OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is, some from or out of others. 'I have known him of old, or of a child; ' that is, from old times, from a child. 'He is of the race of kings; ' that is, descended from kings. 'He is of noble blood or birth, or of ignoble origin.' 'No particle of matter, or no body can move of itself; ' that is, by force or strength proceeding from itself, derived from itself.
'The quarrel is not now of fame and tribute, or of wrongs done; ' that is, from fame or wrongs, as the cause, and we may render it concerning, about, relating to.
'Of this little he had some to spare; ' that is, some from the whole. It may be rendered out of
'Of all our heroes thou canst boast alone; ' that is, thou alone from the number of heroes. This may be rendered among.
'The best of men, the most renowned of all; ' that is, the best from the number of men, the most renowned from the whole; denoting primarily separation, like part.
'I was well entertained of the English Consul; ' that is, entertained from the Consul; my entertainment was from the Consul. This use is obsolete, and we use by in lieu of it.
'This does of right belong to us; ' that is, from right, de jure; our title proceeds from right.
'The chariot was all of cedar; ' that is, made from cedar. So we say, made of gold, made of clay; an application corresponding with our modern use of from; manufactured from wool, or from raw materials. Hence we say, cloth consisting of wool. 'This is a scheme of his own devising; ' that is, from his own devising or device. 'If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; ' that is, as from the ability, as the source of action.
'Of happy, he is become miserable; ' that is, from happy; from being happy, he has passed to being miserable. 'Of necessity this must prove ruinous; ' that is, from necessity, as the cause or source. 'Of a hundred take fifty; ' that is, from a hundred, or out of a hundred, from among a hundred.
OF sometimes implies a part or share.
It is a duty to communicate of those blessings we have received.
From is then the primary sense of this preposition; a sense retained in off, the same word differently written for distinction. But this sense is appropriately lost in many of its applications; as a man of genius, a man of courage, a man of rare endowments, a fossil of a red color, or of a hexagonal figure. he lost all hope of relief. This is an affair of the cabinet. He is a man of decayed fortune. What is the price of corn? We say that of in these and similar phrases, denotes property or possession, making of the sign of the genitive or possessive case. These applications, however, all proceeded from the same primary sense. That which proceeds from or is produced by a person, is naturally the property or possession of that person, as the son of John; and this idea of property in the course of time would pass to things not thus produced, but still bearing a relation to another thing. Thus we say, the father of a son, as well as the son of a father. In both senses, other languages also use the same word, as in the French de, de la, and Italian di, dell. of then has one primary sense, from, departing, issuing, proceeding from or out of and a derivative sense denoting possession or property.
OFF, adjective auf. Most distant; as the off horse in a team.
OFF, adverb auf.
1. From, noting distance. The house is a mile off
2. From, with the action of removing or separating; as, to take off the hat or cloke. So we say, to cut off to pare off to clip off to peel off to tear off to march off to fly off
3. From, noting separation; as, the match is off
4. From, noting departure, abatement, remission or a leaving. The fever goes off; the pain goes off
5. In painting, it denotes projection or relief.
This comes off well and excellent.
6. From, a way; not towards; as, to look off; opposed to on or toward.
7. On the opposite side of a question.
The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on.
OFF hand, without study or preparation. She plays a tune off hand. He speaks fluently off hand.
OFF and on, at one time applying and engaged, then absent or remiss.
To be off in colloquial language, to depart or to recede from an agreement or design.
To come off to escape, or to fare in the event.
1. To get off to alight; to come down.
2. To make escape
1. To go off to depart; to desert.
2. To take fire; to be discharged; as a gun.
Well off ill off badly off having good or ill success.
OFF, preposition
1. Not on; as, to be off one's legs. He was not off the bed the whole day.
2. Distant from; as about two miles off this town. [Not now used.]
OFF, as an exclamation, is a command to depart, either with or without contempt or abhorrence.
OF'FAL, noun
1. Waste meat; the parts of an animal butchered which are unfit for use or rejected.
2. Carrion; coarse meat.
3. Refuse; that which is thrown away as of no value, or fit only for beasts.
4. Any thing of no value; rubbish.
OFFEND', verb transitive [Latin offendo; of and fendo, obsolete to strike, hit, meet, or thrust against. We use the simple verb in fend, to fend off, to fence.]
