print vs print off/ out

[gvergara]

Hi

Could you please help me understand the difference between verb print and phrasal verb print off/ out? Here are the definitions I found in my Oxfords, and I sincerely would not be able to discriminate between one and the other. Thanks in advance

to print: to produce letters, pictures, etc. on paper using a achine that puts ink on the surface. Ex: I'm printing a copy of the document for you.
Taken from Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 6th edition

to print off/ out: to produce a document or information from a computer in printed form. Ex: I'll print off enough copies for everyone to have one.
Taken from Oxford Phrasal Verbs Dictionary for learners of English

Gonzalo

 

[entangledbank]

Printing is what everyone from Gutenberg to Penguin Books does, and it includes printing off/out from a computer. Printing out refers to what is in a computer. Printing off is basically the same thing in the modern world, but could also refer to a casual job of, for example, 100 posters or leaflets on a traditional printing press - or photocopies. You also run off 100 copies or 100 leaflets.

 

[gvergara]

I think I get it. Print is a more general concept, whereas print out refers to the process of "giving life" to computer-stored documents. If that's the case, however, there could be cases where both verbs could be accepted, depending on what you want to express. In the example I provided, I'm printing a copy of the document for you, you could also use the phrasal verb, am I right?

Gonzalo

 

[entangledbank]

Yes, getting it off a computer is all three. As so often, there's a lot of overlap and sometimes no significant difference.

 

[sdgraham]

I believe the subject already has been covered adequately

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=82968print it out/printing it out
print up

 

[gvergara]

I believe the subject already has been covered adequately

print it out/printing it out
print up

Thanks. The titles are not really indicative of that, though. See you

Gonzalo