Emily Dickinson Lexicon

O'ER,

contracted from Over—which see.

OF, prep.

ov. [Sax. of; G. ab; Sw. Ice. Dan. and D. af; L. ab, but originally of; Gr. {foreign}. The primary sense is departing, issuing or proceeding from; but this sense has been modified by usage.] 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 Cor. xi. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Josh. xi. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Lam. iii. The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Prov. xvi. Go, inquire of the Lord for toe. 2 Chron. xxxiv. That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke i. 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 the 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 This use is obsolete, and we use by in lieu of it.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 injure; 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. Franklin. 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, dela, 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,

as an exclamation, is a command to depart, either with or without contempt or abhorrence.

OFF, prep.

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.] Addison.

OFF, a. auf.

Most distant; as, the off horse in a team.

OFF, adv. 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 of, 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. Shak.
6. From; away; not toward; 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. Sanderson. 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. To get off, to alight; to come down.
8. To make escape. To go off, to depart; to desert.
9. To take fire; to be discharged; as a gun. Well off, ill of, badly off, having good or ill success.

OF'FAL, n. [D. afval; af and vallen, to fall; G. abfall; Dan. offald; Sw. offull; off and fall.]

1. Waste meat; the parts of an animal butchered which are unfit for use or rejected. Arbuthnat.
2. Carrion; coarse meat. Milton. Shak.
3. Refuse; that which is thrown away as of no value, or fit only for beasts. Dryden. Mortimer.
4. Any thing of no value; rubbish. Shak

OF-FEND', v.i.

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 iii. l. In many things we all offend. James iii.
2. To cause dislike or anger. I shall offend, either to detain or to give it. Shak. But this phrase is really elliptical, some person being understood.
3. To be scandalized; to be stumbled. If meat make my brother to offend– Cor. viii. To offend against, to act injuriously or unjustly. Nor yet against Cesar have I offended any thing at all. Acts xxv.
4. 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 Chron. xxviii.

OF-FEND', v.t. [L. offendo; ob and fendo, [obs.]

1. to strike, hit, meet, or thrust against. We use the simple verb in fend, to fend off, to fence.]
2. To attack; to assail. [Not used.] Sidney.
3. 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. Knolles. A brother offended is harder to he won than a strong city. Prov xviii.
4. To shock; to wound; as, to offend the conscience. Law.
5. To pain; to annoy; to injure; as, a strong light offends weak eyes.
6. 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.
7. To disturb, annoy, or cause to fall or stumble. Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Ps. cxix.
8. 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 out. Matth. v.

OF-FEND'ED, pp.

Displeased.

OF-FEND'ER, n.

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.

OF-FEND'ING, ppr.

Displeasing; making angry; causing to stumble; committing sin.

OF-FEND'RESS, n.

A female that offends. Shak.

OF-FENSE, n. offens'. [L. offensus, offensa; It. [offesa; Sp. ofensa; Fr. offence.]

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. Ps. viii.
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. Rom. iv.
4. An injury. I have given my opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without offense to their memories. Dryden.
5. Attack; assault; as, a weapon of offense. Richardson.
6. Impediment. Matth. xvi.

OF-FENSE-FUL, a. offens'ful.

Giving displeasure; injurious. [Not used.] Shalt.

OF-FENSE-LESS, a. offens'less.

Unoffending; innocent; inoffensive. Milton.

OF-FENS'IVE, a. [Fr. offensif; It. offensivo]

1. ; Sp. ofensivo.]
2. 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.
3. Disgusting; giving pain or unpleasant sensations; disagreeable; as, an offensive taste or smell; an offensive sight. Discordant sounds are offensive to the ear.
4. Injurious. It is an excellent opener for the liver, but offensive to the stomach. Bacon.
5. Assailant; used in attack; opposed to defensive; as, an offensive weapon or engine. Wilkins.
6. 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 a each party to defend the other in case of being attacked.

OF-FENS'IVE, n.

The part of attacking; as, to act on the offensive.

OF-FENS'IVE-LY, adv.

1. In a manner to give displeasure; as, language offensively harsh or sarcastic.
2. Injuriously; mischievously. Hooker.
3. By way of invasion or first attack. The enemy was not in a condition to act offensively.
4. Unpleasantly to the senses.

OF-FENS'IVE-NESS, n.

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, n. [Fr. offre.]

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. Pope.
2. First advance. Force compels this offer. Shak.
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 in the power of every one to make some essay, some offer and attempt. [Nearly obsolete.] South.

OF'FER, v. [L. 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. Catlier.
2. To present in words; to proffer; to make a proposal to. I offer these three things. 2 Sam. xxiv.
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. Exod. xxix. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning. Ibm. A holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices. I Pet. ii.
4. To present in prayer or devotion. Offer to God thanksgiving. Ps l.
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. Locke.
7. To offer violence, to assault; to attack or commence attack.

OF'FER, v.i.

1. To present itself; to be at hand. The occasion offers, and the youth complies. Dryden.
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. Bacon. Formerly with at. I will not offer at that Icon not master. [Obs.] Bacon.

OF'FER-A-BLE, a.

That may be offered. Mountague.

OF'FER-ED, pp.

Presented for acceptance or rejection; presented in worship or devotion; immolated; bidding; presented to the eye or the mind.