▪ I. offering, vbl. n.
(ˈɒfərɪŋ)
Forms: 1 offrung, 2–3 ofrung, 2–5 offringe, (3 -inke, -ingue), 3–6 offring, -yng(e, 4–6 offeringe, -yng(e, 6– offering.
[OE. offrung vbl. n. from offrian to offer. (Senses 1 a and 2 a were also expressed in ME. by offrand from Fr.)]
The action of the verb offer; that which is offered.
1. a. The presenting of something to God (or to a deity or object of worship) as an act of worship or devotion; sacrifice; oblation.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 456 Seo offrung is nu unalyfedlic æfter Cristes ðrowunge. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxiii. 19 Hwæþer ys mare þe offrung þe þæt weofud þe ᵹe-halᵹað þa offrunge? c 1160 Hatton G. ibid., Þe offreng..þa offrenge. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 47 Þat on is childbed, and þat oðer chirchgang, and þe þridde þe offring. c 1250 Old Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 27 Me sal to dai mor makie offrinke þan an oþren dai. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 154 To þe fertre of Saynt Agate Richard made offeryng. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 450 In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon, That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) v. 35 The kynges that made offryng to oure lord whan he was born. 1546 J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 80 Men saie long standyng and small offring Maketh poore persons. 1847 Tennyson Princ. iv. 112 And dress the victim to the offering up. |
| transf. c 1430 Lydg. Minor Poems (Percy Society) 53 And with his wynnyngis he makith his offryng At ale stakis, sittyng ageyn the moone. |
b. The action of the verb offer, in other senses: tender or presentation for acceptance, for sale, etc.
| 1668 Wilkins Real Char. ii. i. §5. 40 Offering,..profer, tender, bid,..overture. 1706 Phillips, Offering, the Act of him that offers. 1884 tr. Lotze's Logic 404 Offering seems, speaking generally, in favour of the seller..bidding is in favour of the buyer. 1900 Daily News 18 Sept. 2/5 Only moderate offerings of breadstuffs were made..holders still adopting an attitude of reserve. |
2. concr. a. Something presented to God (or to a deity, etc.) in worship or devotion; e.g. a slain animal, fruits, money, or other things, given as an expression of religious homage or as a feature of religious worship; a sacrifice; an oblation.
Often qualified by a prec. word expressive of its nature or purpose, esp. in Biblical terms relating to the Levitical Law; as burnt-, drink-, free-will-, guilt-, heave-, meal-, meat-, peace-, sin-, thank-, trespass-, wave-offering, etc.; see these under their first elements.
| c 1000 ælfric Gen. xxii. 7 Ic axiᵹe hwær seo offrung siᵹ. her ys wudu and fyr. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Matt. xxiii. 18 Swa hwilc swa swereð on þare ofrunge þe ofer {thbar} weofed ys, se is geltiᵹ. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11326 He wende to seinte freþeswiþe..& wel vaire is offringe to þe heye weued ber. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 489 Rather wolde he yeuen out of doute Vn to his poure parisshens aboute Of his offryng. 1451 Rolls of Parlt. V. 219/1 Tithes or offringes beyng in Spirituelx mens hondes. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 24, I preferre the trew knawlege of God abone all brount offeringis. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. ii. 39 Plucking the intrailes of an Offering forth. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 441 His Offring soon propitious Fire from Heav'n Consum'd. 1756–7 tr. Keysler's Trav. (1760) II. 341 That jewels..to the amount of many millions, shine as useless offerings in the church of Loretto. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid iii. 406 At the hallowed fires, when the offerings blaze to the skies. |
b. Something offered to a person for his acceptance, esp. as a tribute of honour or esteem; a present, a gift.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 362/2 Offerynge, or presaunt to a lorde at Crystemasse, or oþer tymys. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 156 All which rabble receive liberally from such as meet them, Offerings of good will and Charitie. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. xi. I. 315 Crowns of gold, the offerings of grateful cities. 1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal II. v. 105, I was not obliged to fling his offerings back in his face. |
c. Something offered to the public for entertainment, patronage, purchase, etc.; spec. a theatrical production.
Quot. 1820 has connotations of sense 2 a.
| 1820 Offering of Sunday-School Teacher p. iv, The Book is really what its title imports,—‘The Offering of a Sunday-School Teacher’ etc.; and it is equally adapted to the Sunday Schools of every denomination of Christians. 1834 Offering p. i, The increased demand for works of this description, has induced the Editor of ‘The Offering’ to usher into the world another of the class of books which, of all others, has met with the largest share of public patronage; and it is with peculiar pleasure that he again presents himself before his friends in the capacity of a compiler or gatherer. 1848 Sporting Life 29 Apr. 103/2 The Easter offerings at this house [sc. the Strand Theatre] are Woman's Faith and a new burlesque extravaganza. 1901 Munsey's Mag. July 587/1 There were so many offerings which critics and first night audiences liked,..which the paying public regarded with indifference. 1903 Boston Even. Transcript 29 Aug. 8/2 On Saturday next the Transcript will print an unusually attractive line of real estate offerings. 1932 New Yorker 11 June 46/2 If Mme. Sylva can summon so many listeners for subsequent offerings, her company should thrive. |
3. attrib. and Comb. as † offringlac (lake n.1).
| 995 in Kemble Cod. Dipl. VI. 130 Hio becwið vnto Cyrcan..hyre beteran ofring-sceat. c 1200 Ormin 639 Offringlac rihht god inoh Affterr hiss Faderr wille. 1512 in Southwell Visit. (1891) I. 15 That..the grettist bell..be rongen..all the offeryng tyme. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion, Rubric, At the offeryng daies appoynted, euery manne and woman shall paie to the Curate, the due and accustomed offerynges. 1591 Percivall Sp. Dict., Obléa, an offering, a rounde offering cake. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 490 They set it downe on their offering-stone, and worship it. 1784 Sir J. Cullum Hist. Hawsted (1813) 13 In 1358, the customary tenants paid their lord at Christmas a small rent, called offering-silver. 1853 Rock Ch. of Fathers III. ii. 33 Their offerings of bread and wine, which they brought..having their hands muffled up in a very clean fine linen cloth or offering-sheet. 1938 Herbert & Procter Telephony (ed. 2) II. ix. 371 The trunk offering selector and the trunk offering final selector together cater for a 4-digit numbering scheme. 1950 J. Atkinson Herbert & Procter's Telephony (new ed.) II. xxv. 778/1 The telephonist dials a special number over the trunk offering switching train to the exchange concerned. 1964 K. H. Brinkmann tr. Trautmann's Design Automatic Teleph. Exch. II. 63 An offering subgroup comprises the offering trunks which carry the traffic to such a subgroup. |
▪ II. ˈoffering, ppl. a.
[f. offer v. + -ing2.]
That offers, in various senses: see the verb.
| 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iv. i. 69 Wee of the offring side, Must keepe aloofe from strict arbitrement. 1656 Heylin Surv. France To Rdr., Men..must not expect to be alwaies on the offering hand, but be content to take such money as they use to give. a 1715 Burnet Own Time ii. (1724) I. 159 No person..had the courage to move the offering propositions for any limitation of prerogative. |