officern.
/ˈɒfᵻsə/, U.S. /ˈɔfəsər/, /ˈɑfəsər/ 1. A person who holds a particular office, post, or place.† a. A person engaged in the management of the domestic affairs of a great household, collegiate body, religious house, etc.; (also, in earliest use) a subordinate of such an officer, a menial, a domestic servant. Obsolete.
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society > authority > office > holder of office > official of royal or great household > [noun]
official1340
officerc1375
pagec1385
servitor1527
society > authority > delegated authority > one having delegated or derived authority > [noun] > steward or bailiff in charge of another's property
town-reeveeOE
reeveeOE
gravec1175
procuratorc1300
dispender1340
provost1340
bailiec1375
officerc1375
dispenserc1380
proctora1382
dispensator1382
farmerc1384
approverc1386
husbanda1387
stewardc1405
chamberlain1423
procurer1477
factor1520
bailiff1528
land-steward1535
improver1536
grieve1537
amtman1582
administrator1596
stead-man1609
dapifer1636
vogt1694
house jobber1709
commissioner1760
foreman1774
house agent1793
ground-officer1815
land-agent1846
wic-reeve1853
steadward1876
house farmer1882
house-knacker1884
land-sergeant1894
society > authority > subjection > service > servant > personal or domestic servant > domestic servant > [noun]
hirdmanc993
hirdcnihtc1000
hirdcnavec1275
hirdswainc1275
hewea1350
officerc1375
homely mana1382
meniala1387
household servant1427
homely womana1500
domestical?c1550
comprador1615
domestic1623
spider-brusher1833
house help1837
domiciliary1844
hoghenhine1848
kitchen mechanic1861
home helper1864
home help1883
c1375 G. Chaucer Monk's Tale 3383 Hise officers gan he calle, ‘Gooth, bryngeth forth the vessels..Whiche that my fader birafte.’
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. 2506 He..warnede alle hise officiers That every thing be wel arraied.
c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. 1538 (MED) Þe noble officeris Ful þriftely serued han þe halle.
?1457 in C. L. Kingsford Stonor Lett. & Papers (1919) I. 53 (MED) Thys was don wythoute any knowliche..of my lady or of any oficer of hereys.
a1500 (c1450) P. Idley Instr. to his Son (Arun.) (1935) ii. B. 2711 (MED) Men mey also put ouȝt off seruyce And offycers remoue ffrom þeir place.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. FFFiiiv For the officers in monasteryes of religion, vseth the workes of the actiue lyfe.
c1560 (a1500) Squyr Lowe Degre (Copland) 460 The officers sone can he call, Both ussher, panter, and butler.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. v. 45 Calling my Officers about me, in my branch'd Veluet gowne. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) iii. i. 64 Cæsar, that hath moe Kings his Seruants, then Thy selfe Domesticke Officers.
b. A person who holds a public, civil, or ecclesiastical office or appointment; a servant or minister of the Crown; an appointed or elected functionary in the administration of local government, a public corporation, institution, etc., and in early use esp. in the administration of law or justice.Frequently with distinguishing word or phrase defining the nature of the office, as Officer of the Household, Officer of Justice, Officer of the Law, Officer of State, etc.; also government officer, municipal officer, public officer, etc. For established compounds see the first element, as custom house n., medical adj., returning adj., revenue n., etc.
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society > authority > office > holder of office > [noun]
man of officec1300
officerc1380
officec1440
office manc1459
officiate1500
officiary1505
official1555
gerent1576
officiary1587
office-bearer1593
stallera1627
incumbent1672
designator1683
corrector1690
office-holder1818
city manager1909
postholder1961
society > law > law enforcement > law-enforcement or peace-officer > [noun]
grithsergeant1293
Officer of the Lawc1380
peace officer1649
town officer1667
constable?c1682
myrmidon1699
limb of the law1730
ossifer1819
eirenarch1867
Keystone1929
lawman1959
c1380 G. Chaucer Second Nun's Tale 368 Oon Maximus, that was an officer [v.r. officeere] Of the prefectes and his corniculer, Hem hente.
c1390 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 133 Ȝif þou beo mad an Offycer..What cause þou demest, loke hit be cler.
?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 312 (MED) I se þhe [read ȝe] wille..so lowe me to chace, myn officers to change & mak þam at ȝour grace.
?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 7 Afterward was oure Lord ledd before þe bischope and þe officers of þe lawe.
a1475 J. Fortescue Governance of Eng. (Laud) (1885) 151 The hygher offycers, as Justices off fforestes, Justices and Chambirlayns of Contreis, þe warden of þe portes, and such oþer.
1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 191 Schyrreffys and bailȝheys..And alkyn othir officeris, That for to gowern land afferis.
a1500 ( Pilgrimage of Soul (Egerton) (1953) iv. xl. f. 85 (MED) Your balyves, your prouostes, and your othir officeres in the cuntre, thei do weel hire devoyr.
