O (continued 4)

Defn: Conceitedly. Feltham.

OPINIONATIST O*pin"ion*a*tist, n.

Defn: An opinionist. [Obs.]

OPINIONATIVE O*pin"ion*a*tive, a.

1. Unduly attached to one's own opinions; opinionated. Milton.

2. Of the nature of an opinion; conjectured. [Obs.] "Things both opinionative and practical." Bunyan. — O*pin"ion*a*tive*ly, adv. — O*pin"ion*a*tive*ness, n.

OPINIONATOR O*pin"ion*a`tor, n.

Defn: An opinionated person; one given to conjecture. [Obs.] South.

OPINIONED O*pin"ioned, a.

Defn: Opinionated; conceited. His opinioned zeal which he thought judicious. Milton.

OPINIONIST O*pin"ion*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. opinioniste.]

Defn: One fond of his own notions, or unduly attached to his own opinions. Glanvill.

OPIPAROUS O*pip"a*rous, a. Etym: [L. opiparus, fr. ops, opis, riches + parare to provide.]

Defn: Sumptuous. [Obs.] — O*pip"a*rous*ly, adv. [Obs.] E. Waterhouse.

OPISOMETER Op`i*som"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.]

Defn: An instrument with a revolving wheel for measuring a curved line, as on a map.

OPISTHION O*pis"thi*on, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The middle of the posterior, or dorsal, margin of the great foramen of the skull.

OPISTHOBRANCHIA; OPISTHOBRANCHIATA O*pis`tho*bran"chi*a, O*pis`tho*bran`chi*a"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of gastropod Mollusca, in which the breathing organs are usually situated behind the heart. It includes the tectibranchs and nudibranchs.

OPISTHOBRANCHIATE O*pis`tho*bran"chi*ate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Opisthobranchiata. — n.

Defn: One of the Opisthobranchiata.

OPISTHOCOELIAN; OPISTHOCOELOUS O*pis`tho*coe"li*an, O*pis`tho*coe"lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Concave behind; — applied especially to vertebræ in which the anterior end of the centrum is convex and the posterior concave.

OPISTHODOME O*pis"tho*dome, n. Etym: [L. opisthodomus, Gr. do`mos house: cf. F. opisthodome.] (Arch.)

Defn: A back chamber; especially, that part of the naos, or cella, farthest from the main entrance, sometimes having an entrance of its own, and often used as a treasury.

OPISTHOGLYPHA O*pis`tho*glyph"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of serpents which have some of the posterior maxillary teeth grooved for fangs.

OPISTHOGRAPHY Op`is*thog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

Defn: A writing upon the back of anything, as upon the back of a leaf or sheet already written upon on one side. [R.] Scudamore.

OPISTHOMI Op`is*tho"mi, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of eellike fishes having the scapular arch attached to the vertebræ, but not connected with the skull.

OPISTHOPULMONATE O*pis`tho*pul"mo*nate, a.Etym: [Gr. pulmonate.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the pulmonary sac situated posteriorly; — said of certain air-breathing Mollusca.

OPISTHOTIC Op`is*thot"ic, n. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The inferior and posterior of the three elements forming the periotic bone.

OPISTHOTONOS Op`is*thot"o*nos, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A tetanic spasm in which the body is bent backwards and stiffened.

OPITULATION O*pit`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. opitulatio, fr. opitulari to bring help.]

Defn: The act of helping or aiding; help. [Obs.] Bailey.

OPIUM O"pi*um, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: The inspissated juice of the Papaver somniferum, or white poppy.

Note: Opium is obtained from incisions made in the capsules of the plant, and the best flows from the first incision. It is imported into Europe and America chiefly from the Levant, and large quantities are sent to China from India, Persia, and other countries. It is of a brownish yellow color, has a faint smell, and bitter and acrid taste. It is a stimulant narcotic poison, which may produce hallicinations, profound sleep, or death. It is much used in medicine to soothe pain and inflammation, and is smoked as an intoxicant with baneful effects. Opium joint, a low resort of opium smokers. [Slang]

OPLE TREE O"ple tree`. Etym: [L. opulus a kind of maple tree.]

Defn: The witch-hazel. [Obs.] Ainsworth.

OPOBALSAM; OPOBALSAMUM Op`o*bal"sam, Op`o*bal"sa*mum, n. Etym: [L. opobalsamum, Gr. (Med.)

Defn: The old name of the aromatic resinous juice of the Balsamodendron opobalsamum, now commonly called balm of Gilead. See under Balm.

OPODELDOC Op`o*del"doc, n. Etym: [So called by Paracelsus. The first syllable may be fr. Gr.

1. A kind of plaster, said to have been invented by Mindererus, — used for external injuries. [Obs.]

2. A saponaceous, camphorated liniment; a solution of soap in alcohol, with the addition of camphor and essential oils; soap liniment.

OPOLCHENIE Op`ol*che"ni*e, n. [Russ., fr. opolchit' to make an army, polk army. Cf. Folk.] (Russia)

Defn: See Army organization, above.

OPOPANAX O*pop"a*nax, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. opopanax.]

Defn: The inspissated juice of an umbelliferous plant (the Opoponax Chironum), brought from Turkey and the East Indies in loose granules, or sometimes in larger masses, of a reddish yellow color, with specks of white. It has a strong smell and acrid taste, and was formerly used in medicine as an emmenagogue and antispasmodic. Dunglison.

OPOSSUM O*pos"sum, n. Etym: [Of N. American Indian origin.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any American marsupial of the genera Didelphys and Chironectes. The common species of the United States is Didelphys Virginiana.

Note: Several related species are found in South America. The water opossum of Brazil (Chironectes variegatus), which has the hind feet, webbed, is provided with a marsupial pouch and with cheek pouches. It is called also yapock. Opossum mouse. (Zoöl.) See Flying mouse, under Flying. — Opossum shrimp (Zoöl.), any schizopod crustacean of the genus Mysis and allied genera. See Schizopoda.

OPPIDAN Op"pi*dan, a. Etym: [L. oppidanus, fr. oppidum town.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a town. Howell.

OPPIDAN Op"pi*dan, n.

1. An inhabitant of a town.

2. A student of Eton College, England, who is not a King's scholar, and who boards in a private family.

OPPIGNERATE Op*pig"ner*ate, v. i. Etym: [L. oppigneratus, p.p. of oppignerare to pawn. See Ob-, and Pignerate.]

Defn: To pledge; to pawn. [Obs.] Bacon.

OPPILATE Op"pi*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Oppilated; p. pr. & vb. n. Oppilating.] Etym: [L. oppilatus, p.p. of oppilare to stop up; ob (see Ob-) + pilare to ram down, to thrust.]

Defn: To crowd together; to fill with obstructions; to block up. [Obs.] Cockeram.

OPPILATION Op`pi*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. oppilatio: cf. F. opilation.]

Defn: The act of filling or crowding together; a stopping by redundant matter; obstruction, particularly in the lower intestines. Jer. Taylor.

OPPILATIVE Op`pi*la*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. opilatif. See Oppilate.]

Defn: Obstructive. [Obs.] Sherwood.

OPPLETE; OPPLETED Op*plete", Op*plet"ed, a. Etym: [L. oppletus, p.p. of opplere to fill up; ob (see Ob-) + plere to fill.]

Defn: Filled; crowded. [Obs.] Johnson.

OPPLETION Op*ple"tion, n.

Defn: The act of filling up, or the state of being filled up; fullness. [Obs.]

OPPONE Op*pone", v. t. Etym: [L. opponere. See Opponent.]

Defn: To oppose. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

OPPONENCY Op*po"nen*cy, n.

Defn: The act of opening an academical disputation; the proposition of objections to a tenet, as an exercise for a degree. [Eng.] Todd.

OPPONENT Op*po"nent, a. Etym: [L. opponens, -entis, p.pr. of opponere to set or place against, to oppose; ob (see Ob-) + ponere to place. See Position.]

Defn: Situated in front; opposite; hence, opposing; adverse; antagonistic. Pope.

OPPONENT Op*po"nent, n.

1. One who opposes; an adversary; an antagonist; a foe. Macaulay.

2. One who opposes in a disputation, argument, or other verbal controversy; specifically, one who attacks some theirs or proposition, in distinction from the respondent, or defendant, who maintains it. How becomingly does Philopolis exercise his office, and seasonably commit the opponent with the respondent, like a long-practiced moderator! Dr. H. More.

Syn. — Antagonist; opposer; foe. See Adversary.

OPPORTUNE Op`por*tune", a. Etym: [F. opporiun, L. opportunus, lit., at or before the port; ob (see Ob-) + a derivative of portus port, harbor. See Port harbor.]

Defn: Convenient; ready; hence, seasonable; timely. Milton. This is most opportune to our need. Shak. — Op`por*tune"ly, adv. — Op`por*tune"ness, n.

OPPORTUNE Op`por*tune", v. t.

Defn: To suit. [Obs.] Dr. Clerke(1637).

OPPORTUNISM Op`por*tun"ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. opportunisme.]

Defn: The art or practice of taking advantage of opportunities or circumstances, or of seeking immediate advantage with little regard for ultimate consequences. [Recent]

OPPORTUNIST Op`por*tun"ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. opportuniste.]

Defn: One who advocates or practices opportunism. [Recent]

OPPORTUNITY Op`por*tu"ni*ty, n.; pl. Opportunities. Etym: [F. opportunité, L. opportunitas. See Opportune.]

1. Fit or convenient time; a time or place favorable for executing a purpose; a suitable combination of conditions; suitable occasion; chance. A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Bacon.

2. Convenience of situation; fitness. [Obs.] Hull, a town of great strength and opportunity, both to sea and land affairs. Milton.

3. Importunity; earnestness. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

Syn. — Occasion; convenience; occurrence. — Opportunity, Occasion. An occasion is that which falls in our way, or presents itself in the course of events; an opportunity is a convenience or fitness of time, place, etc., for the doing of a thing. Hence, occasions often make opportunities. The occasion of sickness may give opportunity for reflection.

OPPOSABILITY Op*pos`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The condition or quality of being opposable. In no savage have I ever seen the slightest approach to opposability of the great toe, which is the essential distinguishing feature of apes. A. R. Wallace.

OPPOSABLE Op*pos"a*ble, a.

1. Capable of being opposed or resisted.

2. Capable of being placed opposite something else; as, the thumb is opposable to the forefinger.

OPPOSAL Op*pos"al, n.

Defn: Opposition. [R.] Sir T. Herbert.

OPPOSE Op*pose", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Opposed; p. pr. & vb. n. Opposing.] Etym: [F. opposer. See Ob-, Pose, and cf.2d Appose, Puzzle, n. Cf.L. opponere, oppositum.]

1. To place in front of, or over against; to set opposite; to exhibit. Her grace sat down . . . In a rich chair of state; opposing freely The beauty of her person to the people. Shak.

2. To put in opposition, with a view to counterbalance or countervail; to set against; to offer antagonistically. I may . . . oppose my single opinion to his. Locke.

3. To resist or antagonize by physical means, or by arguments, etc.; to contend against; to confront; to resist; to withstand; as, to oppose the king in battle; to oppose a bill in Congress.

4. To compete with; to strive against; as, to oppose a rival for a prize. I am . . . too weak To oppose your cunning. Shak.

Syn. — To combat; withstand; contradict; deny; gainsay; oppugn; contravene; check; obstruct.

OPPOSE Op*pose", v. i.

1. To be set opposite. Shak.

2. To act adversely or in opposition; — with against or to; as, a servant opposed against the act. [Obs.] Shak.

3. To make objection or opposition in controversy.

OPPOSELESS Op*pose"less, a.

Defn: Not to be effectually opposed; irresistible. [Obs.] "Your great opposeless wills." Shak.

OPPOSER Op*pos"er, n.

Defn: One who opposes; an opponent; an antagonist; an adversary.

OPPOSITE Op"po*site, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. oppositus, p. p. of opponere. See Opponent.]

1. Placed over against; standing or situated over against or in front; facing; — often with to; as, a house opposite to the Exchange.

