of

Etymology 1

From Middle English of, from Old English of (“from, out of, off”), an unstressed form of æf, from Proto-West Germanic *ab, from Proto-Germanic *ab (“away; away from”). Doublet of off, which is the stressed descendant of the same Old English word. More at off.

prep

1. Expressing distance or motion.
   1. (now obsolete or dialectal) From (of distance, direction), "off".
2. (obsolete except in phrases) Since, from (a given time, earlier state etc.).
   Obama has been obliged to make nice of late in hope of rescuing the moribund two-state process and preventing resumed West Bank settlement building. July 29 2010, Simon Tisdall, The Guardian
3. From, away from (a position, number, distance etc.).
   There are no shops within twenty miles of the cottage.
   Though Washington does not officially recognize Moscow, the Hoover Administration permits a Soviet Russian Information Bureau to flourish in a modest red brick house on Massachusetts Avenue, within a mile of the White House. September 30 1932, Time
   There are now upwards of 1.4 million 99ers in America facing a life with no benefits and few prospects for finding a job in a market in which companies are still not hiring. November 7 2010, The Guardian
4. Expressing separation.
   1. Indicating removal, absence or separation, with the action indicated by a transitive verb and the quality or substance by a grammatical object.
      Finally she was relieved of the burden of caring for her sick husband.
      I am almost entirely cured of my rheumatism—just a little pain in my knee now and then, to make me remember what it was, and keep on flannel. February 20 1816, Jane Austen, Letter
      In Houston, ten minutes after the Lindquist Finance Corp. was robbed of $447, Office Manager Howard Willson got a phone call from the thief who complained: "You didn't have enough money over there." 3 September 1951, Time
   2. Indicating removal, absence or separation, with resulting state indicated by an adjective.
      He seemed devoid of human feelings.
      But schemes are perfectly accidental: some will appear barren of hints and matter, but prove to be fruitful […] August 28 1731, Jonathan Swift, Letter
      Yet for long spells Villa looked laboured and devoid of ideas. October 31 2010, Stuart James, The Guardian
   3. (obsolete) Indicating removal, absence or separation, construed with an intransitive verb.
      He was kindly treated by the people at Saco, and recovered of his wounds. 1822, Jacob Bailey Moore, New Hampshire, volume 1, page 5
5. Expressing origin.
   1. Indicating an ancestral source or origin of descent.
      The word is believed to be of Japanese origin.
      My father was born of a family of weavers in Manchester, England. 1954, The Rotarian, volume 85:6
      Nothing may come of these ideas, yet their potential should not be dismissed. 2010, “The Cost of Repair”, in The Economist
   2. Introducing an epithet that indicates a birthplace, residence, dominion, or other place associated with the individual.
      Jesus of Nazareth (after hometown)
      Anselm of Canterbury (after diocese)
      Anselm of Aosta (after birthplace)
      Anselm of Bec (after monastery)
      Pedro II of Brazil (after dominion)
      Mrs Miggins of Gasworks Road, Mudchester (after place of residence)
   3. Indicating a (non-physical) source of action or emotion; introducing a cause, instigation; from, out of, as an expression of.
      The invention was born of necessity.
      Undoubtedly it is to be understood, that inflicting deserved punishment on all evil doers, of right, belongs to God. 1803, John Smalley, Sermons
      The woman who danced for me said she was there of her own free will, but when I pushed a bit further, I discovered that she "owed a man a lot of money", and had to pay it back quickly. December 3 2008, Rowenna Davis, The Guardian
   4. (following an intransitive verb) Indicates the source or cause of the verb.
      It is said that she died of a broken heart.
      He smelled of beer and cigarette smoke and his own body. 2006, Joyce Carol Oates, The Female of the Species
      Two men, one from Somalia and one from Zimbabwe, died of terminal illnesses shortly after their incarceration ended. October 5 2010, Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi, The Guardian
   5. (following an adjective) Indicates the subject or cause of the adjective.
      I am tired of all this nonsense.
