off the record: it's a phrase that you use to tell people that the information you're giving them is secret; it's usually used by government officials or other people who are being interviewed for example by a newspaper reporter. and they don't want something on the record, meaning they don't want something to be recorded, something to be written down. that's what the record is here. it's an account of something, it's a story or details about something. so off the record would mean i don't want you to write this down or i don't want you to tell anyone else i'm telling you.