2. Applied to the other of two things which are entirely different; other; as, the opposite sex; the opposite extreme.

3. Extremely different; inconsistent; contrary; repugnant; antagonistic. Novels, by which the reader is misled into another sort of pieasure opposite to that which is designed in an epic poem. Dryden. Particles of speech have divers, and sometimes almost opposite, significations. Locke.

4. (Bot.) (a) Set over against each other, but separated by the whole diameter of the stem, as two leaves at the same node. (b) Placed directly in front of another part or organ, as a stamen which stands before a petal.

OPPOSITE Op"po*site, n.

1. One who opposes; an opponent; an antagonist. [Obs.] The opposites of this day's strife. Shak.

2. That which is opposed or contrary; as, sweetness and its opposite. The virtuous man meets with more opposites and opponents than any other. Landor.

OPPOSITELY Op"po*site*ly, adv.

Defn: In a situation to face each other; in an opposite manner or direction; adversely. Winds from all quarters oppositely blow. May.

OPPOSITENESS Op"po*site*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being opposite.

OPPOSITIFOLIOUS Op*pos`i*ti*fo"li*ous, a. Etym: [See Opposite, Folious.] (Bot.)

Defn: Placed at the same node with a leaf, but separated from it by the whole diameter of the stem; as, an oppositifolious peduncle.

OPPOSITION Op`po*si"tion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. oppositio. See Opposite.]

1. The act of opposing; an attempt to check, restrain, or defeat; resistance. The counterpoise of so great an opposition. Shak. Virtue which breaks through all opposition. Milton.

2. The state of being placed over against; situation so as to front something else. Milton.

3. Repugnance; contrariety of sentiment, interest, or purpose; antipathy. Shak.

4. That which opposes; an obstacle; specifically, the aggregate of persons or things opposing; hence, in politics and parliamentary practice, the party opposed to the party in power.

5. (Astron.)

Defn: The situation of a heavenly body with respect to another when in the part of the heavens directly opposite to it; especially, the position of a planet or satellite when its longitude differs from that of the sun 180º; — signified by the symbol as, .

6. (Logic)

Defn: The relation between two propositions when, having the same subject and predicate, they differ in quantity, or in quality, or in both; or between two propositions which have the same matter but a different form.

OPPOSITIONIST Op`po*si"tion*ist, n.

Defn: One who belongs to the opposition party. Praed.

OPPOSITIPETALOUS Op*pos`i*ti*pet"al*ous, a. Etym: [See Opposite, and Petal.] (Bot.)

Defn: Placed in front of a petal.

OPPOSITISEPALOUS Op*pos`i*ti*sep"al*ous, a. Etym: [See Opposite, and Sepal.] (Bot.)

Defn: Placed in front of a sepal.

OPPOSITIVE Op*pos`i*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. oppositif. See Opposite.]

Defn: Capable of being put in opposition. Bp. Hall.

OPPRESS Op*press", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Oppressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Oppressing.] Etym: [F. oppresser, LL. oppressare, fr. L. oppressus, p. p. of opprimere; ob (see Ob-) + premere to press. See Press.]

1. To impose excessive burdens upon; to overload; hence, to treat with unjust rigor or with cruelty. Wyclif. For thee, oppressèd king, am I cast down. Shak. Behold the kings of the earth; how they oppress Thy chosen ! Milton.

2. To ravish; to violate. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. To put down; to crush out; to suppress. [Obs.] The mutiny he there hastes to oppress. Shak.

4. To produce a sensation of weight in (some part of the body); as, my lungs are oppressed by the damp air; excess of food oppresses the stomach.

OPPRESSION Op*pres"sion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. oppressio.]

1. The act of oppressing, or state of being oppressed.

2. That which oppresses; a hardship or injustice; cruelty; severity; tyranny. "The multitude of oppressions." Job xxxv. 9.

3. A sense of heaviness or obstruction in the body or mind; depression; dullness; lassitude; as, an oppression of spirits; an oppression of the lungs. There gentlee Sleep First found me, and with soft oppression seized My drowsed sense. Milton.

4. Ravishment; rape. [Obs.] Chaucer.

OPPRESSIVE Op*press"ive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. oppressif.]

1. Unreasonably burdensome; unjustly severe, rigorous, or harsh; as, oppressive taxes; oppressive exactions of service; an oppressive game law. Macaulay.

2. Using oppression; tyrannical; as, oppressive authority or commands.

3. Heavy; overpowering; hard to be borne; as, oppressive grief or woe. To ease the soul of one oppressive weight. Pope. — Op*press"ive*ly, adv. — Op*press"ive*ness, n.

OPPRESSOR Op*press"or, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who oppresses; one who imposes unjust burdens on others; one who harasses others with unjust laws or unreasonable severity. The orphan pines while the oppressor feeds. Shak. To relieve the oppressed and to punish the oppressor. Swift.

OPPRESSURE Op*pres"sure, n.

Defn: Oppression. [Obs.]

OPPROBRIOUS Op*pro"bri*ous, a. Etym: [L. opprobriosus, fr. opprobrium. See Opprobrium.]

1. Expressive of opprobrium; attaching disgrace; reproachful; scurrilous; as, opprobrious language. They . . . vindicate themselves in terms no less opprobrious than those by which they are attacked. Addison.

2. Infamous; despised; rendered hateful; as, an opprobrious name. This dark, opprobrious den of shame. Milton. — Op*pro"bri*ous*ly, adv. — Op*pro"bri*ous*ness, n.

OPPROBRIUM Op*pro"bri*um, n. Etym: [L., fr. ob (see Ob-) + probrum reproach, disgrace.]

Defn: Disgrace; infamy; reproach mingled with contempt; abusive language. Being both dramatic author and dramatic performer, he found himself heir to a twofold opprobrium. De Quincey.

OPPROBRY Op*pro"bry, n.

Defn: Opprobrium. [Obs.] Johnson.

OPPUGN Op*pugn", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Oppugned; p pr. & vb. n. Oppugning.] Etym: [OF. oppugner, L. oppugnare; ob (see Ob-) + pugnare to fight. See Impugn.]

Defn: To fight against; to attack; to be in conflict with; to oppose; to resist. They said the manner of their impeachment they could not but conceive did oppugn the rights of Parliament. Clarendon.

OPPUGNANCY Op*pug"nan*cy, n. Etym: [See Oppugnant.]

Defn: The act of oppugning; opposition; resistance. Shak.

OPPUGNANT Op*pug"nant, a. Etym: [L. oppugnans, p. pr. of oppugnare. See Oppugn.]

Defn: Tending to awaken hostility; hostile; opposing; warring. "Oppugnant forces." I. Taylor. — n.

Defn: An opponent. [R.] Coleridge.

OPPUGNATION Op`pug*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. oppugnatio: cf. OF. oppugnation.]

Defn: Opposition. [R.] Bp. Hall.

OPPUGNER Op*pugn"er, n.

Defn: One who opposes or attacks; that which opposes. Selden.

OPSIMATHY Op*sim"a*thy, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Education late in life. [R.] Hales.

OPSIOMETER Op`si*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter: cf. F. opsiomètre.]

Defn: An instrument for measuring the limits of distincts vision in different individuals, and thus determiming the proper focal length of a lens for correcting imperfect sight. Brande & C.

OPSONATION Op`so*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. opsonatio.]

Defn: A catering; a buying of provisions. [Obs.] Bailey.

OPTABLE Op"ta*ble, a. Etym: [L. optabilis.]

Defn: That may be chosen; desirable. [Obs.] Cockeram.

OPTATE Op"tate, v. i. Etym: [L. optatus, p. p. of optare.]

Defn: To choose; to wish for; to desire. [Obs.] Cotgrave.

OPTATION Op*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. optatio. See Option.]

Defn: The act of optating; a wish. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

OPTATIVE Op"ta*tive, a. Etym: [L. optativus: cf. F. optatif.]

Defn: Expressing desire or wish. Fuller. Optative mood (Gram.), that mood or form of a verb, as in Greek, Sanskrit, etc., in which a wish or desire is expressed.

OPTATIVE Op"ta*tive, n. Etym: [Cf. F. optatif.]

1. Something to be desired. [R.] Bacon.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: The optative mood; also, a verb in the optative mood.

OPTATIVELY Op"ta*tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In an optative manner; with the expression of desire. [R.] God blesseth man imperatively, and man blesseth God optatively. Bp. Hall.

OPTIC Op"tic, n. Etym: [From Optic, a.]

1. The organ of sight; an eye. The difference is as great between The optics seeing, as the object seen. Pope.

2. An eyeglass. [Obs.] Herbert.

OPTIC; OPTICAL Op"tic, Op"tic*al, a. Etym: [F. optique, Gr. oculus eye. See Ocular, Eye, and cf. Canopy, Ophthalmia.]

1. Of or pertaining to vision or sight. The moon, whose orb Through optic glass the Tuscan artist views. Milton.

2. Of or pertaining to the eye; ocular; as, the optic nerves (the first pair of cranial nerves) which are distributed to the retina. See Illust. of Brain, and Eye.

3. Relating to the science of optics; as, optical works. Optic angle (Opt.), the angle included between the optic axes of the two eyes when directed to the same point; — sometimes called binocular parallax. — Optic axis. (Opt.) (a) A line drawn through the center of the eye perpendicular to its anterior and posterior surfaces. In a normal eye it is in the direction of the optic axis that objects are most distinctly seen. (b) The line in a doubly refracting crystal, in the direction of which no double refraction occurs. A uniaxial crystal has one such line, a biaxial crystal has two. — Optical circle (Opt.), a graduated circle used for the measurement of angles in optical experiments. — Optical square, a surveyor's instrument with reflectors for laying off right angles.

OPTICALLY Op"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: By optics or sight; with reference to optics. Optically active, Optically inactive (Chem. Physics), terms used of certain metameric substances which, while identical with each other in other respects, differ in this, viz., that they do or do not produce right-handed or left-handed circular polarization of light. — Optically positive, Optically negative. See under Refraction.

OPTICIAN Op*ti"cian, n. Etym: [Cf. F. opticien. See Optic, a.]

1. One skilled in optics. [R.] A. Smith.

2. One who deals in optical glasses and instruments.

OPTICS Op"tics, n. Etym: [Cf. F. optique, L. optice, Gr. Optic.]

Defn: That branch of physical science which treats of the nature and properties of light, the laws of its modification by opaque and transparent bodies, and the phenomena of vision.

OPTIGRAPH Op"ti*graph, n. Etym: [Optic + -graph: cf. F. opticographe. See Optic, a. ]

Defn: A telescope with a diagonal eyepiece, suspended vertically in gimbals by the object end beneath a fixed diagonal plane mirror. It is used for delineating landscapes, by means of a pencil at the eye end which leaves the delineation on paper.

OPTIMACY Op"ti*ma*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. optimatie. See Optimate.]

1. Government by the nobility. [R.] Howell.

2. Collectively, the nobility. [R.]

OPTIMATE Op"ti*mate, a. Etym: [L. optimas, -atis, adj., optimates, n. pl., the adherents of the best men, the aristocrats, fr. optimus the best.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the nobility or aristocracy. [R.] — n.

Defn: A nobleman or aristocrat; a chief man in a state or city. [R.] Chapman.

OPTIMATES Op`ti*ma"tes, n. pl. Etym: [L. See Optimate.]

Defn: The nobility or aristocracy of ancient Rome, as opposed to the populares.

OPTIME Op"ti*me, n. Etym: [L., adv. fr. optimus the best.]

Defn: One of those who stand in the second rank of honors, immediately after the wranglers, in the University of Cambridge, England. They are divided into senior and junior optimes.

OPTIMISM Op"ti*mism, n. Etym: [L. optimus the best; akin to optio choice: cf. F. optimisme. See Option.]

1. (Metaph.)

Defn: The opinion or doctrine that everything in nature, being the work of God, is ordered for the best, or that the ordering of things in the universe is such as to produce the highest good.

2. A disposition to take the most hopeful view; — opposed to pessimism.

OPTIMIST Op"ti*mist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. optimiste.]

1. (Metaph.)

Defn: One who holds the opinion that all events are ordered for the best.

2. One who looks on the bright side of things, or takes hopeful views; — opposed to pessimist.

OPTIMISTIC Op`ti*mis"tic, a.

