office

noun

of·fice ˈä-fəs How to pronounce office (audio)

ˈȯ-

: a special duty, charge, or position conferred by an exercise of governmental authority and for a public purpose : a position of authority to exercise a public function and to receive whatever emoluments may belong to it

: a position of responsibility or some degree of executive authority

: a prescribed form or service of worship

specifically, capitalized : divine office

: a religious or social ceremonial observance : rite

: something that one ought to do or must do : an assigned or assumed duty, task, or role

: the proper or customary action of something : function

: something done for another : service

: a place where a particular kind of business is transacted or a service is supplied: such as

: a place in which the functions of a public officer are performed

: the directing headquarters of an enterprise or organization

: the place in which a professional person conducts business

offices plural, chiefly British : the apartments, attached buildings, or outhouses in which the activities attached to the service of a house are carried on

: a major administrative unit in some governments

British Foreign Office

: a subdivision of some government departments

Patent Office

Example Sentences

She works at our Chicago office. Are you going to the office today? The supervisor held an informal meeting in his office. Her office is on the top floor near the elevator. He misbehaved in class and was sent to the principal's office. We use the extra bedroom in our house as an office. We stopped by the lawyer's office to pick up some documents. He has been in office for a decade. He was voted out of office. He won the election and will take office at the beginning of the year. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Chief Executive John Lee has taken a number of steps to ease the city’s isolation since being sworn into office on July 1.

Felix Tam, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2022 The satisfaction of this car are mostly wired into the driver's office.

Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 16 Sep. 2022 Ann Wolf took that tack for a local client who wanted to welcome daylight into a home office in the rear of her home.

Allison Duncan, WSJ, 15 Sep. 2022 The stock market had its worst day since Joe Biden came into office.

Fox News Staff, Fox News, 14 Sep. 2022 Accenture is encouraging but not mandating employees to come into the office.

Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2022 Kinzinger, for one, released a three-minute audio compilation of vitriol and threats called into his office, including from one caller who threatened his wife and newborn baby.

Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 Then, Cradock called the plaintiff into his office without explanation and forced her into a surprise meeting with her abuser, the lawsuit claims.

Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 14 Sep. 2022 Fickell walks into his office and tells him to expect a phone call.

Nathan Baird, cleveland, 13 Sep. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "position of authority, duties of a position, proper function, ecclesiastical service, space used for business or domestic functions," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin officium "beneficial act in fulfillment of an obligation, duty, functions in a position, post" (Late Latin, "ecclesiastical service"), contraction of opificium (attested in sense "constructive work"), from opi- (base of opis, *ops "power, ability" and oper-, opus "work, effort") + facere "to make, do, bring about" + -ium, deverbal suffix of function or state — more at opus, do entry 1

Note: Though officium is formally a contraction of opificium, their senses diverge, the latter noun maintaining a transparent relation to the agent noun opifex "craftsman, artificer."

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

office

noun

as in department

a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the company's main office is in Atlanta

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

department
bureau
agency
desk
service
branch
division
arm
subdivision
subdepartment

as in duty

something one must do because of prior agreement one of the chief offices of a friend is to be there in someone's hour of need

Synonyms & Similar Words

duty
responsibility
obligation
need
promise
commitment
burden
imperative
vow
requirement
pledge
do
oath
constraint
charge
incumbency
payment
setup
contract
pact
arrangement
appointment
devoir
compact
word
must
debt
reservation
trust
tribute
restraint
covenant
prearrangement
compulsion
engagement
force
coercion
troth
duress
onus

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

relief
stay
ease
discharge
exemption
release
grace
waiver
alternative
option
postponement
choice
selection
preference
loophole
pick

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of office are duty, function, and province. While all these words mean "the acts or operations expected of a person or thing," office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others.

they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor — W. E. Gladstone

While the synonyms duty and office are close in meaning, duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling.

it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case — R. B. Taney

While in some cases nearly identical to office, function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work.

the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information — Aldous Huxley

The meanings of province and office largely overlap; however, province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one.

