Chapter LI: Bella (46)

Defn: A circular or oval window; -- generally used of architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries. A famous room in the palace of Versailles bears this name, from the oval window opening into it.

OEIL-DE-PERDRIX Oil`-de-per`drix", a. [F., lit., eye of a partridge.]

1. (Ornamental Art) Characterized by, or decorated with, small round points, spots, or rings; as, oil-de-perdrix pattern.

2. Having a brownish red color; -- used esp. of light-colored red wine.

OEILIAD; OEILLADE OE*il"iad, OEil"lade`, n. Etym: [F. oeillade, fr. oeel eye. See Eyelent.]

Defn: A glance of the eye; an amorous look. [Obs.] She gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks. Shak.

OELET OE"let, n. Etym: [See Eyelet.]

Defn: An eye, bud, or shoot, as of a plant; an oilet. [Obs.] Holland.

OENANTHATE OE*nan"thate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of the supposed oenanthic acid.

OENANTHIC OE*nan"thic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: Having, or imparting, the odor characteristic of the bouquet of wine; specifically used, formerly, to designate an acid whose ethereal salts were supposed to occasion the peculiar bouquet, or aroma, of old wine. Cf. OEnanthylic. OEnanthic acid, an acid obtained from oenanthic ether by the action of alkalies. -- OEnanthic ether, an ethereal substance (not to be confused with the bouquet, or aroma, of wine) found in wine lees, and consisting of a complex mixture of the ethereal salts of several of the higher acids of the acetic acid series. It has an ethereal odor, and it used in flavoring artificial wines and liquors. Called also oil of wine. See Essential oil, under Essential.

OENANTHOL OE*nan"thol, n. Etym: [oenanthylic + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.)

Defn: An oily substance obtained by the distillation of castor oil, recognized as the aldehyde of oenanthylic acid, and hence called also oenanthaldehyde.

OENANTHONE OE*nan"thone, n. Etym: [oenanthic + -one] (Chem.)

Defn: The ketone of oenanthic acid.

OENANTHYL OE*nan"thyl, n. Etym: [oennthic + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hydrocarbon radical formerly supposed to exist in oenanthic acid, now known to be identical with heptyl.

OENANTHYLATE OE*nan"thyl*ate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of oenanthylic acid; as, potassium oenanthylate.

OENANTHYLIC OE`nan*thyl"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or containing, oenanthyl; specifically, designating an acid formerly supposed to be identical with the acid in oenanthic ether, but now known to be identical with heptoic acid.

OENANTHYLIDENE OE`nan*thyl"i*dene, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless liquid hydrocarbon, having a garlic odor; heptine.

OENANTHYLOUS OE*nan"thyl*ous, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid formerly supposed to be the acid of oenanthylic ether, but now known to be a mixture of higher acids, especially capric acid. [Obs.]

OENOCYAN OE`no*cy"an, n. Etym: [Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: The coloring matter of red wines.

OENOLOGY OE*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: Knowledge of wine, scientific or practical.

OENOMANIA OEn`o*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.) (a) Delirium tremens. Rayer. (b) Dipsomania.

OENOMEL OEn"o*mel, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Wine mixed with honey; mead, [R.]

OENOMETER OE*nom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.]

Defn: See Alcoholometer.

OENOPHILIST OE*noph"i*list, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A lover of wine. [R.] Thackeray.

OENOTHIONIC OE`no*thi*on"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. thionic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to an acid now called sulphovinic, or ethyl sulphuric, acid.

O'ER O'er, prep. & adv.

Defn: A contr. of Over. [Poetic]

OERSTED Oer"sted, n. [After Hans Christian Oersted, Danish physicist.] (Elec.)

Defn: The C.G.S. unit of magnetic reluctance or resistance, equal to the reluctance of a centimeter cube of air (or vacuum) between parallel faces. Also, a reluctance in which unit magnetomotive force sets up unit flux.

OESOPHAGUS; OESOPHAGEAL OE*soph"a*gus, n., OE`so*phag"e*al, a., etc.

Defn: Same as Esophagus, Esophageal, etc.

OESTRIAN OEs"tri*an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the gadflies. -- n.

