Definitions for: Of






Webster (1913) Definition: Of, prep. [AS. of of, from, off; akin to D. & OS. af, G. ab
off, OHG. aba from, away, Icel., Dan., Sw., & Goth. af, L.
ab, Gr. ?, Skr. apa. Cf.Off, A- (2), Ab-, After,
Epi-.]
In a general sense, from, or out from; proceeding from;
belonging to; relating to; concerning; -- used in a variety
of applications; as:

1. Denoting that from which anything proceeds; indicating
origin, source, descent, and the like; as, he is of a race
of kings; he is of noble blood.

That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be
called the Son of God. --Luke i. 35.

I have received of the Lord that which also I
delivered unto you. --1 Cor. xi.
23.

2. Denoting possession or ownership, or the relation of
subject to attribute; as, the apartment of the consul: the
power of the king; a man of courage; the gate of heaven.
``Poor of spirit.'' --Macaulay.

3. Denoting the material of which anything is composed, or
that which it contains; as, a throne of gold; a sword of
steel; a wreath of mist; a cup of water.

4. Denoting part of an aggregate or whole; belonging to a
number or quantity mentioned; out of; from amongst; as, of
this little he had some to spare; some of the mines were
unproductive; most of the company.



It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
--Lam. iii.
22.

It is a duty to communicate of those blessings we have
received. --Franklin.

5. Denoting that by which a person or thing is actuated or
impelled; also, the source of a purpose or action; as,
they went of their own will; no body can move of itself;
he did it of necessity.



For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. --Josh. xi.
20.

6. Denoting reference to a thing; about; concerning; relating
to; as, to boast of one's achievements.

Knew you of this fair work? --Shak.

7. Denoting nearness or distance, either in space or time;
from; as, within a league of the town; within an hour of
the appointed time.

8. Denoting identity or equivalence; -- used with a name or
appellation, and equivalent to the relation of apposition;
as, the continent of America; the city of Rome; the Island
of Cuba.



9. Denoting the agent, or person by whom, or thing by which,
anything is, or is done; by.

And told to her of [by] some. --Chaucer.

He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of
all. --Luke iv. 15.

[Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil.
--Luke iv. 1,
2.

Note: The use of the word in this sense, as applied to
persons, is nearly obsolete.

10. Denoting relation to place or time; belonging to, or
connected with; as, men of Athens; the people of the
Middle Ages; in the days of Herod.

11. Denoting passage from one state to another; from. [Obs.]
``O miserable of happy.'' --Milton.

12. During; in the course of.

Not be seen to wink of all the day. --Shak.

My custom always of the afternoon. --Shak.

Note: Of may be used in a subjective or an objective sense.
``The love of God'' may mean, our love for God, or
God's love for us.

Note: From is the primary sense of this preposition; a sense
retained in off, the same word differently written for
distinction. But this radical sense disappears in most
of its application; as, a man of genius; a man of rare
endowments; a fossil of a red color, or of an hexagonal
figure; he lost all hope of relief; an affair of the
cabinet; he is a man of decayed fortune; what is the
price of corn? In these and similar phrases, of denotes
property or possession, or a relation of some sort
involving connection. These applications, however all
proceeded from the same primary sense. That which
proceeds from, or is produced by, a person or thing,
either has had, or still has, a close connection with
the same; and hence the word was applied to cases of
mere connection, not involving at all the idea of
separation.

Of consequence, of importance, value, or influence.

Of late, recently; in time not long past.

Of old, formerly; in time long past.

Of one's self, by one's self; without help or prompting;
spontaneously.

Why, knows not Montague, that of itself England is
safe, if true within itself? --Shak.

Try our:
Scrabble Word Finder

Scrabble Cheat

Words With Friends Cheat

Hanging With Friends Cheat

Scramble With Friends Cheat

Ruzzle Cheat



Related Resources:
animals beginning with n
animals beginning with e
l letter animals