      Lib Dems were appalled by Mr Boles’s offer, however kindly meant: the party is so frightened of losing its independence under Mr Clegg that such a pact would “kill” him, says a senior member. September 23 2010, Bagehot, The Economist
      Thus, one finds individuals dead of a gunshot wound with potentially lethal levels of drugs. 2015, Vincent J. M. DiMaio, Gunshot Wounds
6. Expressing agency.
   1. (following a passive verb) Indicates the agent (for most verbs, now usually expressed with by).
      I am not particularly enamoured of this idea.
      The family is ordained of God. 1995, The Family: A Proclamation to the World, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
      Colombia and Venezuela share an elegantly restrained style, with much back-stepping, smaller hand-movements and little use of the elaborate, arm-tangling moves beloved of Cuban dancers. March 27 2008, “Selling rhythm to the world”, in The Economist
   2. Used to introduce the "subjective genitive"; following a noun to form the head of a postmodifying noun phrase (see also 'Possession' senses below).
      The contract can be terminated at any time with the agreement of both parties.
      In Blood and Sand, meanwhile, Valentino repeatedly solicits the attention of women who have turned away from him. 1994, Paul Coates, Film at the Intersection of High and Mass Culture, page 136
      Somehow Croatia has escaped the opprobrium of the likes of the German Christian Democrats and others that are against any rapid enlargement of the European Union to the include rest of the western Balkans. December 28 2009, “Head to head”, in The Economist
   3. (following an adjective) Used to indicate the agent of something described by the adjective.
      It was very brave of you to speak out like that.
      Morrissey's spokesperson says he is considering the offer. It would perhaps be rude of him to decline. January 10 2007, Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian
7. Expressing composition, substance.
   1. (after a verb expressing construction, making etc.) Used to indicate the material or substance used.
      Many 'corks' are now actually made of plastic.
   2. (directly following a noun) Used to indicate the material of the just-mentioned object.
      She wore a dress of silk.
      Perhaps symbolically, Van Doesburg was building a house of straw: he died within a few months of completion, not in Meudon but in Davos, of a heart attack following a bout of asthma. January 23 2010, Simon Mawer, The Guardian
      It's 25km of rolling pitch from the start of the 175 to Nansi. If you want to continue riding through more undeveloped natural landscape, head up the east side of Tsengwen Reservoir. 2014, Robert Kelly, Chung Wah Chow, Taiwan, 9th edition, Lonely Planet, →OCLC, page 253
   3. Indicating the composition of a given collective or quantitative noun.
      What a lot of nonsense!
      I'd expected to be confronted by oodles of barely suppressed tension and leather-clad, pouty-mouthed, large-haired sexiness; the visual shorthand of rock gods in general, and Jon Bon Jovi in particular. October 31 2010, Polly Vernon, The Guardian
   4. Used to link a given class of things with a specific example of that class.
      Welcome to the historic town of Harwich.
      In his studio in the Behlendorf woods, near the Baltic city of Lübeck, Günter Grass reflects on the outcry over his fictive memoir Peeling the Onion. October 30 2010, Maya Jaggi, The Guardian
   5. Links two nouns in near-apposition, with the first qualifying the second; "which is also".
      I'm not driving this wreck of a car.
      As he swallowed the soup his heart warmed to this fool of a girl. 1911, Katherine Mansfield, In a German Pension
      "I'm having a bitch of a day," he says, after ordering a restorative pint of Guinness and flopping down in a seat by the front window. August 22 2010, Sean O'Hagan, The Guardian
8. Introducing subject matter.
   1. Links an intransitive verb, or a transitive verb and its subject (especially verbs to do with thinking, feeling, expressing etc.), with its subject-matter; concerning, with regard to.
      I'm always thinking of you.
      while producing Cook, which includes more than 250 seasonal recipes by 80 different chefs, we washed up more than 500 times (oh, how I dreamed of dishwashers). October 19 2010, Rebecca Seal, The Guardian
   2. (following a noun (now chiefly nouns of knowledge, communication etc.)) Introduces its subject matter; about, concerning.
      He told us the story of his journey to India.
      Recession and rising unemployment have put paid to most thoughts of further EU enlargement. October 21 2010, The Economist
