To continue a discussion or resolve an issue privately, away from a group meeting or public forum; to handle something separately from the main conversation.
This phrase emerged in the 1990s with the rise of computer networks and internet culture. 'Offline' originally referred to computers not connected to a network, and the phrase adapted this technical term to mean removing a discussion from the main group conversation to a private channel.
This modern phrase shows how quickly digital metaphors can colonize our everyday language - in just a few decades, 'offline' has become the standard way to suggest private discussion, even in face-to-face meetings where no computers are involved. It's more diplomatic than saying 'let's discuss this privately' because it suggests technical efficiency rather than secrecy.
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