Defn: A gadfly.

OESTRUAL OEs"tru*al, a. Etym: [See OEstrus.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to sexual desire; -- mostly applied to brute animals; as, the oestrual period; oestrual influence.

OESTRUATION OEs`tru*a"tion, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: The state of being under oestrual influence, or of having sexual desire.

OESTRUS OEs"trus, n. Etym: [L., a gadfly; also, frenzy, fr.Gr.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of gadflies. The species which deposits its larvæ in the nasal cavities of sheep is oestrus ovis.

2. A vehement desire; esp. (Physiol.), the periodical sexual impulse of animals; heat; rut.

OF Of, prep. Etym: [AS. of of, from, off; akin to D. & OS. af, G. ab off, OHG. aba from, away, Icel., Dan., Sw., & Goth. af, L. ab, Gr. apa. Cf.Off, A- (2), Ab-, After, Epi-.]

Defn: In a general sense, from, or out from; proceeding from; belonging to; relating to; concerning; -- used in a variety of applications; as:

1. Denoting that from which anything proceeds; indicating origin, source, descent, and the like; as, he is of a race of kings; he is of noble blood. That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke i. 35. I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. 1 Cor. xi. 23.

2. Denoting possession or ownership, or the relation of subject to attribute; as, the apartment of the consul: the power of the king; a man of courage; the gate of heaven. "Poor of spirit." Macaulay.

3. Denoting the material of which anything is composed, or that which it contains; as, a throne of gold; a sword of steel; a wreath of mist; a cup of water.

4. Denoting part of an aggregate or whole; belonging to a number or quantity mentioned; out of; from amongst; as, of this little he had some to spare; some of the mines were unproductive; most of the company. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Lam. iii. 22. It is a duty to communicate of those blessings we have received. Franklin.

5. Denoting that by which a person or thing is actuated or impelled; also, the source of a purpose or action; as, they went of their own will; no body can move of itself; he did it of necessity. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Josh. xi. 20.

6. Denoting reference to a thing; about; concerning; relating to; as, to boast of one's achievements. Knew you of this fair work Shak.

7. Denoting nearness or distance, either in space or time; from; as, within a league of the town; within an hour of the appointed time.

8. Denoting identity or equivalence; -- used with a name or appellation, and equivalent to the relation of apposition; as, the continent of America; the city of Rome; the Island of Cuba.

9. Denoting the agent, or person by whom, or thing by which, anything is, or is done; by. And told to her of [by] some. Chaucer. He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. Luke iv. 15. [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil. Luke iv. 1, 2.

Note: The use of the word in this sense, as applied to persons, is nearly obsolete.

10. Denoting relation to place or time; belonging to, or connected with; as, men of Athens; the people of the Middle Ages; in the days of Herod.

11. Denoting passage from one state to another; from. [Obs.] "O miserable of happy." Milton.

12. During; in the course of. Not be seen to wink of all the day. Shak. My custom always of the afternoon. Shak.

Note: Of may be used in a subjective or an objective sense. "The love of God" may mean, our love for God, or God's love for us.

Note: From is the primary sense of this preposition; a sense retained in off, the same word differently written for distinction. But this radical sense disappears in most of its application; as, a man of genius; a man of rare endowments; a fossil of a red color, or of an hexagonal figure; he lost all hope of relief; an affair of the cabinet; he is a man of decayed fortune; what is the price of corn In these and similar phrases, of denotes property or possession, or a relation of some sort involving connection. These applications, however all proceeded from the same primary sense. That which proceeds from, or is produced by, a person or thing, either has had, or still has, a close connection with the same; and hence the word was applied to cases of mere connection, not involving at all the idea of separation. Of consequence, of importance, value, or influence. -- Of late, recently; in time not long past. -- Of old, formerly; in time long past. -- Of one's self, by one's self; without help or prompting; spontaneously. Why, knows not Montague, that of itself England is safe, if true within itself Shak.

OFF Off, adv. Etym: [OE. of, orig. the same word as R. of, prep., AS. of, adv. & prep. *194. See Of.]