   3. (following an adjective) Introduces its subject matter.
      This behaviour is typical of teenagers.
9. Having partitive effect.
   1. (following a number or other quantitive word) Introduces the whole for which is indicated only the specified part or segment; "from among".
      Most of these apples are rotten.
      Many of the civilisational achievements of Mesopotamia are the product of that symbiosis. November 10 2010, Michael Wood, The Guardian
   2. (following a noun) Indicates a given part.
      everyone, even the ladies of the village, called the dish tzigayner shmeklekh, or “gypsies' penises.” 2005, Naomi Wolf, The Treehouse, page 58
      That, I think, is the buried core of the outrage people feel most generally. 2006, Norman Mailer, The Big Empty
   3. (now archaic, literary, with preceding partitive word assumed, or as a predicate after to be) Some, an amount of, one of.
      On the whole, they seem to be of the decent sort.
      Dunning, however, is of the old school, and does not like new faces; so he will have no Irishman at his door […] 1846, James Fenimore Cooper, The Redskins
   4. Links to a genitive noun or possessive pronoun, with partitive effect (though now often merged with possessive senses, below).
      He is a friend of mine.
      He is just what I should have liked a son of mine to be. 1893, Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance, section IV
      In its flattering way, the press tried to invest this habit of Bush's with the sense that it was indicative of a particularly sharp wit. August 27 2010, Michael Tomasky, The Guardian
10. Expressing possession.
    1. Belonging to, existing in, or taking place in a given location, place or time. Compare "origin" senses, above.
       He was perhaps the most famous scientist of the twentieth century.
       The building was erected in two years, at the parochial expence, on the foundation of the former one, which was irreparably damaged by the hurricane of Auguſt, 1712. 1774, Edward Long, The History of Jamaica. Or, General Survey of the Antient and Modern State of that Island, volume 2, book 2, chapter 7, 5
       Thus, as he dressed, the thoughts and the rage of yesterday began to stir and move in his mind again. 1908, E. F. Benson, The Blotting Book
       Within ten seconds, the citizens of New York, Cleveland, Detroit and Toronto were being given first-hand experience of what it was like to live in the nineteenth century. August 20 2003, Julian Borger, The Guardian
    2. Belonging to (a place) through having title, ownership or control over it.
       The owner of the nightclub was arrested.
       In a much-anticipated radio broadcast the Duke of Edinburgh said last night that Britain will be a grim place in the year 2000 […] October 28 1977, The Guardian
       The third son, William John (1826-1902), was headmaster of the Boys' British School, Hitchin […] 2001, Dictionary of National Biography, page 27
    3. Belonging to (someone or something) as something they possess or have as a characteristic; the "possessive genitive". (With abstract nouns, this intersects with the subjective genitive, above under "agency" senses.)
       Keep the handle of the saucepan away from the flames.
       The breasts of young girls sometimes become tender at puberty in sympathy with the evolution of the sexual organs […] 1933, Havelock Ellis, Psychology of Sex, volume 4
       It amounts to knocking on the door of No 10 then running away. October 29 2010, Marina Hyde, The Guardian
11. Forming the "objective genitive".
    1. Follows an agent noun, verbal noun or noun of action.
       She had a profound distrust of the police.
       Antifeminism has been a credible cover and an effective vehicle because the hatred of women is not politically anathema on either the Right or the Left. 2000, Sheila Ruth, Issues in Feminism
12. Expressing qualities or characteristics.
    1. (archaic or literary) Links an adjective with a noun or noun phrase to form a quasi-adverbial qualifier; in respect to, as regards.
       My companion seemed affable and easy of manner.
       He was huge, raw-boned, knotty, long of body and long of leg, with the head of a war charger. 1917, Zane Gray, Wildfire, page 35
       Still nimble of mind and fleet of foot, Morris buzzed here and there, linking well and getting stuck in at every opportunity. August 11 2004, Sean Ingle, The Guardian
    2. Indicates a quality or characteristic; "characterized by".