I felt it was not my province to inquire — Anne Brontë

单词	office
释义	office noun of·fice ˈä-fəs ˈȯ- 1 a : a special duty, charge, or position conferred by an exercise of governmental authority and for a public purpose : a position of authority to exercise a public function and to receive whatever emoluments may belong to it b : a position of responsibility or some degree of executive authority 2 : a prescribed form or service of worship specifically, capitalized : divine office 3 : a religious or social ceremonial observance : rite 4 a : something that one ought to do or must do : an assigned or assumed duty, task, or role b : the proper or customary action of something : function c : something done for another : service 5 : a place where a particular kind of business is transacted or a service is supplied: such as a : a place in which the functions of a public officer are performed b : the directing headquarters of an enterprise or organization c : the place in which a professional person conducts business 6 offices plural, chiefly British : the apartments, attached buildings, or outhouses in which the activities attached to the service of a house are carried on 7 a : a major administrative unit in some governments British Foreign Office b : a subdivision of some government departments Patent Office Synonyms agency arm branch bureau department desk division service See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences She works at our Chicago office. Are you going to the office today? The supervisor held an informal meeting in his office. Her office is on the top floor near the elevator. He misbehaved in class and was sent to the principal's office. We use the extra bedroom in our house as an office. We stopped by the lawyer's office to pick up some documents. He has been in office for a decade. He was voted out of office. He won the election and will take office at the beginning of the year. See More Recent Examples on the Web Chief Executive John Lee has taken a number of steps to ease the city’s isolation since being sworn into office on July 1. Felix Tam, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2022 The satisfaction of this car are mostly wired into the driver's office. Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 16 Sep. 2022 Ann Wolf took that tack for a local client who wanted to welcome daylight into a home office in the rear of her home. Allison Duncan, WSJ, 15 Sep. 2022 The stock market had its worst day since Joe Biden came into office. Fox News Staff, Fox News, 14 Sep. 2022 Accenture is encouraging but not mandating employees to come into the office. Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2022 Kinzinger, for one, released a three-minute audio compilation of vitriol and threats called into his office, including from one caller who threatened his wife and newborn baby. Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 Then, Cradock called the plaintiff into his office without explanation and forced her into a surprise meeting with her abuser, the lawsuit claims. Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 14 Sep. 2022 Fickell walks into his office and tells him to expect a phone call. Nathan Baird, cleveland, 13 Sep. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, "position of authority, duties of a position, proper function, ecclesiastical service, space used for business or domestic functions," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin officium "beneficial act in fulfillment of an obligation, duty, functions in a position, post" (Late Latin, "ecclesiastical service"), contraction of opificium (attested in sense "constructive work"), from opi- (base of opis, ops* "power, ability" and oper-, opus "work, effort") + facere "to make, do, bring about" + -ium, deverbal suffix of function or state — more at opus, do entry 1 Note: Though officium is formally a contraction of opificium, their senses diverge, the latter noun maintaining a transparent relation to the agent noun opifex "craftsman, artificer." First Known Use 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Phrases Containing office back-office enter office box office home office front office foreign office main/home office land-office business land office inter-office office park office girl office boy oath of office patent office office politics post office box post office take office registry office run for office register office printing office ticket office term of/in office booking office office hours press office See More back-office enter office box office home office front office foreign office main/home office land-office business land office inter-office office park office girl office boy oath of office patent office office politics post office box post office take office registry office run for office register office printing office ticket office term of/in office booking office office hours press office See More Kids Definition office noun of·fice ˈȯ-fəs 1 : a place where business is done or a service is supplied a doctor's office 2 : a special duty or position and especially one of authority in government My uncle wants to run for office. Legal Definition office noun of·fice 1 : a special duty, charge, or position conferred by governmental authority and for a public purpose qualified to hold public office broadly : a special duty or position of authority hold an office of trust 2 : a place where business or administration is conducted or services are performed 3 : a special administrative department or unit office of the district attorney office noun 1 as in department a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the company's main office is in Atlanta Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance department bureau agency desk service branch division arm subdivision subdepartment 2 as in duty something one must do because of prior agreement one of the chief offices of a friend is to be there in someone's hour of need Synonyms & Similar Words duty responsibility obligation need promise commitment burden imperative vow requirement pledge do oath constraint charge incumbency payment setup contract pact arrangement appointment devoir compact word must debt reservation trust tribute restraint covenant prearrangement compulsion engagement force coercion troth duress onus Antonyms & Near Antonyms relief stay ease discharge exemption release grace waiver alternative option postponement choice selection preference loophole pick See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of office are duty, function, and province. While all these words mean "the acts or operations expected of a person or thing," office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others. they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor — W. E. Gladstone While the synonyms duty and office are close in meaning, duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling. it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case — R. B. Taney While in some cases nearly identical to office, function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work. the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information — Aldous Huxley The meanings of province and office largely overlap; however, province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one. I felt it was not my province to inquire — Anne Brontë
随便看	lay rector lay sermon lay siege to lay someone to rest lay something to rest lay stress on lay the blame for (something) at someone's door lay the blame for at someone's door lay the blame for something at someone's door lay the blame on lay the blame/responsibility on lay the foundation lay the groundwork lay the groundwork/foundation lay the responsibility on lay to lay to rest lay underwriter lay up lay upon lay vicar lay waste to lay with lay-by lay/put (all/all of) one's cards on the table

office

noun

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing office

Kids Definition

noun

Legal Definition

noun

noun

Synonym Chooser