1546 in R. K. Hannay Acts Lords of Council Public Affairs (1932) 543 [The provost of Perth] nocht usand him as ane newtrale and commoun officiare betuix the said lord and his party.
1578 in J. Spottiswood Hist. Church Scotl. (1677) vi. 291 According to this division arises a sort of threefold Officiars in the Church.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) v. ii. 4 I am an Officer of State, & come to speak with Coriolanus. View more context for this quotation
1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 169 The three Officers of Health..take care that the City be kept clean, and nothing..that may cause sickness and infection bought and sold.
1754 B. Franklin Albany Plan of Union 10 July in Papers (1962) V. 392 In Case of Vacancy by Death, or removal of any Officer Civil or Military under this Constitution.
1796 Baltimore Town Directory 4 Angel James, Officer of the Revenue, 119, Baltimore St.
1802 A. Hamilton in N.-Y. Evening Post 2 Jan. 3/1 The first officer of the Government..speaking in his official capacity.
1834 Act 4 & 5 William IV c. 76 §109 The Word ‘Officer’ shall be construed to extend to any..Person who shall be employed in any Parish or Union in carrying this Act or the Laws for the Relief of the Poor into execution.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. ii. 175 Another act..required every officer of a corporation to swear that he held resistance to the king's authority to be in all cases unlawful.
a1860 Order in J. F. Archbold Poor Law Microform (ed. 10) 71 The guardians shall..appoint fit persons to hold the under-mentioned offices,..1. Clerk to the Guardians... 4. Medical Officer for the Workhouse. 5. District Medical Officer. 6. Master of the Workhouse... 10. Porter. 11. Nurse. 12. Relieving Officer.
1874 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. I. xi. 343 The great officers of the household..furnish the king with the first elements of a ministry of state.
1920 3rd Nat. Country Life Conf. Proc. 209 Rural health officers should be continued.
1975 New Yorker 17 Nov. 118/2 Our government has ‘a power that places the liberty of every man in the hands of every petty officer’.
1991 Choice Jan. 16/1 Mrs Turner..has a full time job with the local authority as a senior education officer in charge of finance.
c. officer of (also at) arms: an officer of the College of Arms, spec. a herald or a pursuivant.
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society > communication > indication > insignia > heraldic devices collective > heraldry > herald > [noun]
herald of (at) arms1377
heraldc1384
officer of (also at) armsa1486
blazer1486
blazoner1586
a1486 Ordinances Chivalry in Archaeologia (1900) 57 39 (MED) There beyng offecers of armis schuyng thayre mesure of thayre speris garnyst.
c1500 Three Kings' Sons (1895) 32 Som officers of armes & purceuantes that had be at this iourney, wente in all haste to the kynge & tolde hym all the maner..therof.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxix This counterfeight Herault..there put on his cote of Armes. The Englishe out-skourers perceiuyng by his cote, that he was an officer of armes, gently saluted hym.
a1600 ( Rec. Bluemantle Pursuivant (Julius) in C. L. Kingsford Eng. Hist. Lit. 15th Cent. (1913) 383 Therle of Wylshyre bare a sworde before hym..also wt the Kinges officers of armes, Garter bering his patent.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Richard II (1623) i. i. 204 Lord Marshall, command our Officers at Armes, Be readie to direct these home Alarmes. View more context for this quotation
1672 London Gaz. No. 670/4 The Officers at Arms carrying the Pastoral and Mitre.
1686 J. Gibbon (title) Day-fatality: or, some observations of days lucky and unlucky... All written by an Officer at Arms.
1753 Treat. Office of Messenger 2 There ought only to be in all Scotland 200 Messengers, or Officers of Arms (including Heralds, Macers and Pursuivants, 17 in Number).
1891 Dict. National Biogr. XXV. 256/1 On 7 April 1589 his officers of arms and the keepers of the castles of Slains and Logiealmond were ordered to deliver them up.
1995 Whitaker's Almanack 285/1 The Sovereign's officers of Arms (Kings, Heralds and Puirsuivants of Arms) were first incorporated by Richard III.
d. A person holding office and taking part in the management or direction of a society or institution, esp. one holding the office of president, treasurer, or secretary; an office-holder.
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society > authority > office > holder of office > [noun] > of an institution or society
office-bearer1593
officer1648
table officer1951
1648 Platform Church-Discipline (1772) 29 Officers for the church are justly accounted no small parts, they being to continue to the end of the world.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan iii. xlii. 289 Neither these gifts..nor any thing else did make an Officer in the Church, save onely the due calling and election to the charge of Teaching.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) at Pietantiarius The Pittancer or Officer in Collegiate Churches, who was to give out the several Pittances, according to the Appointment of the Founders or Donours.
