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> I've been looking up some definitions of the word "off" (which does have
> plenty) and one of the examples is this:

>     Definition: [adverb] having access to or possession of material goods
>     or wealth to the extent specified.
>     Example: we'd been rather badly off for books

> "We'd been rather badly off for books", as far as I can see, is something
alon
> the lines of either
>     1: "We hadn't got enough money to afford buying books", or
>     2: "We had been having a shortage of books"

> Somehow I'm thinking of the second one to be true.
> Which one is more realistic to you?

As an English speaker, I am not sure what they were trying to say there - "we'd
been rather badly off for books."  Your guesses are as good as mine.  I
would add that they could mean their "accounting books," which might mean that
they have fallen behind in their payments or have fallen into debt.

Examples I would use for that definition of "off" would be:

"They are financially rather well off." -- they have plenty of money
"They are rather well off." -- implies the same thing, plenty of money
"They are not well off." -- implies that they are not doing well financially


Mike


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