Defn: In a general sense, denoting from or away from; as:

1. Denoting distance or separation; as, the house is a mile off.

2. Denoting the action of removing or separating; separation; as, to take off the hat or cloak; to cut off, to pare off, to clip off, to peel off, to tear off, to march off, to fly off, and the like.

3. Denoting a leaving, abandonment, departure, abatement, interruption, or remission; as, the fever goes off; the pain goes off; the game is off; all bets are off.

4. Denoting a different direction; not on or towards: away; as, to look off.

5. Denoting opposition or negation. [Obs.] The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on. Bp. Sanderson. From off, off from; off. "A live coal...taken with the tongs from off the altar." Is. vi. 6. -- Off and on. (a) Not constantly; not regularly; now and then; occasionally. (b) (Naut.) On different tacks, now toward, and now away from, the land. -- To be off. (a) To depart; to escape; as, he was off without a moment's warning. (b) To be abandoned, as an agreement or purpose; as, the bet was declared to be off. [Colloq.] -- To come off, To cut off, To fall off, To go off, etc. See under Come, Cut, Fall, Go, etc. -- To get off. (a) To utter; to discharge; as, to get off a joke. (b) To go away; to escape; as, to get off easily from a trial. [Colloq.] -- To take off, to mimic or personate. -- To tell off (Mil.), to divide and practice a regiment or company in the several formations, preparatory to marching to the general parade for field exercises. Farrow. -- To be well off, to be in good condition. -- To be ill off, To be badly off, to be in poor condition.

OFF Off, interj.

Defn: Away; begone; -- a command to depart.

OFF Off, prep.

Defn: Not on; away from; as, to be off one's legs or off the bed; two miles off the shore. Addison. Off hand. See Offhand. -- Off side (Football), out of play; -- said when a player has got in front of the ball in a scrimmage, or when the ball has been last touched by one of his own side behind him. -- To be off color, to be of a wrong color. -- To be off one's food, to have no appetite. (Colloq.)

OFF Off, a.

1. On the farther side; most distant; on the side of an animal or a team farthest from the driver when he is on foot; in the United States, the right side; as, the off horse or ox in a team, in distinction from the Ant: nigh or Ant: near horse or ox; the off leg.

2. Designating a time when one is not strictly attentive to business or affairs, or is absent from his post, and, hence, a time when affairs are not urgent; as, he took an off day for fishing: an off year in politics. "In the off season." Thackeray. Off side. (a) The right hand side in driving; the farther side. See Gee. (b) (Cricket) See Off, n.

OFF Off, n. (Cricket)

Defn: The side of the field that is on the right of the wicket keeper.

OFFAL Of"fal, n. Etym: [Off + fall.]

1. The rejected or waste parts of a butchered animal.

2. A dead body; carrion. Shak.

3. That which is thrown away as worthless or unfit for use; refuse; rubbish. The off als of other profession. South.

OFFCUT Off"cut`, n.

1. That which is cut off.

2. (Bookbinding)

Defn: A portion ofthe printed sheet, in certain sizes of books, that is cut off before folding.

OFFENCE Of*fence", n.

Defn: See Offense.

OFFEND Of*fend, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Offended; p. pr. & vb. n. Offending.] Etym: [OF. offendre, L. offendere, offensum; ob (see Ob-) + fendere (in comp.) to thrust, dash. See Defend.]

1. To strike against; to attack; to assail. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

2. To displease; to make angry; to affront. A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. Prov. xviii. 19.

3. To be offensive to; to harm; to pain; to annoy; as, strong light offends the eye; to offend the conscience.

4. To transgress; to violate; to sin against. [Obs.] Marry, sir, he hath offended the law. Shak.

5. (Script.)

Defn: To oppose or obstruct in duty; to cause to stumble; to cause to sin or to fall. [Obs.] Who hath you misboden or offended. Chaucer. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out... And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off. Matt. v. 29, 3O. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Ps. cxix. 165.

OFFEND Of*fend", v. i.

1. To transgress the moral or divine law; to commit a crime; to stumble; to sin. Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. James ii. 10. If it be a sin to cevet honor, I am the most offending soul alive. Shak.