1. (Metaph.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to optimism; tending, or conforming, to the opinion that all events are ordered for the best.

2. Hopeful; sanguine; as, an optimistic view.

OPTIMITY Op*tim"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. optimitas, fr. optimus the best.]

Defn: The state of being best. [R.] Bailey.

OPTION Op"tion, n. Etym: [L. optio; akin to optare to choose, wish, optimus best, and perh. to E. apt: cf. F. option.]

1. The power of choosing; the right of choice or election; an alternative. There is an option left to the United States of America, whether they will be respectable and prosperous, or contemptible and miserable, as a nation. Washington.

2. The exercise of the power of choice; choice. Transplantation must proceed from the option of the people, else it sounds like an exile. Bacon.

3. A wishing; a wish. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

4. (Ch. of Eng.)

Defn: A right formerly belonging to an archbishop to select any one dignity or benefice in the gift of a suffragan bishop consecrated or confirmed by him, for bestowal by himself when next vacant; — annulled by Parliament in 1845.

5. (Stock Exchange)

Defn: A stipulated privilege, given to a party in a time contract, of demanding its fulfillment on any day within a specified limit. Buyer's option, an option allowed to one who contracts to buy stocks at a certain future date and at a certain price, to demand the delivery of the stock (giving one day's notice) at any previous time at the market price. — Seller's option, an option allowed to one who contracts to deliver stock art a certain price on a certain future date, to deliver it (giving one day's notice) at any previous time at the market price. Such options are privileges for which a consideration is paid. — Local option. See under Local.

Syn. — Choice; preference; selection. — Option, Choice. Choice is an act of choosing; option often means liberty to choose, and implies freedom from constraint in the act of choosing.

OPTIONAL Op"tion*al, a.

Defn: Involving an option; depending on the exercise of an option; left to one's discretion or choice; not compulsory; as, optional studies; it is optional with you to go or stay. — n.

Defn: See Elective, n. If to the former the movement was not optional, it was the same that the latter chose when it was optional. Palfrey. Original writs are either optional or peremptory. Blackstone.

OPTIONALLY Op"tion*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an optional manner.

OPTOCOELE; OPTOCOELIA Op"to*coele, Op`to*coe"li*a, n. Etym: [NL. optocoelia, fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The cavity of one of the optic lobes of the brain in many animals. B. G. Wilder.

OPTOGRAM Op"to*gram, n. Etym: [Optic + -gram: cf. F. optogramme.] (Physiol.)

Defn: An image of external objects fixed on the retina by the photochemical action of light on the visual purple. See Optography.

OPTOGRAPHY Op*tog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Optic + -graphy.] (Physiol.)

Defn: The production of an optogram on the retina by the photochemical action of light on the visual purple; the fixation of an image in the eye. The object so photographed shows white on a purple or red background. See Visual purple, under Visual.

OPTOMETER Op*tom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Optic + -meter.] (Physiol.)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the distance of distinct vision, mainly for the selection of eveglasses.

OPTOMETRIST Op*tom"e*trist, n.

Defn: One who is skilled in or practices optometry.

OPTOMETRY Op*tom"e*try, n.

1. (Med.) Measurement of the range of vision, esp. by means of the optometer.

2. As defined (with minor variations) in the statutes of various States of the United States: (a) "The employment of subjective and objective mechanical means to determine the accomodative and refractive states of the eye and the scope of its function in general." (b) "The employment of any means, other than the use of drugs, for the measurement of the powers of vision and adaptation of lenses for the aid thereof."

OPULENCE Op"u*lence, n. Etym: [L. opulentia: cf. F. opulence. See Opulent.]

Defn: Wealth; riches; affluence. Swift

OPULENCY Op"u*len*cy, n.

Defn: See Opulence. Shak.

OPULENT Op"u*lent, a. Etym: [L. opulens, opulentus, fr. ops, opis, power, wealth, riches, perh. akin to E. apt: cf. F. opulent. Cf. Copious, Couple, Office.]

Defn: Having a large estate or property; wealthy; rich; affluent; as, an opulent city; an opulent citizen. — Op"u*lent*ly, adv. I will piece Her opulent throne with kingdoms. Shak.

OPUNTIA O*pun"ti*a, n. Etym: [NL.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of cactaceous plants; the prickly pear, or Indian fig.

OPUS O"pus, n.; pl. Opera. Etym: [L. See Opera.]

Defn: A work; specif. (Mus.), a musical composition.

Note: Each composition, or set of pieces, as the composer may choose, is called an opus, and they are numbered in the order of their issue. (Often abbrev. to op.)

Opus incertum. Etym: [L.] (Arch.) See under Incertum.

OPUSCLE; OPUSCULE O*pus"cle, O*pus"cule, n. Etym: [L. opusculum, dim. of opus work: cf. F. opuscule.]

Defn: A small or petty work.

OPUSCULUM O*pus"cu*lum, n.; pl. Opuscula. Etym: [L.]

Defn: An opuscule. Smart.

OPYE O"pye, n.

Defn: Opium. [Obs.] Chaucer.

OQUASSA O*quas"sa, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small, handsome trout (Salvelinus oquassa), found in some of the lakes in Maine; — called also blueback trout.

-OR -or. Etym: [L. -or: cf. OF. -or, -ur, -our, F. -eur.]

1. A noun suffix denoting an act; a state or quality; as in error, fervor, pallor, candor, etc.

2. A noun suffix denoting an agent or doer; as in auditor, one who hears; donor, one who gives; obligor, elevator. It is correlative to -ee. In general -or is appended to words of Latin, and -er to those of English, origin. See -er.

OR Or, conj. Etym: [OE. or, outher, other, auther, either, or, AS. aw, contr. from ahwæ; a aye + hwæ whether. See Aye, and Whether, and cf. Either.]

Defn: A particle that marks an alternative; as, you may read or may write, — that is, you may do one of the things at your pleasure, but not both. It corresponds to either. You may ride either to London or to Windsor. It often connects a series of words or propositions, presenting a choice of either; as, he may study law, or medicine, or divinity, or he may enter into trade. If man's convenience, health, Or safety interfere, his rights and claims Are paramount. Cowper.

Note: Or may be used to join as alternatives terms expressing unlike things or ideas (as, is the orange sour or sweet), or different terms expressing the same thing or idea; as, this is a sphere, or globe.

Note: Or sometimes begins a sentence. In this case it expresses an alternative or subjoins a clause differing from the foregoing. "Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone" Matt. vii. 9 (Rev. Ver. ). Or for either is archaic or poetic. Maugre thine heed, thou must for indigence Or steal, or beg, or borrow thy dispence. Chaucer.

OR Or, prep. & adv. Etym: [AS. ere, before. sq. root204. See Ere, prep. & adv.]

Defn: Ere; before; sooner than. [Obs.] But natheless, while I have time and space, Or that I forther in this tale pace. Chaucer. Or ever, Or ere. See under Ever, and Ere.

OR Or, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. aurum gold. Cf. Aureate.] (Her.)

Defn: Yellow or gold color, — represented in drawing or engraving by small dots.

ORA O"ra, n. Etym: [AS. See 2d Ore.]

Defn: A money of account among the Anglo-Saxons, valued, in the Domesday Book, at twenty pence sterling.

ORABASSU O`ra*bas"su, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A South American monkey of the genus Callithrix, esp. C. Moloch.

ORACH; ORACHE Or"ach, Or"ache, n. Etym: [F. arroche, corrupted fr. L. atriplex, Gr. Arrach.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus (Atriplex) of herbs or low shrubs of the Goosefoot family, most of them with a mealy surface. Garden orache, a plant (Atriplex hortensis), often used as a pot herb; — also called mountain spinach.

ORACLE Or"a*cle, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. oraculum, fr. orare to speak, utter, pray, fr. os, oris, mouth. See Oral.]

1. The answer of a god, or some person reputed to be a god, to an inquiry respecting some affair or future event, as the success of an enterprise or battle. Whatso'er she saith, for oracles must stand. Drayton.

2. Hence: The deity who was supposed to give the answer; also, the place where it was given. The oracles are dumb; No voice or hideous hum Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving. Milton.

3. The communications, revelations, or messages delivered by God to the prophets; also, the entire sacred Scriptures — usually in the plural. The first principles of the oracles of God. Heb. v. 12.

4. (Jewish Antiq.)

Defn: The sanctuary, or Most Holy place in the temple; also, the temple itself. 1 Kings vi. 19. Siloa's brook, that flow'd Fast by the oracle of God. Milton.

5. One who communicates a divine command; an angel; a prophet. God hath now sent his living oracle Into the world to teach his final will. Milton.

6. Any person reputed uncommonly wise; one whose decisions are regarded as of great authority; as, a literary oracle. "Oracles of mode." Tennyson. The country rectors . . . thought him an oracle on points of learning. Macaulay.

7. A wise sentence or decision of great authority.

ORACLE Or"a*cle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Oracled; p. pr. & vb. n. Oracling.]

Defn: To utter oracles. [Obs.]

ORACULAR O*rac"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. oracularius. See Oracle.]

1. Of or pertaining to an oracle; uttering oracles; forecasting the future; as, an oracular tongue.

2. Resembling an oracle in some way, as in solemnity, wisdom, authority, obscurity, ambiguity, dogmatism. They have something venerable and oracular in that unadorned gravity and shortness in the expression. Pope. — O*rac"u*lar*ly, adv. — O*rac"u*lar*ness, n.

ORACULOUS O*rac"u*lous, a.

Defn: Oracular; of the nature of an oracle. [R.] "Equivocations, or oraculous speeches." Bacon. "The oraculous seer." Pope. — O*rac"u*lous*ly, adv. — O*rac"u*lous*ness, n.

ORAGIOUS O*ra"gious, a. Etym: [F. orageux.]

Defn: Stormy. [R.]

ORAISON Or"ai*son, n.

Defn: See Orison. [Obs.] Shak.

ORAL O"ral, a. Etym: [L. os, oris, the mouth, akin to Skr. as. Cf. Adore, Orison, Usher.]

1. Uttered by the mouth, or in words; spoken, not written; verbal; as, oral traditions; oral testimony; oral law.

2. Of or pertaining to the mouth; surrounding or lining the mouth; as, oral cilia or cirri.

ORALLY O"ral*ly, adv.

1. In an oral manner. Tillotson.

2. By, with, or in, the mouth; as, to receive the sacrament orally. [Obs.] Usher.

ORANG O*rang", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Orang-outang.

ORANGE Or"ange, n. Etym: [F.; cf. It. arancia, arancio, LL. arangia, Sp. naranjia, Pg. laranja; all fr. Ar. naranj, Per. naranj, narang; cf. Skr. naranga orange tree. The o- in F. orange is due to confusion with or gold, L. aurum, because the orange resembles gold in color.]

1. The fruit of a tree of the genus Citrus (C. Aurantium). It is usually round, and consists of pulpy carpels, commonly ten in number, inclosed in a leathery rind, which is easily separable, and is reddish yellow when ripe.

Note: There are numerous varieties of oranges; as, the bitter orange, which is supposed to be the original stock; the navel orange, which has the rudiment of a second orange imbedded in the top of the fruit; the blood orange, with a reddish juice; and the horned orange, in which the carpels are partly separated.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The tree that bears oranges; the orange tree.

3. The color of an orange; reddish yellow. Mandarin orange. See Mandarin. — Mock orange (Bot.), any species of shrubs of the genus Philadelphus, which have whitish and often fragrant blossoms. — Native orange, or Orange thorn (Bot.), an Australian shrub (Citriobatus parviflorus); also, its edible yellow berries. — Orange bird (Zoöl.), a tanager of Jamaica (Tanagra zena); — so called from its bright orange breast. — Orange cowry (Zoöl.), a large, handsome cowry (Cypræa aurantia), highly valued by collectors of shells on account of its rarity. — Orange grass (Bot.), an inconspicuous annual American plant (Hypericum Sarothra), having minute, deep yellow flowers. — Orange oil (Chem.), an oily, terpenelike substance obtained from orange rind, and distinct from neroli oil, which is obtained from the flowers. — Orange pekoe, a kind of black tea. — Orange pippin, an orange-colored apple with acid flavor. — Quito orange, the orangelike fruit of a shrubby species of nightshade (Solanum Quitoense), native in Quito. — Orange scale (Zoöl.) any species of scale insects which infests orange trees; especially, the purple scale (Mytilaspis citricola), the long scale (M. Gloveri), and the red scale (Aspidiotus Aurantii).

