— officeless , adj.
/aw"fis, of"is/ , n.
1. a room, set of rooms, or building where the business of a commercial or industrial organization or of a professional person is conducted: the main office of an insurance company; a doctor's office.
2. a room assigned to a specific person or a group of persons in a commercial or industrial organization: Her office is next to mine.
3. a business or professional organization: He went to work in an architect's office.
4. the staff or designated part of a staff at a commercial or industrial organization: The whole office was at his wedding.
5. a position of duty, trust, or authority, esp. in the government, a corporation, a society, or the like: She was elected twice to the office of president.
6. employment or position as an official: to seek office.
7. the duty, function, or part of a particular person or agency: to act in the office of adviser.
8. ( cap. ) an operating agency or division of certain departments of the U.S. Government: Office of Community Services.
9. ( cap. ) Brit. a major administrative unit or department of the national government: the Foreign Office.
10. Slang. hint, signal, or warning; high sign.
11. Often, offices . something, whether good or bad, done or said for or to another: He obtained a position through the offices of a friend.
12. Eccles.
a. the prescribed order or form for a service of the church or for devotional use.
b. the services so prescribed.
c. Also called divine office . the prayers, readings from Scripture, and psalms that must be recited every day by all who are in major orders.
d. a ceremony or rite, esp. for the dead.
13. a service or task to be performed; assignment; chore: little domestic offices.
14. offices , Chiefly Brit.
a. the parts of a house, as the kitchen, pantry, or laundry, devoted mainly to household work.
b. the stables, barns, cowhouses, etc., of a farm.
15. Older Slang. privy.
[ 1200-50; ME officium service, duty, ceremony, presumably contr. of opificium, equiv. to opi-, comb. form akin to opus OPUS + -fic-, comb. form of facere to make, DO 1 + -ium -IUM ]
Syn. 5. post, station, berth, situation. See appointment. 7. responsibility, charge, trust. 13. work, duty.