Of (ov) , preposition
[Anglo-Saxon of of, from, off; akin to Dutch & Old Saxon af, German ab off, Old High German aba from, away, Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, & Gothic af, Latin ab, Greek {not transcribed}, Sanskrit apa. Compare Off, A- (2), Ab-, After, Epi-.]
In a general sense, from, or out from; proceeding from; belonging to; relating to; concerning; -- used in a variety of applications; as:
1.
Denoting that from which anything proceeds; indicating origin, source, descent, and the like; as, he is
of a race of kings; he is
of noble blood.
That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. — Luke i. 35
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. — 1 Cor. xi. 23
2.
Denoting possession or ownership, or the relation of subject to attribute; as, the apartment
of the consul: the power
of the king; a man
of courage; the gate
of heaven.
Poor of spirit.
3.
Denoting the material of which anything is composed, or that which it contains; as, a throne of gold; a sword of steel; a wreath of mist; a cup of water.
4.
Denoting part of an aggregate or whole; belonging to a number or quantity mentioned; out of; from amongst; as,
of this little he had some to spare; some
of the mines were unproductive; most
of the company.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. — Lam. iii. 22
It is a duty to communicate of those blessings we have received. — Franklin
5.
Denoting that by which a person or thing is actuated or impelled; also, the source of a purpose or action; due to; as, they went
of their own will; no body can move
of itself; he did it
of necessity.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. — Josh. xi. 20
6.
Denoting reference to a thing; about; concerning; relating to; as, to boast
of one's achievements; they talked
of many things.
Knew you of this fair work? — Shakespeare
7.
Denoting nearness or distance, either in space or time; from; as, within a league of the town; within an hour of the appointed time.
8.
Denoting identity or equivalence; -- used with a name or appellation, and equivalent to the relation of apposition; as, the continent of America; the city of Rome; the Island of Cuba.
9.
Denoting the agent, or person by whom, or thing by which, anything is, or is done; by.
And told to her of [by] some. — Chaucer
He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. — Luke iv. 15
[Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil. — Luke iv. 1, 2
The use of the word in this sense, as applied to persons, is nearly obsolete.
10.
Denoting relation to place or time; belonging to, or connected with; as, men of Athens; the people of the Middle Ages; in the days of Herod.
11.
Denoting passage from one state to another; from.
[Obsolete] O miserable of happy. — Milton
12.
During; in the course of.
Not be seen to wink of all the day. — Shakespeare
My custom always of the afternoon. — Shakespeare
Why, knows not Montague, that of itself
England is safe, if true within itself? — Shakespeare
Of may be used in a subjective or an objective sense. “The love of God” may mean, our love for God, or God's love for us.
From is the primary sense of this preposition; a sense retained in off, the same word differently written for distinction. But this radical sense disappears in most of its application; as, a man of genius; a man of rare endowments; a fossil of a red color, or of an hexagonal figure; he lost all hope of relief; an affair of the cabinet; he is a man of decayed fortune; what is the price of corn? In these and similar phrases, of denotes property or possession, or a relation of some sort involving connection. These applications, however all proceeded from the same primary sense. That which proceeds from, or is produced by, a person or thing, either has had, or still has, a close connection with the same; and hence the word was applied to cases of mere connection, not involving at all the idea of separation.