ORANGE Or"ange, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an orange; of the color of an orange; reddish yellow; as, an orange ribbon.

ORANGEADE Or`ange*ade", n. Etym: [F., fr. orange.]

Defn: A drink made of orange juice and water, corresponding to lemonade; orange sherbet.

ORANGEAT Or`an*geat", n. Etym: [F., fr. orange.]

Defn: Candied orange peel; also, orangeade.

ORANGEISM Or"ange*ism, n.

Defn: Attachment to the principles of the society of Orangemen; the tenets or practices of the Orangemen.

ORANGEMAN Or"ange*man, n.; pl. -men (.

Defn: One of a secret society, organized in the north of Ireland in 1795, the professed objects of which are the defense of the regning sovereign of Great Britain, the support of the Protestant religion, the maintenance of the laws of the kingdom, etc.; — so called in honor of William, Prince of Orange, who became William III. of England.

ORANGEROOT Or"ange*root`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: An American ranunculaceous plant (Hidrastis Canadensis), having a yellow tuberous root; — also called yellowroot, golden seal, etc.

ORANGERY Or"an*ger*y, n. Etym: [F. orangerie, fr. orange. See Orange.]

Defn: A place for raising oranges; a plantation of orange trees.

ORANGETAWNY Or"ange*taw`ny, a. & n.

Defn: Deep orange-yellow; dark yellow. Shak.

ORANGITE Or"an*gite, (Min.)

Defn: An orange-yellow variety of the mineral thorite, found in Norway.

ORANG-OUTANG O*rang"-ou*tang`, n. Etym: [Malayan , i. e., man of the woods; man + a forest, wood, wild, savage.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An arboreal anthropoid ape (Simia satyrus), which inhabits Borneo and Sumatra. Often called simply orang. [Written also orang- outan, orang-utan, ourang-utang, and oran-utan.]

Note: It is over four feet high, when full grown, and has very long arms, which reach nearly or quite to the ground when the body is erect. Its color is reddish brown. In structure, it closely resembles man in many respects.

ORARIAN O*ra"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. orarius, fr. ora coast.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a coast.

ORATION O*ra"tion, n.Etym: [L. oratio, fr. orare to speak, utter, pray. See Oral, Orison.]

Defn: An elaborate discourse, delivered in public, treating an important subject in a formal and dignified manner; especially, a discourse having reference to some special occasion, as a funeral, an anniversary, a celebration, or the like; — distinguished from an argument in court, a popular harangue, a sermon, a lecture, etc.; as, Webster's oration at Bunker Hill. The lord archbishop . . . made a long oration. Bacon.

Syn. — Address; speech. See Harangue.

ORATION O*ra"tion, v. i.

Defn: To deliver an oration. Donne.

ORATOR Or"a*tor, n. Etym: [L., fr. orare to speak, utter. See Oration.]

1. A public speaker; one who delivers an oration; especially, one distinguished for his skill and power as a public speaker; one who is eloquent. I am no orator, as Brutus is. Shak. Some orator renowned In Athens or free Rome. Milton.

2. (Law) (a) In equity proceedings, one who prays for relief; a petitioner. (b) A plaintiff, or complainant, in a bill in chancery. Burrill.

3. (Eng. Universities)

Defn: An officer who is the voice of the university upon all public occasions, who writes, reads, and records all letters of a public nature, presents, with an appropriate address, those persons on whom honorary degrees are to be conferred, and performs other like duties; — called also public orator.

ORATORIAL Or`a*to"ri*al, a.

Defn: Oratorical. [R.] Swift. —Or`a*to"ri*al*ly, adv.

ORATORIAN Or`a*to"ri*an, a.

Defn: Oratorical. [Obs.] R. North.

ORATORIAN Or`a*to"ri*an, n. Etym: [Cf. F. oratorien.] (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: See Fathers of the Oratory, under Oratory.

ORATORICAL Or`a*tor"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an orator or to oratory; characterized by oratory; rhetorical; becoming to an orator; as, an oratorical triumph; an oratorical essay. — Or`a*tor"ic*al*ly, adv.

ORATORIO Or`a*to"ri*o, n. Etym: [It., fr. L. oratorius belonging to praying. See Orator, and cf. Oratory.]

1. (Mus.)

Defn: A more or less dramatic text or poem, founded on some Scripture nerrative, or great divine event, elaborately set to music, in recitative, arias, grand choruses, etc., to be sung with an orchestral accompaniment, but without action, scenery, or costume, although the oratorio grew out of the Mysteries and the Miracle and Passion plays, which were acted.

Note: There are instances of secular and mythological subjects treated in the form of the oratorios, and called oratorios by their composers; as Haydn's "Seasons," Handel's "Semele," etc.

2. Performance or rendering of such a composition.

ORATORIOUS Or`a*to"ri*ous, a. Etym: [LL. oratorius.]

Defn: Oratorical. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor. — Or`a*to"ri*ous*ly, adv. [Obs.]

ORATORIZE Or"a*tor*ize, v. i.

Defn: To play the orator. [Jocose or derisive] Dickens.

ORATORY Or"a*to*ry, n.; pl. Oratories. Etym: [OE. oratorie, fr. L. oratorium, fr. oratorius of praying, of an orator: cf. F. oratoire. See Orator, Oral, and cf. Oratorio.]

Defn: A place of orisons, or prayer; especially, a chapel or small room set apart for private devotions. An oratory [temple] . . . in worship of Dian. Chaucer. Do not omit thy prayers for want of a good oratory, or place to pray in. Jer. Taylor. Fathers of the Oratory (R. C. Ch.), a society of priests founded by St. Philip Neri, living in community, and not bound by a special vow. The members are called also oratorians.

ORATORY Or"a*to*ry, n. Etym: [L. oratoria (sc. ars) the oratorical art.]

Defn: The art of an orator; the art of public speaking in an eloquent or effective manner; the exercise of rhetorical skill in oral discourse; eloquence. "The oratory of Greece and Rome." Milton. When a world of men Could not prevail with all their oratory. Shak.

ORATRESS Or"a*tress, n.

Defn: A woman who makes public addresses. Warner.

ORATRIX Or"a*trix, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A woman plaintiff, or complainant, in equity pleading. Burrill.

ORB Orb, n. Etym: [OF. orb blind, fr. L. orbus destitute.] (Arch.)

Defn: A blank window or panel. [Obs.] Oxf. Gloss.

ORB Orb, n. Etym: [F. orbe, fr. L. orbis circle, orb. Cf. Orbit.]

1. A spherical body; a globe; especially, one of the celestial spheres; a sun, planet, or star. In the small orb of one particular tear. Shak. Whether the prime orb, Incredible how swift, had thither rolled. Milton.

2. One of the azure transparent spheres conceived by the ancients to be inclosed one within another, and to carry the heavenly bodies in their revolutions.

3. A circle; esp., a circle, or nearly circular orbit, described by the revolution of a heavenly body; an orbit. The schoolmen were like astronomers, which did feign eccentrics, and epicycles, and such engines of orbs. Bacon. You seem to me as Dian in her orb. Shak. In orbs Of circuit inexpressible they stood, Orb within orb. Milton.

4. A period of time marked off by the revolution of a heavenly body. [R.] Milton.

5. The eye, as luminous and spherical. [Poetic] A drop serene hath quenched their orbs. Milton.

6. A revolving circular body; a wheel. [Poetic] The orbs Of his fierce chariot rolled. Milton.

7. A sphere of action. [R.] Wordsworth. But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe. Shak

8. Same as Mound, a ball or globe. See lst Mound.

9. (Mil.)

Defn: A body of soldiers drawn up in a circle, as for defense, esp. infantry to repel cavalry.

Syn. — Globe; ball; sphere. See Globe.

ORB Orb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Orbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Orbing.]

1. To form into an orb or circle. [Poetic] Milton. Lowell.

2. To encircle; to surround; to inclose. [Poetic] The wheels were orbed with gold. Addison.

ORB Orb, v. i.

Defn: To become round like an orb. [Poetic] And orb into the perfect star. Tennyson.

ORBATE Or"bate, a. Etym: [L. orbatus, p. p. of orbare to bereave, fr. orbus bereaved of parents or children. See Orphan.]

Defn: Bereaved; fatherless; childless. [Obs.]

ORBATION Or*ba"tion, n. Etym: [L. orbatio.]

Defn: The state of being orbate, or deprived of parents or children; privation, in general; bereavement. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

ORBED Orbed, a.

Defn: Having the form of an orb; round. The orbèd eyelids are let down. Trench.

ORBIC; ORBICAL Or"bic, Or"bic*al, a. Etym: [L. orbicus, or orbitus, fr. orbis orb.]

Defn: Spherical; orbicular; orblike; circular. [R.] Bacon.

ORBICLE Or"bi*cle, n. Etym: [L. orbiculus, dim. of orbis orb.]

Defn: A small orb, or sphere. [Obs.] G. Fletcher.

ORBICULA Or*bic"u*la, n. Etym: [NL. See Orbicle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Discina.

ORBICULAR Or*bic"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. orbicularis, fr. orbiculus, dim. of orbis orb: cf. F. orbiculaire.]

Defn: Resembling or having the form of an orb; spherical; circular; orbiculate. — Or*bic"u*lar*ly, adv. — Or*bic"u*lar*ness, n. Orbicular as the disk of a planet. De Quincey.

ORBICULATE Or*bic"u*late, n.

Defn: That which is orbiculate; especially, a solid the vertical section of which is oval, and the horizontal section circular.

ORBICULATE; ORBICULATED Or*bic"u*late, Or*bic"u*la`ted, a. Etym: [L. orbiculatus. See Orbicular.]

Defn: Made, or being, in the form of an orb; having a circular, or nearly circular, or a spheroidal, outline. Orbiculate leaf (Bot.), a leaf whose outline is nearly circular.

ORBICULATION Or*bic`u*la"tion, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being orbiculate; orbicularness. Dr. H. More.

ORBIT Or"bit, n. Etym: [L. orbita a track or rut made by a wheel, course, circuit, fr. orbis a circle: cf. F. orbite. See 2d Orb.]

1. (Astron.)

Defn: The path described by a heavenly body in its periodical revolution around another body; as, the orbit of Jupiter, of the earth, of the moon.

2. An orb or ball. [Rare & Improper] Roll the lucid orbit of an eye. Young.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: The cavity or socket of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The skin which surrounds the eye of a bird.

ORBITAL Or"bit*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an orbit. "Orbital revolution." J. D. Forbes. Orbital index (Anat.), in the skull, the ratio of the vertical height to the transverse width of the orbit, which is taken as the standard, equal to 100.

ORBITAR Or"bit*ar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. orbitaire.]

Defn: Orbital. [R.] Dunglison.

ORBITARY Or"bit*a*ry, a.

Defn: Situated around the orbit; as, the orbitary feathers of a bird.

ORBITELAE Or`bi*te"læ, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. orbis an orb + tela a web.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of spiders, including those that make geometrical webs, as the garden spider, or Epeira.

ORBITOLITES Or`bi*to*li"tes, n. Etym: [NL. See Orbit, and -lite.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of living Foraminifera, forming broad, thin, circular disks, containing numerous small chambers.

ORBITONASAL Or`bi*to*na"sal, a. Etym: [Orbit + nasal.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the orbit and the nose; as, the orbitonasal, or ophthalmic, nerve.

ORBITOSPHENOID Or`bi*to*sphe"noid, a. Etym: [Orbit + sphenoid.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the sphenoid bone and the orbit, or to the orbitosphenoid bone. — n.

Defn: The orbitosphenoid bone, which is situated in the orbit on either side of the presphenoid. It generally forms a part of the sphenoid in the adult.

ORBITOSPHENOIDAL Or`bi*to*sphe*noid"al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the orbitosphenoid bone; orbitosphenoid.

ORBITUARY Or*bit"u*a*ry, a.

Defn: Orbital. [R.]

