O

1. O, the fifteenth letter of the English alphabet, derives its form, value, and name from the Greek O, through the Latin. The letter came into the Greek from the Phoenician, which possibly derived it ultimately from the Egyptian. Etymologically, the letter o is most closely related to a, e, and u; as in E. bone, AS. ban; E. stone, AS. stan; E. broke, AS. brecan to break; E. bore, AS. beran to bear; E. dove, AS. dufe; E. toft, tuft; tone, tune; number, F. nombre. The letter o has several vowel sounds, the principal of which are its long sound, as in bone, its short sound, as in nod, and the sounds heard in the words orb, son, do (feod), and wolf (book). In connection with the other vowels it forms several digraphs and diphthongs. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 107-129.

2. Among the ancients, O was a mark of triple time, from the notion that the ternary, or number 3, is the most perfect of numbers, and properly expressed by a circle, the most perfect figure. O was also anciently used to represent 11: with a dash over it (O O, n.; pl. O's or Oes (.

1. The letter O, or its sound. "Mouthing out his hollow oes and aes." Tennyson.

2. Something shaped like the letter O; a circle or oval. "This wooden O [Globe Theater]". Shak.

3. A cipher; zero. [R.] Thou art an O without a figure. Shak.

O' O', Etym: [Ir. of a descendant.]

Defn: A prefix to Irish family names, which signifies grandson or descendant of, and is a character of dignity; as, O'Neil, O'Carrol.

O' O', prep.

Defn: A shortened form of of or on. "At the turning o' the tide." Shak.

O O, a. Etym: [See One.]

Defn: One. [Obs.] Chaucer. "Alle thre but o God." Piers Plowman.

O O, interj.

Defn: An exclamation used in calling or directly addressing a person or personified object; also, as an emotional or impassioned exclamation expressing pain, grief, surprise, desire, fear, etc. For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Ps. cxix. 89. O how love I thy law ! it is my meditation all the day. Ps. cxix. 97.

Note: O is frequently followed by an ellipsis and that, an in expressing a wish: "O [I wish] that Ishmael might live before thee !" Gen. xvii. 18; or in expressions of surprise, indignation, or regret: "O [it is sad] that such eyes should e'er meet other object !" Sheridan Knowles.

Note: A distinction between the use of O and oh is insisted upon by some, namely, that O should be used only in direct address to a person or personified object, and should never be followed by the exclamation point, while Oh (or oh) should be used in exclamations where no direct appeal or address to an object is made, and may be followed by the exclamation point or not, according to the nature or construction of the sentence. Some insist that oh should be used only as an interjection expressing strong feeling. The form O, however, is, it seems, the one most commonly employed for both uses by modern writers and correctors for the press. "O, I am slain !" Shak. "O what a fair and ministering angel !" "O sweet angel !" Longfellow. O for a kindling touch from that pure flame ! Wordsworth. But she is in her grave, — and oh The difference to me ! Wordsworth. Oh for a lodge in some vast wilderness ! Cowper. We should distinguish between the sign of the vocative and the emotional interjection, writing O for the former, and oh for the latter. Earle. O dear, and O dear me! Etym: [corrupted fr. F. O Dieu! or It. O Dio! O God! O Dio mio! O my God! Wyman], exclamations expressive of various emotions, but usually promoted by surprise, consternation, grief, pain, etc.

OAD Oad, n.

Defn: See Woad. [Obs.] Coles.

OAF Oaf, n. Etym: [See Auf.]

Defn: Originally, an elf's child; a changeling left by fairies or goblins; hence, a deformed or foolish child; a simpleton; an idiot.

OAFISH Oaf"ish, a.

Defn: Like an oaf; simple. — Oaf"ish*ness, n.

OAK Oak, n. Etym: [OE. oke, ok, ak, AS. ac; akin to D. eik, G. eiche, OHG. eih, Icel. eik, Sw. ek, Dan. eeg.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Any tree or shrub of the genus Quercus. The oaks have alternate leaves, often variously lobed, and staminate flowers in catkins. The fruit is a smooth nut, called an acorn, which is more or less inclosed in a scaly involucre called the cup or cupule. There are now recognized about three hundred species, of which nearly fifty occur in the United States, the rest in Europe, Asia, and the other parts of North America, a very few barely reaching the northern parts of South America and Africa. Many of the oaks form forest trees of grand proportions and live many centuries. The wood is usually hard and tough, and provided with conspicuous medullary rays, forming the silver grain.

2. The strong wood or timber of the oak.

Note: Among the true oaks in America are: Barren oak, or Black-jack, Q. nigra. — Basket oak, Q. Michauxii. — Black oak, Q. tinctoria: — called also yellow or quercitron oak. — Bur oak (see under Bur.), Q. macrocarpa; — called also over-cup or mossy-cup oak. — Chestnut oak, Q. Prinus and Q. densiflora. — Chinquapin oak (see under Chinquapin), Q. prinoides. — Coast live oak, Q. agrifolia, of California; — also called enceno. — Live oak (see under Live), Q. virens, the best of all for shipbuilding; also, Q. Chrysolepis, of California. — Pin oak. Same as Swamp oak. — Post oak, Q. obtusifolia. — Red oak, Q. rubra. — Scarlet oak, Q. coccinea. — Scrub oak, Q. ilicifolia, Q. undulata, etc. — Shingle oak, Q. imbricaria. — Spanish oak, Q. falcata. — Swamp Spanish oak, or Pin oak, Q. palustris. — Swamp white oak, Q. bicolor. — Water oak, Q. aguatica. — Water white oak, Q. lyrata. — Willow oak, Q. Phellos. Among the true oaks in Europe are: Bitter oak, or Turkey oak, Q. Cerris (see Cerris). — Cork oak, Q. Suber. — English white oak, Q. Robur. — Evergreen oak, Holly oak, or Holm oak, Q. Ilex. — Kermes oak, Q. coccifera. — Nutgall oak, Q. infectoria.

Note: Among plants called oak, but not of the genus Quercus, are: African oak, a valuable timber tree (Oldfieldia Africana). — Australian, or She, oak, any tree of the genus Casuarina (see Casuarina). — Indian oak, the teak tree (see Teak). — Jerusalem oak. See under Jerusalem. — New Zealand oak, a sapindaceous tree (Alectryon excelsum). — Poison oak, the poison ivy. See under Poison. — Silky, or Silk-bark, oak, an Australian tree (Grevillea robusta). Green oak, oak wood colored green by the growth of the mycelium of certain fungi. — Oak apple, a large, smooth, round gall produced on the leaves of the American red oak by a gallfly (Cynips confluens). It is green and pulpy when young. — Oak beauty (Zoöl.), a British geometrid moth (Biston prodromaria) whose larva feeds on the oak. — Oak gall, a gall found on the oak. See 2d Gall. — Oak leather (Bot.), the mycelium of a fungus which forms leatherlike patches in the fissures of oak wood. — Oak pruner. (Zoöl.) See Pruner, the insect. — Oak spangle, a kind of gall produced on the oak by the insect Diplolepis lenticularis. — Oak wart, a wartlike gall on the twigs of an oak. — The Oaks, one of the three great annual English horse races (the Derby and St. Leger being the others). It was instituted in 1779 by the Earl of Derby, and so called from his estate. — To sport one's oak, to be "not at home to visitors," signified by closing the outer (oaken) door of one's rooms. [Cant, Eng. Univ.]

OAKEN Oak"en, a. Etym: [AS. acen.]

Defn: Made or consisting of oaks or of the wood of oaks. "In oaken bower." Milton. Oaken timber, wherewith to build ships. Bacon.

OAKER Oak"er, n.

Defn: See Ocher. [Obs.] Spenser.

OAKLING Oak"ling, n.

Defn: A young oak. Evelyn.

OAKUM Oak"um, n. Etym: [AS. acumba; pref. er-, Goth. us-, orig. meaning, out) + cemban to comb, camb comb. See Comb.]

1. The material obtained by untwisting and picking into loose fiber old hemp ropes; — used for calking the seams of ships, stopping leaks, etc.

2. The coarse portion separated from flax or hemp in nackling. Knight. White oakum, that made from untarred rope.

OAKY Oak"y, n.

Defn: Resembling oak; strong. Bp. Hall.

OAR Oar, n Etym: [AS. ar; akin to Icel. ar, Dan. aare, Sw. åra; perh. akin to E. row, v. Cf. Rowlock.]

1. An implement for impelling a boat, being a slender piece of timber, usually ash or spruce, with a grip or handle at one end and a broad blade at the other. The part which rests in the rowlock is called the loom.

Note: An oar is a kind of long paddle, which swings about a kind of fulcrum, called a rowlock, fixed to the side of the boat.

2. An oarsman; a rower; as, he is a good car.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An oarlike swimming organ of various invertebrates. Oar cock (Zoöl), the water rail. [Prov. Eng.] — Spoon oar, an oar having the blade so curved as to afford a better hold upon the water in rowing. — To boat the oars, to cease rowing, and lay the oars in the boat. — To feather the oars. See under Feather., v. t. — To lie on the oars, to cease pulling, raising the oars out of water, but not boating them; to cease from work of any kind; to be idle; to rest. — To muffle the oars, to put something round that part which rests in the rowlock, to prevent noise in rowing. — To put in one's oar, to give aid or advice; — commonly used of a person who obtrudes aid or counsel not invited. — To ship the oars, to place them in the rowlocks. — To toss the oars, To peak the oars, to lift them from the rowlocks and hold them perpendicularly, the handle resting on the bottom of the boat. — To trail oars, to allow them to trail in the water alongside of the boat. — To unship the oars, to take them out of the rowlocks.

OAR Oar, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Oared; p. pr. & vb. n. Oaring.]

Defn: To row. "Oared himself." Shak. Oared with laboring arms. Pope.

OARED Oared, a.

1. Furnished with oars; — chiefly used in composition; as, a four- oared boat.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) Having feet adapted for swimming. (b) Totipalmate; — said of the feet of certain birds. See Illust. of Aves. Oared shrew (Zoöl.), an aquatic European shrew (Crossopus ciliatus); — called also black water shrew.

OARFISH Oar"fish` (or"fish`), n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ribbon fish.

OARFOOT Oar"foot` (-foot`), n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any crustacean of the genus Remipes.

OAR-FOOTED Oar"-foot`ed a.

Defn: Having feet adapted for swimming.

OARLESS Oar"less, a.

Defn: Without oars. Sylvester.

OARLOCK Oar"lock` (or"lok`), n. (Naut.),

Defn: The notch, fork, or other device on the gunwale of a boat, in which the oar rests in rowing. See Rowlock.

OARSMAN Oars"man (orz"man), n.; pl. Oarsmen (-men).

Defn: One who uses, or is skilled in the use of, an oar; a rower.

At the prow of the boat, rose one of the oarsmen. Longfellow.

OARSWEED Oars"weed` (or"wed`), n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any large seaweed of the genus Laminaria; tangle; kelp. See Kelp.

OARY Oar"y (or"y), a.

Defn: Having the form or the use of an oar; as, the swan's oary feet. Milton. Addison.

OASIS O"as*is (o"a*sis or o*a"sis; 277), n.; pl. Oases (-sez). [L., fr. Gr. 'o`asis; cf. Copt. ouahe.]

Defn: A fertile or green spot in a waste or desert, esp. in a sandy desert.

My one oasis in the dust and drouth Of city life. Tennyson.

OAST Oast (ost), n. [OE. ost, AS. ast; cf. Gr. a'i^qos burning heat.]

Defn: A kiln to dry hops or malt; a cockle. Mortimer.

OATCAKE Oat"cake, n.

Defn: A cake made of oatmeal.

OATEN Oat"en, a.

1. Consisting of an oat straw or stem; as, an oaten pipe. Milton.

2. Made of oatmeal; as, oaten cakes.

OATH Oath, n.; pl. Oaths. Etym: [OE. othe, oth, ath, AS. a; akin to D. eed, OS. e, G. eid, Icel. ei, Sw. ed, Dan. eed, Goth. ai; cf. OIr. oeth.]

1. A solemn affirmation or declaration, made with a reverent appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed. "I have an oath in heaven" Shak. An oath of secrecy for the concealing of those [inventions] which we think fit to keep secret. Bacon.

2. A solemn affirmation, connected with a sacred object, or one regarded as sacred, as the temple, the altar, the blood of Abel, the Bible, the Koran, etc.

3. (Law)

Defn: An appeal (in verification of a statement made) to a superior sanction, in such a form as exposes the party making the appeal to an indictment for perjury if the statement be false.

4. A careless and blasphemous use of the name of the divine Being, or anything divine or sacred, by way of appeal or as a profane exclamation or ejaculation; an expression of profane swearing. "A terrible oath" Shak.

OATHABLE Oath"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of having an oath administered to. [Obs.] Shak.

