that is equal to an amount on the opposite side of the same ledger, or is equal to an amount recorded in the ledger for a different account3[countable]COMMERCE in international trade, a quantity of goods that is exported in exchange for a quantity of goods that has been importedSome government purchases are paid for by offsets. → see also barter2 