Definition of "on-off" []

• That is either fully on or fully off, and is used to toggle a status between on and off; as in an on-off switch (adjective)
• That fluctuates between a positive and negative status, as an on-off relationship (adjective)

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• "Subsequently described as 'on-off' diplomacy, Obama's hesitancy to provide a stern response resulted in a misreading of intentions from the opposing sides in Honduras, but it became clear that Obama had little appetite to become heavily engaged in a potentially long-running dispute."
• "Then she slowly buzzed the same message through the pin in short on-off bursts, spelling out each letter of the Bajoran major’s name in universal signal code."
• "Recently released documents from a different case showed that two of Epstein's closest confidantes – his PA Sarah Ellen and an on-off girlfriend, Nadia Marcinkova – were repeatedly questioned by Kuvin about whether the prince had been involved in sexual acts with any of Epstein's entourage of young women."