OATHBREAKING Oath"break`ing, n.

Defn: The violation of an oath; perjury. Shak

OATMEAL Oat"meal`, n.

1. Meal made of oats. Gay.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Panicum; panic grass.

OB- Ob-. Etym: [L. ob, prep. Cf. Epi-.]

Defn: A prefix signifying to, toward, before, against, reversely, etc.; also, as a simple intensive; as in oblige, to bind to; obstacle, something standing before; object, lit., to throw against; obovate, reversely, ovate. Ob- is commonly assimilated before c, f, g, and p, to oc-, of-, og-, and op-.

OBBE Ob"be, n.

Defn: See Obi.

OBCOMPRESSED Ob"com*pressed". a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + compressed.]

Defn: Compressed or flattened antero-posteriorly, or in a way opposite to the usual one.

OBCONIC; OBCONICAL Ob*con"ic, Ob*con"ic*al, a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + conic, conical.]

Defn: Conical, but having the apex downward; inversely conical.

OBCORDATE Ob*cor"date, a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + cordate.]

Defn: Heart-shaped, with the attachment at the pointed end; inversely cordate: as, an obcordate petal or leaf.

OBDIPLOSTEMONOUS Ob*dip`lo*stem"o*nous, a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + diplostemonous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having twice as many stamens as petals, those of the outer set being opposite the petals; — said of flowers. Gray.

OBDIPLOSTEMONY Ob*dip"lo*stem"o*ny, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The condition of being obdiplostemonous.

OBDORMITION Ob"dor*mi"tion, n. Etym: [L. obdormire to fall asleep.]

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

OBDUCE Ob*duce", v. t. Etym: [L. obducere, obductum; ob (see Ob-) + ducere to lead.]

Defn: To draw over, as a covering. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

OBDUCT Ob*duct" (, v. t. Etym: [See Obduce.]

Defn: To draw over; to cover. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

OBDUCTION Ob*duc"tion, n. Etym: [L.obductio.]

Defn: .The act of drawing or laying over, as a covering. [Obs.]

OBDURACY Ob"du*ra*cy, n.

Defn: The duality or state of being obdurate; invincible hardness of heart; obstinacy. "Obduracy and persistency." Shak. The absolute completion of sin in final obduracy. South.

OBDURATE Ob"du*rate, a. Etym: [L. obduratus, p. p. of obdurare to harden; ob (see Ob-)+ durare to harden, durus hard. See Dure.]

1. Hardened in feelings, esp. against moral or mollifying influences; unyielding; hard-hearted; stubbornly wicked. The very custom of evil makes the heart obdurate against whatsoever instructions to the contrary. Hooker. Art thou obdurate, flinty, hard as steel, Nay, more than flint, for stone at rain relenteth Shak.

2. Hard; harsh; rugged; rough; intractable. "Obdurate consonants." Swift.

Note: Sometimes accented on the second syllable, especially by the older poets. There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart. Cowper.

Syn. — Hard; firm; unbending; inflexible; unyielding; stubborn; obstinate; impenitent; callous; unfeeling; insensible; unsusceptible. — Obdurate, Callous, Hardened. Callous denotes a deadening of the sensibilities; as. a callous conscience. Hardened implies a general and settled disregard for the claims of interest, duty, and sympathy; as, hardened in vice. Obdurate implies an active resistance of the heart and will aganst the pleadings of compassion and humanity. — Ob"du*rate*ly, adv. — Ob"du*rate*ness, n.

OBDURATE Ob"du*rate, v. t.

Defn: To harden. [Obs.]

OBDURATION Ob"du*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. obduratio.]

Defn: A hardening of the heart; hardness of heart. [Obs.]

OBDURE Ob*dure", v. t.

Defn: To harden. [Obs.] Milton.

OBDURE; OBDURED Ob*dure", Ob*dured", a.

Defn: Obdurate; hard. [Obs.] This saw his hapless foes, but stood obdured. Milton.

OBDURENESS; OBDUREDNESS Ob*dure"ness, n., Ob*dur"ed*ness, n.

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

OBE Ob"e (o"be), n.

Defn: See Obi.

OBEAH O*be"ah. n.

Defn: Same as Obi. — a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to obi; as, the obeah man. B. Edwards.

OBEDIBLE O*be"di*ble, a.

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

OBEDIENCE O*be"di*ence, n. Etym: [F. obédience, L. obedientia, oboedientia. See Obedient, and cf.Obeisance.]

1. The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control. Government must compel the obedience of individuals. Ames.

2. Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness. Shak.

3. (Eccl.) (a) A following; a body of adherents; as, the Roman Catholic obedience, or the whole body of persons who submit to the authority of the pope. (b) A cell (or offshoot of a larger monastery) governed by a prior. (c) One of the three monastic vows. Shipley. (d) The written precept of a superior in a religious order or congregation to a subject. Canonical obedience. See under Canonical. — Passive obedience. See under Passive.

OBEDIENCIARY O*be`di*en"ci*a*ry, n.

Defn: One yielding obedience. [Obs.] Foxe.

OBEDIENT O*be"di*ent, a. Etym: [OF. obedient, L. obediens, oboediens, -entis. p.pr. of obedire, oboedire, to obey. See Obey.]

Defn: Subject in will or act to authority; willing to obey; submissive to restraint, control, or command. And floating straight, obedient to the stream. Shak. The chief his orders gives; the obedient band, With due observance, wait the chief's command. Pope.

Syn. — Dutiful; respectful; compliant; submissive.

OBEDIENTIAL O*be`di*en"tial, a. Etym: [Cf. F. obédientiel.]

Defn: According to the rule of obedience. [R.] An obediental subjection to the Lord of Nature. Sir M. Hale.

OBEDIENTLY O*be"di*ent*ly, adv.

Defn: In an obedient manner; with obedience.

OBEISANCE O*bei"sance, n. Etym: [F. obéissance obedience, fr. obéissant. See Obey, and cf. Obedience, Abaisance.]

1. Obedience. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. A manifestation of obedience; an expression of difference or respect; homage; a bow; a courtesy. Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance unto the king. 1 Kings i. 16.

OBEISANCY O*bei"san*cy, n.

Defn: See Obeisance. [Obs.]

OBEISANT O*bei"sant, a. Etym: [F. obéissant, p.pr. of obéir to obey.]

Defn: Ready to obey; reverent; differential; also, servilely submissive.

OBELION O*be"li*on, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The region of the skull between the two parietal foramina where the closure of the sagittal suture usually begins.

OBELISCAL Ob`e*lis"cal, a.

Defn: Formed like an obelisk.

OBELISK Ob"e*lisk, n. Etym: [L. obeliscus, Gr. obélisque.]

1. An upright, four-sided pillar, gradually tapering as it rises, and terminating in a pyramid called pyramidion. It is ordinarily monolithic. Egyptian obelisks are commonly covered with hieroglyphic writing from top to bottom.

2. (Print.)

Defn: A mark of reference; — called also dagger [&dag;]. See Dagger, n., 2.

OBELISK Ob"e*lisk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obelisked; p. pr. & vb. n. Obelisking.]

Defn: To mark or designate with an obelisk.

OBELIZE Ob"e*lize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obelized; p. pr. & vb. n. Obelizing.] Etym: [Gr. Obelus.]

Defn: To designate with an obelus; to mark as doubtful or spirituous. [R.]

OBELUS Ob"e*lus, n.; pl. Obeli. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Print.)

Defn: A mark [thus —-, or ÷]; — so called as resembling a needle. In old MSS. or editions of the classics, it marks suspected passages or readings.

OBEQUITATE Ob*eq"ui*tate, v. i. Etym: [L. obequitatus, p.p. of obequitare to ride about.]

Defn: To ride about. [Obs.] — Ob*eq`ui*ta"tion, n. [Obs.] Cockerman.

OBERON Ob"er*on, n. Etym: [F., fr. OF. Auberon; prob. of Frankish origin.] (Mediæval Mythol.)

Defn: The king of the fairies, and husband of Titania or Queen Mab. Shak.

OBERRATION Ob`er*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. oberrate to wander about.]

Defn: A wandering about. [Obs.] Jonhson.

OBESE O*bese". a. Etym: [L. obesus eaten away, lean; also, that has eaten itself fat, fat, stout, p.p. of obedere to devour; ob (see Ob-) + edere to eat. See Eat.]

Defn: Excessively corpulent; fat; fleshy.

OBESENESS O*bese"ness, n.

Defn: Quality of being obese; obesity.

OBESITY O*bes"i*ty, n.Etym: [L. obesitas: cf.F. obésité.]

Defn: The state or quality of being obese; incumbrance of flesh.

OBEY O*bey", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obeyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Obeying.] Etym: [OE. obeyen, F. obéir, fr. L. obedire, oboedire; ob (see Ob-) + audire to hear. See Audible, and cf. Obeisance.]

1. To give ear to; to execute the commands of; to yield submission to; to comply with the orders of. Children, obey your parents in the Lord. Eph. vi. 1. Was she the God, that her thou didst obey Milton.

2. To submit to the authority of; to be ruled by. My will obeyed his will. Chaucer. Afric and India shall his power obey. Dryden.

3. To yield to the impulse, power, or operation of; as, a ship obeys her helm.

OBEY O*bey", v. i.

Defn: To give obedience. Will he obey when one commands Tennyson.

Note: By some old writers obey was used, as in the French idiom, with the preposition to. His servants ye are, to whom ye obey. Rom. vi. 16. He commanded the trumpets to sound: to which the two brave knights obeying, they performed their courses. Sir. P. Sidney.

OBEYER O*bey"er, n.

Defn: One who yields obedience. Holland.

OBEYINGLY O*bey"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: Obediently; submissively.

OBFIRM; OBFIRMATE Ob*firm", Ob*firm"ate, v. t. Etym: [L. obfirmatus, p.p. of obfirmare to make steadfast. See Ob-, and Firm, v. t.]

Defn: To make firm; to harden in resolution. [Obs.] Bp. Hall. Sheldon.

OBFIRMATION Ob"fir*ma"tion, n. Etym: [LL. obfirmatio.]

Defn: Hardness of heart; obduracy. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

OBFUSCATE Ob*fus"cate, a. Etym: [L. obfuscatus, p.p. of obfuscare to darken; ob (see Ob-) + fuscare, fuscatum, to darken, from fuscus dark.]

Defn: Obfuscated; darkened; obscured. [Obs.] [Written also offuscate.] Sir. T. Elyot.

OBFUSCATE Ob*fus"cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obfuscated; p. pr. & vb. n. Obfuscating.]

Defn: To darken; to obscure; to becloud; hence, to confuse; to bewilder. His head, like a smokejack, the funnel unswept, and the ideas whirling round and round about in it, all obfuscated and darkened over with fuliginous matter. Sterne. Clouds of passion which might obfuscate the intellects of meaner females. Sir. W. Scott.

OBFUSCATION Ob`fus*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. obfuscatio.]

Defn: The act of darkening or bewildering; the state of being darkened. "Obfuscation of the cornea." E. Darwin.

OBI O"bi, n. Etym: [Prob. of African origin.]

1. A species of sorcery, probably of African origin, practiced among the negroes of the West Indies. [Written also obe and obeah.] De Quincey. B. Edwards.

2. A charm or fetich. [West Indies] B. Edwards.

OBIISM O"bi*ism, n.

Defn: Belief in, or the practice of, the obi superstitions and rites.

OBIMBRICATE Ob*im"bri*cate, a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + imbricate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Imbricated, with the overlapping ends directed downward.

OBIT O"bit, n. Etym: [OF. obit, L. obitus, fr. obire to go against, to go to meet, (sc.mortem) to die; ob (see Ob-) + ire to go. See Issue.]

1. Death; decease; the date of one's death. Wood.

2. A funeral solemnity or office; obsequies.

3. A service for the soul of a deceased person on the anniversary of the day of his death. The emoluments and advantages from oblations, obits, and other sources, increased in value. Milman. Post obit Etym: [L. post obitum]. See Post-obit.

OBITER Ob"i*ter, adv. Etym: [L., on the way; ob (see Ob-) + iter a going, a walk, way.]

Defn: In passing; incidentally; by the way. Obiter dictum (Law), an incidental and collateral opinion uttered by a judge. See Dictum, n., 2(a).

OBITUAL O*bit"u*al, a. Etym: [L. obitus death. See Obit.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to obits, or days when obits are celebrated; as, obitual days. Smart.

OBITUARILY O*bit"u*a*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of an obituary.

OBITUARY O*bit"u*a*ry, a. Etym: [See Obit.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the death of a person or persons; as, an obituary notice; obituary poetry.

OBITUARY O*bit"u*a*ry, n.; pl. Obituaries. Etym: [Cf. F. obituaire. See Obit.]