1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 78. ⁋5 At last the Society was formed, and proper Officers were appointed.
1792 N.-Y. Directory K72 Officers of the Bank of the United States. New-York Branch. Philip Livingston, President.
1854 Harper's Mag. July 273/1 There are no dryer wits..than many presidents and subordinate officers of our American colleges.
1862 Rules §10 in Trans. Philol. Soc. p. iv A General Meeting shall be held annually..to elect the Officers for the ensuing year.
1897 T. Holmes in Charity Organis. Rev. Apr. 201 A hospital in old times was a place for the gratuitous reception of cases grave enough, in the judgment of its officers, to need treatment in the wards.
1901 N. Amer. Rev. Feb. 261 The excessive loaning of a bank's funds to its officers and directors.
1920 Constit. Santa Barbara (Calif.) Club Officers..Secretary-Treasurer William Wyles.
1987 New Republic 8 June 40/2 The bigger houses have big-time overheads: six-figure salaries for the officers, substantial fees to the directors.
2.
a. A person holding an office in law enforcement; a sheriff's serjeant, a bailiff; †a catchpole (obsolete); a member of a police force. Also: †a jailer; an executioner (obsolete).Frequently as the second element in compounds, as peace officer, police officer, sheriff's officer, etc.: see the first element.
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society > authority > punishment > capital punishment > [noun] > executioner
manquellera1275
officer?1387
smiterc1390
manslayera1425
man's quellerc1429
baserc1480
butcher1483
executora1513
slaughter-slave1556
carnifex1561
executioner1561
deathsman1589
verdugo1616
hals-mana1658
society > authority > punishment > imprisonment > prisoner > [noun] > jailer
jailerc1290
prisonera1325
officer?1387
claviculer1447
javeler?c1450
key turner1606
baston1607
twistkey1617
prison keeper1623
detainer1647
prison officer1649
turnkey1655
imprisoner1656
phylacist1656
cipier1671
wardsman1683
goodman1698
prison guard1722
screw1812
dungeoner1817
dubsman1839
cell-keeper1841
prison warder1854
warder1855
dubs1882
twirl1891
hack1914
correction officer1940
society > law > administration of justice > one who administers justice > an officer of the court > [noun] > official who executes orders of court > bailiff
beadlec1000
ridemanlOE
cacherela1325
outrider1332
bailiff1377
catchpolea1382
bailiec1386
officer?1387
sheriff's manc1400
attacher1440
messenger1482
tipped staffc1500
servitor1527
bailie-errant1528
processar1534
bum-bailiff1560
tipstaff1570
nut-hook1600
saffo1607
servera1612
bailiff-errant1612
bum-bailey1615
process servera1616
buckle-bosom1622
bumbee1653
exploiter1653
moar1656
bum1659
bummer1675
bumbail1696
bulldog1699
sheriff's officer1703
bum-trap1749
bound-bailiff1768
shelly-coata1774
body snatcher1778
lurcher1785
fool-finder1796
messenger1801
bugaboo1809
borough-bailiff1812
sheriff mair1812
speciality1815
grab1823
legalist1835
candy man1863
writter1882
sheriff1928
society > law > law enforcement > law-enforcement or peace-officer > [noun] > constable
sub-constable1512
beagle1559
harman-beck1567
John?1576
clarigold1597
officer1597
constable1600
redbeard1607
Robin Hoga1682
Moabite1699
night-magistrate1699
?1387 T. Wimbledon Serm. (Corpus Cambr.) (1967) 83 Ȝif a gret man plete wiþ a pore to haue owt þat he holdeþ, euerich officer schal be redy.
a1443 in Cal. Proc. Chancery Queen Elizabeth (1827) I. p. xxxix (MED) No man religious shall be chosen bailly, bedell, ne none other officer temperell.
a1560 Contempl. Sinn. 90 Officeris of justry.
1583 J. Newbery Let. in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1589) ii. 249 With officers I went diuers times out of the castle in the morning, and solde things, and at night returned againe to the prison.
1597 J. Skene De Verborum Significatione at Schireffe The Schireffis serjand, or officiar, suld haue ane horne.
1609 J. Skene tr. Regiam Majestatem 7 The summons sall be made be ane lawfull summoner (or officiar).
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 (1623) v. vi. 12 The Theefe doth feare each bush an Officer . View more context for this quotation
1766 Ayr. Presb. Reg. MS. 8 May The Presbytery hereby grant Warrant to the Session officers..to summon the persons designed in the above list.
1819 P. B. Shelley Cenci v. i. 80 I doubt not officers are, whilst we speak, Sent to arrest us.
1884 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 23 Aug. Sergeant McBryan..was set upon by a crowd of roughs, who threw him down and kicked him in a most brutal manner. In trying to use his revolver the officer shot himself through the left thumb.
