| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
office (ˈɒfɪs) ![]() | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a. a room or set of rooms in which business, professional duties, clerical work, etc, are carried out |
| b. (as modifier): office furniture; an office boy | |
| 2. | (often plural) the building or buildings in which the work of an organization, such as a business or government department, is carried out |
| 3. | a commercial or professional business: the architect's office approved the plans |
| 4. | the group of persons working in an office: it was a happy office until she came |
| 5. | (capital when part of a name) (in Britain) a department of the national government: the Home Office |
| 6. | (capital when part of a name) in the US |
| a. a governmental agency, esp of the Federal government | |
| b. a subdivision of such an agency or of a department: Office of Science and Technology | |
| 7. | a. a position of trust, responsibility, or duty, esp in a government or organization: the office of president; to seek office |
| b. (in combination): an office-holder | |
| 8. | duty or function: the office of an administrator |
| 9. | (often plural) a minor task or service: domestic offices |
| 10. | (often plural) an action performed for another, usually a beneficial action: through his good offices |
| 11. | a place where tickets, information, etc, can be obtained: a ticket office |
| 12. | Christianity |
| a. (often plural) a ceremony or service, prescribed by ecclesiastical authorities, esp one for the dead | |
| b. the order or form of these | |
| c. RC Church the official daily service | |
| d. short for divine office | |
| 13. | (plural) the parts of a house or estate where work is done, goods are stored, etc |
| 14. | euphemistic (Brit) (usually plural) a lavatory (esp in the phrase usual offices) |
| 15. | in office (of a government) in power |
| 16. | out of office (of a government) out of power |
| 17. | slang the office a hint or signal |
| [C13: via Old French from Latin officium service, duty, from opus work, service + facere to do] | |