From  prep. Expressing separation or origin, followed by: 1 person, place, time, etc., that is the starting-point (dinner is served from 8; from start to finish). 2 place, object, etc. At a specified distance etc. (10 miles from rome; far from sure). 3 a source (gravel from a pit; quotations from shaw). B giver or sender (not heard from her). 4 thing or person avoided, deprived, etc. (released him from prison; took his gun from him). 5 reason, cause, motive (died from fatigue; did it from jealousy). 6 thing distinguished or unlike (know black from white). 7 lower limit (from 10 to 20 boats). 8 state changed for another (from being poor he became rich). 9 adverb or preposition of time or place (from long ago; from abroad; from under the bed).  from time to time occasionally. [old english]