1. That which pertains to, or is called forth by, the obit or death of a person; esp., an account of a deceased person; a notice of the death of a person, accompanied by a biographical sketch.

2. (R.C.Ch.)

Defn: A list of the dead, or a register of anniversary days when service is performed for the dead.

OBJECT Ob*ject", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Objected; p. pr. & vb. n. Objecting.] Etym: [L. objectus, p.p. of objicere, obicere, to throw or put before, to oppose; ob (see Ob-) + jacere to throw: cf. objecter. See Jet a shooting forth.]

1. To set before or against; to bring into opposition; to oppose. [Obs.] Of less account some knight thereto object, Whose loss so great and harmful can not prove. Fairfax. Some strong impediment or other objecting itself. Hooker. Pallas to their eyes The mist objected, and condensed the skies. Pope.

2. To offer in opposition as a criminal charge or by way of accusation or reproach; to adduce as an objection or adverse reason. He gave to him to object his heinous crime. Spencer. Others object the poverty of the nation. Addison. The book … giveth liberty to object any crime against such as are to be ordered. Whitgift.

OBJECT Ob*ject", v. i.

Defn: To make opposition in words or argument; — usually followed by to. Sir. T. More.

OBJECT Ob"ject, n. Etym: [L. objectus. See Object, v. t.]

1. That which is put, or which may be regarded as put, in the way of some of the senses; something visible or tangible; as, he observed an object in the distance; all the objects in sight; he touched a strange object in the dark.

2. That which is set, or which may be regarded as set, before the mind so as to be apprehended or known; that of which the mind by any of its activities takes cognizance, whether a thing external in space or a conception formed by the mind itself; as, an object of knowledge, wonder, fear, thought, study, etc. Object is a term for that about which the knowing subject is conversant; what the schoolmen have styled the "materia circa quam." Sir. W. Hamilton. The object of their bitterest hatred. Macaulay.

3. That by which the mind, or any of its activities, is directed; that on which the purpose are fixed as the end of action or effort; that which is sought for; end; aim; motive; final cause. Object, beside its proper signification, came to be abusively applied to denote motive, end, final cause…. This innovation was probably borrowed from the French. Sir. W. Hamilton. Let our object be, our country, our whole country, and nothing but our country. D. Webster.

4. Sight; show; appearance; aspect. [Obs.] Shak. He, advancing close Up to the lake, past all the rest, arose In glorious object. Chapman.

5. (Gram.)

Defn: A word, phrase, or clause toward which an action is directed, or is considered to be directed; as, the object of a transitive verb. Object glass, the lens, or system of lenses, placed at the end of a telescope, microscope, etc., which is toward the object. Its office is to form an image of the object, which is then viewed by the eyepiece. Called also objective. See Illust. of Microscope. — Object lesson, a lesson in which object teaching is made use of. — Object staff. (Leveling) Same as Leveling staff. — Object teaching, a method of instruction, in which illustrative objects are employed, each new word or idea being accompanied by a representation of that which it signifies; — used especially in the kindergarten, for young children.

OBJECT Ob*ject", a. Etym: [L. objectus, p. p.]

Defn: Opposed; presented in opposition; also, exposed. [Obs.]

OBJECTABLE Ob*ject"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be presented in opposition; that may be put forward as an objection. [R.]

OBJECTIFY Ob*jec"ti*fy, v. t. Etym: [Object + -fy.]

Defn: To cause to become an object; to cause to assume the character of an object; to render objective. J. D. Morell.

OBJECTION Ob*jec"tion, n. Etym: [L. objectio: cf. F. objection.]

1. The act of objecting; as, to prevent agreement, or action, by objection. Johnson.

2. That which is, or may be, presented in opposition; an adverse reason or argument; a reason for objecting; obstacle; impediment; as, I have no objection to going; unreasonable objections. "Objections against every truth." Tyndale.

3. Cause of trouble; sorrow. [Obs. or R.] He remembers the objection that lies in his bosom, and he sighs deeply. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. — Exception; difficulty; doubt; scruple.

OBJECTIONABLE Ob*jec"tion*a*ble, a.

Defn: Liable to objection; likely to be objected to or disapproved of; offensive; as, objectionable words. — Ob*jec"tion*a*bly, adv.

OBJECTIST Ob"ject*ist, n.

Defn: One who adheres to, or is skilled in, the objective philosophy. Ed. Rev.

OBJECTIVATE Ob*jec"ti*vate, v. t.

Defn: To objectify.

OBJECTIVATION Ob*jec`ti*va"tion, n.

Defn: Converting into an object.

OBJECTIVE Ob*jec"tive, a. Etym: [Cf.F. objectif.]

1. Of or pertaining to an object.

2. (Metaph.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to an object; contained in, or having the nature or position of, an object; outward; external; extrinsic; — an epithet applied to whatever ir exterior to the mind, or which is simply an object of thought or feeling, and opposed to subjective. In the Middle Ages, subject meant substance, and has this sense in Descartes and Spinoza: sometimes, also, in Reid. Subjective is used by William of Occam to denote that which exists independent of mind; objective, what is formed by the mind. This shows what is meant by realitas objectiva in Descartes. Kant and Fichte have inverted the meanings. Subject, with them, is the mind which knows; object, that which is known; subjective, the varying conditions of the knowing mind; objective, that which is in the constant nature of the thing known. Trendelenburg. Objective means that which belongs to, or proceeds from, the object known, and not from the subject knowing, and thus denotes what is real, in opposition to that which is ideal — what exists in nature, in contrast to what exists merely in the thought of the individual. Sir. W. Hamilton. Objective has come to mean that which has independent exostence or authority, apart from our experience or thought. Thus, moral law is said to have objective authority, that is, authority belonging to itself, and not drawn from anything in our nature. Calderwood (Fleming's Vocabulary).

3. (Gram.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, the case which follows a transitive verb or a preposition, being that case in which the direct object of the verb is placed. See Accusative, n.

Note: The objective case is frequently used without a governing word, esp. in designations of time or space, where a preposition, as at, in, on, etc., may be supplied. My troublous dream [on] this night make me sad. Shak. To write of victories [in or for] next year. Hudibras. Objective line (Perspective), a line drawn on the geometrical plane which is represented or sought to be represented. — Objective plane (Perspective), any plane in the horizontal plane that is represented. — Objective point, the point or result to which the operations of an army are directed. By extension, the point or purpose to which anything, as a journey or an argument, is directed.

Syn. — Objective, Subjective. Objective is applied to things exterior to the mind, and objects of its attention; subjective, to the operations of the mind itself. Hence, an objective motive is some outward thing awakening desire; a subjective motive is some internal feeling or propensity. Objective views are those governed by outward things; subjective views are produced or modified by internal feeling. Sir Walter Scott's poetry is chiefly objective; that of Wordsworth is eminently subjective. In the philosophy of mind, subjective denotes what is to be referred to the thinking subject, the ego; objective what belongs to the object of thought, the non-ego. Sir. W. Hamilton

OBJECTIVE Ob*jec"tive, n.

1. (Gram.)

Defn: The objective case.

2. An object glass. See under Object, n.

3. Same as Objective point, under Objective, a.

OBJECTIVELY Ob*jec"tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner or state of an object; as, a determinate idea objectively in the mind.

OBJECTIVENESS Ob*jec"tive*ness, n.

Defn: Objectivity. Is there such a motion or objectiveness of external bodies, which produceth light Sir M. Hale

OBJECTIVITY Ob`jec*tiv"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf.F. objectivité.]

Defn: The state, quality, or relation of being objective; character of the object or of the objective. The calm, the cheerfulness, the disinterested objectivity have disappeared [in the life of the Greeks]. M. Arnold.

OBJECTIZE Ob"ject*ize, v. t.

Defn: To make an object of; to regard as an object; to place in the position of an object. In the latter, as objectized by the former, arise the emotions and affections. Coleridge.

OBJECTLESS Ob"ject*less, a.

Defn: Having no object; purposeless.

OBJECTOR Ob*ject"or, n. Etym: [L., an accuser.]

Defn: One who objects; one who offers objections to a proposition or measure.

OBJIBWAYS Ob*jib"ways, n.pl.

Defn: See Chippeways.

OBJICIENT Ob*jic"i*ent, n. Etym: [L. objiciens, p.pr. of objicere to object.]

Defn: One who makes objection; an objector. [R.] Cardinal Wiseman.

OBJURATION Ob`ju*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. objurare to bind by oath; ob (see Ob-) + jurare to swear, fr. jus right.]

Defn: A binding by oath. [R.] Abp. Bramhall.

OBJURGATE Ob*jur"gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Objurgated; p. pr. & vb. n. Objurgating.] Etym: [L.objurgatus, p.p. of objurgare to chide; ob (see Ob-) + jurgare to quarrel, scold, fr. jus right, court. See Jury.]

Defn: To chide; to reprove.

OBJURGATION Ob`jur*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. objurgatio: cf.F.objurgation.]

Defn: The act of objurgating; reproof. While the good lady was bestowing this objurgation on Mr.Ben Allen. Dickens. With a strong objurgation of the elbow in his ribs. Landor.

OBJURGATORY Ob*jur"ga*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. objurgatorius.]

Defn: Designed to objurgate or chide; containing or expressing reproof; culpatory. Bancroft. The objurgatory question of the Pharisees. Paley.

OBLANCEOLATE Ob*lan"ce*o*late, a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + lanceolate.]

Defn: Lanceolate in the reversed order, that is, narrowing toward the point of attachment more than toward the apex.

OBLATE Ob*late", a. Etym: [L. oblatus, used as p.p. of offerre to bring forward, offer, dedicate; ob (see Ob-) + latus borne, for tlatus. See Tolerate.]

1. (Geom.)

Defn: Flattened or depressed at the poles; as, the earth is an oblate spheroid.

2. Offered up; devoted; consecrated; dedicated; — used chiefly or only in the titles of Roman Catholic orders. See Oblate, n. Oblate ellipsoid or spheroid (Geom.), a solid generated by the revolution of an ellipse about its minor axis; an oblatum. See Ellipsoid of revolution, under Ellipsoid.

OBLATE Ob*late", n. Etym: [From Oblate, a.] (R.C.Ch.) (a) One of an association of priests or religious women who have offered themselves to the service of the church. There are three such associations of priests, and one of women, called oblates. (b) One of the Oblati.

OBLATENESS Ob*late"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being oblate.

OBLATI Ob*la"ti, n. pl. Etym: [LL., fr. L. oblatus. See Oblate.] (R.C.Ch.) (a) Children dedicated in their early years to the monastic state. (b) A class of persons, especially in the Middle Ages, who offered themselves and their property to a monastery. Addis & Arnold.

OBLATION Ob*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. oblatio: cf. F. oblation. See Oblate.]

1. The act of offering, or of making an offering. Locke.

2. Anything offered or presented in worship or sacred service; an offering; a sacrifice. A peculiar … oblation given to God. Jer. Taylor. A pin was the usual oblation. Sir. W. Scott.

3. A gift or contribution made to a church, as for the expenses of the eucharist, or for the support of the clergy and the poor.

OBLATIONER Ob*la"tion*er, n.

Defn: One who makes an offering as an act worship or reverence. Dr. H. More.

OBLATRATE Ob*la"trate, v. i. Etym: [L. oblatratus, p.p. of oblatrare to bark against.]

Defn: To bark or snarl, as a dog. [Obs.]

OBLATRATION Ob`la*tra"tion, n.

Defn: The act of oblatrating; a barking or snarling. Bp. Hall.

OBLATUM Ob*la"tum, n.; pl. Oblata. Etym: [NL. See Oblate.] (Geom.)

Defn: An oblate spheroid; a figure described by the revolution of an ellipse about its minor axis. Cf. Oblongum.

OBLECTATE Ob*lec"tate, v. t. Etym: [L. oblectatus, p.p. of oblectare.]

Defn: To delight; to please greatly. [Obs.]

OBLECTATION Ob"lec*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. oblectatio.]

Defn: The act of pleasing highly; the state of being greatly pleased; delight. [R.] Feltham.

OBLIGABLE Ob"li*ga*ble, a.

Defn: Acknowledging, or complying with, obligation; trustworthy. [R.] The main difference between people seems to be, that one man can come under obligations on which you can rely, — is obligable; and another is not. Emerson.

OBLIGATE Ob"li*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obligated; p. pr. & vb. n. Obligating.] Etym: [L. obligatus, p.p. of obligare. See Oblige.]

1. To bring or place under obligation, moral or legal; to hold by a constraining motive. "Obligated by a sense of duty." Proudfit. That's your true plan — to obligate The present ministers of state. Churchill.

2. To bind or firmly hold to an act; to compel; to constrain; to bind to any act of duty or courtesy by a formal pledge. That they may not incline or be obligated to any vile or lowly occupations. Landor.

OBLIGATION Ob"li*ga"tion, n. Etym: [F. obligation. L. obligatio. See Oblige.]