1888 E. H. Marshall in Notes & Queries 22 Sept. 237/2 It is no solecism to call a police constable an ‘officer’... A police-constable is a peace officer, with the rights and duties of such, and is therefore entitled to be styled an ‘officer’.
1945 Law Rep. King's Bench Div. 420 When they saw the uniformed officer they hurried in the opposite direction.
1972 M. Shadbolt Strangers & Journeys xx. 412 There was sufficient of a pause..for the detective to be overpowered by fellow officers.
1999 R. T. Davies Queer as Folk: Scripts Episode 8. 203 Quite a temper, our friend Lance. Punched the man from the Home Office. And then punched the arresting officer.
b. Used as a form of address to a police officer.
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society > law > law enforcement > police force or the police > [noun] > policeman > mode of address to
officer1899
blue boy1966
1899 J. S. Clouston Lunatic at Large ii. v. 140 Keep your eye on that man, officer,..and put your plain-clothes' men on his track.
1926 J. Galsworthy Silver Spoon i. vii. 50 ‘Pardon me, officer,’ he said, ‘but where is Wren Street?’
1946 E. O'Neill Iceman Cometh iv. 245 She knows I was insane. You've got me all wrong, Officer. I want to go to the Chair... God, you're a dumb dick!
1965 M. Allingham Mind Readers iii. 44 ‘Officer!’ said the voice.., ‘I wish to give this lady in charge.’
1998 K. Lette Altar Ego x. 102 Anouska lowered the window of her Mercedes sports car, eyelashes on overdrive. ‘Yes, Officer?’
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society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > non-manual worker > businessman > [noun] > business agent
broker1377
officerc1390
factor1432
worker1560
commission man1733
gomashta1747
c1390 G. Chaucer Pardoner's Tale 480 Syngeres with harpes..been the verray deueles officeres [v.rr. offisers, officiers] To kyndle and blowe the fyr of lecherye.
a1425 (?c1384) J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 346 Ȝif apostlis..sawen þus preestis serve in þe Chirche, þei wolden not clepe hem Cristis officeris, but officeris of Anticrist.
c1440 S. Scrope tr. C. de Pisan Epist. of Othea (St. John's Cambr.) (1970) 85 Pluto, Lucifer, Cerebrus & Acharon..saugh þat þe officers of þe helly peynes lefte and ceecid.
c1500 (?a1475) Assembly of Gods (1896) 446 (MED) Remembre howe ye made me your offycere, All tho with my dart fynally to chastyse That yow dysobeyed.
c1550 Complaynt Scotl. (1979) ix. 64 Bot ane of his [sc. Xerxes'] officiaris contentit hym vitht ane dagar throucht the hart.
a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) iii. v. 17 I know that knaue,..a filthy Officer he is in those suggestions for the young Earle. View more context for this quotation
1619 J. Sempill Sacrilege Sacredly Handled 28 So long as God hath Officiars of his worship on Earth; so long must Tithes be their Inheritance.
1637 J. Milton Comus 8 He, the Supreme good, t'whom all things ill Are but as slavish officers of vengeance.
1669 W. Penn No Cross, No Crown xiv. §2 The Luxurious Eater and Drinker..has an Officer to invent, and a Cook to dress..the Species.
4.
a. A person holding a position of authority, especially one with a commission, in the army, navy, or air force; (also) a person holding a similar position in the merchant navy, or on a passenger ship, etc.Frequently with modifying word, as air, branch, brevet, cavalry, combatant, commissioned, company, field, first, flag, flight, flying, general, line, navigating, non-combatant, non-commissioned, observation, petty, staff, warrant, etc.: see the first elements. officer of the day: the officer who is responsible, for that day, for the security and welfare of a body of troops. officer of the deck (also deck officer): the officer in charge of the above deck workings, and manoeuvres at sea, of a vessel at a particular time. officer of the guard: the officer in charge of the troops on guard. officer of the watch = watch-officer n. at watch n. Compounds 2. See also commission officer n. at commission n.1 Compounds, flag-officer n., etc.
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society > armed hostility > hostilities in the air > airman > [noun] > officer in air force
officera1450
ringer1918
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer or soldier of rank > [noun]
officera1450
lancepesade1579
military1709
tax-eater1818
two-striper1917
chiefy1942
pongo1943
scrambled egg(s)1943
Percy1961
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xx. 257 (MED) Kynges & knyghtes þat kepen and defenden Han officers vnder hem, and vch of hem certeyne.]
a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) f. 32v Whiche ben þe names of þe principal officeris [L. principiorum] of þe legiouns.
1589 J. Sparke in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations iii. 523 In cutting the foresaile, a marueilous misfortune happened to one of the officers in the shippe.
