Dictionary
of
Pronunciation: (uv, ov; unstressed uv or, esp. before consonants, u), [key]—
prep.
1. (used to indicate distance or direction from, separation, deprivation, etc.):
within a mile of the church; south of Omaha; to be robbed of one's money.
2. (used to indicate derivation, origin, or source):
a man of good family; the plays of Shakespeare; a piece of cake.
3. (used to indicate cause, motive, occasion, or reason):
to die of hunger.
4. (used to indicate material, component parts, substance, or contents):
a dress of silk; an apartment of three rooms; a book of poems; a package of cheese.
5. (used to indicate apposition or identity):
Is that idiot of a salesman calling again?
6. (used to indicate specific identity or a particular item within a category):
the city of Chicago; thoughts of love.
7. (used to indicate possession, connection, or association):
the king of France; the property of the church.
8. (used to indicate inclusion in a number, class, or whole):
one of us.
9. (used to indicate the objective relation, the object of the action noted by the preceding noun or the application of a verb or adjective):
the ringing of bells; He writes her of home; I'm tired of working.
10. (used to indicate reference or respect):
There is talk of peace.
11. (used to indicate qualities or attributes):
an ambassador of remarkable tact.
12. (used to indicate a specified time):
They arrived of an evening.
13. Chiefly Northern U.S.before the hour of; until:
twenty minutes of five.
14. on the part of:
It was very mean of you to laugh at me.
15. in respect to:
fleet of foot.
16. set aside for or devoted to:
a minute of prayer.
17. Archaic.by:
consumed of worms. of
Pronunciation: (uv), [key]—
auxiliary v. Pron. Spelling.
have:
He should of asked me first. Cf.
a 4.
of-
var. of
ob- (by assimilation) before
f: offend.OF
Old French.
Also,OF.,O.F.Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
