of old

Of \Of\ ([o^]v), 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:
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   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.
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            That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be
            called the Son of God.                --Luke i. 35.
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            I have received of the Lord that which also I
            delivered unto you.                   --1 Cor. xi.
                                                  23.
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   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.
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   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.
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   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.
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            It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not
            consumed.                             --Lam. iii.
                                                  22.
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            It is a duty to communicate of those blessings we
            have received.                        --Franklin.
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   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.
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            For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts.
                                                  --Josh. xi.
                                                  20.
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   6. Denoting reference to a thing; about; concerning; relating
      to; as, to boast of one's achievements; they talked of
      many things.
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            Knew you of this fair work?           --Shak.
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   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.
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   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.
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   9. Denoting the agent, or person by whom, or thing by which,
      anything is, or is done; by.
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            And told to her of [by] some.         --Chaucer.
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            He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of
            all.                                  --Luke iv. 15.
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            [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil.
                                                  --Luke iv. 1,
                                                  2.
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   Note: The use of the word in this sense, as applied to
         persons, is nearly obsolete.
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   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.
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   11. Denoting passage from one state to another; from. [Obs.]
       "O miserable of happy." --Milton.
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   12. During; in the course of.
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             Not be seen to wink of all the day.  --Shak.
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             My custom always of the afternoon.   --Shak.
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   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.
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   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.
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   {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.
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            Why, knows not Montague, that of itself
            England is safe, if true within itself? --Shak.
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