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owed upon a general who raised the siege of a beleaguered place, or upon one who held out against a siege.

To offer with unreasonable importunity; to urge unduly or against the will. Milton.

Difference in favor of one and against another; excess of one of two things or numbers over the other; inequality; advantage; superiority; hence, excess of chances; probability. "Preëminent by so much odds." Milton. "The fearful odds of that unequal fray." Trench. The odds Is that we scare are men and you are gods. Sha…

To strike against; to attack; to assail. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

ffenses, and was raised again for our justification. Rom. iv. 25. I have given my opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without offense to their memories. Dryden.

ffensive and defensive, a leaque that requires all the parties to it to make war together against any foe, and to defend one another if attacked.

the church, after the office was done, the declaration setting forth the late conspiracy against the king's person. Evelyn. Holy office. Same as Inquisition, n., 3. -- Houses of office. Same as def. 7 above. Chaucer. -- Little office (R.C.Ch.), an office recited in honor of the Virgin Mary. -- Office bearer, an off…

In general, that which is set off, from, before, or against, something; as: --

To or against the surface of; -- used to indicate the motion of a thing as coming or falling to the surface of another; as, rain falls on the earth. Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken. Matt. xxi. 44.

would have well done, one should do one's self. It was well worth one's while. Hawthorne. Against this sort of condemnation one must steel one's self as one best can. G. Eliot.

h, trespass, or attack of any one; unprotected; exposed. If Demetrius . . . have a matter against any man, the law is open and there are deputies. Acts xix. 33. The service that I truly did his life, Hath left me open to all injuries. Shak.

To place in front of, or over against; to set opposite; to exhibit. Her grace sat down . . . In a rich chair of state; opposing freely The beauty of her person to the people. Shak.

Placed over against; standing or situated over against or in front; facing; -- often with to; as, a house opposite to the Exchange.

The state of being placed over against; situation so as to front something else. Milton.

To fight against; to attack; to be in conflict with; to oppose; to resist. They said the manner of their impeachment they could not but conceive did oppugn the rights of Parliament. Clarendon.

ss, etc. Farrow. -- Orderly room. (a) The court of the commanding officer, where charges against the men of the regiment are tried. (b) The office of the commanding officer, usually in the barracks, whence orders emanate. Farrow. -- Orderly sergeant, the first sergeant of a company.

To make drafts upon or against, in excess of the proper amount or limit.

To persuade or influence against one's inclination or judgment. Pope.

To strike the toe of the hind foot against the heel or shoe of the forefoot; -- said of horses.

To rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter; as, God overrules the purposes of men; the chairman overruled the point of order. His passion and animosity overruled his conscience. Clarendon. These [difficulties] I had habitually overruled. F. W. Newman.