Meanings
- idiomaticnot comparableLaunched or launching vigorously into a course of action.
But both newspapers made the same point. . . . And so the story was off and running.
2000 July 24, Felicity Barringer, “Running on Adrenaline And Ideology at The Post”, in New York Times, retrieved 16 Apr 20152 more examples
The train won't budge, but the film that this scene opens, the Kafkaesque Romanian comedy "California Dreamin'," is off and running.
2007 October 27, Jessica Au, “When Movies Follow The Storm”, in Newsweek, retrieved 16 Apr 2015[T]he recovery seems to have entered a new stage in recent months. “We’re finally off and running,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.
2014 December 14, Jay Fitzgerald, “Economic recovery starts gaining steam”, in Boston Globe, retrieved 16 Apr 2015
Origin
An allusion to the beginning of a footrace or horse race, when competitors rush forth out of the starting blocks or gate.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
off and running. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20and%20running
“off and running.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20and%20running. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “off and running,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20and%20running.
Source: off and running on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.