       Pooh was said to be a bear of very little brain.
       His frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and firmness. 1891, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Boscombe Valley Mystery
       No other man has made so deep a mark on his time and on our world unless he has been a man of action, a Cromwell or a Napoleon. 1951, Jacob Bronowski, The Common Sense of Science
    3. Indicates quantity, age, price, etc.
       We have been paying interest at a rate of 10%.
       She was a tall young girl of about twenty-two or three, holding herself erect and with fine dignity. 1903, Frank Norris, The Pit, Doubleday, published 1924, page 4
       A police car, traveling southbound at a speed of 40.0 m/s, approaches with its siren producing sound at a frequency of 2 500 Hz. 1996, Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett, Principles of Physics, published 2006, page 428
    4. (US, informal, considered incorrect by some) Used to link singular indefinite nouns (preceded by the indefinite article) and attributive adjectives modified by certain common adverbs of degree.
       It's not that big of a deal.
       Such hegemonic projects often appropriate certain local traditions and re-inscribe them as "national," while dismissing other traditions which pose too great of a threat to the reproduction of the existing socio-political order. 1990, Mary Crain, “The Social Construction of National Identity in Highland Ecuador”, in Anthropological Quarterly, volume 61, number 1, page 43
       For some individuals, even 1000 calories/day may be too great of a deficit. 1998, Lyle McDonald, The Ketogenic Diet: A Complete Guide for the Dieter and Practitioner, page 98
       While it is quite obvious that the state continues to try and dilute the voting power of Native Americans, at least as big of a challenge is the need for mobilizing Native American voters. 2017, Jean Reith Schroedel, Artour Aslanian, “A Case Study of Descriptive Representation: The Experience of Native American Elected Officials in South Dakota”, in American Indian Quarterly, volume 41, number 3, page 278
13. Expressing a point in time.
    1. (chiefly regional) During the course of (a set period of time, day of the week etc.), now specifically with implied repetition or regularity.
       Of an evening, we would often go for a stroll along the river.
    2. (UK, dialectal, chiefly in the negative) For (a given length of time).
       I’ve not tekken her out of a goodly long while.
    3. (after a noun) Indicates duration of a state, activity etc.
       After a delay of three hours, the plane finally took off.
       The cab driver's claim he was sleepwalking during the attack has already been supported by his wife of 37 years. March 2 2011, Grant McCabe, The Sun
    4. (chiefly US) Before (the hour); to (the hour).
       I’ll be ready at ten of two I’ll be ready at 1:50
       What's the time? / Nearly a quarter of three.
       I'll be ready by five of noon.
       "Fellow Democrats," he began, "I left Washington at a quarter of two this morning […]" June 17 1940, “Little Bull Booed”, in Time
       Quarter of seven. Fifteen minutes to go. 1982, TC Boyle, Water Music, Penguin, published 2006, page 194
       1. (informal) Often used without the hour
          I’ll be ready at ten of I’ll be ready at 1:50, or 2:50, or whatever time ending in 10 makes most sense in context.
          Wednesday was more of the same. Out at 08:30, got to the office by quarter of, clients all day. 2022-05-16, Ariel Levine, 09:20 from the start, in Giancarlo Esposito, director, Better Call Saul S6E6: Axe and Grind (TV series), spoken by Private Investigator (Lennie Loftin)

Etymology 2

A spelling of /əv/ influenced by Etymology 1.

verb

1. (usually in modal perfect constructions) Eye dialect spelling of have or ’ve, chiefly in depictions of colloquial speech.
   I have refrained from giving many details which I might of done, from feelings of delicacy; indeed, they were of so dark and dreadful a nature, that I could do no more than hint at them 1846, Linus Wilson Miller, Notes of an Exile to Van Dieman's Land (McKinstry: Fredonia, NY) p. 367
   "I had a woman up here last week to look at my feet, and when she have been the bill you'd of thought she had my appendicitus out." 1926, F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Penguin, published 2000, page 33
   ‘You must of left your door unlocked. Or even open.’ 1943, Raymond Chandler, The High Window, Penguin, published 2005, page 87