ORBITUDE; ORBITY Or"bi*tude, Or"bi*ty, n. Etym: [L. orbitudo, orbitas, fr. orbus: cf. F. orbité. See Orbate.]

Defn: Orbation. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

ORBULINA Or`bu*li"na, n. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. orbis orb.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of minute living Foraminifera having a globular shell.

ORBY Orb"y, a. Etym: [From 2d Orb.]

Defn: Orblike; having the course of an orb; revolving. [Obs.] "Orby hours." Chapman.

ORC Orc, n. Etym: [L. orca: cf. F. orque.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The grampus. [Written also ork and orch.] Milton.

ORCADIAN Or*ca"di*an, a. Etym: [L. Orcades the Orkney Islands.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Orkney Islands.

ORCEIN Or"ce*in, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A reddish brown amorphous dyestuff,

ORCHAL Or"chal, n.

Defn: See Archil.

ORCHANET Or"cha*net, n. Etym: [F. orcanète.] (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Alkanet, 2. Ainsworth.

ORCHARD Or"chard, n. Etym: [AS. ortgeard, wyrtgeard, lit., wortyard, i. e., a yard for herbs; wyrt herb + geard yard. See Wort, Yard inclosure.]

1. A garden. [Obs.]

2. An inclosure containing fruit trees; also, the fruit trees, collectively; — used especially of apples, peaches, pears, cherries, plums, or the like, less frequently of nutbearing trees and of sugar maple trees. Orchard grass (Bot.), a tall coarse grass (Dactylis glomerata), introduced into the United States from Europe. It grows usually in shady places, and is of value for forage and hay. — Orchard house (Hort.), a glazed structure in which fruit trees are reared in pots. — Orchard oriole (Zool.), a bright-colored American oriole (Icterus spurius), which frequents orchards. It is smaller and darker thah the Baltimore oriole.

ORCHARDING Or"chard*ing, n.

1. The cultivation of orchards.

2. Orchards, in general.

ORCHARDIST Or"chard*ist, n.

Defn: One who cultivates an orchard.

ORCHEL Or"chel, n.

Defn: Archil.

ORCHESOGRAPHY Or`che*sog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

Defn: A treatise upon dancing. [R.]

ORCHESTER Or"ches*ter, n.

Defn: See Orchestra.

ORCHESTIAN Or*ches"tian, n. Etym: [From Gr. Orchestra.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of amphipod crustacean of the genus Orchestia, or family Orchestidæ. See Beach flea, under Beach.

ORCHESTRA Or"ches*tra, n. Etym: [L. orchestra, Gr. orchestre.]

1. The space in a theater between the stage and the audience; — originally appropriated by the Greeks to the chorus and its evolutions, afterward by the Romans to persons of distinction, and by the moderns to a band of instrumental musicians.

2. The place in any public hall appropriated to a band of instrumental musicians.

3. (Mus.) (a) Loosely: A band of instrumental musicians performing in a theater, concert hall, or other place of public amusement. (b) Strictly: A band suitable for the performance of symphonies, overtures, etc., as well as for the accompaniment of operas, oratorios, cantatas, masses, and the like, or of vocal and instrumental solos. (c) A band composed, for the largest part, of players of the various viol instruments, many of each kind, together with a proper complement of wind instruments of wood and brass; — as distinguished from a military or street band of players on wind instruments, and from an assemblage of solo players for the rendering of concerted pieces, such as septets, octets, and the like.

4. (Mus.)

Defn: The instruments employed by a full band, collectively; as, an orchestra of forty stringed instruments, with proper complement of wind instruments.

ORCHESTRAL Or"ches*tral, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an orchestra; suitable for, or performed in or by, an orchestra.

ORCHESTRATION Or`ches*tra"tion, n. (Mus.)

Defn: The arrangement of music for an orchestra; orchestral treatment of a composition; — called also instrumentation.

ORCHESTRE Or"ches*tre, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Orchestra.

ORCHESTRIC Or*ches"tric, a.

Defn: Orchestral.

ORCHESTRION Or*ches"tri*on, n.

Defn: A large music box imitating a variety of orchestral instruments.

ORCHID Or"chid, n. Etym: [See Orchis.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the order Orchidaceæ. See Orchidaceous.

ORCHIDACEOUS Or`chi*da"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, a natural order (Orchidaceæ) of endogenous plants of which the genus Orchis is the type. They are mostly perennial herbs having the stamens and pistils united in a single column, and normally three petals and three sepals, all adherent to the ovary. The flowers are curiously shaped, often resembling insects, the odd or lower petal (called the lip) being unlike the others, and sometimes of a strange and unexpected appearance. About one hundred species occur in the United States, but several thousand in the tropics.

Note: Over three hundred genera are recognized.

ORCHIDEAN Or*chid"e*an, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Orchidaceous.

ORCHIDEOUS Or*chid"e*ous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Orchidaceous.

ORCHIDOLOGIST Or`chid*ol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed in orchidology.

ORCHIDOLOGY Or`chid*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: The branch of botany which treats of orchids.

ORCHIL Or"chil, n.

Defn: See Archil.

ORCHILLA WEED Or*chil"la weed`. (Bot.)

Defn: The lichen from which archil is obtained. See Archil.

ORCHIS Or"chis, n.; pl. Orchises. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of endogenous plants growing in the North Temperate zone, and consisting of about eighty species. They are perennial herbs growing from a tuber (beside which is usually found the last year's tuber also), and are valued for their showy flowers. See Orchidaceous.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the same family with the orchis; an orchid.

Note: The common names, such as bee orchis, fly orchis, butterfly orchis, etc., allude to the peculiar form of the flower.

ORCHITIS Or*chi"tis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -itis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the testicles.

ORCHOTOMY Or*chot"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (Surg.)

Defn: The operation of cutting out or removing a testicle by the knife; castration.

ORCIN Or"cin, n. Etym: [Etymology uncertain: cf. F. orcine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless crystalline substance, C6H3.CH3.(OH)2, which is obtained from certain lichens (Roccella, Lecanora, etc.), also from extract of aloes, and artificially from certain derivatives of toluene. It changes readily into orcein.

ORD Ord, n. Etym: [AS. ord point.]

Defn: An edge or point; also, a beginning. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Chaucer. Ord and end, the beginning and end. Cf. Odds and ends, under Odds. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Chaucer. Halliwell.

ORDAIN Or*dain", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ordained; p. pr. & vb. n. Ordaining.] Etym: [OE. ordeinen, OF. ordener, F. ordonner, fr. L. ordinare, from ordo, ordinis, order. See Order, and cf. Ordinance.]

1. To set in order; to arrange according to rule; to regulate; to set; to establish. "Battle well ordained." Spenser. The stake that shall be ordained on either side. Chaucer.

2. To regulate, or establish, by appointment, decree, or law; to constitute; to decree; to appoint; to institute. Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month. 1 Kings xii. 32. And doth the power that man adores ordain Their doom Byron.

3. To set apart for an office; to appoint. Being ordained his special governor. Shak.

4. (Eccl.)

Defn: To invest with ministerial or sacerdotal functions; to introduce into the office of the Christian ministry, by the laying on of hands, or other forms; to set apart by the ceremony of ordination. Meletius was ordained by Arian bishops. Bp. Stillingfleet.

ORDAINABLE Or*dain"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being ordained; worthy to be ordained or appointed. Bp. Hall.

ORDAINER Or*dain"er, n.

Defn: One who ordains.

ORDAINMENT Or*dain"ment, n.

Defn: Ordination. [R.] Burke.

ORDAL Or"dal, n.

Defn: Ordeal. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ORDALIAN Or*da"li*an, a. Etym: [LL. orda.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to trial by ordeal. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

ORDEAL Or"de*al, n. Etym: [AS. ordal, ord, a judgment; akin to D. oordeel, G. urteil, urtheil; orig., what is dealt out, the prefix or- being akin to a- compounded with verbs, G. er-, ur-, Goth. us-, orig. meaning, out. See Deal, v. & n., and cf. Arise, Ort.]

1. An ancient form of test to determine guilt or innocence, by appealing to a supernatural decision, — once common in Europe, and still practiced in the East and by savage tribes.

Note: In England ordeal by fire and ordeal by water were used, the former confined to persons of rank, the latter to the common people. The ordeal by fire was performed, either by handling red-hot iron, or by walking barefoot and blindfold over red-hot plowshares, laid at unequal distances. If the person escaped unhurt, he was adjudged innocent; otherwise he was condemned as guilty. The ordeal by water was performed, either by plunging the bare arm to the elbow in boiling water, an escape from injury being taken as proof of innocence, or by casting the accused person, bound hand and foot, into a river or pond, when if he floated it was an evidence of guilt, but if he sunk he was acquitted. It is probable that the proverbial phrase, to go through fire and water, denoting severe trial or danger, is derived from the ordeal. See Wager of battle, under Wager.

2. Any severe trial, or test; a painful experience. Ordeal bean. (Bot.) See Calabar bean, under Calabar. — Ordeal root (Bot.) the root of a species of Strychnos growing in West Africa, used, like the ordeal bean, in trials for witchcraft. — Ordeal tree (Bot.), a poisonous tree of Madagascar (Tanghinia, or Cerbera, venenata). Persons suspected of crime are forced to eat the seeds of the plumlike fruit, and criminals are put to death by being pricked with a lance dipped in the juice of the seeds.

ORDEAL Or"de*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to trial by ordeal.

ORDER Or"der, n. Etym: [OE. ordre, F. ordre, fr. L. ordo, ordinis. Cf. Ordain, Ordinal.]

1. Regular arrangement; any methodical or established succession or harmonious relation; method; system; as: (a) Of material things, like the books in a library. (b) Of intellectual notions or ideas, like the topics of a discource. (c) Of periods of time or occurrences, and the like. The side chambers were . . . thirty in order. Ezek. xli. 6. Bright-harnessed angels sit in order serviceable. Milton. Good order is the foundation of all good things. Burke.

2. Right arrangement; a normal, correct, or fit condition; as, the house is in order; the machinery is out of order. Locke.

3. The customary mode of procedure; established system, as in the conduct of debates or the transaction of business; usage; custom; fashion. Dantiel. And, pregnant with his grander thought, Brought the old order into doubt. Emerson.

4. Conformity with law or decorum; freedom from disturbance; general tranquillity; public quiet; as, to preserve order in a community or an assembly.

5. That which prescribes a method of procedure; a rule or regulation made by competent authority; as, the rules and orders of the senate. The church hath authority to establish that for an order at one time which at another time it may abolish. Hooker.

6. A command; a mandate; a precept; a direction. Upon this new fright, an order was made by both houses for disarming all the papists in England. Clarendon.

7. Hence: A commission to purchase, sell, or supply goods; a direction, in writing, to pay money, to furnish supplies, to admit to a building, a place of entertainment, or the like; as, orders for blankets are large. In those days were pit orders — beshrew the uncomfortable manager who abolished them. Lamb.

8. A number of things or persons arranged in a fixed or suitable place, or relative position; a rank; a row; a grade; especially, a rank or class in society; a group or division of men in the same social or other position; also, a distinct character, kind, or sort; as, the higher or lower orders of society; talent of a high order. They are in equal order to their several ends. Jer. Taylor. Various orders various ensigns bear. Granville. Which, to his order of mind, must have seemed little short of crime. Hawthorne.

9. A body of persons having some common honorary distinction or rule of obligation; esp., a body of religious persons or aggregate of convents living under a common rule; as, the Order of the Bath; the Franciscan order. Find a barefoot brother out, One of our order, to associate me. Shak. The venerable order of the Knights Templars. Sir W. Scott.

10. An ecclesiastical grade or rank, as of deacon, priest, or bishop; the office of the Christian ministry; — often used in the plural; as, to take orders, or to take holy orders, that is, to enter some grade of the ministry.

11. (Arch.)

Defn: The disposition of a column and its component parts, and of the entablature resting upon it, in classical architecture; hence (as the column and entablature are the characteristic features of classical architecture) a style or manner of architectural designing.

Note: The Greeks used three different orders, easy to distinguish, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The Romans added the Tuscan, and changed the Doric so that it is hardly recognizable, and also used a modified Corinthian called Composite. The Renaissance writers on architecture recognized five orders as orthodox or classical, — Doric (the Roman sort), Ionic, Tuscan, Corinthian, and Composite. See Illust. of Capital.

12. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: An assemblage of genera having certain important characters in common; as, the Carnivora and Insectivora are orders of Mammalia.

Note: The Linnæan artificial orders of plants rested mainly on identity in the numer of pistils, or agreement in some one character. Natural orders are groups of genera agreeing in the fundamental plan of their flowers and fruit. A natural order is usually (in botany) equivalent to a family, and may include several tribes.

13. (Rhet.)

Defn: The placing of words and members in a sentence in such a manner as to contribute to force and beauty or clearness of expression.

14. (Math.)

Defn: Rank; degree; thus, the order of a curve or surface is the same as the degree of its equation. Artificial order or system. See Artificial classification, under Artificial, and Note to def. 12 above. — Close order (Mil.), the arrangement of the ranks with a distance of about half a pace between them; with a distance of about three yards the ranks are in Ant: open order. — The four Orders, The Orders four, the four orders of mendicant friars. See Friar. Chaucer. — General orders (Mil.), orders issued which concern the whole command, or the troops generally, in distinction from special orders. — Holy orders. (a) (Eccl.) The different grades of the Christian ministry; ordination to the ministry. See def. 10 above. (b) (R. C. Ch.) A sacrament for the purpose of conferring a special grace on those ordained. — In order to, for the purpose of; to the end; as means to. The best knowledge is that which is of greatest use in order to our eternal happiness. Tillotson. — Minor orders (R. C. Ch.), orders beneath the diaconate in sacramental dignity, as acolyte, exorcist, reader, doorkeeper. — Money order. See under Money. — Natural order. (Bot.) See def. 12, Note. — Order book. (a) A merchant's book in which orders are entered. (b) (Mil.) A book kept at headquarters, in which all orders are recorded for the information of officers and men. (c) A book in the House of Commons in which proposed orders must be entered. [Eng.] — Order in Council, a royal order issed with and by the advice of the Privy Council. [Great Britain] — Order of battle (Mil.), the particular disposition given to the troops of an army on the field of battle. — Order of the day, in legislative bodies, the special business appointed for a specified day. — Order of a differential equation (Math.), the greatest index of differentiation in the equation. — Sailing orders (Naut.), the final instructions given to the commander of a ship of war before a cruise. — Sealed orders, orders sealed, and not to be opended until a certain time, or arrival at a certain place, as after a ship is at sea. — Standing order. (a) A continuing regulation for the conduct of parliamentary business. (b) (Mil.) An order not subject to change by an officer temporarily in command. — To give order, to give command or directions. Shak. — To take order for, to take charge of; to make arrangements concerning. Whiles I take order for mine own affairs. Shak.

Syn. — Arrangement; management. See Direction.

ORDER Or"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ordered; p pr. & vb. n. Ordering.] Etym: [From Order, n.]

1. To put in order; to reduce to a methodical arrangement; to arrange in a series, or with reference to an end. Hence, to regulate; to dispose; to direct; to rule. To him that ordereth his conversation aright. Ps. 1. 23. Warriors old with ordered spear and shield. Milton.

2. To give an order to; to command; as, to order troops to advance.

3. To give an order for; to secure by an order; as, to order a carriage; to order groceries.

4. (Eccl.)

Defn: To admit to holy orders; to ordain; to receive into the ranks of the ministry. These ordered folk be especially titled to God. Chaucer. Persons presented to be ordered deacons. Bk. of Com. Prayer. Order arms (Mil.), the command at which a rifle is brought to a position with its but resting on the ground; also, the position taken at such a command.

ORDER Or"der, v. i.

Defn: To give orders; to issue commands.

ORDERABLE Or"der*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being ordered; tractable. [R.] Being very orderable in all his sickness. Fuller.

ORDERER Or"der*er, n.

1. One who puts in order, arranges, methodizes, or regulates.

2. One who gives orders.

ORDERING Or"der*ing, n.

Defn: Disposition; distribution; management. South.

ORDERLESS Or"der*less, a.

Defn: Being without order or regularity; disorderly; out of rule.

ORDERLINESS Or"der*li*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being orderly.

ORDERLY Or"der*ly, a.

1. Conformed to order; in order; regular; as, an orderly course or plan. Milton.

2. Observant of order, authority, or rule; hence, obedient; quiet; peaceable; not unruly; as, orderly children; an orderly community.

3. Performed in good or established order; well-regulated. "An orderly . . . march." Clarendon.

4. Being on duty; keeping order; conveying orders. "Aids-de-camp and orderly men." Sir W. Scott. Orderly book (Mil.), a book for every company, in which the general and regimental orders are recorded. — Orderly officer, the officer of the day, or that officer of a corps or regiment whose turn it is to supervise for the day the arrangements for food, cleanliness, etc. Farrow. — Orderly room. (a) The court of the commanding officer, where charges against the men of the regiment are tried. (b) The office of the commanding officer, usually in the barracks, whence orders emanate. Farrow. — Orderly sergeant, the first sergeant of a company.

ORDERLY Or"der*ly, adv.

Defn: According to due order; regularly; methodically; duly. You are blunt; go to it orderly. Shak.

ORDERLY Or"der*ly, n.; pl. Orderlies (.

1. (Mil.)

Defn: A noncommissioned officer or soldier who attends a superior officer to carry his orders, or to render other service. Orderlies were appointed to watch the palace. Macaulay.

2. A street sweeper. [Eng.] Mayhew.

ORDINABILITY Or`di*na*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Capability of being ordained or appointed. [Obs.] Bp. Bull.

ORDINABLE Or"di*na*ble, a. Etym: [See Ordinate, Ordain.]

Defn: Capable of being ordained or appointed. [Obs.]

ORDINAL Or"di*nal, a. Etym: [L. ordinalis, fr. ordo, ordinis, order. See Order.]

1. Indicating order or succession; as, the ordinal numbers, first, second, third, etc.

2. Of or pertaining to an order.

ORDINAL Or"di*nal, n.

1. A word or number denoting order or succession.

2. (Ch. of Eng.)

Defn: The book of forms for making, ordaining, and consecrating bishops, priests, and deacons.

3. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: A book containing the rubrics of the Mass. [Written also ordinale.]

ORDINALISM Or"di*nal*ism, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being ordinal. [R.] Latham.

ORDINANCE Or"di*nance, n. Etym: [OE. ordenance, OF. ordenance, F. ordonnance. See Ordain, and cf. Ordnance, Ordonnance.]

1. Orderly arrangement; preparation; provision. [Obs.] Spenser. They had made their ordinance Of victual, and of other purveyance. Chaucer.

2. A rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action; a statute, law, regulation, rescript, or accepted usage; an edict or decree; esp., a local law enacted by a municipal government; as, a municipal ordinance. Thou wilt die by God's just ordinance. Shak. By custom and the ordinance of times. Shak. Walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Luke i. 6.

Note: Acts of Parliament are sometimes called ordinances; also, certain colonial laws and certain acts of Congress under Confederation; as, the ordinance of 1787 for the government of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River; the colonial ordinance of 1641, or 1647. This word is often used in Scripture in the sense of a law or statute of sovereign power. Ex. xv. 25. Num. x. 8. Ezra iii. 10. Its most frequent application now in the United States is to laws and regulations of municipal corporations. Wharton (Law Dict.).

3. (Eccl.)

Defn: An established rite or ceremony.

4. Rank; order; station. [Obs.] Shak.

5. Etym: [See Ordnance.]

Defn: Ordnance; cannon. [Obs.] Shak.

ORDINAND Or"di*nand`, n. Etym: [L. ordinandus, gerundive of ordinare. See Ordain.]

Defn: One about to be ordained.

ORDINANT Or"di*nant, a. Etym: [L. ordinans, p. pr. of ordinare. See Ordain.]

Defn: Ordaining; decreeing. [Obs.] Shak.

ORDINANT Or"di*nant, n.

Defn: One who ordains. F. G. Lee.

ORDINARILY Or"di*na*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: According to established rules or settled method; as a rule; commonly; usually; in most cases; as, a winter more than ordinarily severe. Those who ordinarily pride themselves not a little upon their penetration. I. Taylor.

ORDINARY Or"di*na*ry, a. Etym: [L. ordinarius, fr. ordo, ordinis, order: cf. F. ordinaire. See Order.]

1. According to established order; methodical; settled; regular. "The ordinary forms of law." Addison.

2. Common; customary; usual. Shak. Method is not less reguisite in ordinary conversation that in writing. Addison.

3. Of common rank, quality, or ability; not distinguished by superior excellence or beauty; hence, not distinguished in any way; commonplace; inferior; of little merit; as, men of ordinary judgment; an ordinary book. An ordinary lad would have acquired little or no useful knowledge in such a way. Macaulay. Ordinary seaman (Naut.), one not expert or fully skilled, and hence ranking below an able seaman.

Syn. — Normal; common; usual; customary. See Normal. — Ordinary, Common. A thing is common in which many persons share or partake; as, a common practice. A thing is ordinary when it is apt to come round in the regular common order or succession of events.

ORDINARY Or"di*na*ry, n.; pl. Ordinaries (.

1. (Law) (a) (Roman Law) An officer who has original jurisdiction in his own right, and not by deputation. (b) (Eng. Law)

Defn: One who has immediate jurisdiction in matters ecclesiastical; an ecclesiastical judge; also, a deputy of the bishop, or a clergyman appointed to perform divine service for condemned criminals and assist in preparing them for death. (c) (Am. Law) A judicial officer, having generally the powers of a judge of probate or a surrogate.

2. The mass; the common run. [Obs.] I see no more in you than in the ordinary Of nature's salework. Shak.

3. That which is so common, or continued, as to be considered a settled establishment or institution. [R.] Spain had no other wars save those which were grown into an ordinary. Bacon.

4. Anything which is in ordinary or common use. Water buckets, wagons, cart wheels, plow socks, and other ordinaries. Sir W. Scott.

5. A dining room or eating house where a meal is prepared for all comers, at a fixed price for the meal, in distinction from one where each dish is separately charged; a table d'hôte; hence, also, the meal furnished at such a dining room. Shak. All the odd words they have picked up in a coffeehouse, or a gaming ordinary, are produced as flowers of style. Swift. He exacted a tribute for licenses to hawkers and peddlers and to ordinaries. Bancroft.

6. (Her.)

Defn: A charge or bearing of simple form, one of nine or ten which are in constant use. The bend, chevron, chief, cross, fesse, pale, and saltire are uniformly admitted as ordinaries. Some authorities include bar, bend sinister, pile, and others. See Subordinary. In ordinary. (a) In actual and constant service; statedly attending and serving; as, a physician or chaplain in ordinary. An ambassador in ordinary is one constantly resident at a foreign court. (b) (Naut.) Out of commission and laid up; — said of a naval vessel. — Ordinary of the Mass (R. C. Ch.), the part of the Mass which is the same every day; — called also the canon of the Mass.

ORDINARYSHIP Or"di*na*ry*ship, n.

Defn: The state of being an ordinary. [R.] Fuller.

ORDINATE Or"di*nate, a. Etym: [L. ordinatus, p. p. of ordinare. See Ordain.]

Defn: Well-ordered; orderly; regular; methodical. "A life blissful and ordinate." Chaucer. Ordinate figure (Math.), a figure whose sides and angles are equal; a regular figure.

ORDINATE Or"di*nate, n. (Geom.)

Defn: The distance of any point in a curve or a straight line, measured on a line called the axis of ordinates or on a line parallel to it, from another line called the axis of abscissas, on which the corresponding abscissa of the point is measured.

Note: The ordinate and abscissa, taken together, are called coördinates, and define the position of the point with reference to the two axes named, the intersection of which is called the origin of coördinates. See Coordinate.

ORDINATE Or"di*nate, v. t.

Defn: To appoint, to regulate; to harmonize. Bp. Hall.

ORDINATELY Or"di*nate*ly, adv.

Defn: In an ordinate manner; orderly. Chaucer. Skelton.

ORDINATION Or`di*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. ordinatio: cf. F. ordination.]

