Function: preposition
Etymology: Middle
English, off, of, from Old
English, adverb & preposition; akin to Old High
German aba off, away, Latin ab from, away, Greek apo
Date: before 12th century
1 -- used as a function word to indicate a point of reckoning <north of the lake>
2 a -- used as a function word to indicate origin or derivation <a man of
noble birth> b -- used as a function word to indicate the cause, motive, or reason <died of flu> c : BY <plays of Shakespeare> d : on the part of <very kind of you>
3 -- used as a function word to indicate the component material, parts, or elements or the contents <throne of gold> <cup of water>
4 a -- used as a function word to indicate the whole that includes the part denoted by the preceding word <most of the
army> b -- used as a function word to indicate a whole or quantity from which a part is removed or expended <gave of his time>
5 a : relating to : ABOUT <stories of her travels> b : in
respect to <slow of speech>
6 a -- used as a function word to indicate belonging or a possessive relationship <king of
England> b -- used as a function word to indicate relationship between a result determined by a function or operation and a basic entity (as an independent variable) <a function of x> <the product of two numbers>
7 -- used as a function word to indicate something from which a person or thing is delivered <eased of her
pain> or with
respect to which someone or something is made destitute <robbed of all their belongings>
8 a -- used as a function word to indicate a particular example belonging to the class denoted by the preceding noun <the city of
Rome> b -- used as a function word to indicate apposition <that fool of a
husband>
9 a -- used as a function word to indicate the object of an action denoted or implied by the preceding noun <
love of nature> b -- used as a function word to indicate the application of a verb <cheats him of a dollar> or of an adjective <fond of
candy>
10 -- used as a function word to indicate a characteristic or distinctive quality or possession <a woman of courage>
11 a -- used as a function word to indicate the position in time of an action or occurrence <died of a
Monday> b : BEFORE <quarter of ten>
12 archaic : ON <a plague of all cowards -- Shakespeare>