o'
Definition
Preposition (abbreviation of of):
- Used in informal or poetic contexts to indicate belonging, relation, or origin.
- Example: a cup o' tea (a cup of tea).
Preposition (abbreviation of on):
- Used in informal or dialectal speech to indicate position or time.
- Example: I dreamt of it o'nights (I dreamt of it on nights).
Usage Examples
Abbreviation of of:
- He's a man-o'-war. (A warship; literally "man of war.")
- It's a matter o' time. (It is a matter of time.)
Abbreviation of on:
- I'll see you o' Friday. (I will see you on Friday.)
- She works o' weekends. (She works on weekends.)
Advanced Usage
In fixed expressions: The form o' appears in many traditional phrases, especially in nautical or folk contexts.
- Jack-o'-lantern (a carved pumpkin, originally "Jack of the lantern")
- Will-o'-the-wisp (a ghostly light, originally "Will of the wisp")
In poetry or song lyrics: Used to maintain rhythm or create a colloquial tone.
- "The fog o' the sea" (poetic for "the fog of the sea")
Variants and Related Words
O'clock (adv): abbreviation of of the clock, used to indicate time.
- It's ten o'clock. (It is ten of the clock, i.e., ten hours.)
O'er (prep): abbreviation of over, used in poetry.
- The moon hangs o'er the hill. (The moon hangs over the hill.)
Synonyms
Of: the full form, used in standard English.
- A cup of tea (standard) vs. a cup o' tea (informal).
On: the full form, used in standard English.
- On nights (standard) vs. o'nights (dialectal).
Phrasal Verbs
Related Idioms
Man-o'-war: a type of warship.
- The man-o'-war sailed into port. (The warship arrived.)
Jack-o'-lantern: a carved pumpkin with a light inside.
- We made a jack-o'-lantern for Halloween. (We carved a pumpkin.)
Will-o'-the-wisp: a misleading or elusive thing.
- That promise was just a will-o'-the-wisp. (It was a false hope.)