OFFSET

Anything that acts as counterbalance; a compensating equivalent.

"Today's victory was an offset to yesterday's defeat."

A form of countertrade arrangement, in which the seller agrees to purchase within a set time frame products of a certain value from the buying country. This kind of agreement may be used in large international public sector contracts such as arms sales.

(c. 1555) A time at which something begins; outset.

To compensate for, by applying a change in the opposite direction.

"I'll offset the time difference locally."

To form an offset in (a wall, rod, pipe, etc.).