Office, subst. 1) particular duty: “not only in the simple o. of love,” Wiv. IV, 2, 5. “you have forgot a husband's o.” Err. III, 2, 2. “I will attend my husband, for it is my o.” V, 99. “the ministration and required o. on my particular,” All's II, 5, 65. “know the o. that belongs to such,” H6A III, 1, 55.
2) a charge conferred by public or private authority; a place: Lucr. 628. Tp. I, 2, 84. Wiv. V, 5, 44. Meas. I, 3, 40. II, 1, 276. IV, 2, 10. IV, 2, 10 V, 466. Err. III, 1, 44. Ado III, 3, 54. Ado III, 3, 54 Merch. II, 9, 41. Merch. II, 9, 41 Shr. Ind. 2, 36. R2 II, 3, 27. H4A V, 1, 34. H4B IV, 5, 130. V, 3, 120. V, 3, 120 H6A I, 1, 175. H6B I, 3, 138. R3 III, 7, 119. H8 I, 2, 16. H8 I, 2, 16 II, 4, 115. III, 2, 156. IV, 1, 15. V, 3, 33. Troil. I, 3, 88. Troil. I, 3, 88 V, 6, 4. Cor. II, 1, 238. II, 3, 129. III, 3, 64. Tim. I, 2, 207. Caes. IV, 3, 11. Mcb. I, 7, 18. Lr. IV, 6, 163. Oth. I, 3, 118. II, 3, 218. III, 3, 375. IV, 2, 91. IV, 2, 91 Ant. II, 3, 1. IV, 6, 27. Per. II, 1, 97.
3) the duty and function imposed by virtue of a place conferred: “do thy o., Muse,” Sonn. 101, 13. Meas. II, 2, 13. IV, 2, 129. Tw. III, 4, 359. H4B II, 1, 43. H5 III, 6, 148. “speak your o.” Tw. I, 5, 223. “so much my o.” H5 III, 6, 145. “it is my o.” H6B II, 4, 102. H6B II, 4, 102 “take thy o. from thee,” R3 IV, 1, 26. “your o., sergeant; execute it,” H8 I, 1, 198. “what are your --s,” Cor. III, 1, 35. “bears that o.” Tim. I, 2, 125.
4) any particular function, agency, or employment: they (the eyes) “resign their o. and their light,” Ven. 1039. “time's o. is to fine the hate of foes,” Lucr. 936. “who so base would such an o. have as slanderous death's-man to so base a slave?” Lucr. 936 “these --s shall profit thee and much enrich thy book,” Sonn. 77, 13. Pilgr. 196. Tp. I, 1, 40. I, 2, 312. V, 156. Gent. I, 2, 44. III, 2, 40. III, 2, 40 Meas. V, 369. Meas. V, 369 Ado II, 1, 183. Ado II, 1, 183 III, 1, 12. IV, 1, 268. V, 1, 27. V, 4, 14. LLL IV, 3, 332. V, 2, 350. Mids. II, 2, 8. Merch. II, 6, 43. II, 9, 61. As I, 2, 43. Shr. Ind. I, 73. IV, 1, 34. IV, 1, 34 V, 2, 36. All's IV, 3, 68. V, 2, 52. V, 3, 305. Wint. II, 2, 31. IV, 4, 582. V, 1, 77. John IV, 1, 119. V, 2, 177. V, 7, 71. R2 I, 3, 256. II, 1, 47. IV, 5, 177. H4A V, 1, 112. H4B Ind. H4A V, 1, 112 I, 1, 101. H5 II, 1, 88. H6B III, 2, 93. H6C I, 4, 109. V, 6, 19. R3 III, 5, 10. H8 II, 4, 190. Rom. IV, 5, 85. V, 1, 23. Tim. IV, 3, 237. Caes. V, 5, 29. Mcb. III, 3, 3. IV, 1, 68. Lr. III, 1, 42. V, 3, 248 (who hath the o. == who is on duty). Oth. I, 3, 394. III, 3, 410. Ant. I, 1, 5. II, 2, 216. III, 12, 10. Cymb. I, 6, 92. III, 5, 10. V, 5, 257.
5) an act of good will, a kind service: “I would I could do a good o. between you,” Wiv. I, 1, 102. III, 1, 49. “I will no more enforce mine o. on you,” All's II, 1, 129. “these thy --s, so rarely kind,” Wint. V, 1, 149. Merch. IV, 1, 33. All's IV, 4, 5. Tw. III, 4, 278. Wint. II, 3, 189. IV, 3, 81. R2 II, 2, 137. H4B IV, 4, 24. H5 II, 2, 33. V, 2, 29. Mcb. II, 3, 142. Lr. II, 1, 108. II, 4, 107. II, 4, 107 Oth. III, 4, 113 (Q1 duty). Per. II, 5, 48.
6) an act of worship: “for holy --s I have a time,” H8 III, 2, 144. “bows you to a morning's holy o.” Cymb. III, 3, 4.
7) persons entrusted with public functions, officers: “the o. did distinctly his full function,” H8 I, 1, 44. “the insolence of o.” Hml. III, 1, 73.
8) a room or apartment intended for particular duties attached to the service of a house: “unpeopled --s,” R2 I, 2, 69. “draw anew the model in fewer --s,” H4B I, 3, 47. “through the cranks and --s of man,” Cor. I, 1, 141. “when all our --s have been oppressed with riotus feeders,” Tim. II, 2, 167. “sent forth great largess to your --s,” Mcb. II, 1, 14. “all --s are open,” Oth. II, 2, 9.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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