1598 H. Roberts Honours Conquest sig. N4v I will with his signet, commaunde the Officers of the watch to giue me the worde, pretending the Dukes meaning to visit euerie watch secretly that night.
a1600 (?c1535) tr. H. Boece Hist. Scotl. (Mar Lodge) (1946) v. v. f. 173v Officiaris, capitanis and soldeouris quhilkis war distribute in garnisoun [etc.].
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iv. vi. 32 Caius Martius was A worthy Officer i'th'Warre. View more context for this quotation
1665 T. Manley tr. H. Grotius De Rebus Belgicis 297 Hereupon, the other Officers and Souldiers also earnestly perswaded Frederick to surrender.
1706 Wooden World Diss. (1708) 8 He allows no Distinction betwixt an Officer and a Swabber.
1734 B. Franklin Variant Accts. of Battle 19 Dec. in Writings (1987) 236 Fifty Men and the Officers of the Guard made some Resistance.
1788 Ld. Nelson Let. 26 Dec. in Dispatches & Lett. (1844) I. 277 The want of good Petty Officers, and consequently good Lieutenants,..[was] most severely felt during the late War.
1829 H. Howe Let. in G. Jones Sketches Naval Life I. 33 He jumped on the hammock cloths, and began to wave his hat and bawl with all his might. The officer of the deck soon spied him, and called him to account.
1844 Queen's Regulations & Orders Army 138 The Captain, or Officer of the Day, is..to inspect the meals, in order to see that they are wholesome, sufficient, and properly cooked.
1881 Morning Post 29 Sept. 5/4 The staff is entirely composed of cavalry officers.
1884 D. Pae Eustace 5 I would rather be a naval officer.
1958 ‘J. Castle’ & A. Hailey Flight into Danger viii. 113 The first officer, then the captain were taken sick. Luckily there was a passenger on board who had piloted before and he took over the controls.
1973 K. Giles File on Death iii. 63 Miss Sloper..had worked as an officer in the Second World War.
1991 M. Dobbs Last Man to Die 168 He informed the officer of the watch,..a former stores clerk made lieutenant who did everything by the book.
b. (an) officer and (a) gentleman: a person occupying the position of both an officer and a gentleman, or embodying the civilized qualities supposedly characteristic of both. In later use frequently ironic. Also attributive or as adj. Hence officer-and-gentlemanly adj.
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the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [noun] > good manners or polite behaviour > as a result of good breeding > specific person
(an) officer and (a) gentleman1828
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [adjective] > well-mannered > well-bred > of conduct
well-bred1614
Grandisonian1809
(an) officer and (a) gentleman1871
officer-and-gentlemanly1969
1646 Briefe & Compendious Narr. Robert, Earle of Essex 5 In April, 1643. Col: Massey Routed the Welch in the Forrest of Dean... Sir W. Waller took Manmouth in Wales. Sir W. Waller took Higman, and in it 150 Officers and Gentlemen
1781 T. Simes Mil. Guide (ed. 3) 4 Politeness should exceed authority, and the Officer subside in the gentleman.]
1828 C. White Almack's Revisited III. ix. 249 ‘If I knock a man down, for instance, with my fist, who has insulted me,’ replied the officer—‘that is unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, and I am cashiered.’
1855 E. C. Gaskell North & South I. xiv. 164 I will bear with all proper patience everything that one officer and gentleman can take from another.
1871 Porcupine 29 July 275/3 They want their purchase, their officer-and-gentleman hobby, their..agreeable club of an army left undisturbed.
1888 R. Kipling Arrest Lt. Golightly in Plain Tales from Hills 123 Golightly spent..that summer in trying to get the Corporal..tried by Court-Martial for arresting an ‘officer and a gentleman’.
1926 R. Kipling Debits & Credits 334 Ignatius is one of the subtlest intellects we have, and an officer and a gentleman to boot.
1946 E. O'Neill Iceman Cometh i. 48 I give you my word of honor as an officer and a gentleman, you shall be paid tomorrow.
1966 A. Prior Operators iii. 28 Oh, coming the officer and gentleman touch, was he?
1969 K. Giles Death cracks Bottle x. 110 We will just be very nice to the police in an officer-and-gentlemanly way.
1974 ‘J. Graham’ Bloody Passage i. 11 There wasn't much I could do except put my head on the block like an officer and a gentleman.
1993 Dict. National Biogr.: Missing Persons 145/2 The man on whom a whole later generation of expatriates..modelled themselves and their officer-and-gentlemanly acting careers.
5. Chess. A chess piece ranking above a pawn. Also used of certain pieces in other board games. Now rare.
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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > board game > chess > [noun] > pieces > superior pieces
nobility1656
nobleman1656
officer1805
major piece1945
1805 Elem. Chess 7 The pieces allotted to each player are sixteen; viz, a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, two rooks, and eight pawns. Of these, the first eight are considered as officers, or principal pieces.