1. The act of obligating.

2. That which obligates or constrains; the binding power of a promise, contract, oath, or vow, or of law; that which constitutes legal or moral duty. A tender conscience is a stronger obligation than a proson. Fuller.

3. Any act by which a person becomes bound to do something to or for anouther, or to forbear something; external duties imposed by law, promise, or contract, by the relations of society, or by courtesy, kindness, etc. Every man has obligations which belong to his station. Duties extend beyond obligation, and direct the affections, desires, and intentions, as well as the actions. Whewell.

4. The state of being obligated or bound; the state of being indebted for an act of favor or kindness; as, to place others under obligations to one.

5. (Law)

Defn: A bond with a condition annexed, and a penalty for nonfulfillment. In a larger sense, it is an acknowledgment of a duty to pay a certain sum or do a certain things. Days of obligation. See under Day.

OBLIGATO Ob"li*ga"to, a. Etym: [It.]

Defn: See Obbligato.

OBLIGATORILY Ob"li*ga*to*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In an obligatory manner; by reason of obligation. Foxe.

OBLIGATORINESS Ob"li*ga*to*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being obligatory.

OBLIGATORY Ob"li*ga*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. obligatorius: cf.F. obligatoire.]

Defn: Binding in law or conscience; imposing duty or obligation; requiring performance or forbearance of some act; — often followed by on or upon; as, obedience is obligatory on a soldier. As long as the law is obligatory, so long our obedience is due. Jer. Taylor.

OBLIGE O*blige", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obliged; p. pr. & vb. n. Obliging.] Etym: [OF. obligier, F.obliger, L. obligare; ob (see Ob-) + ligare to bind. See Ligament, and cf. Obligate.]

1. To attach, as by a bond. [Obs.] He had obliged all the senators and magistrates firmly to himself. Bacon.

2. To constrain by physical, moral, or legal force; to put under obligation to do or forbear something. The obliging power of the law is neither founded in, nor to be measured by, the rewards and punishments annexed to it. South. Religion obliges men to the practice of those virtues which conduce to the preservation of our health. Tillotson.

3. To bind by some favor rendered; to place under a debt; hence, to do a favor to; to please; to gratify; to accommodate. Thus man, by his own strength, to heaven would soar, And would not be obliged to God for more. Dryden. The gates before it are brass, and the whole much obliged to Pope Urban VIII. Evelyn. I shall be more obliged to you than I can express. Mrs. E. Montagu.

OBLIGEE Ob"li*gee", n. Etym: [F. obligé, p.p. of obliger. See Oblige.]

Defn: The person to whom another is bound, or the person to whom a bond is given. Blackstone.

OBLIGEMENT O*blige"ment, n.

Defn: Obligation. [R.] I will not resist, therefore, whatever it is, either of divine or human obligement, that you lay upon me. Milton.

OBLIGER O*bli"ger, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, obliges. Sir H. Wotton.

OBLIGING O*bli"ging, a.

Defn: Putting under obligation; disposed to oblige or do favors; hence, helpful; civil; kind. Mons.Strozzi has many curiosities, and is very obliging to a stranger who desires the sight of them. Addison.

Syn. — Civil; complaisant; courteous; kind, — Obliging, Kind, Complaisant. One is kind who desires to see others happy; one is complaisant who endeavors to make them so in social intercourse by attentions calculated to please; one who is obliging performs some actual service, or has the disposition to do so. — O*bli"ging*ly. adv. — O*bli"ging*ness, n.

OBLIGOR Ob`li*gor", n.

Defn: The person who binds himself, or gives his bond to another. Blackstone.

OBLIQUATION Ob`li*qua"tion, n. Etym: [L. obliquatio, fr. obliquare to turn obliquely. See Oblique.]

1. The act of becoming oblique; a turning to one side; obliquity; as, the obliquation of the eyes. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

2. Deviation from moral rectitude. [R.]

OBLIQUE Ob*lique", a. Etym: [F., fr. L. obliquus; ob (see Ob-) + liquis oblique; cf. licinus bent upward, Gr [Written also oblike.]

1. Not erect or perpendicular; neither parallel to, nor at right angles from, the base; slanting; inclined. It has a direction oblique to that of the former motion. Cheyne.

2. Not straightforward; indirect; obscure; hence, disingenuous; underhand; perverse; sinister. The love we bear our friends… Hath in it certain oblique ends. Drayton. This mode of oblique research, when a more direct one is denied, we find to be the only one in our power. De Quincey. Then would be closed the restless, oblique eye. That looks for evil, like a treacherous spy. Wordworth.

3. Not direct in descent; not following the line of father and son; collateral. His natural affection in a direct line was strong, in an oblique but weak. Baker. Oblique angle, Oblique ascension, etc. See under Angle,Ascension, etc. — Oblique arch (Arch.), an arch whose jambs are not at right angles with the face, and whose intrados is in consequence askew. — Oblique bridge, a skew bridge. See under Bridge, n. — Oblique case (Gram.), any case except the nominative. See Case, n. — Oblique circle (Projection), a circle whose plane is oblique to the axis of the primitive plane. — Oblique fire (Mil.), a fire the direction of which is not perpendicular to the line fired at. — Oblique flank (Fort.), that part of the curtain whence the fire of the opposite bastion may be discovered. Wilhelm. — Oblique leaf. (Bot.) (a) A leaf twisted or inclined from the normal position. (b) A leaf having one half different from the other. — Oblique line (Geom.), a line that, meeting or tending to meet another, makes oblique angles with it. — Oblique motion (Mus.), a kind of motion or progression in which one part ascends or descends, while the other prolongs or repeats the same tone, as in the accompanying example. — Oblique muscle (Anat.), a muscle acting in a direction oblique to the mesial plane of the body, or to the associated muscles; — applied especially to two muscles of the eyeball. — Oblique narration. See Oblique speech. — Oblique planes (Dialing), planes which decline from the zenith, or incline toward the horizon. — Oblique sailing (Naut.), the movement of a ship when she sails upon some rhumb between the four cardinal points, making an oblique angle with the meridian. — Oblique speech (Rhet.), speech which is quoted indirectly, or in a different person from that employed by the original speaker. — Oblique sphere (Astron. & Geog.), the celestial or terrestrial sphere when its axis is oblique to the horizon of the place; or as it appears to an observer at any point on the earth except the poles and the equator. — Oblique step (Mil.), a step in marching, by which the soldier, while advancing, gradually takes ground to the right or left at an angle of about 25º. It is not now practiced. Wilhelm. — Oblique system of coördinates (Anal. Geom.), a system in which the coördinate axes are oblique to each other.

OBLIQUE Ob*lique", n. (Geom.)

Defn: An oblique line.

OBLIQUE Ob*lique", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Obliqued p. pr. & vb. n. Obliquing.]

1. To deviate from a perpendicular line; to move in an oblique direction. Projecting his person towards it in a line which obliqued from the bottom of his spine. Sir. W. Scott.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: To march in a direction oblique to the line of the column or platoon; — formerly accomplished by oblique steps, now by direct steps, the men half-facing either to the right or left.

OBLIQUE-ANGLED Ob*lique"-an`gled, a.

Defn: Having oblique angles; as, an oblique-angled triangle.

OBLIQUELY Ob*lique"ly, adv.

Defn: In an oblique manner; not directly; indirectly. "Truth obliquely leveled." Bp. Fell. Declining from the noon of day, The sun obliquely shoots his burning ray. Pope His discourse tends obliquely to the detracting from others. Addison.

OBLIQUENESS Ob*lique"ness, n.

Defn: Quality or state of being oblique.

OBLIQUITY Ob*liq"ui*ty, n.; pl. Obliquities. Etym: [L. obliquitas: cf. F. obliquité.]

1. The condition of being oblique; deviation from a right line; deviation from parallelism or perpendicularity; the amount of such deviation; divergence; as, the obliquity of the ecliptic to the equator.

2. Deviation from ordinary rules; irregularity; deviation from moral rectitude. To disobey [God]…imports a moral obliquity. South.

OBLITE Ob"lite, a. Etym: [L. oblitus, p.p. pf oblinere to besmear.]

Defn: Indistinct; slurred over. [Obs.] "Obscure and oblite mention." Fuller.

OBLITERATE Ob*lit"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obliterated; p. pr. & vb. n. Obliterating.] Etym: [L. obliteratus, p.p. of obliterare to obliterate; ob (see Ob-) + litera, littera, letter. See Letter.]

1. To erase or blot out; to efface; to render undecipherable, as a writing.

2. To wear out; to remove or destroy utterly by any means; to render imperceptible; as. to obliterate ideas; to obliterate the monuments of antiquity. The harsh and bitter feelings of this or that experience are slowly obliterated. W. Black.

OBLITERATE Ob*lit"er*ate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Scarcely distinct; — applied to the markings of insects.

OBLITERATION Ob*lit`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. obliteratio: cf.F. oblitération.]

Defn: The act of obliterating, or the state of being obliterated; extinction. Sir. M. Hale.

OBLITERATIVE Ob*lit"er*a*tive, a.

Defn: Tending or serving to obliterate.

OBLIVION Ob*liv"i*on, n. Etym: [L. oblivio, akin to oblivisci to forget: cf. OF. oblivion.]

1. The act of forgetting, or the state of being forgotten; cessation of remembrance; forgetfulness. Second childishness and mere oblivion. Shak. Among our crimes oblivion may be set. Dryden The origin of our city will be buried in eternal oblivion. W. Irving.

2. Official ignoring of offenses; amnesty, or general pardon; as, an act of oblivion. Sir J. Davies.

Syn. — See Forgetfulness.

OBLIVIOUS Ob*liv"i*ous, a. Etym: [L.obliviosus: cf.F. oblivieux.]

1. Promoting oblivion; causing forgetfulness. "The oblivious pool." Milton. She lay in deep, oblivious slumber. Longfellow.

2. Evincing oblivion; forgetful. Through are both weak in body and oblivious. Latimer. — Obliv"i*ous*ly, adv. — Ob*liv"i*ous*ness, n. Foxe.

OBLOCUTOR Ob*loc"u*tor, n. Etym: [L. oblocutor, obloquutor, fr. obloqui, oblocutus, to speak against; ob (see Ob-) + loqui to speak. See Loquacious.]

Defn: A disputer; a gainsayer. [Obs.] Bale.

OBLONG Ob"long, a. Etym: [L. oblongus; ob (see Ob-) + longus long: cf. F. oblong.]

Defn: Having greater length than breadth, esp. when rectangular.

OBLONG Ob"long, n.

Defn: A rectangular figure longer than it is broad; hence, any figure longer than it is broad. The best figure of a garden I esteem an oblong upon a descent. Sir W. Temple.

OBLONGATA Ob`lon*ga"ta, n. Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: The medulla oblongata. B. G. Wilder.

OBLONGATAL Ob"lon*ga"tal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the medulla oblongata; medullar.

OBLONGISH Ob"long*ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat oblong.

OBLONGLY Ob"long*ly, adv.

Defn: In an oblong form.

OBLONGNESS Ob"long*ness, n.

Defn: State or quality of being oblong.

OBLONG-OVATE Ob"long-o"vate, a.

Defn: Between oblong and ovate, but inclined to the latter.

OBLONGUM Ob*lon"gum, n.; pl. Oblonga. Etym: [NL. See Oblong.] (Geom.)

Defn: A prolate spheroid; a figure described by the revolution of an ellipse about its greater axis. Cf. Oblatum, and see Ellipsoid of revolution, under Ellipsoid.

OBLOQUIOUS Ob*lo"qui*ous, a.

Defn: Containing obloquy; reproachful [R.] Naunton.

OBLOQUY Ob"lo*quy, n. Etym: [L. obloquium, fr. obloqui. See Oblocutor.]

1. Censorious speech; defamatory language; language that casts contempt on men or their actions; blame; reprehension. Shall names that made yuor city the glory of the earth be mentioned with obloquy and detraction Addison.

2. Cause of reproach; disgrace. [Obs.] Shak.

Syn. — Reproach; odium; censure; contumely; gainsaying; reviling; calumny; slander; detraction.

OBLUCTATION Ob`luc*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. oblictutio, fr. obluctari to struggle against.]

Defn: A struggle against; resistance; opposition. [Obs.] Fotherby.

OBMUTESCENCE Ob`mu*tes"cence, n. Etym: [L. obmutescens, p.pr of obmutescere to become dumb; ob (see Ob-) + mutescere to grow dumb, fr. mutus dumb.]

1. A becoming dumb; loss of speech. Sir T. Browne.

2. A keeping silent or mute. Paley.

OBNOXIOUS Ob*nox"ious, a. Etym: [L. obnoxius; ob (see Ob-) + noxius hurtful. See Noxious.]