1. To attack; to assail. [Not used.]
2. To displease; to make angry; to affront. It expresses rather less than make angry, and without any modifying word, it is nearly synonymous with displease. We are offended by rudeness, incivility and harsh language. Children offend their parents by disobedience, and parents offend their children by unreasonable austerity or restraint.
The emperor was grievously offended with them who had kept such negligent watch.
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. Proverbs 18:19.
3. To shock; to wound; as, to offend the conscience.
4. To pain; to annoy; to injure; as, a strong light offends weak eyes.
5. To transgress; to violate; as, to offend the laws. But we generally use the intransitive verb in this sense, with against; to offend against the law.
6. To disturb, annoy, or cause to fall or stumble.
Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Psalms 119:165.
7. To draw to evil, or hinder in obedience; to cause to sin or neglect duty.
If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out - if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off. Matthew 5:29.
OFFEND', verb intransitive
1. To transgress the moral or divine law; to sin; to commit a crime.
Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all. James 2:10.
In many things we offend all. James 3:2.
2. To cause dislike or anger.
I shall offend either to detain or to give it.
But this phrase is really elliptical, some person being understood.
3. To be scandalized; to be stumbled.
If meat make my brother to offend - 1 Corinthians 8:13.
1. To offend against, to act injuriously or unjustly.
Nor yet against Caesar have I offended any thing at all. Acts 25:11.
2. To transgress; to violate; as, to offend against the laws of society, the laws of God, or the rules of civility or propriety.
We have offended against the Lord already. 2 Chronicles 28:13.
OFFEND'ED, participle passive Displeased.
OFFEND'ER, noun One that offends; one that violates any law, divine or human; a criminal; a trespasser; a transgressor; one that does an injury. The man who robs, steals, or commits an assault, is an offender
OFFEND'ING, participle present tense Displeasing; making angry; causing to stumble; committing sin.
OFFEND'RESS, noun A female that offends.
OFFENSE, noun offens'. [Latin offensus, offensa.]
1. Displeasure; anger, or moderate anger. He gave them just cause of offense He took offense
2. Scandal; cause of stumbling. Christ is called a stone of stumbling and rock of offense to both the houses of Israel. Psalms 8:1.
3. Any transgression of law, divine or human; a crime; sin; act of wickedness or omission of duty.
Christ was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification. Romans 4:1.
4. An injury.
I have given my opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without offense to their memories.
5. Attack; assault; as a weapon of offense
6. Impediment. Matthew 16:1.
OFFENSEFUL, adjective offens'ful. Giving displeasure; injurious. [Not used.]
OFFENSELESS, adjective offens'less. Unoffending; innocent; inoffensive.
OFFENS'IVE, adjective
1. Causing displeasure or some degree of anger; displeasing. All sin is offensive to God. Rude behavior is offensive to men. Good breeding forbids us to use offensive words.
2. Disgusting; giving pain or unpleasant sensations; disagreeable; as an offensive taste or smell; an offensive sight. discordant sounds are offensive to the ears.
3. Injurious.
It is an excellent opener for the liver, but offensive to the stomach.
4. Assailant; used in attack; opposed to defensive; as an offensive weapon or engine.
5. Assailant; invading; making the first attack; opposed to defensive; as an offensive war.
A league offensive and defensive, is one that requires both or all parties to make war together against a nation, and each party to defend the other in case of being attacked.
OFFENS'IVE, noun The part of attacking; as, to act on the offensive
OFFENS'IVELY, adverb
1. In a manner to give displeasure; as language offensively harsh or sarcastic.
2. Injuriously; mischievously.
3. By way of invasion or first attack. The enemy was not in a condition to act offensively
4. Unpleasantly to the senses.
OFFENS'IVENESS, noun
1. The quality that offends or displeases; as the offensiveness of rude language or behavior.
2. Injuriousness; mischief.
3. Cause of disgust; the quality that gives pain to the senses, or unpleasant sensations; as the offensiveness of smell or taste.
OF'FER, verb transitive [Latin offero; ob and fero, to bring.]
1. Literally, to bring to or before; hence, to present for acceptance or rejection; to exhibit something that may be taken or received or not. He offered me a sum of money. He offered me his umbrella to defend me from the rain.
The heathen women under the Mogul, offer themselves to the flames at the death of their husbands.
2. To present in words; to proffer; to make a proposal to.
I offer thee three things. 2 Samuel 24:12.