1847 H. Staunton Chess-player's Handbk. i. 2 Each player..has eight superior Pieces or officers, and eight minor ones which are called Pawns.
a1871 H. R. Agnel Bk. Chess (1882) i. 10 The King and Queen are supported each by three officers and four soldiers.
1937 L. Hoffer Chess (ed. 17) 13 The Pawn..clears the road for the officers who follow in its wake to the attack.
1968 A. L. Destenay Nagel's Encycl.—Guide: China 355 The red officer on the figure [showing a game of xiangqi] has only one possible opening... The black officer, has three possibilities.
1981 G. Brandreth Everyman's Indoor Games 151 When the piece is turned over so that the marked side is uppermost the piece is known as an ‘officer’.
6. A member of a certain grade in some honorary orders.For example, in the Legion of Honour, the grade next above chevalier, in the Order of the British Empire, the grade next below commander, etc.
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society > society and the community > social class > nobility > rank > knight > [noun] > position of commander in an order > of Legion of Honour
legionary1802
officer1846
1846 Penny Cycl. Suppl. II. 193/2 Legion of Honor... This order consists of five divisions: chevaliers,..officers, commanders, grand officers, and grand crosses... To obtain the rank of officer it is necessary to have served four years as a chevalier; an officer must serve two years to become commander.
1893 Dict. National Biogr. XXXIV. 294/1 He was nominated..an officer and a commander of the Legion of Honour.
1949 Dict. National Biogr. 1931–40 137/1 He..edited King Albert's Book.., a service for which he was made an officer of the Belgian Order of Leopold.
1999 Britannica Online (Version 99.1) at Zaharoff, Sir Basil During World War I Zaharoff became an Allied agent working on the highest levels. Following the war, France recognized his services by making him a grand officer of the Legion of Honour.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > serving food > [noun] > server of food > in inn or restaurant
aproner1611
waiter1664
garçon1788
tendera1825
hash slinger1868
officer1886
Robert1886
hasher1891
tender1901
hot potato1909
floor-waiter1930
waitperson1973
waitron1980
1886 Harper's Mag. Sept. 594/2 What well-trained waiters!—perhaps they were not waiters, for he was passed from one ‘officer’ to another ‘officer’ down to his place.
8. North American. More fully officer bird. The red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus (family Icteridae), of the U.S. and Canada.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > arboreal families > family Icteridae > [noun] > genus Agelaius > agelaius phoeniceus (red-winged blackbird)
red-winged starling1729
red-winged blackbird?1769
maize thief1772
redwing1778
red-winged oriole1785
red-winged troopial1825
redwing blackbird1830
maize-bird1836
maizer1837
swamp blackbird1891
officer1902
1902 S. Clapin New Dict. Amer. 292 Officer bird. A common name, especially in Canada and the Northern States, for the red-winged starling.
1955 Oriole 20 i. 12 Red-winged blackbird.—Officer (the red patches on the wing of the male suggest military insignia).
Compounds
C1. General attributive (chiefly in sense 4).
officer caste n.
ΚΠ
1931 Amer. Polit. Sci. Rev. 25 378 By affirming Germany's past..Hitler has not only the large officer and ex-officer caste on his side, but also a considerable section of the non-proletarian masses.
1995 Hist. Jrnl. 38 422 The provincial inertia of military life before the wars of 1895–8, and the low level of culture and technology that characterized its training, had left the officer caste virtually untouched by modernizing currents.
officer class n.
ΚΠ
1857 National Mag. Feb. 283/1 The captain of the Fusiliers was a most frivolous mischievous coxcomb, and a worthy sample of the officer-class, which Herbert believed to be composed of every thing that was profligate and audacious.
1954 ‘N. Blake’ Whisper in Gloom ii. xiii. 173 He treated his church wardens with a certain officer-class brusqueness.
1983 G. Millar in Listener 2 June 37/1 The people who made the films were, by and large, ‘officer class’ themselves.
2000 A. Calcutt Brit Cult 150/1 Jones is a lick-spittle who will do anything to please the officer class.
officer corps n.
ΚΠ
1842 U.S. Mag. & Democratic Rev. Sept. 291/1 He did not dare to fight him, according to challenge, by which means he offended the whole officer-corps.
1937 D. Jerrold Georgian Adventure iv. 124 A professional officer corps..reinforcing itself from a mediocracy of successful careerists and yes-men.
1991 M. E. Wertsch Military Brats ix. 306 Men who began as enlisted and..worked their way up through the ranks to the officer corps.
officer instructor n.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > soldier with special duty > [noun] > instructor
field teacher1623
officer instructor1859
schoolie1946
1859 Regulations for Musketry Instr. Army 63 The diagrams of the performances of each squad or section are..to be handed over to the officer-instructor, or battalion sergeant-instructor.