1. Subject; liable; exposed; answerable; amenable; — with to. The writings of lawyers, which are tied obnoxious to their particular laws. Bacon. Esteeming it more honorable to live on the public than to be obnoxious to any private purse. Milton. Obnoxious, first or last, To basest things Milton.

2. Liable to censure; exposed to punishment; reprehensible; blameworthy. "The contrived and interested schemes of …obnoxious authors." Bp. Fell. All are obnoxious, and this faulty land, Like fainting Hester, does before you stand Watching your scepter. Waller.

3. Offensive; odious; hateful; as, an obnoxious statesman; a minister obnoxious to the Whigs. Burke. — Ob*nox"ious*ly, adv. — Ob*nox"ious*ness, n. South.

OBNUBILATE Ob*nu"bi*late, v. t. Etym: [L. obnubilatus, p.p. of obnubilare to obscure. See Ob-, and Nubilate.]

Defn: To cloud; to obscure. [Obs.] Burton. — Ob*nu"bi*la"tion, n. [Obs.] Beddoes.

OBOE O"boe, n. Etym: [It., fr. F. hautbois. See Hautboy.] (Mus.)

Defn: One of the higher wind instruments in the modern orchestra, yet of great antiquity, having a penetrating pastoral quality of tone, somewhat like the clarinet in form, but more slender, and sounded by means of a double reed; a hautboy. Oboe d'amore Etym: [It., lit., oboe of love], and Oboe di caccia Etym: [It., lit., oboe of the chase], are names of obsolete modifications of the oboe, often found in the scores of Bach and Handel.

OBOIST O"bo*ist, n.

Defn: A performer on the oboe.

OBOLARY Ob"o*la*ry, a. Etym: [See Obolus.]

Defn: Possessing only small coins; impoverished. [R.] Lamb.

OBOLE Ob"ole, n. Etym: [Cf.F. obole. See Obolus.] (Old Pharm.)

Defn: A weight of twelve grains; or, according to some, of ten grains, or half a scruple. [Written also obol.]

OBOLIZE Ob"o*lize, v. t.

Defn: See Obelize.

OBOLO Ob"o*lo, n. Etym: [Cf. Obolus.]

Defn: A copper coin, used in the Ionian Islands, about one cent in value.

OBOLUS Ob"o*lus, n.;pl. Oboli. Etym: [L., fr Gr. ( (Gr.Antiq.) (a) A small silver coin of Athens, the sixth part of a drachma, about three cents in value. (b) An ancient weight, the sixth part of a drachm.

OBOMEGOID Ob`o*me"goid, a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + omegoid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Obversely omegoid.

OBOVAL Ob*o"val, a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + oval.]

Defn: Obovate.

OBOVATE Ob*o"vate. a. Etym: [Pref. ob- + ovate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Inversely ovate; ovate with the narrow end downward; as, an obovate leaf.

OBREPTION Ob*rep"tion, n. Etym: [L. obreptio, fr. obrepere, obreptum, to creep up to; ob (see Ob-) + repere to creep.]

1. The act of creeping upon with secrecy or by surprise. [Obs.] Cudworth.

2. (Scots Law)

Defn: The obtaining gifts of escheat by fraud or surprise. Bell.

OBREPTITIOUS Ob`rep*ti"tious, a. Etym: [L. obreptitus. See Obreption.]

Defn: Done or obtained by surprise; with secrecy, or by concealment of the truth. [R.] Cotgrave.

OBROGATE Ob"ro*gate, v. t. Etym: [L. obrogatus, p.p. of obrogare to obrogate.]

Defn: To annul indirectly by enacting a new and contrary law, instead of by expressly abrogating or repealing the old one. [Obs.] Bailey.

OBROK Ob"rok, n. Etym: [Russ. obrok'.] (a) A rent. (b) A poll tax paid by peasants absent from their lord's estate. [Russia] Brande & C.

OBSCENE Ob*scene", a/ Etym: [L. obscenus, obscaenus, obscoenus, ill looking, filthy, obscene: cf. F. obscéne.]

1. Offensive to chastity or modesty; expressing of presenting to the mind or view something which delicacy, purity, and decency forbid to be exposed; impure; as, obscene language; obscene pictures. Words that were once chaste, by frequent use grew obscene and uncleanly. I. Watts.

2. Foul; fifthy; disgusting. A girdle foul with grease bobscene attire. Dryden.

3. Inauspicious; ill-omened. [R.] [A Latinism] At the cheerful light, The groaning ghosts and birds obscene take flight. Dryden.

Syn. — Impure; immodest; indecent; unchaste; lewd. — Ob*scene"ly, adv. — Ob*scene"ness, n.

OBSCENITY Ob*scen"i*ty, n.; pl. Obscenities. Etym: [L. obscentias: cf.F. obscénité.]

Defn: That quality in words or things which presents what is offensive to chasity or purity of mind; obscene or impure lanquage or acts; moral impurity; lewdness; obsceneness; as, the obscenity of a speech, or a picture. Mr.Cowley asserts plainly, that obscenity has no place in wit. Dryden. No pardon vile obscenity should find. Pope.

OBSCURANT Ob*scur"ant, n. Etym: [L. obscurans, p.pr. of obscurare to obscure.]

Defn: One who obscures; one who prevents enlightenment or hinders the progress of knowledge and wisdom. Coleridge.

OBSCURANTISM Ob*scur"ant*ism, n.

Defn: The system or the principles of the obscurants. C. Kingsley.

OBSCURANTIST Ob*scur"ant*ist, n.

Defn: Same as Obscurant. Ed. Rev.

OBSCURATION Ob`scu*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. obscurativ: cf.F. obscuration. See Obscure, v. t. ]

Defn: The act or operation of obscuring; the state of being obscured; as, the obscuration of the moon in an eclipse. Sir J. Herschel.

OBSCURE Ob*scure", a. [Compar. Obscurer; superl. Obscurest.] Etym: [L. obscurus, orig., covered; ob- (see Ob-) + a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr. sku to cover: cf.F. obscur. Cf.Sky.]

1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim. His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Prov. xx. 20.

2. Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed. The obscure bird Clamored the livelong night. Shak. The obscure corners of the earth. Sir J. Davies.

3. Not noticeable; humble; mean. "O base and obscure vulgar." Shak. "An obscure person." Atterbury.

4. Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or blind; as, an obscure passage or inscription.

5. Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects. Obscure rays (Opt.), those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion.

Syn. — Dark; dim; darksome; dusky; shadowy; misty; abstruse; intricate; difficult; mysterious; retired; unnoticed; unknown; humble; mean; indistinct.

OBSCURE Ob*scure", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obscured; p. pr. & vb. n. Obscuring.] Etym: [L. obscurare, fr. obscurus: cf. OF. obscurer. See Obscure, a.]

Defn: To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious. They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured lights. Shak. Why, 't is an office of discovery, love, And I should be obscured. Shak. There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by the writings of learned men as this. Wake. And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame Dryden.

OBSCURE Ob*scure", v. i.

Defn: To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark. [Obs.] How! There's bad news. I must obscure, and hear it. Beau. & Fl.

OBSCURE Ob*scure", n.

Defn: Obscurity. [Obs.] Milton.

OBSCURELY Ob*scure"ly, adv.

Defn: In an obscure manner. Milton.

OBSCUREMENT Ob*scure"ment, n.

Defn: The act of obscuring, or the state of being obscured; obscuration. Pomfret.

OBSCURENESS Ob*scure"ness, n.

Defn: Obscurity. Bp. Hall.

OBSCURER Ob*scur"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, obscures.

OBSCURITY Ob*scu"ri*ty, n. Etym: [L. obscuritas: cf. F. obscurité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being obscure; darkness; privacy; inconspicuousness; unintelligibleness; uncertainty. Yuo are not for obscurity designed. Dryden. They were now brought forth from obscurity, to be contemplated by artists with admiration and despair. Macaulay.

Syn. — Darkness; dimness; gloom. See Darkness.

OBSECRATE Ob"se*crate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obsecrated; p. pr. & vb, n. Obsecrating.] Etym: [L. obsecratus, p.p. of obsecrare, prop., to ask on religious grounds; ob (see Ob-) + sacrare to declare as sacred, from sacer sacred.]

Defn: To beseech; to supplicate; to implore. [R.]. Cockerman.

OBSECRATION Ob"se*cra"tion, n. Etym: [L. obsecratio: cf. F. obsecration.]

1. The act of obsecrating or imploring; as, the obsecrations of the Litany, being those clauses beginning with "By." Bp. Stillingfeet. Shipley.

2. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure of speech in which the orator implores the assistance of God or man.

OBSECRATORY Ob"se*cra*to*ry, a.

Defn: Expressing, or used in, entreaty; supplicatory. [R.] Bp. Hall.

OBSEQUENT Ob"se*quent, a. Etym: [L. obsequens, p.pr. of obsequi; ob (see Ob-) + sequi. See Sequence.]

Defn: Obedient; submissive; obsequious. [Obs.] Fotherby.

OBSEQUIENCE Ob*se"qui*ence, n.

Defn: Obsequiousness. [R.]

OBSEQUIES Ob"se*quies, n.pl.

Defn: See Obsequy.

OBSEQUIOUS Ob*se"qui*ous, a. Etym: [L.obsequiosus, fr. obsequium compliance, fr. obsequi, fr. obsequi: cf. F. obséquieux, See Obsequent, and cf. Obsequy.]

1. Promptly obedient, or submissive, to the will of another; compliant; yielding to the desires of another; devoted. [Obs.] His servants weeping, Obsequious to his orders, bear him hither. Addison.

2. Servilely or meanly attentive; compliant to excess; cringing; fawning; as, obsequious flatterer, parasite. There lies ever in "obsequious" at the present the sense of an observance which is overdone, of an unmanly readiness to fall in with the will of another. Trench.

3. Etym: [See Obsequy.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to obsequies; funereal. [R.] "To do obsequious sorrow." Shak.

Syn. — Compliant; obedient; servile. See Yielding.

OBSEQUIOUSLY Ob*se"qui*ous*ly, adv.

1. In an obsequious manner; compliantly; fawningly. Dryden.

2. In a manner appropriate to obsequies. [Obs.] Whilst I a while obsequiously lament The untimely fall of virtuous Lancaster. Shak.

OBSEQUIOUSNESS Ob*se"qui*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being obsequious. South.

OBSEQUY Ob"se*quy, n.; pl. Obsequies. Etym: [L. obsequiae, pl., funeral rites, fr. obsequi: cf.F. obsèques. See Obsequent, and cf. Obsequious.]

1. The last duty or service to a person, rendered after his death; hence, a rite or ceremony pertaining to burial; — now used only in the plural. Spencer. I will…fetch him hence, and solemnly attend, With silent obsequy and funeral train. Milton I will myself Be the chief mourner at his obsequies. Dryden. The funeral obsequies were decently and privately performed by his family J. P. Mahaffy.

2. Obsequiousness. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

OBSERVABLE Ob*serv"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. observabilis: cf.F. observable.]

Defn: Worthy or capable of being observed; discernible; noticeable; remarkable. Sir. T. Browne. The difference is sufficiently observable. Southey. — Ob*serv"a*ble*ness, n. — Ob*serv"a*bly, adv.

OBSERVANCE Ob*serv"ance, n. Etym: [F.observance, L. observantia. See Observant.]

1. The act or practice of observing or noticing with attention; a heeding or keeping with care; performance; — usually with a sense of strictness and fidelity; as, the observance of the Sabbath is general; the strict observance of duties. It is a custom More honored in the breach than the observance. Shak.

2. An act, ceremony, or rite, as of worship or respect; especially, a customary act or service of attention; a form; a practice; a rite; a custom. At dances These young folk kept their observances. Chaucer. Use all the observance of civility. Shak. Some represent to themselves the whole of religion as consisting in a few easy observances. Rogers. O I that wasted time to tend upon her, To compass her with sweet observances! Tennyson.

3. Servile attention; sycophancy. [Obs.] Salads and flesh, such as their haste could get, Served with observance. Chapman. This is not atheism, But court observance. Beau. & Fl.

Syn. — Observance, Observation. These words are discriminated by the two distinct senses of observe. To observe means (1) to keep strictly; as, to observe a fast day, and hence, observance denotes the keeping or heeding with strictness; (2) to consider attentively, or to remark; and hence, observation denotes either the act of observing, or some remark made as the result thereof. We do not say the observation of Sunday, though the word was formerly so used. The Pharisees were curious in external observances; the astronomers are curious in celestial observations. Love rigid honesty, And strict observance of impartial laws. Roscommon.

OBSERVANCY Ob*serv"an*cy, n.

Defn: Observance. [Obs.]

OBSERVANDUM Ob*ser`van"dum, n.; pl. Observanda. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A thing to be observed. Swift.

