What it means
Something that’s finished, ruined, or so busted it’s not worth fixing. You’ll hear it loads with cars after a smash, when the insurer calls it beyond economical repair and scraps it. By extension, any disaster of a night out, date, haircut, or plan can be a write-off if it’s gone properly pear-shaped. You can even call a person a write-off when they’re hopeless or absolutely steaming.
Usage examples
"Picked up the motor from the garage and the bloke goes, nah mate, it’s a write-off. At least the dashcam caught Dave screaming about a rogue pigeon"
"The new gazebo from the garden centre is an absolute write-off after Saturday’s gale, the canvas is in the neighbour’s hedge and the metal frame folded itself like origami around the rotary washing line."
"Today has been a write-off from the moment the kettle leaked into the toaster at quarter past seven. I am going to pop the dog under the duvet and start fresh on Tuesday like a sensible adult would."
"That laptop's a write-off after Jay tipped lager straight into the keyboard. It makes one sad beep and gives up on life."
"We tried rescuing the night after the pub kicked us out, but once Connor lost his shoes and booked a taxi to the wrong city, it was a total write-off."
Where it comes from
It started as an accounting term in the 1800s for removing a bad debt or lost asset from the books. By the early 20th century, British insurance and motor trade people were using it for cars too smashed up to repair economically. After that, everyday speech nicked it for anything that's basically beyond saving.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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