Definitions for of
ʌv, ɒv; unstressed əv or, esp. before consonants, əof

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.1 / 67 votes

1. ofpreposition

   Expressing separation.

2. ofpreposition

   Expressing origin.

3. ofpreposition

   Expressing agency.

4. ofpreposition

   Expressing composition, substance.

5. ofpreposition

   Introducing subject matter.

6. ofpreposition

   Having effect.

7. ofpreposition

   Expressing possession.

8. ofpreposition

   Forming the "objective genitive".

9. ofpreposition

   Expressing qualities or characteristics.

10. ofpreposition

    Expressing a point in time.

11. Etymology: Unstressed form of æf

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ofprep.

   Etymology: of , Saxon.

   1. It is put before the substantive that follows another in construction; as, of these part were slain; that is, part of these.

   I cannot instantly raise up the gross
   Of full three thousand ducats. William Shakespeare.

   He to his natural endowments of a large invention, a ripe judgment, and a strong memory, has joined the knowledge of the liberal arts. Dryden.

   All men naturally fly to God in extremity, and the most atheistical person in the world, when forsaken of all hopes of any other relief, is forced to acknowledge him. John Tillotson.

   They will receive it at last with an ample accumulation of interest. George Smalridge, Serm.

   Since the rousing of the mind with some degrees of vigour, does set it free from those idle companions. John Locke.

   The value of land is raised only by a greater plenty of money. John Locke.

   2. It is put after comparative and superlative adjectives.

   The most renowned of all are those to whom the name is given Philippinæ. George Abbot, Descript. of the World.

   We profess to be animated with the best hopes of any men in the world. John Tillotson, Serm.

   At midnight, the most dismal and unseasonable time of all other, then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. John Tillotson, Serm. 31.

   We are not to describe our shepherds as shepherds at this day really are, but as they may be conceived then to have been, when the best of men followed the employment. Alexander Pope.

   Peace, of all worldly blessings, is the most valuable. Small.

   3. From.

   The captain of the Helots, with a blow whose violence grew of fury, not of strength, or of strength proceeding of fury, struck Palladius upon the side of the head. Philip Sidney.

   One that I brought up of a puppey, one that
   I sav’d from drowning. William Shakespeare, Two Gent. of Verona.

   He borrowed a box of the ear of the Englishman, and swore he would pay him again when he was able. William Shakespeare.

   It was called Corcyra of Corcyra, the daughter of Æsopus. George Sandys, Travels.

   4. Concerning; relating to.

   The quarrel is not now of fame and tribute,
   Or of wrongs done unto confederates,
   But for your own republick. Ben Jonson, Cat.

   This cannot be understood of the first disposition of the waters, as they were before the flood. Burnet.

   All have this sense of war. George Smalridge, Serm.

   5. Out of.

   Yet of this little he had some to spare,
   To feed the famish’d and to clothe the bare. Dryden.

   Look once again, and for thy husband lost,
   Lo all that’s left of him, thy husband’s ghost. Dryden.

   6. Among.

   He is the only person of all others for an epic poem. Dryd.

   Of all our heroes thou canst boast alone,
   That Jove, whene’er he thunders, calls thee son. Dryd.

   Neither can I call to mind any clergyman of my own acquaintance who is wholly exempt from this error. Jonathan Swift.

   7. By. This sense was once very frequent, but is not now in use.

   She dying
   Shall be lamented, pitied, and excus’d
   Of every bearer. William Shakespeare.

   Like heav’n in all, like earth in this alone,
   That tho’ great states by her support do stand,
   Yet she herself supported is of none,
   But by the finger of the Almighty’s hand. Davies.

   I was friendly entertained of the English consul. George Sandys.

   Lest a more honourable man than those be bidden of him. , Fest.

   8. According to.

   The senate
   And people of Rome, of their accustom’d greatness,
   Will sharply and severely vindicate
   Not only any fact, but any practice
   ’Gainst the state. Ben Jonson, Catiline.

   They do of right belong to you, being most of them first preached amongst you. John Tillotson, Ded.

   Tancred, whose delight
   Was plac’d in his fair daughter’s daily sight,
   Of custom, when his state affairs were done,
   Would pass his pleasing hours with her alone. Dryden.

   9. Noting power, ability, choice, or spontaneity. With the reciprocal pronoun.

   Some soils put forth odorate herbs of themselves; as wild thyme. Francis Bacon, Nat. Hist.

   Of himself man is confessedly unequal to his duty. Steph.

   The Venice glasses would crack of themselves. Boyle.

   Of himself is none,
   But that eternal infinite and one,
   Who never did begin, who ne’er can end;
   On him all beings, as their source, depend. Dryden.

   The thirsty cattel, of themselves obtain’d
   From water, and their grassy fare disdain’d. Dryden.