OBSERVANT Ob*serv"ant, a. Etym: [L. observans, -anits, p. pr. of observare: cf. F. observant. See Observe.]

1. Taking notice; viewing or noticing attentively; watchful; attentive; as, an observant spectator; observant habits. Wandering from clime to clime observant stray'd. Pope.

2. Submissively attentive; obediently watchful; regardful; mindful; obedient (to); — with of, as, to be observant of rules. We are told how observant Alexander was of his master Aristotle. Sir K. Digby.

OBSERVANT Ob*serv"ant, n.

1. One who observes forms and rules. [Obs.] Hooker.

2. A sycophantic servant. [Obs.] Silly ducking observants, That stretch their duties nicely. Shak.

3. (R.C.Ch.)

Defn: An Observantine.

OBSERVANTINE Ob`ser*van"tine, n. Etym: [Fr. observantin.] (R.C.Ch.)

Defn: One of a branch of the Order of Franciscans, who profess to adhere more strictly than the Conventuals to the intention of the founder, especially as to poverty; — called also Observants.

OBSERVANTLY Ob*serv"ant*ly, adv.

Defn: In an observant manner.

OBSERVATION Ob`ser*va"tion, n. Etym: [L. observatio: cf.F. observation.]

1. The act or the faculty of observing or taking notice; the act of seeing, or of fixing the mind upon, anything. My observation, which very seldom lies. Shak.

2. The result of an act, or of acts, of observing; view; reflection; conclusion; judgment. In matters of human prudence, we shall find the greatest advantage in making wise observations on our conduct. I. Watts.

3. Hence: An expression of an opinion or judgment upon what one has observed; a remark. "That's a foolish observation." Shak. To observations which ourselves we make We grow more partial for the observer's sake. Pope.

4. Performance of what is prescribed; adherence in practice; observance. [Obs.] We are to procure dispensation or leave to omit the observation of it in such circumstances. Jer. Taylor.

5. (Science) (a) The act of recognizing and noting some fact or occurrence in nature, as an aurora, a corona, or the structure of an animal. (b) Specifically, the act of measuring, with suitable instruments, some magnitude, as the time of an occultation, with a clock; the right ascension of a star, with a transit instrument and clock; the sun's altitude, or the distance of the moon from a star, with a sextant; the temperature, with a thermometer, etc. (c) The information so acquired.

Note: When a phenomenon is scrutinized as it occurs in nature, the act is termed an observation. When the conditions under which the phenomenon occurs are artificial, or arranged beforehand by the observer, the process is called an experiment. Experiment includes observation. To take an observation (Naut.), to ascertain the altitude of a heavenly body, with a view to fixing a vessel's position at sea.

Syn. — Observance; notice; attention; remark; comment; note. See Observance.

OBSERVATIONAL Ob`ser*va"tion*al, a.

Defn: Of a pertaining to observation; consisting of, or containing, observations. Chalmers.

OBSERVATION CAR Ob`ser*va"tion car.

Defn: A railway passenger car made so as to facilitate seeing the scenery en route; a car open, or with glass sides, or with a kind of open balcony at the rear.

OBSERVATIVE Ob*serv"a*tive, a.

Defn: Observing; watchful.

OBSERVATOR Ob"ser*va`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

1. One who observes or takes notice. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

2. One who makes a remark. [Obs.] Dryden.

OBSERVATORY Ob*serv"a*to*ry, n.; pl. Observatories. Etym: [Cf. F. observatoire.]

1. A place or building for making observations on the heavenly bodies. The new observatory in Greenwich Park. Evelyn.

2. A building fitted with instruments for making systematic observations of any particular class or series of natural phenomena.

3. A place, as an elevated chamber, from which a view may be observed or commanded.

4. (Mil.)

Defn: A lookout on a flank of a battery whence an officer can note the range and effect of the fire. Farrow.

OBSERVE Ob*serve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Observed; p. pr. & vb. n. Observing.] Etym: [L.observare, observatum; ob (see Ob-) + servare to save, preserve, keep, heed, observe: cf.F. observer. See Serve.]

1. To take notice of by appropriate conduct; to conform one's action or practice to; to keep; to heed; to obey; to comply with; as, to observe rules or commands; to observe civility. Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Ex. xii. 17. He wolde no such cursedness observe. Chaucer. Must I budge Must I observe you Shak. With solemn purpose to observe Immutably his sovereign will. Milton.

2. To be on the watch respecting; to pay attention to; to notice with care; to see; to perceive; to discover; as, to observe an eclipse; to observe the color or fashion of a dress; to observe the movements of an army.

3. To express as what has been noticed; to utter as a remark; to say in a casual or incidental way; to remark.

OBSERVE Ob*serve", v. i.

1. To take notice; to give attention to what one sees or hears; to attend.

2. To make a remark; to comment; — generally with on or upon. I have barely quoted… without observing upon it. Pope.

Syn. — To remark. See Remark.

OBSERVER Ob*serv"er, n.

1. One who observes, or pays attention to, anything; especially, one engaged in, or trained to habits of, close and exact observation; as, an astronomical observer. The observed of all observers. Shak. Careful observers may foretell the hour, By sure prognostic, when to dread a shower. Swift.

2. One who keeps any law, custom, regulation, rite, etc.; one who conforms to anything in practice. "Diligent observers of old customs." Spenser. These… hearkend unto observers of times. Deut. xviii. 14.

3. One who fulfills or performs; as, an observer of his promises.

4. A sycophantic follower. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

OBSERVERSHIP Ob*serv"er*ship, n.

Defn: The office or work of an observer.

OBSERVING Ob*serv"ing, a.

Defn: Giving particular attention; habitually attentive to what passes; as, an observing person; an observing mind. — Ob*serv"ing*ly, adv.

OBSESS Ob*sess", v. t. Etym: [L. obsessus, p.p. of obsidere to besiege; ob (see Ob-) + sedere to sit.]

Defn: To besiege; to beset. Sir T. Elyot.

OBSESSION Ob*ses"sion, n. Etym: [L. obsessio: cf.F. obsession.]

1. The act of besieging. Johnson.

2. The state of being besieged; — used specifically of a person beset by a spirit from without. Tylor. Whether by obsession or possession, I will not determine. Burton.

OBSIDIAN Ob*sid"i*an, n. Etym: [L. Obsidianus lapis, so named, according to Pliny, after one Obsidius, who discovered it in Ethiopia: cf.F. obsidiane, obsidienne. The later editions of Pliny read Obsianus lapis, and Obsius, instead of Obsidianus lapis, and Obsidius.] (Min.)

Defn: A kind of glass produced by volcanoes. It is usually of a black color, and opaque, except in thin splinters.

Note: In a thin section it often exhibits a fluidal structure, marked by the arrangement of microlites in the lines of the flow of the molten mass.

OBSIDIONAL Ob*sid"i*o*nal, a. Etym: [L. obsidionalis, from obsidio a siege, obsidere to besiege: cf.F. obsidional. See Obsess.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a siege. Obsidional crown (Rom.Antiq.), a crown bestowed upon a general who raised the siege of a beleaguered place, or upon one who held out against a siege.

OBSIGILLATION Ob*sig`il*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. ob (see Ob-) + sigillum a seal.]

Defn: A sealing up. [Obs.] Maunder.

OBSIGN Ob*sign", v. t. Etym: [See Obsignate.]

Defn: To seal; to confirm, as by a seal or stamp. [Obs.] Bradford.

OBSIGNATE Ob*sig"nate, v. t. Etym: [L. obsignated, p.p. of obsignare to seal. See Ob-, and Sign.]

Defn: To seal; to ratify. [Obs.] Barrow.

OBSIGNATION Ob`sig*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. obsignatio.]

Defn: The act of sealing or ratifying; the state of being sealed or confirmed; confirmation, as by the Holy Spirit. The spirit of manifestation will but upbraid you in the shame and horror of a sad eternity, if you have not the spirit of obsignation. Jer. Taylor.

OBSIGNATORY Ob*sig"na*to*ry, a.

Defn: Ratifying; confirming by sealing. [Obs.] Samuel Ward (1643)

OBSOLESCE Ob`so*lesce", v. i. Etym: [L. obsolescere. See Obsolescent.]

Defn: To become obsolescent. [R.] Fitzed. Hall.

OBSOLESCENCE Ob`so*les"cence, n. Etym: [See Obsolescent.]

Defn: The state of becoming obsolete.

OBSOLESCENT Ob`so*les"cent, a. Etym: [L. obsolescens, -entis, p.pr. of obsolescere, to wear out gradually, to fall into disuse; ob (see Ob-) + solere to use, be wont.]

Defn: Going out of use; becoming obsolete; passing into desuetude.

OBSOLETE Ob"so*lete, a. Etym: [L. obsoletus, p.p. of obsolescere. See Obsolescent.]

1. No longer in use; gone into disuse; disused; neglected; as, an obsolete word; an obsolete statute; — applied chiefly to words, writings, or observances.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Not very distinct; obscure; rudimental; imperfectly developed; abortive.

Syn. — Ancient; antiquated; old-fashioned; antique; old; disused; neglected. See Ancient.

OBSOLETE Ob"so*lete, v. i.

Defn: To become obsolete; to go out of use. [R.] Fitzed. Hall.

OBSOLETELY Ob"so*lete*ly, adv.

Defn: In an obsolete manner.

OBSOLETENESS Ob"so*lete*ness, n.

1. The state of being obsolete, or no longer used; a state of desuetude.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Indistinctness; want of development.

OBSOLETISM Ob"so*let*ism, n.

Defn: A disused word or phrase; an archaism. Fitzed. Hall.

OBSTACLE Ob"sta*cle, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. obstaculum, fr. obstare to withstand, oppose; ob (see Ob-) + stare to stand. See Stand. and cf. Oust, v.]

Defn: That which stands in the way, or opposes; anything that hinders progress; a hindrance; an obstruction, physical or moral. If all obstacles were cut away. And that my path were even to the crown. Shak.

Syn. — Impediment; obstuction; hindrance; difficulty. See Impediment, and Obstruction.

OBSTANCY Ob"stan*cy, n. Etym: [L. obstantia, fr. obstans, p.pr. of obstare. See Obstacle.]

Defn: Opposition; impediment; obstruction. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

OBSTETRIC; OBSTETRICAL Ob*stet"ric, Ob*stet"ric*al, a. Etym: [L. obstetricius, fr. obstetrix, -icis, a midwife, fr. obstare to stand before: cf.F. obstétrique. See Obstacle.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to midwifery, or the delivery of women in childbed; as, the obstetric art. Obstetrical toad (Zoöl.), a European toad of the genus Alytes, especially A. obstetricans. The eggs are laid in a string which the male winds around his legs, and carries about until the young are hatched.

OBSTETRICATE Ob*stet"ri*cate, v. i. Etym: [L. obstetricatus, p.p. of obstetricare, fr. obstetrix.]

Defn: To perform the office of midwife. [Obs.] "Nature does obstetricate." Evelyn.

OBSTETRICATE Ob*stet"ri*cate, v. t.

Defn: To assist as a midwife. [Obs.] E. Waterhouse.

OBSTETRICATION Ob*stet"ri*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The act of assisting as a midwife; delivery. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

OBSTETRICIAN Ob`ste*tri"cian, n.

Defn: One skilled in obstetrics; an accoucheur.

OBSTETRICIOUS Ob`ste*tri"cious, a. Etym: [See Obstetric.]

Defn: Serving to assist childbirth; obstetric; hence, facilitating any bringing forth or deliverance. [Obs.] Yet is all human teaching but maieutical, or obstetricious. Cudworth.

OBSTETRICS Ob*stet"rics, n. Etym: [Cf. F. obstétrique. See Obstetric.]

Defn: The science of midwifery; the art of assisting women in parturition, or in the trouble incident to childbirth.

OBSTETRICY Ob*stet"ri*cy, n.

Defn: Obstetrics. [R.] Dunglison.

OBSTINACY Ob"sti*na*cy, n. Etym: [See Obstinate.]

1. A fixedness in will, opinion, or resolution that can not be shaken at all, or only with great difficulty; firm and usually unreasonable adherence to an opinion, purpose, or system; unyielding disposition; stubborness; pertinacity; persistency; contumacy. You do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract. Shak. To shelter their ignorance, or obstinacy, under the obscurity of their terms. Locke.

2. The quality or state of being difficult to remedy, relieve, or subdue; as, the obstinacy of a disease or evil.

Syn. — Pertinacity; firmness; resoluteness; inflexibility; persistency; stubbornness; perverseness; contumacy. — Obstinacy, Pertinacity. Pertinacity denotes great firmness in holding to a thing, aim, etc. Obstinacy is great firmness in holding out against persuasion, attack, etc. The former consists in adherence, the latter in resistance. An opinion is advocated with pertinacity or defended with obstinacy. Pertinacity is often used in a good sense; obstinacy generally in a bad one. "In this reply was included a very gross mistake, and if with pertinacity maintained, a capital error." Sir T. Browne. "Every degree of obstinacy in youth is one step to rebellion." South.

