Off the top of my head

   Share on Facebook  
Reme  #52562  Thu, 28 Oct 04 07:06 PM
Hiya,

I hope anybody can help me or just explain the meaning of this ready made expression, ´cause I´ve been looking it up on the Oxford dictionary and I can´t find its meaning.

Off the top of my head, I´d say...

Thanks for your replies in advance. Regards.
  
Not Ranked
Joined on Mon, Sep 13 2004
Spain
Member (51)
Rester, c'est exister: mais voyager, c'est vivre.
hbae787  #52569  Thu, 28 Oct 04 08:49 PM
reme,

"Off the top of my head" can be one of these following senses, among others :

- Without a thorough reseach, ...
- As first thoughts that appear in my mind, ...
- My initial reaction is ...
- I can't guarantee but here's what I come up with at the moment ....
  
Top 500 Contributor
Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Houston
Member (86)
Reme  #52671  Fri, 29 Oct 04 01:12 PM
hbae787 thanks a lot for your help. (You really deserve a coffee, but I´m sorry I live in Spain!)Wink [;)]

Regards.

  
Guest  #107160  Fri, 10 Jun 05 02:46 AM
Is this idiomatic phrase "off the top of my head" a common usage both in North America and Britain? Is it an old usage? Do people use it in daily conversation?
  
khoff  #107190  Fri, 10 Jun 05 05:23 AM
Off the top of my head, I'd say it's pretty common in conversation in the U.S. It looks rather strange once you write it down.
  
Top 50 Contributor
Joined on Sun, Mar 6 2005
Denver, Colorado, USA, Earth
Advanced Member (2,392)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert)
CalifJim  #107253  Fri, 10 Jun 05 09:22 AM
I agree. I love to use that expression myself!
  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Forum Guru (15,629)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL Vocabulary and Idioms
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions