Of"fice (?), n. [F., fr. L.
officium, for opificium; ops ability, wealth,
holp + facere to do or make. See Opulent, Fact.]
1. That which a person does, either voluntarily
or by appointment, for, or with reference to, others; customary duty,
or a duty that arises from the relations of man to man; as, kind
offices, pious offices.
I would I could do a good office between
you.
Shak.
2. A special duty, trust, charge, or
position, conferred by authority and for a public purpose; a position
of trust or authority; as, an executive or judical office; a
municipal office.
3. A charge or trust, of a sacred nature,
conferred by God himself; as, the office of a priest under the
old dispensation, and that of the apostles in the new.
Inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I
magnify mine office.
Rom. xi. 13.
4. That which is performed, intended, or
assigned to be done, by a particular thing, or that which anything is
fitted to perform; a function; -- answering to duty in
intelligent beings.
They [the eyes] resign their office and their
light.
Shak.
Hesperus, whose office is to bring
Twilight upon the earth.
Milton.
In this experiment the several intervals of the teeth
of the comb do the office of so many prisms.
Sir I. Newton.
5. The place where a particular kind of
business or service for others is transacted; a house or apartment in
which public officers and others transact business; as, the
register's office; a lawyer's office.
6. The company or corporation, or persons
collectively, whose place of business is in an office; as, I have
notified the office.
7. pl. The apartments or outhouses in
which the domestics discharge the duties attached to the service of a
house, as kitchens, pantries, stables, etc. [Eng.]
As for the offices, let them stand at
distance.
Bacon.
8. (Eccl.) Any service other than that
of ordination and the Mass; any prescribed religious
service.
This morning was read in the church, after the
office was done, the declaration setting forth the late
conspiracy against the king's person.
Evelyn.
Holy office. Same as Inquisition,
n., 3. -- Houses of office.
Same as def. 7 above. Chaucer. -- Little
office (R.C.Ch.), an office recited in honor of
the Virgin Mary. -- Office bearer, an
officer; one who has a specific office or duty to perform. --
Office copy (Law), an authenticated or
certified copy of a record, from the proper office. See Certified
copies, under Copy. Abbott. -- Office-
found (Law), the finding of an inquest of
office. See under Inquest. -- Office
holder. See Officeholder in the
Vocabulary
Of`fice (?), v. t. To perform, as
the duties of an office; to discharge. [Obs.] Shak.
