write-off

See also: writeoff and write off

English

Alternative forms

• writeoff

Etymology

Deverbal from write off.

Noun

write-off (plural write-offs)

1. (accounting) The cancellation of an item; the amount cancelled or lost.

   Coordinate terms: writedown, write-down

2. Something that is now worthless (such as a car after an accident).

   Synonym: total loss

Usage notes

• This form is about as common as "writeoff" in usage as a noun.

Translations

cancellation

Bulgarian: анулиране (bg) n (anulirane) Finnish: alaskirjaus (fi) Russian: списа́ние (ru) n (spisánije)

something worthless

Bulgarian: брак (bg) m (brak) Finnish: romu (fi), hylkytavara (fi)

Verb

write-off (third-person singular simple present writes-off, present participle writing-off, simple past wrote-off, past participle written-off)

1. Nonstandard form of write off.
   • 2000, Roy L. Nersesian, Trends and Tools for Operations Management, Greenwood Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 80:

     If you are eager to manufacture the recharging unit, the analyst will be tempted to write-off the equipment over its physical life and provide you with a lower breakeven volume. If you prefer to outsource, the analyst will be tempted to write-off the equipment over its tax life and provide you with a higher breakeven volume.

   • 2005, OECD Economic Surveys, Volume 2005/13 (September 2005): China, OECD Publishing, →ISBN, page 146:

     This has spurred major efforts to write-off loans by the two pilot banks and considerable progress at the largest of the SOCBs (the ICBC).

   • 2007, Ganapathy Palanithurai et al., A Handbook for Panchayati Raj Administration (Tamil Nadu), Concept Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 58:

     Provided that where the Collector or any of his subordinates is responsible for the collection of any tax, […] the power to write-off such tax, […] on the ground of its being irrecoverable, shall be exercised by the Commissioner of Land Administration […]