3. To present, as an act of worship; to immolate; to sacrifice; often with up.
Thou shalt offer every day a bullock as a sin-offering for atonement. Exodus 29:36.
The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning.
A holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices.
1 Peter 2:5.
4. To present in prayer or devotion.
Offer to God thanksgiving. Psalms 1:1.
5. To bid, as a price, reward or wages; as, to offer ten eagles for a ring; to offer a hundred dollars a year for a laborer; to offer a salary.
6. To present to the view or to the mind; as ideas which sense or reflection offers to the mind.
To offer violence, to assault; to attack or commence attack.
OF'FER, verb intransitive
1. To present itself; to be at hand.
Th' occasion offers and the youth complies.
2. To present verbally; to declare a willingness. He offered to accompany his brother.
3. To make an attempt.
We came close to the shore and offered to land.
Formerly with at.
I will not offer at that I cannot master. obsolete
OF'FER, noun
1. A proposal to be accepted or rejected; presentation to choice. The prince made liberal offers, but they were rejected.
When offers are disdained, and love deny'd.
2. First advance.
Force compels this offer
3. The act of bidding a price, or the sum bid. By an offer we manifest a desire to buy. When the seller declines accepting, he manifests that he thinks the offer not sufficient.
4. Attempt; endeavor; essay.
It is the power of every one to make some essay, some offer and attempt. [Nearly obsolete.]
OF'FERABLE, adjective That may be offered.
OF'FERED, participle passive Presented for acceptance or rejection; presented in worship or devotion; immolated; bid; presented to the eye or the mind.
OF'FERER, noun One that offers; one that sacrifices or dedicates in worship.
OF'FERING, participle present tense Presenting; proposing; sacrificing; bidding; presenting to the eye or mind.
OF'FERING, noun That which is presented in divine service; an animal or a portion of bread or corn, or of gold and silver, or other valuable articles, presented to God as an atonement for sin, or as a return of thanks for his favors, or for other religious purpose; a sacrifice; an oblation. In the Mosaic economy, there were burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, peace-offerings, trespass-offerings, thank-offerings, wave-offerings, and wood-offerings. Pagan nations also present offerings to their deities. Christ by the offering of himself has superseded the use of all other offerings, having made atonement for all men.
When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed - Isaiah 53:10.
OF'FERTORY, noun The act of offering, or the thing offered. [Little used.]
1. offertory was properly an anthem chanted or a voluntary played on the organ during the offering and a part of the mass, in the Catholic church; but since the reformation it denotes certain sentences in the communion-office, read while the alms are collecting.
2. Anciently, the linen on which the offering was laid.
OF'FERTURE, noun Offer; proposal. [Not used.]
OF'FICE, noun [Latin officium; ob and facio, to make or do.]
1. A particular duty, charge or trust conferred by public authority and for a public purpose; an employment undertaken by commission or authority from government or those who administer it. Thus we speak of the office of secretary of state, of treasurer, of a judge, of a sheriff, of a justice of the peace, etc. Offices are civil, judicial, ministerial, executive, legislative, political, municipal, diplomatic, military, ecclesiastical, etc.
2. A duty, charge or trust of a sacred nature, conferred by God himself; as the office of priest, in the Old Testament; and that of the apostles, in the New Testament.
Insomuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office Romans 11:13.
3. Duty or employment of a private nature; as the office of a midwife. Exodus 1:16.
4. That which is performed, intended or assigned to be done by a particular thing, or that which any thing is fitted to perform; answering to duty in intelligent beings. We enjoy health when the several organs of the body perform their respective offices.
In this experiment, the several intervals of the teeth of the comb do the office of so many prisms.
5. Business; particular employment.
Hesperus, whose office is to bring twilight upon the earth.
6. Act of good or ill voluntarily tendered; usually in a good sense; as kind offices; offices of pity; pious offices.
7. Act of worship.
8. Formulary of devotion.
The Lord's prayer, the ten commandments and the creed, is a very good office for children if they are not fitted for more regular offices.
9. A house or apartment in which public officers and others transact business; as the register's office; a lawyer's office
10. In architecture, an apartment appropriated for the necessary business or occasions of a palace or nobleman's house. The word is used also for a building pertaining to a farm.
11. In the canon law, a benefice which has no jurisdiction annexed to it.
12. The person or persons entrusted with particular duties of a public nature.
- This office [of quarter-master-general] not to have the disposal of public money, except small occasional sums.