2. To cause dislike, anger, or vexation; to displease. I shall offend, either to detain or give it. Shak. To offend against, to do an injury or wrong to; to commit an offense against. "We have offended against the Lord already." 2 Chron. xxviii. 13.

OFFENDANT Of*fend"ant, n.

Defn: An offender. [R.] Holland.

OFFENDER Of*fend"er, n.

Defn: One who offends; one who violates any law, divine or human; a wrongdoer. I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders. 1 Kings i. 21.

OFFENDRESS Of*fend"ress, n.

Defn: A woman who offends. Shak.

OFFENSE; OFFENCE Of*fense", Of*fence", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. offensa. See Offend.]

1. The act of offending in any sense; esp., a crime or a sin, an affront or an injury. Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. Rom. iv. 25. I have given my opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without offense to their memories. Dryden.

2. The state of being offended or displeased; anger; displeasure. He was content to give them just cause of offense, when they had power to make just revenge. Sir P. Sidney.

3. A cause or occasion of stumbling or of sin. [Obs.] Woe to that man by whom the offense cometh! Matt. xviii. 7.

Note: This word, like expense, is often spelled with a c. It ought, however, to undergo the same change with expense, the reasons being the same, namely, that s must be used in offensive as in expensive, and is found in the Latin offensio, and the French offense. To take offense, to feel, or assume to be, injured or affronted; to become angry or hostile. -- Weapons of offense, those which are used in attack, in distinction from those of defense, which are used to repel.

Syn. -- Displeasure; umbrage; resentment; misdeed; misdemeanor; trespass; transgression; delinquency; fault; sin; crime; affront; indignity; outrage; insult.

OFFENSEFUL Of*fense"ful, a.

Defn: Causing offense; displeasing; wrong; as, an offenseful act. [R.]

OFFENSELESS Of*fense"less, a.

Defn: Unoffending; inoffensive.

OFFENSIBLE Of*fen"si*ble, a.

Defn: That may give offense. [Obs.]

OFFENSION Of*fen"sion, n. Etym: [OF., fr. L. offensio an offense.]

Defn: Assault; attack. [Obs.] Chaucer.

OFFENSIVE Of*fen"sive, a. Etym: [Cf.F. offensif. See Offend.]

1. Giving offense; causing displeasure or resentment; displeasing; annoying; as, offensive words.

2. Giving pain or unpleasant sensations; disagreeable; revolting; noxious; as, an offensive smell; offensive sounds. "Offensive to the stomach." Bacon.

3. Making the first attack; assailant; aggressive; hence, used in attacking; -- opposed to defensive; as, an offensive war; offensive weapons. League offensive and defensive, a leaque that requires all the parties to it to make war together against any foe, and to defend one another if attacked.

Syn. -- Displeasing; disagreeable; distasteful; obnoxious; abhorrent; disgusting; impertinent; rude; saucy; reproachful; opprobrious; insulting; insolent; abusive; scurrilous; assailant; attacking; invading. -- Of*fen"sive*ly, adv. -- Of*fen"sive*ness, n.

OFFENSIVE Of*fen"sive, n.

Defn: The state or posture of one who offends or makes attack; aggressive attitude; the act of the attacking party; -- opposed to defensive. To act on the offensive, to be the attacking party.

OFFER Of"fer, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Offered; p. pr. & vb. n. Offering.] Etym: [OE. offren, AS. offrian to sacrifice, fr. L. offerre; ob (see OB-) + ferre to bear, bring. The English word was influenced by F. offrir to offer, of the same origin. See 1st Bear.]

1. To present, as an act of worship; to immolate; to sacrifice; to present in prayer or devotion; -- often with up. Thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement. Ex. xxix. 36. A holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices. 1 Pet. ii. 5.

2. To bring to or before; to hold out to; to present for acceptance or rejection; as, to offer a present, or a bribe; to offer one's self in marriage. I offer thee three things. 2 Sam. xxiv. 12.

3. To present in words; to proffer; to make a proposal of; to suggest; as, to offer an opinion. With the infinitive as an objective: To make an offer; to declare one's willingness; as, he offered to help me.

