prep.
Pronunciation: ə v, before consonants also ə ; ' ə v, ' äv
Function: preposition
Etymology: Middle English, off, of, from Old English, adverb & preposition; akin to Old High German aba off, away, Latin about 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> e : occurring in <a fish of the western Atlantic>
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>