offĭcĭo — Lewis & Short
offĭcĭo (obf-), ēci, ectum, 3, v. n. and
I a. [ob-facio], to come in the way of, to hinder, oppose, thwart, obstruct (class.; syn. obsto).
I Lit.
(a) Neutr.:
nunc quidem paululum, inquit, a sole: offecerat videlicet apricanti,hindered him from sunning himself, stood before him so as to intercept the sunshine, Cic. Tusc. 5, 32, 92: luminibus, to obstruct one's light:
jus vel altius tollendi aedes aut non tollendi, ne luminibus vicini officiatur,Gai. Inst. 2, 31; Dig. 8, 2, 2; 10; 23;
39, 1, 5 et saep.—So, in a fig.: nec mentis quasi luminibus officit altitudo fortunae et gloriae,Cic. Rab. Post. 16, 43:
demoliri ea, quorum altitudo officeret auspiciis,id. Off. 3, 16, 66:
ipsa umbra terrae soli officiens noctem efficit,intervening before, id. N. D. 2, 19, 49:
cum alii in angustiis ipsi sibi properantes officerent,Sall. J. 58, 6:
hostium itineri,id. ib. 52, 6: prospectui, Auct. B. Afr. 52.—
(b) Act. (only ante- and post-class.):
quapropter simul inter se retrahuntur et extra Officiuntur,are impeded, Lucr. 2, 156; 4, 763; 5, 776 (iter, Auct. B. Afr. 61, is prob. a gloss).—
II Trop., to stand in the way of, to oppose, obstruct, to be detrimental or hurtful to, to hurt (cf.:
obsisto, adversor, noceo): promitto tibi non offerturum,Plaut. As. 1, 1, 97:
cur te mihi offers, ac meis commodis, officio simulato, officis et obstas?Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 112; cf. id. ib. 2, 6:
consiliis alicujus,Sall. C. 27, 4:
timor animi auribus officit,id. ib. 58, 2:
nomini, i. e. famae, Liv. praef. 1: officiunt laetis frugibus herbae,hurt by shutting off light and moisture, Verg. G. 1, 69:
lactucae officiunt claritati oculorum,Plin. 20, 7, 26, § 68.—With quominus:
nec vero Isocrati, quominus haberetur summus orator, offecit, quod, etc.,Plin. Ep. 6, 29, 6.