\Of\, prep. [AS. of of, from, off; akin to D. & OS. af, G. ab
off, OHG. aba from, away, Icel., Dan., Sw., & Goth. af, L.
ab, Gr. ?, Skr. apa. Cf.{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.''                         --Macaulay.
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; 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.
         Knew you of this fair work?           --Shak.
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.
Note: 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. [Obs.]
    ``O miserable of happy.'' --Milton.
12. During; in the course of.
          Not be seen to wink of all the day.  --Shak.
          My custom always of the afternoon.   --Shak.
Note: 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.
Note: 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.
{Of consequence}, of importance, value, or influence.
{Of late}, recently; in time not long past.
{Of old}, formerly; in time long past.
{Of one's self}, by one's self; without help or prompting;
   spontaneously.
         Why, knows not Montague, that of itself England is
         safe, if true within itself?          --Shak.