Officiousness

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Officious \Of*fi"cious\, a. [L. officiosus: cf. F. officieux.
     See {Office}.]
     1. Pertaining to, or being in accordance with, duty. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              If there were any lie in the case, it could be no


              more than an officious and venial one. --Note on
                                                    Gen. xxvii.
                                                    (Douay
                                                    version).
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Disposed to serve; kind; obliging. [Archaic]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Yet not to earth are those bright luminaries
              Officious.                            --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              They were tolerably well bred, very officious,
              humane, and hospitable.               --Burke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Importunately interposing services; intermeddling in
        affairs in which one has no concern; meddlesome.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              You are too officious
              In her behalf that scorns your services. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: Impertinent; meddling. See {Impertinent}.
          [1913 Webster] -- {Of*fi"cious*ly}, adv. --
          {Of*fi"cious*ness}, n.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  officiousness
       n : aggressiveness as evidenced by intruding; by advancing
           yourself or your ideas without invitation [syn: {intrusiveness},
            {meddlesomeness}]