1. The act of ordaining, appointing, or setting apart; the state of being ordained, appointed, etc. The holy and wise ordination of God. Jer. Taylor. Virtue and vice have a natural ordination to the happiness and misery of life respectively. Norris.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: The act of setting apart to an office in the Christian ministry; the conferring of holy orders.

3. Disposition; arrangement; order. [R.] Angle of ordination (Geom.), the angle between the axes of coördinates.

ORDINATIVE Or"di*na*tive, a. Etym: [L. ordinativus.]

Defn: Tending to ordain; directing; giving order. [R.] Gauden.

ORDINATOR Or"di*na`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who ordains or establishes; a director. [R.] T. Adams.

ORDNANCE Ord"nance, n. Etym: [From OE. ordenance, referring orig. to the bore or size of the cannon. See Ordinance.]

Defn: Heavy weapons of warfare; cannon, or great guns, mortars, and howitzers; artillery; sometimes, a general term for all weapons and appliances used in war. All the battlements their ordnance fire. Shak. Then you may hear afar off the awful roar of his [Rufus Choate's] rifled ordnance. E. Ererett. Ordnance survey, the official survey of Great Britain and Ireland, conducted by the ordnance department.

ORDONNANCE Or"don*nance, n. Etym: [F. See Ordinance.] (Fine Arts)

Defn: The disposition of the parts of any composition with regard to one another and the whole. Their dramatic ordonnance of the parts. Coleridge.

ORDONNANT Or"don*nant, a. Etym: [F., p. pr. of ordonner. See Ordinant.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to ordonnance. Dryden.

ORDOVIAN Or*do"vi*an, a. & n. (Geol.)

Defn: Ordovician.

ORDOVICIAN Or`do*vi"cian, a. Etym: [From L. Ordovices, a Celtic people in Wales.] (Geol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a division of the Silurian formation, corresponding in general to the Lower Silurian of most authors, exclusive of the Cambrian. — n.

Defn: The Ordovician formation.

ORDURE Or"dure, n. Etym: [F. ordure, OF. ord filthy, foul, fr. L. horridus horrid. See Horrid.]

1. Dung; excrement; fæces. Shak.

2. Defect; imperfection; fault. [Obs.] Holland.

ORDUROUS Or"dur*ous, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to ordure; filthy. Drayton.

ORE Ore, n. Etym: [AS. ar.]

Defn: Honor; grace; favor; mercy; clemency; happy augry. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ORE Ore, n. Etym: [AS. ; cf. ar brass, bronze, akin to OHG. , G. ehern brazen, Icel. eir brass, Goth. ais, L. aes, Skr. ayas iron. Ora, Era.]

1. The native form of a metal, whether free and uncombined, as gold, copper, etc., or combined, as iron, lead, etc. Usually the ores contain the metals combined with oxygen, sulphur, arsenic, etc. (called mineralizers).

2. (Mining)

Defn: A native metal or its compound with the rock in which it occurs, after it has been picked over to throw out what is worthless.

3. Metal; as, the liquid ore. [R.] Milton. Ore hearth, a low furnace in which rich lead ore is reduced; — also called Scotch hearth. Raymond.

OREAD O"re*ad, n. Etym: [L. Oreas, -adis, Gr. oréade.] (Class. Myth.)

Defn: One of the nymphs of mountains and grottoes. Like a wood nymph light, Oread or Dryad. Milton.

OREADES O*re"a*des, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of butterflies which includes the satyrs. See Satyr, 2.

ORECTIC O*rec"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Philos.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the desires; hence, impelling to gratification; appetitive.

OREGON GRAPE Or"e*gon grape`. (Bot.)

Defn: An evergreen species of barberry (Berberis Aquifolium), of Oregon and California; also, its roundish, blue-black berries.

OREIDE O"re*ide, n.

Defn: See Oroide.

OREODON O"re*o*don, n. Etym: [Gr. (Paleon)

Defn: A genus of extinct herbivorous mammals, abundant in the Tertiary formation of the Rocky Mountains. It is more or less related to the camel, hog, and deer.

OREODONT O"re*o*dont, a. (Paleon.)

Defn: Resembling, or allied to, the genus Oreodon.

OREOGRAPHIC O`re*o*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to oreography.

OREOGRAPHY O`re*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

Defn: The science of mountains; orography.

OREOSELIN O`re*os"e*lin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline substance which is obtained indirectly from the root of an umbelliferous plant (Imperatoria Oreoselinum), and yields resorcin on decomposition.

OREOSOMA O`re*o*so"ma, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of small oceanic fishes, remarkable for the large conical tubercles which cover the under surface.

OREWEED Ore"weed`, n.

Defn: Same as Oarweed.

OREWOOD Ore"wood`, n.

Defn: Same as Oarweed.

ORF; ORFE Orf, Or"fe, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bright-colored domesticated variety of the id. See Id.

ORFGILD Orf"gild`, n. Etym: [AS. orf, yrfe, cattle, property + gild, gield, money, fine.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: Restitution for cattle; a penalty for taking away cattle. Cowell.

ORFRAY Or"fray, n. Etym: [F. orfraie. Cf. Osprey, Ossifrage.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The osprey. [Obs.] Holland.

ORFRAYS Or"frays, n. Etym: [OF. orfrais, F. orfroi; F. or gold + fraise, frise, fringe, ruff. See Fraise, and cf. Auriphrygiate.]

Defn: See Orphrey. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

ORGAL Or"gal, n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Argol. [Obs.]

ORGAN Or"gan, n. Etym: [L. organum, Gr. work: cf. F. organe. See Work, and cf. Orgue, Orgy.]

1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as, legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are organs of government.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: A natural part or structure in an animal or a plant, capable of performing some special action (termed its function), which is essential to the life or well-being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are organs of animals; the root, stem, foliage, etc., are organs of plants.

Note: In animals the organs are generally made up of several tissues, one of which usually predominates, and determines the principal function of the organ. Groups of organs constitute a system. See System.

3. A component part performing an essential office in the working of any complex machine; as, the cylinder, valves, crank, etc., are organs of the steam engine.

4. A medium of communication between one person or body and another; as, the secretary of state is the organ of communication between the government and a foreign power; a newspaper is the organ of its editor, or of a party, sect, etc.

5. Etym: [Cf. AS. organ, fr. L. organum.] (Mus.)

Defn: A wind instrument containing numerous pipes of various dimensions and kinds, which are filled with wind from a bellows, and played upon by means of keys similar to those of a piano, and sometimes by foot keys or pedals; — formerly used in the plural, each pipe being considired an organ. The deep, majestic, solemn organs blow. Pope.

Note: Chaucer used the form orgon as a plural. The merry orgon . . . that in the church goon [go]. Barrel organ, Choir organ, Great organ, etc. See under Barrel, Choir, etc. — Cabinet organ (Mus.), an organ of small size, as for a chapel or for domestic use; a reed organ. — Organ bird (Zoöl.), a Tasmanian crow shrike (Gymnorhina organicum). It utters discordant notes like those of a hand organ out of tune. — Organ fish (Zoöl.), the drumfish. — Organ gun. (Mil.) Same as Orgue (b). — Organ harmonium (Mus.), an harmonium of large capacity and power. — Organ of Gorti (Anat.), a complicated structure in the cochlea of the ear, including the auditory hair cells, the rods or fibers of Corti, the membrane of Corti, etc. See Note under Ear. — Organ pipe. See Pipe, n., 1. — Organ-pipe coral. (Zoöl.) See Tubipora. — Organ point (Mus.), a passage in which the tonic or dominant is sustained continuously by one part, while the other parts move.

ORGAN Or"gan, v. t.

Defn: To supply with an organ or organs; to fit with organs; to organize. [Obs.] Thou art elemented and organed for other apprehensions. Bp. Mannyngham.

ORGANDIE; ORGANDY Or"gan*die, Or"gan*dy, n. Etym: [F. organdi.]

Defn: A kind of transparent light muslin.

ORGANIC Or*gan"ic, a. Etym: [L. organicus, Gr. organique.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic remains. Cf. Inorganic.

2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]

3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to a certain destined function or end. [R.] Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and write perspicuously. Milton.

4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but organic.

5. Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of the large series of substances which, in nature or origin, are connected with vital processes, and include many substances of artificial production which may or may not occur in animals or plants; — contrasted with Ant: inorganic.

Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are identical; but the enormous number and the completeness of related series of organic compounds, together with their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution, offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry. Organic analysis (Chem.), the analysis of organic compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent, and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide; — formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from proximate analysis. — Organic chemistry. See under Chemistry. — Organic compounds. (Chem.) See Carbon compounds, under Carbon. — Organic description of a curve (Geom.), the description of a curve on a plane by means of instruments. Brande & C. — Organic disease (Med.), a disease attended with morbid changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in the composition of its fluids; — opposed to functional disease. — Organic electricity. See under Electricity. — Organic law or laws, a law or system of laws, or declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and organization of a political or other association; a constitution. — Organic stricture (Med.), a contraction of one of the natural passages of the body produced by structural changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic stricture, which is due to muscular contraction.

ORGANICAL Or*gan"ic*al, a.

Defn: Organic. The organical structure of human bodies, whereby they live and move. Bentley.

ORGANICALLY Or*gan"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an organic manner; by means of organs or with reference to organic functions; hence, fundamentally. Gladstone.

ORGANICALNESS Or*gan"ic*al*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being organic.

ORGANICISM Or*gan"i*cism, n. (Med.)

Defn: The doctrine of the localization of disease, or which refers it always to a material lesion of an organ. Dunglison.

ORGANIFIC Or`gan*if"ic, a. Etym: [Organ + L. -ficare (in comp.) to make. See fy.]

Defn: Making an organic or organized structure; producing an organism; acting through, or resulting from, organs. Prof. Park.

ORGANISM Or"gan*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. organisme.]

1. Organic structure; organization. "The advantageous organism of the eye." Grew.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: An organized being; a living body, either vegetable or animal, compozed of different organs or parts with functions which are separate, but mutually dependent, and essential to the life of the individual.

Note: Some of the lower forms of life are so simple in structure as to be without organs, but are still called organisms, since they have different parts analogous in functions to the organs of higher plants and animals.

ORGANIST Or"gan*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. organiste.]

1. (Mus.)

Defn: One who plays on the organ.

2. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: One of the priests who organized or sung in parts. [Obs.]

ORGANISTA Or`ga*nis"ta, n. Etym: [Sp., an organis.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several South American wrens, noted for the sweetness of their song.

ORGANITY Or*gan"i*ty, n.

Defn: Organism. [R.]

ORGANIZABILITY Or`gan*i`za*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Quality of being organizable; capability of being organized.

ORGANIZABLE Or"gan*i`za*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being organized; esp. (Biol.), capable of being formed into living tissue; as, organizable matter.

ORGANIZATION Or`gan*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. organisation.]

1. The act of organizing; the act of arranging in a systematic way for use or action; as, the organization of an army, or of a deliberative body. "The first organization of the general government." Pickering.

2. The state of being organized; also, the relations included in such a state or condition. What is organization but the connection of parts in and for a whole, so that each part is, at once, end and means Coleridge.

3. That wich is organized; an organized existence; an organism; specif. (Biol.), an arrangement of parts for the performance of the functions necessary to life. The cell may be regarded as the most simple, the most common, and the earliest form of organization. McKendrick.

ORGANIZE Or"gan*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Organized; p. pr. & vb. n. Organizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. organiser, Gr. Organ.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: To furnish with organs; to give an organic structure to; to endow with capacity for the functions of life; as, an organized being; organized matter; — in this sense used chiefly in the past participle. These nobler faculties of the mind, matter organized could never produce. Ray.

2. To arrange or constitute in parts, each having a special function, act, office, or relation; to systematize; to get into working order; — applied to products of the human intellect, or to human institutions and undertakings, as a science, a government, an army, a war, etc. This original and supreme will organizes the government. Cranch.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: To sing in parts; as, to organize an anthem. [R.] Busby.

ORGANIZER Or"gan*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who organizes.

ORGANLING Or"gan*ling, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large kind of sea fish; the orgeis.

ORGANO- Or"ga*no-. Etym: [See Organ.]

Defn: A combining form denoting relation to, or connection with, an organ or organs.