OF'FICE, verb transitive To perform; to do; to discharge. [Not used.]
OF'FICER, noun A person commissioned or authorized to perform any public duty. Officers are civil, military or ecclesiastical. There are great officers of state, and subordinate officers. Military and naval officers of the same grade usually take rank according to the dates of their commissions. Non-commissioned officers are nominated by their captains, and appointed by the commanding officers of regiments.
OF'FICER, verb transitive To furnish with officers; to appoint officers over.
Count Pulaski raised a legionary corps, which he officered principally with foreigners.
OF'FICERED, participle passive Furnished with officers.
OFFI'CIAL, adjective
1. Pertaining to an office or public trust. The secretary is engaged in official duties.
2. Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority; as an official statement or report. We have official intelligence of the battle.
3. Conducive by virtue of appropriate powers.
The stomach and other parts official to nutrition. [Unusual.]
OFFI'CIAL, noun An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.
OFFI'CIALLY, adverb By the proper officer; by virtue of the proper authority; in pursuance of the special powers vested; as accounts or reports officially verified or rendered; letters officially communicated; persons officially notified.
OFFI'CIALTY, noun The charge or office of an official.
OFFI'CIATE, verb transitive
1. To act as an officer in his office; to transact the appropriate business of an office or public trust. At this court the chief justice officiated.
The bishops and priests officiate at the altar.
2. To perform the appropriate official duties of another.
OFFI'CIATE, verb transitive To give in consequence of office.
The stars officiate light. [Improper.]
OFFI'CIATING, participle present tense Performing the appropriate duties of an office; performing the office of another.
OFFIC'INAL, adjective [Latin officina, a shop.]
Used in a shop or belonging to it. officinal drugs, medicines and simples are such as are required to be constantly kept in the shops of apothecaries.
OFFI'CIOUS, adjective [Latin officiosus.]
1. Kind; obliging; doing kind offices.
Yet not to earth are those bright luminaries officious
2. Excessively forward in kindness; importunately interposing services.
You are too officious in her behalf that scorns your services.
3. Busy; intermeddling in affairs in which one has no concern.
OFFI'CIOUSLY, adverb
1. Kindly; with solicitous care.
Let thy goats officiously be nurs'd.
2. With importunate or excessive forwardness.
Flattering crowds officiously appear, to give themselves, not you, a happy year.
3. In a busy meddling manner.
OFFI'CIOUSNESS, noun
1. Eagerness to serve; usually, an excess of zeal to serve others, or improper forwardness, interposing in affairs without being desired, or with a disposition to meddle with the concerns of others.
2. Service. [Little used.]
OFF'ING, noun [from off.] That part of the sea which is at a good distance from the shore, or at a competent distance, where there is deep water and no need of a pilot. We saw a ship in the offing
OFF'SCOURING, noun [off and scour.] That which is scoured off; hence, refuse; rejected matter; that which is vile or despised. Lamentations 3:45. 1 Corinthians 4:13.
OFF'SET, noun [off and set.]
1. A shoot; a sprout from the roots of a plant.
2. In surveying, a perpendicular let fall from the stationary lines to the hedge, fence or extremity of an inclosure.
3. In accounts, a sum, account or value set off against another sum or account, as an equivalent.
[This is also written set-off.]
OFF'SET, verb transitive To set one account against another; to make the account of one party pay the demand of another.
OFF'SPRING, noun [off and spring.
1. A child or children; a descendant or descendants, however remote from the stock. Acts 17:28. Revelation 22:16.
2. Propagation; generation.
3. Production of any kind.
OFFUSCATE, OFFUSCATION. [See Obfuscate, Obfuscation.]
OFFUSCATE, OFFUSCATION [See Obfuscate, Obfuscation.]
OFF'WARD, adverb [off and ward.] Leaning off, as a ship on shore.
OFT, adverb Often; frequently; not rarely. It was formerly used in prose and may be so used still; but is more generally used in poetry.
OFT she rejects, but never one offends.
OFTEN, adverb of'n. comparative oftener; superlative oftenset. Frequently; many times; not seldom.
OFTEN, adjective of'n. Frequent. [Improper.]
OFTENNESS, noun of'nness. Frequency. [Not used.]
OFTENTIMES, adverb of'ntimes. [often and times.] Frequently; often; many times.
OFT'TIMES, adverb [oft and times.] Frequently; often.