Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ōf'fice, n. p. 908That which is laid upon, or taken up by, one person to perform for another; work to be performed for, or with reference to, others; peculiar service; duty; especially, customary duty; or, a duty such…ŏf'fice, v. t. p. 909To perform; to do; to discharge. 2. To exercise or perform an office or duty toward; to withhold from, by virtue of office or authority. [Rare.] You shall perceive that a Jack-guardant can not office…Ōf'fice-beâr'er, n. p. 909One who holds office;—used chiefly in the Presbyterian church.Ōf'fi-cer, n. p. 909One who holds an office; a person lawfully invested with an office, whether civil or ecclesiastical; a magistrate. 2. (Mil. U. S.) A person holding a commission from the President of the United…Ōf'fi-cer, v. t. p. 909To furnish with officers; to appoint officers over. Marshall.Of-fĭ'cial, a. p. 909Pertaining to an office or public trust; as, 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…Of-fi'cial, n. p. 909One who holds an office; especially, (a.) An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, &c., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction. Blackstone. (b.) Any subordinate…Of-fi'cial-ly, adv. p. 909By 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…Of'fi'cial-ty, n. p. 909(Law.) The charge or office of an official. Ayliffe.Of-fĭ'ci-a-ry, a. p. 909Pertaining to an office or officer; official. [Rare.]Of-fi'ci-āte, v. i. p. 909To act as an officer in his office; to transact the appropriate business of an office or public trust. The bishops and priests officiate at the altar. Stillingfleet. 2. To perform the appropriate…Of-fi'ci-āte, v. t. p. 909To give in discharge of an office, or the exercise of its functions. [Obs.] Merely to officiate light Round this opacous earth. Milton.Of-fĭ'ci-ā'tor, n. p. 909One who officiates.Of-fic'i-nal or Of-fi-ci'nal, a. p. 909Used in a shop, or belonging to it. 2. Having a character or composition established or approved of by the college of medicine, and therefore kept prepared by apothecaries for the use of physicians…Of-fi'cious, a. p. 909Doing kind offices; kind; obliging. [Rare.] Yet not to earth are those bright luminaries Officious. Milton. 2. Excessively forward in kindness; importunately interposing services. You are too…Of-fi'cious-ly, adv. p. 909In an officious manner; kindly. 2. With importunate or excessive forwardness. Flattering crowds officiously appear. To give themselves, not you, a happy year. Dryden. 3. In a busy, meddling manner.Of-fi'ciōus-ness, n. p. 909The quality of being officious; kindness; undue forwardness. Of all faults, officiousness and indiscretion were the most offensive to him. Macaulay. 2. Service. [Obs.] Browne.Ōff'ing, n. p. 909That part of the sea which is at a good distance from the shore, or where there is deep water, and no need of a pilot; as, we saw a ship in the offing.Ōff'ish, a. p. 909Shy or distant in manner. [U. S.]Off'let, n. p. 909A pipe placed at the level of the bottom of a canal, in order to let off water. D. Stephenson.Off'scour-ing, n. p. 909That which is scoured off; hence, refuse; rejected matter; that which is vile or despised.Off'scūm, n. p. 909Refuse; offscouring; filth.Off'sét, n. p. 909A sprout or bulb from the roots of a plant; a shoot. 2. A flat surface or terrace on a hill-side. 3. (Arch.) An horizontal ledge on the face or at the foot of a wall, formed by a diminution of its…Off-sĕt′ or Ŏff′sĕt, v. t. p. 909'To set off'; to place over against; to balance; as, to offset one account or charge against another.Off'set-staff, n. p. 909A light rod, usually ten links long, used by surveyors in making off-sets.Off'shōōt, n. p. 909That which shoots off or separates from a main stem, channel, or the like; as, the offshoots of a tree. “The off-shoots of the Gulf Stream.” J. D. Forbes.Ŏff'skip, n. p. 909(Paint.) That part of a landscape which recedes from the spectator into distance. Fairholt.off'-sid'ed, a. p. 909Of a contrary or perverse spirit. 2. On the right hand side in driving.ŏff'sprĭng, n. p. 909The act of producing; generation. [Obs.] 2. That which is produced; especially, a child or children; descendants, however remote, from the stock. To the gods alone Our future offspring and our wives…Of-fŭs'câte or Of'fus-cā'tion p. 909Off'ward, adv. p. 909(Naut.) Leaning off or toward the water, as a ship when aground.Ŏft, adv. p. 909Often; frequently; not rarely. [Poet.] Oft she rejects, but never once offends. Pope.ŏft, a. p. 909Frequent; repeated; common. [Poet. and rare.]Oft'en, adv. p. 909Frequently; many times; not seldom.Oft'en, a. p. 909Frequent; common. [Rare.] He will be too kind, and weary thee with often welcomes. Beau. & Fl.Off'en-beâr'ing, a. p. 909(Bot.) Producing fruit several times, or more than twice, in one season. Henslow.Off'en-côm'er, n. p. 909One who comes frequently. Taylor.Ŏft'en-ness, n. p. 909Frequency.Off'en-sith, adv. p. 909Frequently; often. [Obs.] “For whom I sighed have so often-sith.” Gascoigne.Oft'en-tide, adv. p. 909Frequently; often. [Obs.]Ŏft'en-tīmes, adv. p. 909Frequently; often; many times.Ŏft'times, adv. p. 909Frequently; often.ŏg'do-ād, n. p. 909A thing made up of eight parts.Ŏg/do-ăs'tich (-ăs/tik), n. p. 909A poem of eight lines. [Obs.] Selden.O-gēe', n. p. 909(Arch.) A molding consisting of two members, the one concave, the other convex, or of a round and a hollow; a cymatium or cyma;—sometimes designated by the abbreviation O. G. or — O.G. 2. Hence, any…Ogee arch p. 909a pointed arch, each of the sides of which is formed of two contrasted curves. Oxf. Gloss.Ŏg'ga-ni'tion, n. p. 909The murmuring of a dog; a grumbling or snarling. [Obs.] Montagu.ŏg'ham, n. p. 909A particular kind of stenography, or writing in cipher, practiced by the ancient Irish. Astle.Ŏgīve, n. p. 909(Arch.) The gothic vault, with its ribs and cross springers, &c. Gwilt.Ō’gle, v. t. p. 909To view with side glances, as in fondness, or with a design to attract notice; to look at furtively. And ogling all their audience, then they speak. Dryden.Ō'gle, n. p. 909A side glance or look.Ŏ'gler, n. p. 909One who ogles.Ö'gll-ō, n. p. 909The same as OLIO. See OLIO.Ō'gre, n. p. 909An imaginary monster, or hideous giant of fairy tales, who lived on human beings. His school-room must have resembled an ogre's den. Macaulay.Ō'gre-ish, a. p. 909Resembling an ogre; having a character or appearance like that of an ogre. There is an ogreish kind of jocularity in Grandfather Smallweed to-day. Dickens.Ō'gress, n. p. 909A female ogre.Ō'gress, n. p. 909(Her.) A roundel of a black color.Ō'grism, n. p. 909The character or manners of an ogre.O-gyg'i-an, a. p. 909Pertaining to Ogyges, the most ancient monarch in Greece, and to a great deluge in Attica in his days. 2. Hence, of great and dark antiquity.Ōh, interj. p. 909An exclamation expressing various emotions, especially surprise, pain, sorrow, anxiety, or a wish. ☞ Oh is also used in direct address to a person or personified object. See O.