4. To attempt; to undertake. All that offer to defend him. Shak.

5. To bid, as a price, reward, or wages; as, to offer a guinea for a ring; to offer a salary or reward.

6. To put in opposition to; to manifest in an offensive way; to threaten; as, to offer violence, attack, etc.

Syn. -- To propose; propound; move; proffer; tender; sacrifice; immolate.

OFFER Of"fer, v. i.

1. To present itself; to be at hand. The occasion offers, and the youth complies. Dryden.

2. To make an attempt; to make an essay or a trial; -- used with at. "Without offering at any other remedy." Swift. He would be offering at the shepherd's voice. L'Estrange. I will not offer at that I can not master. Bacon.

OFFER Of"fer, n. Etym: [Cf. F. offre, fr. offrir to offer, fr. L. offerre. See Offer, v. t.]

1. The act of offering, bringing forward, proposing, or bidding; a proffer; a first advance. "This offer comes from mercy." Shak.

2. That which is offered or brought forward; a proposal to be accepted or rejected; a sum offered; a bid. When offers are disdained, and love denied. Pope.

3. Attempt; endeavor; essay; as, he made an offer to catch the ball. "Some offer and attempt." South.

OFFERABLE Of"fer*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being offered; suitable or worthy to be offered.

OFFERER Of"fer*er, n.

Defn: One who offers; esp., one who offers something to God in worship. Hooker.

OFFERING Of"fer*ing, n.

1. The act of an offerer; a proffering.

2. That which is offered, esp. in divine service; that which is presented as an expiation or atonement for sin, or as a free gift; a sacrifice; an oblation; as, sin offering. They are polluted offerings more abhorred Than spotted livers in the sacrifice. Shak.

3. A sum of money offered, as in church service; as, a missionary offering. Specif.: (Ch. of Eng.) Personal tithes payable according to custom, either at certain seasons as Christmas or Easter, or on certain occasions as marriages or christenings. [None] to the offering before her should go. Chaucer. Burnt offering, Drink offering, etc. See under Burnt. etc.

OFFERTORY Of"fer*to*ry, n.; pl. Offertories . Etym: [L. offertorium the place to which offerings were brought, in LL. offertory: cf.F. offertoire.]

1. The act of offering, or the thing offered. [Obs. or R.] Bacon. Bp. Fell.

2. (R.C.Ch.) (a) An anthem chanted, or a voluntary played on the organ, during the offering and first part of the Mass. (b) That part of the Mass which the priest reads before uncovering the chalice to offer up the elements for consecration. (c) The oblation of the elements.

3. (Ch. of Eng. & Prot. Epis. Ch.) (a) The Scripture sentences said or sung during the collection of the offerings. (b) The offerings themselves.

OFFERTURE Of"fer*ture, n. Etym: [LL. offertura an offering.]

Defn: Offer; proposal; overture. [Obs.] More offertures and advantages to his crown. Milton.

OFFHAND Off"hand`, a.

Defn: Instant; ready; extemporaneous; as, an offhand speech; offhand excuses. -- adv.

Defn: In an offhand manner; as, he replied offhand.

OFFICE Of"fice, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. officium, for opificium; ops ability, wealth, holp + facere to do or make. See Opulent, Fact.]

1. That which a person does, either voluntarily or by appointment, for, or with reference to, others; customary duty, or a duty that arises from the relations of man to man; as, kind offices, pious offices. I would I could do a good office between you. Shak.

2. A special duty, trust, charge, or position, conferred by authority and for a public purpose; a position of trust or authority; as, an executive or judical office; a municipal office.

3. A charge or trust, of a sacred nature, conferred by God himself; as, the office of a priest under the old dispensation, and that of the apostles in the new. Inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office. Rom. xi. 13.

4. That which is performed, intended, or assigned to be done, by a particular thing, or that which anything is fitted to perform; a function; -- answering to duty in intelligent beings. They [the eyes] resign their office and their light. Shak. Hesperus, whose office is to bring Twilight upon the earth. Milton. In this experiment the several intervals of the teeth of the comb do the office of so many prisms. Sir I. Newton.

5. The place where a particular kind of business or service for others is transacted; a house or apartment in which public officers and others transact business; as, the register's office; a lawyer's office.