OBSTINATE Ob"sti*nate, a. Etym: [L. obstinatus, p.p. of obstinare to set about a thing with firmness, to persist in; ob (see Ob-) + a word from the root of stare to stand. See Stand, and cf.Destine.]

1. Pertinaciously adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course; persistent; not yielding to reason, arguments, or other means; stubborn; pertinacious; — usually implying unreasonableness. I have known great cures done by obstinate resolution of drinking no wine. Sir W. Temple. No ass so meek, no ass so obstinate. Pope. Of sense and outward things. Wordsworth.

2. Not yielding; not easily subdued or removed; as, obstinate fever; obstinate obstructions.

Syn. — Stubborn; inflexible; immovable; firm; pertinacious; persistent; headstrong; opinionated; unyielding; refractory; contumacious. See Stubborn. — Ob"sti*nate*ly, adv. — Ob"sti*nate*ness, n.

OBSTINATION Ob`sti*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. obstinatio.]

Defn: Obstinacy; stubbornness. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

OBSTIPATION Ob`sti*pa"tion, n. Etym: [L. obstipatio a close pressure; ob (see Ob- ) + stipare to press.]

1. The act of stopping up, as a passage. [Obs.] Bailey.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Extreme constipation. [Obs.] Hooper.

OBSTREPEROUS Ob*strep"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. obstreperus, from obstrepere to make a noise at; ob (see Ob-) + strepere to make a noise.]

Defn: Attended by, or making, a loud and tumultuous noise; clamorous; noisy; vociferous. "The obstreperous city." Wordsworth. "Obstreperous approbation." Addison. Beating the air with their obstreperous beaks. B. Jonson. — Ob*strep"er*ous*ly, adv. — Ob*strep"er*ous*ness, n.

OBSTRICTION Ob*stric"tion, n. Etym: [L. obstringere, obstrictum, to bind to or about.]

Defn: The state of being constrained, bound, or obliged; that which constrains or obliges; obligation; bond. [R.] Milton.

OBSTRINGE Ob*stringe", v. t. Etym: [See Obstriction.]

Defn: To constrain; to put under obligation. [R.] Bp. Gardiner.

OBSTRUCT Ob*struct", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obstructed; p. pr. & vb. n. Obstructing.] Etym: [L. obstructus, p.p. of obstruere to build up before or against, to obstruct; ob (see Ob-) + struere to pile up. See Structure.]

1. To block up; to stop up or close, as a way or passage; to place an obstacle in, or fill with obstacles or impediments that prevent or hinder passing; as, to obstruct a street; to obstruct the channels of the body. 'T is the obstructed paths of sound shall clear. Pope.

2. To be, or come, in the way of; to hinder from passing; to stop; to impede; to retard; as, the bar in the harbor obstructs the passage of ships; clouds obstruct the light of the sun; unwise rules obstruct legislation. "Th' impatience of obstructed love." Johnson.

Syn. — To bar; barricade; stop; arrest; check; interrupt; clog; choke; impede; retard; embarrass; oppose.

OBSTRUCTER Ob*struct"er, n.

Defn: One who obstructs or hinders.

OBSTRUCTION Ob*struc"tion, n. Etym: [L.obstructio.]

1. The act of obstructing, or state of being obstructed.

2. That which obstructs or impedes; an obstacle; an impediment; a hindrance. A popular assembly free from obstruction. Swift.

3. The condition of having the natural powers obstructed in their usual course; the arrest of the vital functions; death. [Poetic] To die, and go we know not where, To lie in cold obstruction, and to rot. Shak.

Syn. — Obstacle; bar; barrier; impediment; clog; check; hindrance. — Obstruction, Obstacle. The difference between these words is that indicated by their etymology; an obstacle is something standing in the way; an obstruction is something put in the way. Obstacle implies more fixedness and is the stronger word. We remove obstructions; we surmount obstacles. Disparity in age seems a greater obstacle to an intimate friendship than inequality of fortune. Collier. The king expected to meet with all the obstructions and difficulties his enraged enemies could lay in his way. Clarendon.

OBSTRUCTIONISM Ob*struc"tion*ism, n.

Defn: The act or the policy of obstructing progress. Lond. Lit. World.

OBSTRUCTIONIST Ob*struc"tion*ist, n.

Defn: One who hinders progress; one who obstructs business, as in a legislative body. — a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to obstructionists. [Recent]

OBSTRUCTIVE Ob*struct"ive, a. Etym: [Cf.F. obstrictif.]

Defn: Tending to obstruct; presenting obstacles; hindering; causing impediment. — Ob*struct"ive*ly, adv.

OBSTRUCTIVE Ob*struct"ive, n.

Defn: An obstructive person or thing.

OBSTRUENT Ob"stru*ent, a. Etym: [L. obstruens, p.pr. of obstruere. See Obstruct.]

Defn: Causing obstruction; blocking up; hindering; as, an obstruent medicine. Johnson.

OBSTRUENT Ob"stru*ent, n.

Defn: Anything that obstructs or closes a passage; esp., that which obstructs natural passages in the body; as, a medicine which acts as an obstruent.

OBSTUPEFACTION Ob*stu`pe*fac"tion, n. Etym: [L. obstuperfacere to stupefy.]

Defn: See Stupefaction. [Obs.] Howell.

OBSTUPEFACTIVE Ob*stu`pe*fac"tive, a.

Defn: Stupefactive. [Obs.]

OBSTUPEFY Ob*stu"pe*fy, v. t. Etym: [Cf.L. obstupefacere. See Ob-, and Stupefy.]

Defn: See Stupefy. [Obs.]

OBTAIN Ob*tain", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obtained; p. pr. & vb. n. Obtaining.] Etym: [F. obtenir, L. obtinere; ob (see Ob-) + tenere to hold. See Tenable.]

1. To hold; to keep; to possess. [Obs.] His mother, then, is mortal, but his Sire He who obtains the monarchy of heaven. Milton.

2. To get hold of by effort; to gain possession of; to procure; to acquire, in any way. Some pray for riches; riches they obtain. Dryden. By guileful fair words peace may be obtained. Shak. It may be that I may obtain children by her. Gen. xvi. 2.

Syn. — To attain; gain; procure; acquire; win; earn. See Attain. — To Obtain, Get, Gain, Earn, Acquire. The idea of getting is common to all these terms. We may, indeed, with only a slight change of sense, substitute get for either of them; as, to get or to gain a prize; to get or to obtain an employment; to get or to earn a living; to get or to acquire a language. To gain is to get by striving; and as this is often a part of our good fortune, the word gain is peculiarly applicable to whatever comes to us fortuitously. Thus, we gain a victory, we gain a cause, we gain an advantage, etc. To earn is to deserve by labor or service; as, to earn good wages; to earn a triumph. Unfortunately, one does not always get or obtain what he has earned. To obtain implies desire for possession, and some effort directed to the attainment of that which is not immediately within our reach. Whatever we thus seek and get, we obtain, whether by our own exertions or those of others; whether by good or bad means; whether permanently, or only for a time. Thus, a man obtains an employment; he obtains an answer to a letter, etc. To acquire is more limited and specific. We acquire what comes to us gradually in the regular exercise of our abilities, while we obtain what comes in any way, provided we desire it. Thus, we acquire knowledge, property, honor, reputation, etc. What we acquire becomes, to a great extent, permanently our own; as, to acquire a language; to acquire habits of industry, etc.

OBTAIN Ob*tain", v. i.

1. To become held; to gain or have a firm footing; to be recognized or established; to subsist; to become prevalent or general; to prevail; as, the custom obtains of going to the seashore in summer. Sobriety hath by use obtained to signify temperance in drinking. Jer. Taylor. The Theodosian code, several hundred years after Justinian's time, did obtain in the western parts of Europe. Baker.

2. To prevail; to succeed. [R.] Evelyn. So run that ye may obtain. 1 Cor. ix. 24. There is due from the judge to the advocate, some commendation, where causes are fair pleaded; especially towards the side which obtaineth not. Bacon.

OBTAINABLE Ob*tain"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being obtained.

OBTAINER Ob*tain"er, n.

Defn: One who obtains.

OBTAINMENT Ob*tain"ment, n.

Defn: The act or process of obtaining; attainment. Milton.

OBTECTED Ob*tect"ed, a. Etym: [L. obtectus, p.p. of obtegere to cover over.]

1. Covered; protected. [Obs.]

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Covered with a hard chitinous case, as the pupa of certain files.

OBTEMPER Ob*tem"per, v. t. & i. Etym: [See Obtemperate.] (Scots Law)

Defn: To obey (a judgment or decree).

OBTEMPERATE Ob*tem"per*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. obtemperare, obtemperatum to obey.]

Defn: To obey. [Obs.] Johnson.

OBTEND Ob*tend", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obtended; p. pr. & vb. n. Obtending.] Etym: [L.obtendere, obtentum, to stretch or place before or against; ob (see Ob-) + tendere to stretch.]

1. To oppose; to hold out in opposition. [Obs.] Dryden.

2. To offer as the reason of anything; to pretend. [Obs.] Dryden

OBTENEBRATION Ob*ten`e*bra"tion, n. Etym: [L. obtenebrate to make dark.]

Defn: The act of darkening; the state of being darkened; darkness. [Obs.] In every megrim or vertigo, there is an obtenebration joined with a semblance of turning round. Bacon.

OBTENSION Ob*ten"sion, n. Etym: [L. obtentio. See Obtend.]

Defn: The act of obtending. [Obs.] Johnson.

OBTEST Ob*test", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obtested; p. pr. & vb. n. Obtesting.] Etym: [L. obtestari; ob (see Ob-) + testari to witness, fr. testis a witness.]

1. To call to witness; to invoke as a witness. [R.] Dryden.

2. To beseech; to supplicate; to beg for. [R.]

OBTEST Ob*test", v. i.

Defn: To protest. [R.] E. Waterhouse.

OBTESTATION Ob`tes*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. obtestatio.]

Defn: The act of obtesting; supplication; protestation. [R.] Antonio asserted this with great obtestation. Evelyn.

OBTRECTATION Ob`trec*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. obtrectatio, from obtrectare to detract from through envy. See Detract.]

Defn: Slander; detraction; calumny. [Obs.] Barrow.

OBTRUDE Ob*trude", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obtruded, p. pr. & vb. n. Obtruding.] Etym: [L. obtrudere, obtrusum; ob (see Ob-) + trudere to thrust. See Threat.]

1. To thrust impertinently; to present without warrant or solicitation; as, to obtrude one's self upon a company. The objects of our senses obtrude their particular ideas upon our minds, whether we will or no. Lock.

2. To offer with unreasonable importunity; to urge unduly or against the will. Milton.

OBTRUDE Ob*trude", v. i.

Defn: To thrust one's self upon a company or upon attention; to intrude.

Syn. — To Obtrude, Intrude. To intrude is to thrust one's self into a place, society, etc., without right, or uninvited; to obtrude is to force one's self, remarks, opinions, etc., into society or upon persons with whom one has no such intimacy as to justify such boldness.

OBTRUDER Ob*trud"er, n.

Defn: One who obtrudes. Boyle.

OBTRUNCATE Ob*trun"cate, v. t. Etym: [L. obtruncatus, p.p. of obtruncare.]

Defn: To deprive of a limb; to lop. [R.]

OBTRUNCATION Ob`trun*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. obtruncatio.]

Defn: The act of lopping or cutting off. [R.] Cockeram.

OBTRUSION Ob*tru"sion, n. Etym: [L. obtrusio. See Obtrude.]

1. The act of obtruding; a thrusting upon others by force or unsolicited; as, the obtrusion of crude opinions on the world.

2. That which is obtruded. Milton.

OBTRUSIONIST Ob*tru"sion*ist, n.

Defn: One who practices or excuses obtrusion. [R.] Gent. Mag.

OBTRUSIVE Ob*tru"sive, a.

Defn: Disposed to obtrude; inclined to intrude or thrust one's self or one's opinions upon others, or to enter uninvited; forward; pushing; intrusive. — Ob*tru"sive*ly, adv. — Ob*tru"sive*ness, n. Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retired. Milton.

OBTUND Ob*tund", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obtunded; p. pr. & vb. n. Obtunding.] Etym: [L. obtundere, obtusum; ob (see Ob-) + tundere to strike or beat. See Stutter.]

Defn: To reduce the edge, pungency, or violent action of; to dull; to blunt; to deaden; to quell; as, to obtund the acrimony of the gall. [Archaic] Harvey. They…have filled all our law books with the obtunding story of their suits and trials. Milton.

OBTUNDENT Ob*tund"ent, n. Etym: [L. obtundens, p.pr. of obtundere.] (Med.)

