Is there an OTL meaning that’s most commonly used? There is, and it stands for “one true love.” By the end of this article, you’ll fully understand how to use OTL, and what are some other alternate meanings.
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What Is OTL?
As mentioned earlier, OTL stands for “one true love.” Saying someone is your OTL means you love that person and hope to spend the rest of your life together.
Sometimes, though, it can come with some sadness or despair. For example, it could refer to someone from a failed relationship whom you still love dearly. It might also refer to someone no longer with you.
Fun Fact: OTL is also a Korean emoticon, which expresses frustration or disappointment.
Examples:
- We’ve been together ever since we met in high school; she’s my OTL.
- My OTL is also my best friend, and we’re perfect together.
- She never remarried after her husband’s death; he was her OTL.
- I will never be interested in someone else; you’re my OTL!
- My OTL and I met in the most unlikely way: a car accident!
When and How to Use OTL
OTL is common in texting, on social media like Facebook, and in other digital communication. It’s best to use it in casual situations, not in formal ones or work messages.
Can you say it out loud? Have you ever heard someone say “LOL” without trying to sound silly? If you have, what did you think of it? A lot of the time, using OTL and other abbreviations makes people shake their heads or laugh.
In spoken language, it’s perfectly fine to say “one true love.” After all, that phrase has been around a lot longer than OTL has.
Other Meanings of OTL
“One true love” is not the only meaning of OTL. For instance, it can also stand for “on the level,” which means someone is being honest or fair. You can even make your own meaning too. Following are some of the more common other meanings of OTL.
- Out to lunch: This literally means that you’re off having lunch. As slang, it means someone is too confused to know what’s going on.
- On the low: This means you’re doing something secretly or quietly to avoid attracting attention. People often use “on the down low” instead.
- On the lookout: With this OTL meaning, you’re saying you’ll be alert for something that will happen. For example, you can be on the lookout for a time-sensitive email.
- On the left: This can be literal – something is to your left. It can also indicate a person’s political leanings.
- Our timeline: Two meanings are plausible. One refers to the period in which you love. The other can be a life story two people share.
- Outside the lines: Something outside the lines may be pushing or have broken the boundaries of what’s acceptable. However, it can also refer to creative thinking.
- Overtime loss: This doesn’t mean you worked overtime and didn’t get paid extra. It means a team lost a game in overtime; OT is the abbreviation for “overtime.”
- Over time limit: Public speaking sometimes comes with time limits. Flashing or texting OTL to a speaker sends a signal that it’s time to wrap up.
- Off the list: Something that’s off the list is something that’s no longer in consideration. It could actually refer to a shopping list, but it usually refers to ideas or options no longer deemed workable.
Final Thoughts
Again, the most common OTL meaning is “one true love,” which is someone another person loves deeply and sincerely. Whoever’s saying it also means they love that person more than they could ever love anyone else. There are other meanings. Just make sure you use them in the right situations and with the proper context to avoid confusion.