   To assert mankind to have been of himself, and without a cause, hath this invincible objection against it, that we plainly see every man to be from another. John Tillotson.

   No particle of matter, nor any combination of particles; that is, no bodies can either move of themselves, or of themselves alter the direction of their motion. George Cheyne.

   A free people met together, as soon as they fall into any acts of civil society, do of themselves divide into three powers. Jonathan Swift.

   It was civil in angel or elf,
   For he ne’er could have filled it so well of himself. Jonathan Swift.

   10. Noting properties or qualities.

   He was a man of a decayed fortune, and of no good education. Edward Hyde.

   The colour of a body may be changed by a liquor which of itself is of no colour, provided it be saline. Boyle.

   The fresh eglantine exhal’d a breath,
   Whose odours were of pow’r to raise from death. Dryd.

   A man may suspend the act of his choice from being determined for or against the thing proposed, till he has examined whether it be really of a nature, in itself and consequences, to make him happy or no. John Locke.

   The value of land is raised, when remaining of the same fertility it comes to yield more rent. John Locke.

   11. Noting extraction.

   Lunsford was a man of an ancient family in Sussex. Clar.

   Mr. Rowe was born of an ancient family in Devonshire, that for many ages had made a handsome figure in their country. Rowe’s Life.

   12. Noting adherence, or belonging.

   Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
   Will furnish me. William Shakespeare, Merch. of Venice.

   Pray that in towns and temples of our own,
   The name of great Anchises may be known. Dryden.

   13. Noting the matter of any thing.

   The chariot was all of cedar, gilt and adorned with crystal, save that the fore end had pannels of saphires set in borders of gold, and the hinder end the like of emeralds of the Peru colour. Francis Bacon, New Atlantis.

   The common materials which the ancients made their ships of, were the wild ash, the evergreen oak, the beech, and the alder. John Arbuthnot, on Coins.

   14. Noting the motive.

   It was not of my own choice that I undertook this work. John Dryden, Dufresnoy.

   Our sov’reign Lord has ponder’d in his mind
   The means to spare the blood of gentle kind;
   And of his grace and inborn clemency,
   He modifies his severe decree. Dryden.

   15. Noting form or manner of existence.

   As if our Lord, even of purpose to prevent this fancy of extemporal and voluntary prayers, had not left of his own framing, one which might both remain as a part of the church liturgy, and serve as a pattern whereby to frame all other prayers with efficacy, yet without superfluity of words. Richard Hooker, b. v. s. 2.

   16. Noting something that has some particular quality.

   Mother, says the thrush, never had any such a friend as I have of this swallow. No, says she, nor ever mother such a fool as I have of this same thrush. Roger L'Estrange.

   17. Noting faculties of power granted.

   If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth. 1 Peter iv. 11.

   18. Noting preference, or postponence.

   Your highness shall repose you at the Tower.
   —— I do not like the Tower of any place. William Shakespeare.

   19. Noting change of one state to another.

   O miserable of happy! is this the end
   Of this new glorious world, and me so late
   The glory of that glory, who now become
   Accurs’d, of blessed? John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. x.

   20. Noting causality.

   Good nature, by which I mean beneficence and candour, is the product of right reason; which of necessity will give allowance to the failures of others, by considering that there is nothing perfect in mankind. Dryden.

   21. Noting proportion.

   How many are there of an hundred, even amongst scholars themselves. John Locke.

   22. Noting kind or species.

   To cultivate the advantages of success, is an affair of the cabinet; and the neglect of this success may be of the most fatal consequence to a nation. Jonathan Swift.

   23. It is put before an indefinite expression of time: as, of late, in late times.

   Of late, divers learned men have adopted the three hypostatical principles. Robert Boyle, on Colours.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. of

   "Of" is a preposition that indicates belonging, origin, or a relationship between two or more things or concepts. It is used to show possession, association, connection, or a specific quality or characteristic.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 28 votes

1. Of

   ov, prep. from or out from: belonging to: out of: among: proceeding from, so in the Litany and Nicene Creed: owing to: with: over: concerning: during: (B. and Pr. Bk.) sometimes=by, from, on, or over.—Of purpose (B.), intentionally. [A.S. of; Dut. af, Ger. ab, also L. ab, Gr. apo.]

Editors ContributionRate this definition:1.8 / 8 votes

1. of

   Connected to.

   They have a tin of tomatoes and decided to put it with vegetables and sauce for dinner.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on February 29, 2020  

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. of

   Song lyrics by of -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by of on the Lyrics.com website.

2. Of

   Of vs. Off -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Of and Off.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'of' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'of' in Written Corpus Frequency: #9

Anagrams for of »

1. F/O

2. fo

3. fo'

How to pronounce of?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say of in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of of in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of of in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Of
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=of
3. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
4. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=of