Defn: A substance which sheathes a part, or blunts irritation, usually some bland, oily, or mucilaginous matter; — nearly the same as demulcent. Forsyth.

OBTUNDER Ob*tund"er, n. (Med.)

Defn: That which obtunds or blunts; especially, that which blunts sensibility.

OBTURATE Ob"tu*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obturated; p. pr. & vb. n. Obturating.] [L. obturatus; p.p. of obturare.]

Defn: To stop or close, as an opening; specif., (Ordnance),

Defn: to stop (a gun breech) so as to prevent the escape of gas in firing.

OBTURATION Ob`tu*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. obturare to stop up: cf.F. obturation.]

Defn: The act of stopping up, or closing, an opening. "Deaf by an outward obturation." Bp. Hall.

OBTURATOR Ob"tu*ra`tor, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. obturare to stop up: cf.F. obturateur.]

1. That which closes or stops an opening.

2. (Surg.)

Defn: An apparatus designed to close an unnatural opening, as a fissure of the palate.

OBTURATOR Ob"tu*ra`tor, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Serving as an obturator; closing an opening; pertaining to, or in the region of, the obturator foramen; as, the obturator nerve. Obturator foramen (Anat.), an opening situated between the public and ischial parts of the innominate bone and closed by the obturator membrane; the thyroid foramen.

OBTUSANGULAR Ob*tus"an`gu*lar, a.

Defn: See Obstuseangular.

OBTUSE Ob*tuse". a. [Compar. Obtuser (; superl. Obtusest.] Etym: [L. obtusus, p.p. of obtundere to blunt: cf. F. obtus. See Obtund.]

1. Not pointed or acute; blunt; — applied esp. to angles greater than a right angle, or containing more than ninety degrees.

2. Not having acute sensibility or perceptions; dull; stupid; as, obtuse senses. Milton.

3. Dull; deadened; as, obtuse sound. Johnson.

OBTUSE-ANGLED; OBTUSE-ANGULAR Ob*tuse"-an`gled, ob*tuse"-an`gu*lar, a.

Defn: Having an obtuse angle; as, an obtuse-angled triangle.

OBTUSELY Ob*tuse"ly, adv.

Defn: In an obtuse manner.

OBTUSENESS Ob*tuse"ness, n.

Defn: State or quality of being obtuse.

OBTUSION Ob*tu"sion (, n. Etym: [L. obtusio, from obtundere to blunt. See Obtund.]

1. The act or process of making obtuse or blunt.

2. The state of being dulled or blunted; as, the obtusion of the senses. Harvey.

OBTUSITY Ob*tu"si*ty, n.

Defn: Obtuseness. Lond. Quart. Rev.

OBUMBRANT Ob*um"brant, a. Etym: [L.obumbrans, p.pr.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Overhanging; as, obumbrant feathers.

OBUMBRATE Ob*um"brate, v. t. Etym: [L. obumbratus, p.p. of obumbrare to overshadow, cloud; ob + umbrare to shade.]

Defn: To shade; to darken; to cloud. [R.] Howell.

OBUMBRATION Ob`um*bra"tion, n. Etym: [L. obumbratio.]

Defn: Act of darkening or obscuring. [R.] Sir T. More.

OBUNCOUS Ob*un"cous, a. Etym: [L. obuncus; ob (see Ob-) + uncus hooked.]

Defn: Hooked or crooked in an extreme degree. Maunder.

OBVENTION Ob*ven"tion, n. Etym: [L. obvention, fr. obvenire to come before or in the way of, to befall; ob (see Ob-) + venire to come: cf.F. obvention.]

Defn: The act of happening incidentally; that which happens casually; an incidental advantage; an occasional offering. [Obs.] "Tithes and other obventions." Spenser. Legacies bequeathed by the deaths of princes and great persons, and other casualities and obventions. Fuller.

OBVERSANT Ob*vers"ant, a. Etym: [L. obversans, p.pr. of obversari to hover before; ob (see Ob-) + versare to move about.]

Defn: Conversant; familiar. [Obs.] Bacon.

OBVERSE Ob*verse", a. Etym: [L. obversus, p.p. of obvertere. See Obvert.]

Defn: Having the base, or end next the attachment, narrower than the top, as a leaf.

OBVERSE Ob"verse, n. Etym: [Cf.F. obverse, obvers. See Obverse, a.]

1. The face of a coin which has the principal image or inscription upon it; — the other side being the reverse.

2. Anything necessarily involved in, or answering to, another; the more apparent or conspicuous of two possible sides, or of two corresponding things. The fact that it [a belief] invariably exists being the obverse of the fact that there is no alternative belief. H. Spencer.

OBVERSELY Ob*verse"ly, adv.

Defn: In an obverse manner.

OBVERSION Ob*ver"sion, n. Etym: [L. obversio a turning towards.]

1. The act of turning toward or downward.

2. (Logic)

Defn: The act of immediate inference, by which we deny the opposite of anything which has been affirmed; as, all men are mortal; then, by obversion, no men are immortal. This is also described as "immediate inference by privative conception." Bain.

OBVERT Ob*vert", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obverted; p. pr. & vb. n. Obverting.] Etym: [L. obvertere; ob (see Ob-) + vertere to turn. See Verse.]

Defn: To turn toward. If its base be obverted towards us. I. Watts.

OBVIATE Ob"vi*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Obviating.] Etym: [L. obviare; ob (see Ob-) + viare to go, fr. via way. See Voyage.]

1. To meet in the way. [Obs.] Not to stir a step to obviate any of a different religion. Fuller.

2. To anticipate; to prevent by interception; to remove from the way or path; to make unnecessary; as, to obviate the necessity of going. To lay down everything in its full light, so as to obviate all exceptions. Woodward.

OBVIATION Ob`vi*a"tion, n.

Defn: The act of obviating, or the state of being obviated.

OBVIOUS Ob"vi*ous, a. Etym: [L. obvius; ob (see Ob-) + via way. See Voyage.]

1. Opposing; fronting. [Obs.] To the evil turn My obvious breast. Milton.

2. Exposed; subject; open; liable. [Obs.] "Obvious to dispute." Milton.

3. Easily discovered, seen, or understood; readily perceived by the eye or the intellect; plain; evident; apparent; as, an obvious meaning; an obvious remark. Apart and easy to be known they lie, Amidst the heap, and obvious to the eye. Pope.

Syn. — Plain; clear; evident. See Manifest. — Ob"vi*ous*ly, adv. — Ob"vi*ous-ness, n.

OBVOLUTE; OBVOLUTED Ob"vo*lute, Ob`vo*lu"ted, a. Etym: [L. obvolutus, p.p. of obvolvere to wrap round; ob (see Ob-) + volvere to roll.]

Defn: Overlapping; contorted; convolute; — applied primarily, in botany, to two opposite leaves, each of which has one edge overlapping the nearest edge of the other, and secondarily to a circle of several leaves or petals which thus overlap.

OBY O"by, n.

Defn: See Obi.

OCA O"ca, n. Etym: [Sp.] (Bot.)

Defn: A Peruvian name for certain species of Oxalis (O. crenata, and O. tuberosa) which bear edible tubers.

OCARINA Oc`a*ri"na, n. [Cf. It. carino pretty.] (Mus.)

Defn: A kind of small simple wind instrument.

OCCAMY Oc"ca*my, n. Etym: [A corruption of alchemy.]

Defn: An alloy imitating gold or silver. [Written also ochimy, ochymy, etc.]

OCCASION Oc*ca"sion, n. Etym: [F. occasion, L. occasio, fr.occidere, occasum, to fall down; ob (see Ob-) + cadere to fall. See Chance, and cf. Occident.]

1. A falling out, happening, or coming to pass; hence, that which falls out or happens; occurrence; incident. The unlooked-for incidents of family history, and its hidden excitements, and its arduous occasions. I. Taylor.

2. A favorable opportunity; a convenient or timely chance; convenience. Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me. Rom. vii. 11. I'll take the occasion which he gives to bring Him to his death. Waller.

3. An occurrence or condition of affairs which brings with it some unlooked-for event; that which incidentally brings to pass an event, without being its efficient cause or sufficient reason; accidental or incidental cause. Her beauty was the occasion of the war. Dryden.

4. Need; exigency; requirement; necessity; as, I have no occasion for firearms. After we have served ourselves and our own occasions. Jer. Taylor. When my occasions took me into France. Burke.

5. A reason or excuse; a motive; a persuasion. Whose manner was, all passengers to stay, And entertain with her occasions sly. Spenser. On occasion, in case of need; in necessity; as convenience requires; occasionally. "That we might have intelligence from him on occasion," De Foe.

Syn. — Need; incident; use. See Opportunity.

OCCASION Oc*ca"sion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Occasioned; p. pr. & vb. n. Occasioning.] Etym: [Cf.F. occasionner.]

Defn: To give occasion to; to cause; to produce; to induce; as, to occasion anxiety. South. If we inquire what it is that occasions men to make several combinations of simple ideas into distinct modes. Locke.

OCCASIONABLE Oc*ca"sion*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being occasioned or caused. Barrow.

OCCASIONAL Oc*ca"sion*al, a. Etym: [Cf.F. occasionnel.]

1. Of or pertaining to an occasion or to occasions; occuring at times, but not constant, regular, or systematic; made or happening as opportunity requires or admits; casual; incidental; as, occasional remarks, or efforts. The… occasional writing of the present times. Bagehot.

2. Produced by accident; as, the occasional origin of a thing. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. Occasional cause (Metaph.), some circumstance preceding an effect which, without being the real cause, becomes the occasion of the action of the efficient cause; thus, the act of touching gunpowder with fire is the occasional, but not the efficient, cause of an explosion.

OCCASIONALISM Oc*ca"sion*al*ism, n. (Metaph.)

Defn: The system of occasional causes; — a name given to certain theories of the Cartesian school of philosophers, as to the intervention of the First Cause, by which they account for the apparent reciprocal action of the soul and the body.

OCCASIONALITY Oc*ca`sion*al"i*ty, n.

Defn: Quality or state of being occasional; occasional occurrence. [R.]

OCCASIONALLY Oc*ca"sion*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an occasional manner; on occasion; at times, as convenience requires or opportunity offers; not regularly. Stewart. The one, Wolsey, directly his subject by birth; the other, his subject occasionally by his preferment. Fuller.

OCCASIONATE Oc*ca"sion*ate, v. t.

Defn: To occasion. [Obs.] The lowest may occasionate much ill. Dr. H. More.

OCCASIONER Oc*ca"sion*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, occasions, causes, or produces. Bp. Sanderson.

OCCASIVE Oc*ca"sive, a. Etym: [L. occasivus, fr. occasus a going down, setting of the heavenly bodies, fr. occidere to fall or down. See Occasion.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the setting sun; falling; descending; western.

OCCECATION Oc*ce*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. occaecatio, fr. occaecare to make blind; ob + caecare to blind, fr. caecus blind.]

Defn: The act of making blind, or the state of being blind. [R.] "This inward occecation." Bp. Hall.

OCCIDENT Oc"ci*dent, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. occidens, occidentis, fr. occidents, p.pr. of occidere to fall or go down. See Occasion.]

Defn: The part of the horizon where the sun last appears in the evening; that part of the earth towards the sunset; the west; — opposed to orient. Specifically, in former times, Europe as opposed to Asia; now, also, the Western hemisphere. Chaucer. I may wander from east to occident. Shak.

OCCIDENTAL Oc`ci*den"tal, a. Etym: [L. occidentalis; cf. F.occidental.]

1. Of, pertaining to, or situated in, the occident, or west; western; — opposed to oriental; as, occidental climates, or customs; an occidental planet.

2. Possessing inferior hardness, brilliancy, or beauty; — used of inferior precious stones and gems, because those found in the Orient are generally superior.

OCCIDENTALS Oc`ci*den"tals, n.pl. (Eccl.)

Defn: Western Christians of the Latin rite. See Orientals. Shipley.

OCCIDUOUS Oc*cid"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. occiduus, fr. occidere to go down.]

Defn: Western; occidental. [R.] Blount.

OCCIPITAL Oc*cip"i*tal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. occipital.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the occiput, or back part of the head, or to the occipital bone. Occipital bone (Anat.), the bone which forms the posterior segment of the skull and surrounds the great foramen by which the spinal cord leaves the cranium. In the higher vertebrates it is usually composed of four bones, which become consolidated in the adult. — Occipital point (Anat.), the point of the occiput in the mesial plane farthest from the ophryon.

OCCIPITAL Oc*cip"i*tal, n. (Anat.)

Defn: The occipital bone.

OCCIPITO- Oc*cip"i*to- (. Etym: [See Occiput.]

Defn: A combining form denoting relation to, or situation near, the occiput; as, occipito-axial; occipito-mastoid.