Out of the blocks and off the blocks

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Grammarist

Out of the blocks and off the blocks are two versions of an idiom. We will examine the meaning of the common saying out of the blocks or off the blocks, where it came from, and some examples of its idiomatic usage in sentences.

Out of the blocks or off the blocks means at the very beginning or from the very start. The expression out of the blocks is used about three times as often as off the blocks. The blocks referred to in both iterations of this idiom are starting blocks for a foot race. Starting blocks were invented by Charlie Booth, an Australian, in 1929. Before this time, runners would dig holes in the track so they could place their toes in them for push off at the start of a race. By 1937, starting blocks for foot races became standard. Starting block design has changed over the years and is always evolving. The idioms out of the blocks and off the blocks may also be expressed as out of the starting blocks and off the starting blocks.

Examples

However, sticking a pin in the revolutionary rhetoric of livestreaming companies that burst out of the blocks during the pandemic, Rapino added that when it comes to viewing concert footage online, “Most people don’t want to watch two hours of their favorite band.” (Rolling Stone Magazine) 

That work started for her right out of the blocks, right when she graduated from law school, and that work kept her going right up until the very end. (Ms. Magazine)

Obviously, right off the blocks, we didn’t stick rigidly to the “one trip outdoors for exercise” rule. (The Times)

‘Right off the blocks on the first day of filming, George was just fired up!’ Sonia, 53, told OK! magazine on Thursday. (Daily Mail)