6 → see also booking office , box office , post office , register office , registry office COLLOCATIONS office NOUN 5
adjective + office : public
verb + office : assume, hold, take; leave SYNONYMS office NOUN 2
branch: The local branch of Bank of America is handling the accounts.
department: He moved to the sales department.
division: …the bank's Latin American division.
o f|fice boy (office boys ) N‑COUNT An office boy is a young man, especially one who has just left school, who is employed in an office to do simple tasks. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
o ffice-holder (office-holders ) also office holder N‑COUNT An office-holder is a person who has an important official position in an organization or government. □ They appear to be in a mood to vote against office-holders in the elections.
o f|fice hou rs N‑PLURAL Office hours are the times when an office or similar place is open for business. For example, office hours in Britain are usually between 9 o'clock and 5 o'clock from Monday to Friday. □ If you have any queries, please call Anne Fisher during office hours.
of|fic|er ◆◆◆ /ɒ f I sə r , [AM ] ɔː f-/ (officers )
1 N‑COUNT In the armed forces, an officer is a person in a position of authority. □ …a retired British army officer. □ He was an officer in the Cadet Corps.
2 N‑COUNT An officer is a person who has a responsible position in an organization, especially a government organization. □ …a local authority education officer.
3 N‑COUNT Members of the police force can be referred to as officers . □ …senior officers in the West Midlands police force. □ Thank you, Officer.
4 → see also commanding officer , petty officer , pilot officer , police officer , probation officer , returning officer , warrant officer
of|fi|cial ◆◆◆ /əf I ʃ ə l/ (officials )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Official means approved by the government or by someone in authority. □ According to the official figures, over one thousand people died during the revolution. □ A report in the official police newspaper gave no reason for the move. ● of|fi|cial|ly ADV [oft ADV -ed, ADV after v] □ The nine-year civil war is officially over.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Official activities are carried out by a person in authority as part of their job. □ The President is in Brazil for an official two-day visit.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Official things are used by a person in authority as part of their job. □ …the official residence of the Head of State.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe someone's explanation or reason for something as the official explanation, you are suggesting that it is probably not true, but is used because the real explanation is embarrassing. □ The official reason given for the President's absence was sickness. ● of|fi|cial|ly ADV □ Officially, the guard was to protect us. In fact, they were there to report on our movements.
5 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] An official is a person who holds a position of authority in an organization. □ A senior U.N. official hopes to visit Baghdad this month.
6 N‑COUNT An official at a sports event is a referee, umpire, or other person who checks that the players follow the rules. SYNONYMS official ADJ 1
authorized: Only authorized personnel may enter the building.
approved: The approved method of cleaning is industrial sand-blasting.
sanctioned: The use of force is not sanctioned.
of|fi|cial|dom /əf I ʃ ə ldəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Officialdom is used to refer to officials who work for the government or in other organizations, especially when you think that their rules are unhelpful. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Officialdom has been against us from the start.
of|fi|ci|ate /əf I ʃie I t/ (officiates , officiating , officiated )
1 VERB When someone officiates at a ceremony or formal occasion, they are in charge and perform the official part of it. □ [V + at ] Bishop Silvester officiated at the funeral. □ [V ] A memorial service was held yesterday at Wadhurst Parish Church. The Rev Michael Inch officiated.
2 VERB When someone officiates at a sports match or competition, they are in charge and make sure the players do not break the rules. □ [V + at ] Mr Ellis was selected to officiate at a cup game between Grimsby and Rotherham. □ [V ] Frik Burger will officiate when the Pumas play Scotland. [Also V + in ]
of|fi|cious /əf I ʃəs/ ADJ If you describe someone as officious , you are critical of them because they are eager to tell people what to do when you think they should not. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ When people put on uniforms, their attitude becomes more confident and their manner more officious. ● of|fi|cious|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Lance Corporal Williams officiously ordered them out.
of|fing /ɒ f I ŋ, [AM ] ɔː f-/ PHRASE If you say that something is in the offing , you mean that it is likely to happen soon. □ A general amnesty for political prisoners may be in the offing.
o ff-ke y ADJ When music is off-key , it is not in tune. □ …wailing, off-key vocals and strangled guitars. ● ADV [ADV after v] Off-key is also an adverb. □ Moe was having fun banging the drums and singing off-key.