1898 Westm. Gaz. 21 Apr. 6/3 The Russians have..insisted on the dismissal of the British officer-instructors in the Chinese naval torpedo schools, who are to be replaced by Russian naval officers.
1945 Sci. Monthly 60 138/1 More recently 55,000 copies of The Races of Mankind were purchased by the Army Morale Division for use by officer-instructors as ‘background material to help counteract the Nazi theory of a super-race.’
1986 Dict. National Biogr. 1971–80 654/1 He..was so severely wounded..that he was relegated to Woolwich as artillery officer instructor.
officer type n.
ΚΠ
1921 Sci. Monthly 13 431 Intelligence superior but not exceptional. Obtained by 8 to 10 per cent. of a draft—men of the officer type and many non-commissioned officers.
1999 Independent 9 Nov. ii. 32/3 It's the sort of movie where retired officer types in bowler hats pretend to feed the ducks in Green Park while talking out of the sides of their mouths to each other.
C2. Genitive.
officers' mess n.
ΚΠ
1793 J. Farington Diary 31 Aug. (1978) I. 49 At the Inn a Table D'Hote was kept for such as chose to come but at present might properly enough be called an Officers Mess.
1832 E. C. Wines Two Years & Half in Navy II. v. 108 In all the officers' messes..an utter want of system and comfort was apparent.
1903 G. B. Shaw Man & Superman 209 It transpired that the officers' mess of our most select regiment included a flogging club presided over by the senior subaltern.
1995 Sat. Night (Toronto) June 92/3 Some embarrassing tittle-tattle I had picked up at the bar in the officers' mess.
C3. † officer-tree n. Obsolete an officer's saddle-tree.
officer cadet n. a young person being trained to become an officer; also figurative.
ΚΠ
1925 Officers Training Corps Gaz. Nov. 1/1 Our object..is to foster a spirit of Unity and Co-operation among Officer Cadets.
1985 T. Parker Soldier, Soldier v. 49 I could..have gone..into the Navy as an officer cadet.
officer material n. a person having the character and personality suitable for being trained as an officer.
ΚΠ
1918 Science 12 Apr. 360 Men of ability and officer material... Age 21 to 30 inclusive.
1927 Officers Training Corps Gaz. Apr. 59/1 The sorely needed officer material caused by the early casualties.
1996 Independent 29 Jan. 12/8 At the end of the war not many of the temporary female staff opted to stay on on at the War Office but Glass was obviously officer material and did so.
Officers Training Corps n. an organization set up, esp. in a school or university, for the preliminary training of young people who may later become officers in the armed services; abbreviated O.T.C. (see OTC n. at O n.1 Initialisms 1).
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > branch of army > [noun] > training corps
cadet corps1901
Officers Training Corps1907
OTC1909
1907 Interim Rep. War Office Comm. Provision of Officers 10 (heading) in Parl. Papers (Cd. 3294) XLIX. 549 Proposals respecting the Officers Training Corps at Universities.
1908 Oxf. Univ. Officers Training Corps (Misc. Paper) 1 The present Oxford University Volunteer Corps is about to be transformed into a unit of ‘The Officers Training Corps’.
1925 Officers Training Corps Gaz. Nov. 1/1 Though our first number is devoted to the University of London Contingent,..it is proposed to include all University units of the Officers Training Corps.
1957 Encycl. Brit. XXII. 392/2 The Officers' Training corps (O.T.C.) was set up in 1909 under the Haldane scheme... The junior division..consisted of boys in public secondary schools..; the senior division of university contingents.
1993 P. E. Trudeau Memoirs (1995) i. 34 You were either conscripted into the army, or if you were a student you had to join the Canadian Officers Training Corps.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > keeping or management of horses > horse-gear > [noun] > saddle > parts of saddle
saddle-boweOE
arsonc1300
saddle skirt1361
saddle-tree1364
skirtc1400
saddle panel1465
stock-tree1470
stock1497
pommela1500
tree1535
pillion cloth1540
port1548
saddle stock1548
pilch1552
bolster1591
cantle1591
shank-pilliona1599
pillowc1600
pad1604
crutch1607
sivet1607
saddle crutcha1614
saddle eaves1663
saddle tore1681
burr1688
head1688
narve1688
saddle seat1688
sidebar1688
torea1694
quarter1735
bands of a saddle1753
witherband1764
withers1764
peak1775
pillion-stick1784
boot-housing1792
saddle flap1798
saddle lap1803
fork1833
flap1849
horn1849
skirting1852
hunting-horn1854
head-plate1855
saddle horn1856
cantle bar1859
leaping-horn1859
straining1871
stirrup-bar1875
straining-leather1875
spring tree1877
leaping-head1881
officer-tree1894
monkey1911
monkey-strap1915
thigh roll1963
straining-web-
1894 Harper's Mag. Feb. 350 I carefully adjusted my Whitman's officer-tree over a wealth of saddle blanketing.
Derivatives
ΚΠ
1841 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 50 333 How much have they not to pay for carriage, porterage, overweightage, custom-house officerage.
