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office definition

of·fice (ôf′is, äf′-)

noun

  1. something performed or intended to be performed for another; (specified kind of) service done through someone's good (or ill) offices
    1. a function or duty assigned to someone, esp. as an essential part of his or her work or position
    2. the function or characteristic action of a particular thing
  3. a position of authority or trust, esp. in a government, business, institution, etc. the office of president
    1. ☆ any of the branches of the U.S. Government ranking next below the departments the Printing Office
    2. Chiefly Brit. a governmental department the Foreign Office
    1. the building, room, or series of rooms in which the affairs of a business, professional person, branch of government, etc. are carried on
    2. all the people working in such a place; staff
  6. Chiefly Brit. the rooms or buildings of a house or estate in which the servants carry out their duties

  7. Etymology: ME < ML(Ec) officium, divine rite < L, ceremonial observance

    a religious service or set of prayers; esp., Divine Office

Etymology: OFr < L officium < opificium, doing of work < opifex, a worker < opus, a work (see opus) + facere, to do

office Idioms

in (or out of) office

currently holding (or not holding) power or a particular position of authority

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms office idiom

office Synonyms

office

n.

  1. A position involving responsibility

    position, appointment, post, occupation; see job 1, profession 1, trade 2.

  2. A function

    performance, province, service; see duty 2.

  3. A place in which office work is done

    room, office building, factory, bureau, agency, warehouse, facility, school building, suite; see also building 1, department 2.

    Types of offices include: consular, customs, foreign, ambassadorial, ministerial, governmental, business, principal's, counseling, professional, home, secretarial, stenographic, filing, typing, insurance, accountant, data processing, real estate, brokerage, bookkeeping, journalistic, recording, sheriff, police, credit union, law, bank, doctor's, dentist's, psychiatrist's, advertising agency, theater; booking office, box office. See syn. study at function, job.function, job.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

office Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • regional: Working in conjunction with Knight Frank's network of regional offices, we cover the entire UK market.

Noun used with modifier

  • tourist: More adventurous tourists can get information from a number of local tourist offices.

Modifies a noun

  • hour: Office hours are from 8.30 to 16.30, Mondays; Fridays.

Noun used with modifier

  • post: Can be compared with a post office 's pigeon holes.
office usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

office quotes

I will undoubtedly havetoseek what ishappily known as gainful employment, which I am glad to say does not describe holding public office.

-Acheson, Dean Gooderham

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.Great men are almost always bad men. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.

-Acton of Aldenham

The fact is, that there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office of respirationöa troublesome practice, but one which custom has rendered necessary to our easy existence; and for some time he lay gasping on a little flock mattress, rather unequally poised between this world and the next: the balance being decidedly in favour of the latter. Now, if during this brief period,Oliver had been surrounded by careful grandmothers, anxious aunts, experienced nurses, and doctors of profound wisdom, he would most inevitably and indubitably have been killed in no time.

-Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

office quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"office." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/office>

APA Style

office. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/office

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