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office

[ aw-fis, of-is ]

/ ˈɔ fɪs, ˈɒf ɪs /

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See synonyms for: office / offices on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

a room assigned to a specific person or a group of persons in a commercial or industrial organization: Her office is next to mine.

a business or professional organization: He went to work in an architect's office.

the staff or designated part of a staff at a commercial or industrial organization: The whole office was at his wedding.

a position of duty, trust, or authority, especially in the government, a corporation, a society, or the like: She was elected twice to the office of president.

employment or position as an official: to seek office.

the duty, function, or part of a particular person or agency: to act in the office of adviser.

(initial capital letter) an operating agency or division of certain departments of the U.S. Government: Office of Community Services.

(initial capital letter)British. a major administrative unit or department of the national government: the Foreign Office.

Slang. hint, signal, or warning; high sign.

Often offices. something, whether good or bad, done or said for or to another: He obtained a position through the offices of a friend.

Ecclesiastical.

the prescribed order or form for a service of the church or for devotional use.
the services so prescribed.
Also called divine office. the prayers, readings from Scripture, and psalms that must be recited every day by all who are in major orders.
a ceremony or rite, especially for the dead.

a service or task to be performed; assignment; chore: little domestic offices.

offices, Chiefly British.

the parts of a house, as the kitchen, pantry, or laundry, devoted mainly to household work.
the stables, barns, cowhouses, etc., of a farm.

Older Slang. privy.

SYNONYMS FOR office

5 post, station, berth, situation.

7 responsibility, charge, trust.

13 work, duty.

See synonyms for office on Thesaurus.com

VIDEO FOR OFFICE

WATCH NOW: Words To Describe Your Worst Office Enemy

Every office has one.

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QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.

Question 1 of 7

Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of office

1200–50; Middle English <Old French <Latin officium service, duty, ceremony, presumably contraction of opificium, equivalent to opi-, combining form akin to opusopus + -fic-, combining form of facere to make, do¹ + -ium-ium

synonym study for office

5. See appointment.

OTHER WORDS FROM office

of·fice·less, adjectiveoutoffice, nounsub·of·fice, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH office

office , orifice

Words nearby office

off-grid, off guard, offhand, off-hour, Offiah, office, office automation, office bearer, office block, office-block ballot, office boy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for office

By 2030, Google plans to precisely match every electron of electricity flowing into its offices and data centers with one produced from a renewable source.
Google made clean energy cool for corporations, and it’s about to do the same for batteries|Michael J. Coren|September 17, 2020|Quartz
If your state offers the option to drop your ballot in a dropbox at the election office, do it.
Why you should vote as early as possible (and how to do it)|John Kennedy|September 17, 2020|Popular Science
Signatures change over time, so if you’re concerned the one on file could be out of date, ask your local election office how to update it.
ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts|by Susie Armitage|September 16, 2020|ProPublica
I have an incredible amount of respect for both the speaker and the office she holds.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic|Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 16, 2020|Washington Post

They have not won the state's sole seat in the House of Representatives since 2008, they have not won a Senate election since 1994, and they have been locked out of the governor's office since 1988.
The Trailer: The First State goes last|David Weigel|September 15, 2020|Washington Post
How do you feel about Archer and the gang abandoning the cartel and returning to the office?
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS|Marlow Stern|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Two witnesses outside the Charlie Hebdo office building quoted the Kouachi brothers claiming they were members of al Qaeda.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Who among Scalise's constituents could possibly care if he supported naming a post office for a black judge who died in 1988?
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence|Jason Berry|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Granted, James is in an office in the Pentagon, and not on the front lines.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In contrast, Boehner's leadership team filed into his ceremonial office and greeted the teary newly-elected Speaker with hugs.
Democrats Accidentally Save Boehner From Republican Coup|Ben Jacobs, Jackie Kucinich|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It was with a feeling of relief on both sides that the arrival of Mr. Haggard, of the Home Office, was announced.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
On a small scale map, in an office, you may make mole-hills of mountains; on the ground there's no escaping from its features.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
The next morning he came rushing into the office, in a violent state of excitement.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
They ran side by side across the yard to a roofed flight of steps that led to the printing-office.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
On the third day after the declaration of his recall, Ripperda took his official leave, and presented his son in his new office.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter

British Dictionary definitions for office

office

/ (ˈɒfɪs) /

noun

a room or set of rooms in which business, professional duties, clerical work, etc, are carried out
(as modifier)office furniture; an office boy

(often plural) the building or buildings in which the work of an organization, such as a business or government department, is carried out

a commercial or professional businessthe architect's office approved the plans

the group of persons working in an officeit was a happy office until she came

(capital when part of a name) (in Britain) a department of the national governmentthe Home Office

(capital when part of a name) (in the US)

a governmental agency, esp of the Federal government
a subdivision of such an agency or of a departmentOffice of Science and Technology

a position of trust, responsibility, or duty, esp in a government or organizationthe office of president; to seek office
(in combination)an office-holder

duty or functionthe office of an administrator

(often plural) a minor task or servicedomestic offices

(often plural) an action performed for another, usually a beneficial actionthrough his good offices

a place where tickets, information, etc, can be obtaineda ticket office

Christianity

(often plural) a ceremony or service, prescribed by ecclesiastical authorities, esp one for the dead
the order or form of these
RC Church the official daily service
short for divine office

(plural) the parts of a house or estate where work is done, goods are stored, etc

(usually plural) British euphemistic a lavatory (esp in the phrase usual offices)

in office (of a government) in power

out of office (of a government) out of power

the office slang a hint or signal

Word Origin for office

C13: via Old French from Latin officium service, duty, from opus work, service + facere to do

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with office

office

see box office; front office; land-office business; take office.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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