ˈofficeress n. rare a female officer.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > office > holder of office > [noun] > female
officeress1839
1839 Fraser's Mag. 19 742 They..say, not only that such an officeress exists, but that she keeps a Clerk.
1906 Daily Chron. 14 Aug. 3/6 While I was there one of these election officeresses (?) was arrested for stuffing a ballot box.
1979 N. Mailer Executioner's Song i. vi. 361 I was being interviewed by a female Mont Court parole officeress.
ˈofficerlike adj.
ΚΠ
?1667 F. Stanley Christianity Indeed 60 Officer-like it [sc. Conscience] praises for well doing, and reproves and punishes for evill acting.
1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle I. xvii. 125 To be sure you always used me in an officer-like manner, that I must own.
1862 M. Goodman Exper. Eng. Sister of Mercy 231 The medical officer of the 42nd, an exceedingly officer-like and handsome man.
1997 Washington Post (Nexis) 10 Aug. x3 [Ian] Smith was a brave and efficient aviator who lacked the officerlike qualities needed to lead a government.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
officerv.
/ˈɒfᵻsə/, U.S. /ˈɔfəsər/, /ˈɑfəsər/ 1. transitive. To furnish with officers, esp. military, naval, etc.; to lead, command, or direct as an officer. Frequently in passive.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > armed forces > create military forces [verb (transitive)] > furnish with officers
officer1648
society > armed hostility > military service > make into soldier [verb (transitive)] > lead or command
leada900
awit1250
guidec1374
conducta1500
command1594
officer1709
command-in-chief1759
fight1779
general1797
1648 Condition Noblemen & Gentlemen in Colchester 1 A competent number of Men subitarily gotten together, Officer'd (for a great part) by such as had credit to get them together.
1670 C. Cotton tr. G. Girard Hist. Life Duke of Espernon i. v. 229 Perhaps no Militia in Europe were better Disciplin'd, nor better Officer'd than they.
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 39. ⁋29 They seem to be the proper Men to officer, animate, and keep up an Army.
1804 Duke of Wellington Dispatches (1835) II. 276 Both these corps were commanded, and in general officered by Frenchmen and other foreigners.
1858 Mercantile Marine Mag. 5 65 The apprentice system..has officered our ships.
1866 C. M. Yonge Cameos lxxx, in Monthly Packet Oct. 321 The French must have been very badly officered.
1870 J. B. Brown First Princ. Eccl. Truth 276 Our system of officering the army.
1926 T. E. Lawrence Seven Pillars (subscribers' ed.) xvi. 82 Officered by Arabic-speaking officers trained in the Turkish army.
1954 C. R. Attlee As it Happened xxi. 187 A resistance movement, officered by young men under the leadership of Aung San, got into touch with the British Forces.
1984 Oxf. Illustr. Hist. Britain ix. 493 It [sc. the aristocracy] continued to wield considerable political power,..officering the army.
2. transitive. In extended use: to command, direct; to lead, conduct, manage; to escort.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > control > [verb (transitive)] > lead
furec1540
subduce1609
ring-lead1617
manuduct1641
lead1642
manuduce1657
bear-lead1833
officer1839
van1852
skipper1883
spear-head1938
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xvii. 159 Kate..accompanied by Miss Knag, and officered..by Madame Mantalini.
1841 R. W. Emerson Ess. 1st Ser. (Boston ed.) vii. 191 Society is officered by men of parts,..and not by divine men.
1864 Daily Tel. 26 Nov. The fire had only been partially got under,..the steam fire-engines,..although well officered, being apparently powerless.
1889 Home Missionary (N.Y.) Dec. 372 They are officered and committeed from their own number.
1971 E. Mavor Ladies of Llangollen vii. 136 They officered an impressive force of friends against the mill proprietors.
Derivatives
ˈofficering n.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military operations > distribution of troops > [noun] > provision with officers
officering1785
society > armed hostility > military service > [noun] > leading or commanding
leadingc1400
governailc1425
magistration1490
conducting1517
manred1528
conduct1530
manrentc1540
conduction1551
commandment1592
command1594
commandery1598
captaincy1850
officering1890
1785 W. Paley Princ. Moral & Polit. Philos. (Dublin ed.) II. 435 The direction and officering of the army.
1890 Cent. Mag. Dec. 207 The American system of officering..was superior to that of the English.
1977 Listener 16 June 779/4 It was..to the manning of the Empire, or rather the officering of it, that the best products of the classical ‘classical education’ were destined.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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