ORGANOGEN Or*gan"o*gen, n. Etym: [Organo- + -gen.] (Chem.)

Defn: A name given to any one of the four elements, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, which are especially characteristic ingredients of organic compounds; also, by extension, to other elements sometimes found in the same connection; as sulphur, phosphorus, etc.

ORGANOGENESIS Or`ga*no*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Organo- + genesis.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: The origin and development of organs in animals and plants.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The germ history of the organs and systems of organs, — a branch of morphogeny. Haeckel.

ORGANOGENIC Or`ga*no*gen"ic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to organogenesis.

ORGANOGENY Or`ga*nog"e*ny, n. (Biol.)

Defn: Organogenesis.

ORGANOGRAPHIC; ORGANOGRAPHICAL Or`ga*no*graph"ic, Or`ga*no*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. organographique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to organography.

ORGANOGRAPHIST Or`ga*nog"ra*phist, n.

Defn: One versed in organography.

ORGANOGRAPHY Or`ga*nog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Organo- + -graphy: cf. F. organographie.]

Defn: A description of the organs of animals or plants.

ORGANOLEPTIC Or`ga*no*lep"tic, a. Etym: [F. organoleptique, fr. Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Making an impression upon an organ; plastic; — said of the effect or impression produced by any substance on the organs of touch, taste, or smell, and also on the organism as a whole.

ORGANOLOGICAL Or`ga*no*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or relating to organology.

ORGANOLOGY Or`ga*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Organ + -logy: cf. F. organologie.]

1. The science of organs or of anything considered as an organic structure. The science of style, as an organ of thought, of style in relation to the ideas and feelings, might be called the organology of style. De Quincey.

2. That branch of biology which treats, in particular, of the organs of animals and plants. See Morphology.

ORGANOMETALLIC Or`ga*no*me*tal"lic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Metalorganic.

ORGANON; ORGANUM Or"ga*non, Or"ga*num, n. Etym: [NL. organon, L. organum. See Organ.]

Defn: An organ or instrument; hence, a method by which philosophical or scientific investigation may be conducted; — a term adopted from the Aristotelian writers by Lord Bacon, as the title ("Novum Organon") of part of his treatise on philosophical method. Sir. W. Hamilton.

ORGANONYMY Or`ga*non"y*my, n. Etym: [Organo- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The designation or nomenclature of organs. B. G. Wilder.

ORGANOPHYLY Or`ga*noph"y*ly, n. Etym: [Organo- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The tribal history of organs, — a branch of morphophyly. Haeckel.

ORGANOPLASTIC Or`ga*no*plas"tic, a. Etym: [Organo- + -plastic.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having the property of producing the tissues or organs of animals and plants; as, the organoplastic cells.

ORGANOSCOPY Or`ga*nos"co*py, n. Etym: [Organo- + -scopy.]

Defn: Phrenology. Fleming.

ORGANOTROPHIC Or`ga*no*troph"ic, a. Etym: [Organo- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Relating to the creation, organization, and nutrition of living organs or parts.

ORGANULE Or"gan*ule, n. Etym: [Dim. of organ.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the essential cells or elements of an organ. See Sense organule, under Sense. Huxley.

ORGANY Or"ga*ny, n. Etym: [AS. Organe, from the Latin. See Origan.] (Bot.)

Defn: See Origan.

ORGANZINE Or"gan*zine, n. Etym: [F. organsin; cf. Sp. organsino, It. organzino.]

Defn: A kind of double thrown silk of very fine texture, that is, silk twisted like a rope with different strands, so as to increase its strength.

ORGASM Or"gasm, n. Etym: [F. orgasme; cf. Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Eager or immoderate excitement or action; the state of turgescence of any organ; erethism; esp., the height of venereal excitement in sexual intercourse.

ORGEAT Or"geat, n. Etym: [F., fr. orge barley, L. hordeum.]

Defn: A sirup in which, formerly, a decoction of barley entered, but which is now prepared with an emulsion of almonds, — used to flavor beverages or edibles.

ORGEIS Or"ge*is, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Organling.

ORGIASTIC Or`gi*as"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. Orgy.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or of the nature of, orgies. Elton.

ORGIES Or"gies, n. pl.; sing. Orgy (.

Note: [The singular is rarely used.] Etym: [F. orgie, orgies, L. orgia, pl., Gr. Organ, and Work.]

1. A sacrifice accompanied by certain ceremonies in honor of some pagan deity; especially, the ceremonies observed by the Greeks and Romans in the worship of Dionysus, or Bacchus, which were characterized by wild and dissolute revelry. As when, with crowned cups, unto the Elian god, Those priests high orgies held. Drayton.

2. Drunken revelry; a carouse. B. Jonson. Tennyson.

ORGILLOUS Or"gil*lous, a. Etym: [OF. orguillous, F. orgueilleux, fr. OF. orgoil pride, F. orgueil.]

Defn: Proud; haughty. [Obs.] Shak.

ORGUE Orgue, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. organum organ, Gr. Organ.] (Mil.) (a) Any one of a number of long, thick pieces of timber, pointed and shod with iron, and suspended, each by a separate rope, over a gateway, to be let down in case of attack. (b) A piece of ordnance, consisting of a number of musket barrels arranged so that a match or train may connect with all their touchholes, and a discharge be secured almost or quite simultaneously.

ORGULOUS Or"gu*lous, a.

Defn: See Orgillous. [Obs.]

ORGY Or"gy, n.; pl. Orgies (.

Defn: A frantic revel; drunken revelry. See Orgies

ORGYIA Or*gy"i*a (, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.).

Defn: A genus of bombycid moths whose caterpillars (esp. those of Orgyia leucostigma) are often very injurious to fruit trees and shade trees. The female is wingless. Called also vaporer moth.

ORICALCHE Or"i*calche, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Orichalch. Costly oricalche from strange Phoenice. Spenser.

ORICHALCEOUS Or`i*chal"ce*ous, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, orichalch; having a color or luster like that of brass. Maunder.

ORICHALCH Or"i*chalch, n. Etym: [L. orichalcum, Gr. orichalque.]

Defn: A metallic substance, resembling gold in color, but inferior in value; a mixed metal of the ancients, resembling brass; — called also aurichalcum, orichalcum, etc.

ORIEL O"ri*el, n. Etym: [OF. oriol gallery, corridor, LL. oriolum portico, hall, prob. fr. L. aureolus gilded, applied to an apartment decorated with gilding. See Oriole.] [Formerly written also oriol, oryal, oryall.]

1. A gallery for minstrels. [Obs.] W. Hamper.

2. A small apartment next a hall, where certain persons were accustomed to dine; a sort of recess. [Obs.] Cowell.

3. (Arch.)

Defn: A bay window. See Bay window. The beams that thro' the oriel shine Make prisms in every carven glass. Tennyson.

Note: There is no generally admitted difference between a bay window and an oriel. In the United States the latter name is often applied to bay windows which are small, and either polygonal or round; also, to such as are corbeled out from the wall instead of resting on the ground.

ORIENCY O"ri*en*cy, n. Etym: [See Orient.]

Defn: Brightness or strength of color. [R.] E. Waterhouse.

ORIENT O"ri*ent, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. oriens, -entis, p. pr. of oriri to rise. See Origin.]

1. Rising, as the sun. Moon, that now meet'st the orient sun. Milton.

2. Eastern; oriental. "The orient part." Hakluyt.

3. Bright; lustrous; superior; pure; perfect; pellucid; — used of gems and also figuratively, because the most perfect jewels are found in the East. "Pearls round and orient." Jer. Taylor. "Orient gems." Wordsworth. "Orient liquor in a crystal glass." Milton.

ORIENT O"ri*ent, n.

1. The part of the horizon where the sun first appears in the morning; the east. [Morn] came furrowing all the orient into gold. Tennyson.

2. The countries of Asia or the East. Chaucer. Best built city throughout the Orient. Sir T. Herbert.

3. A pearl of great luster. [R.] Carlyle.

ORIENT O"ri*ent, v. t. Etym: [F. orienter. Cf. Orientate.]

1. To define the position of, in relation to the orient or east; hence, to ascertain the bearings of.

2. Fig.: To correct or set right by recurring to first principles; to arrange in order; to orientate.

ORIENTAL O`ri*en"tal, a. Etym: [L. orientalis: cf. F. oriental.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the orient or east; eastern; concerned with the East or Orientalism; — opposed to occidental; as, Oriental countries. The sun's ascendant and oriental radiations. Sir T. Browne.

ORIENTAL O`ri*en"tal, n.

1. A native or inhabitant of the Orient or some Eastern part of the world; an Asiatic.

2. pl. (Eccl.)

Defn: Eastern Christians of the Greek rite.

ORIENTALISM O`ri*en"tal*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. orientalisme.]

1. Any system, doctrine, custom, expression, etc., peculiar to Oriental people.

2. Knowledge or use of Oriental languages, history, literature, etc. London Quart. Rev.

ORIENTALIST O`ri*en"tal*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. orientaliste.]

1. An inhabitant of the Eastern parts of the world; an Oriental.

2. One versed in Eastern languages, literature, etc.; as, the Paris Congress of Orientalists. Sir J. Shore.

ORIENTALITY O`ri*en*tal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being oriental or eastern. Sir T. Browne.

ORIENTALIZE O`ri*en"tal*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Orientalized; p. pr. & vb. n. Orientalizing.]

Defn: to render Oriental; to cause to conform to Oriental manners or conditions.

ORIENTATE O"ri*en*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Orientated; p. pr. & vb. n. Orientating.] Etym: [From Orient.]

1. To place or turn toward the east; to cause to assume an easterly direction, or to veer eastward.

2. To arrange in order; to dispose or place (a body) so as to show its relation to other bodies, or the relation of its parts among themselves. A crystal is orientated when placed in its proper position so as to exhibit its symmetry. E. S. Dana.

ORIENTATE O"ri*en*tate, v. i.

Defn: To move or turn toward the east; to veer from the north or south toward the east.

ORIENTATION O`ri*en*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. orientation.]

1. The act or process of orientating; determination of the points of the compass, or the east point, in taking bearings.

2. The tendency of a revolving body, when suspended in a certain way, to bring the axis of rotation into parallelism with the earth's axis.

3. An aspect or fronting to the east; especially (Arch.), the placing of a church so that the chancel, containing the altar toward which the congregation fronts in worship, will be on the east end.

4. Fig.: A return to first principles; an orderly arrangement. The task of orientation undertaken in this chapter. L. F. Ward.

ORIENTNESS O"ri*ent*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being orient or bright; splendor. [Obs.] Fuller.

ORIFICE Or"i*fice, n. Etym: [F., from L. orificium; os, oris, a mouth + facere to make. See Oral, and Fact.]

Defn: A mouth or aperture, as of a tube, pipe, etc.; an opening; as, the orifice of an artery or vein; the orifice of a wound. Shak. Etna was bored through the top with a monstrous orifice. Addison.

ORIFLAMB; ORIFLAMME Or"i*flamb, Or"i*flamme, n. Etym: [F. oriflamme, OF. oriflambe, LL. auriflamma; L. aurum gold + flamma flame; cf. L. flammula a little banner. So called because it was a flag of red silk, split into many points, and borne on a gilded lance.]

1. The ancient royal standard of France.

2. A standard or ensign, in battle. "A handkerchief like an oriflamb." Longfellow. And be your oriflamme to-day the helmet of Navarre. Macaulay.

ORIGAN; ORIGANUM Or"i*gan, O*rig"a*num, n. Etym: [L. origanum, Gr. Organy.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of aromatic labiate plants, including the sweet marjoram (O. Marjorana) and the wild marjoram (O. vulgare). Spenser.

ORIGENISM Or"i*gen*ism, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: The opinions of Origen of Alexandria, who lived in the 3d century, one of the most learned of the Greek Fathers. Prominent in his teaching was the doctrine that all created beings, including Satan, will ultimately be saved.

ORIGENIST Or"i*gen*ist, n.

Defn: A follower of Origen of Alexandria.

ORIGIN Or"i*gin, n. Etym: [F. origine, L. origo, -iginis, fr. oriri to rise, become visible; akin to Gr. r, and perh. to E. run.]