6. The company or corporation, or persons collectively, whose place of business is in an office; as, I have notified the office.

7. pl.

Defn: The apartments or outhouses in which the domestics discharge the duties attached to the service of a house, as kitchens, pantries, stables, etc. [Eng.] As for the offices, let them stand at distance. Bacon.

8. (Eccl.)

Defn: Any service other than that of ordination and the Mass; any prescribed religious service. This morning was read in the church, after the office was done, the declaration setting forth the late conspiracy against the king's person. Evelyn. Holy office. Same as Inquisition, n., 3. -- Houses of office. Same as def. 7 above. Chaucer. -- Little office (R.C.Ch.), an office recited in honor of the Virgin Mary. -- Office bearer, an officer; one who has a specific office or duty to perform. -- Office copy (Law), an authenticated or certified copy of a record, from the proper office. See Certified copies, under Copy. Abbott. -- Office-found (Law), the finding of an inquest of office. See under Inquest. -- Office holder. See Officeholder in the Vocabulary

OFFICE Of`fice, v. t.

Defn: To perform, as the duties of an office; to discharge. [Obs.] Shak.

OFFICEHOLDER Of"fice*hold"er, n.

Defn: An officer, particularly one in the civil service; a placeman.

OFFICER Of"fi*cer, n. Etym: [F. officier. See Office, and cf. Official, n.]

1. One who holds an office; a person lawfully invested with an office, whether civil, military, or ecclesiastical; as, a church officer; a police officer; a staff officer. "I am an officer of state." Shak.

2. (U. S. Mil.)

Defn: Specifically, a commissioned officer, in distinction from a warrant officer. Field officer, General officer, etc. See under Field, General. etc. -- Officer of the day (Mil.), the officer who, on a given day, has charge for that day of the quard, prisoners, and police of the post or camp. -- Officer of the deck, or Officer of the watch (Naut.), the officer temporarily in charge on the deck of a vessel, esp. a war vessel.

OFFICER Of"fi*cer, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Officered; p. pr. & vb. n. Officering.]

1. To furnish with officers; to appoint officers over. Marshall.

2. To command as an officer; as, veterans from old regiments officered the recruits.

OFFICE WIRE Of"fice wire`. (Elec.)

Defn: Copper wire with a strong but light insulation, used in wiring houses, etc.

OFFICIAL Of*fi"cial, a. Etym: [L. officialis: cf. F. officiel. See Office, and cf. Official, n.]

1. Of or pertaining to an office or public trust; as, official duties, or routine. That, in the official marks invested, you Anon do meet the senate. Shak.

2. Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority; as, an official statement or report.

3. (Pharm.)

Defn: Approved by authority; sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine; as, an official drug or preparation. Cf. Officinal.

4. Discharging an office or function. [Obs.] The stomach and other parts official unto nutrition. Sir T. Browne.

OFFICIAL Of*fi"cial, n. Etym: [L. officialis a magistrate's servant or attendant: cf.F. official. See Official, a., and cf. Officer.]

1. One who holds an office; esp., a subordinate executive officer or attendant.

2. An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction. Blackstone.

OFFICIALISM Of*fi"cial*ism, n.

Defn: The state of being official; a system of official government; also, adherence to office routine; red-tapism. Officialism may often drift into blunders. Smiles.

OFFICIALITY Of*fi`ci*al`i*ty, n.

Defn: See Officialty.

OFFICIALLY Of*fi"cial*ly, adv.

Defn: By the proper officer; by virtue of the proper authority; in pursuance of the special powers vested in an officer or office; as, accounts or reports officially vertified or rendered; letters officially communicated; persons officially notified.

OFFICIALTY Of*fi"cial*ty, n. Etym: [Cf.F. officialité.]

Defn: The charge, office, court, or jurisdiction of an official. Ayliffe.

OFFICIANT Of*fi"ciant, n. Etym: [L. officians, p.pr. See Officiate.] (Eccl.)

Defn: The officer who officiates or performs an office, as the burial office. Shipley.

OFFICIARY Of*fi"ci*a*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an office or an officer; official. [R.] Heylin.

OFFICIATE Of*fi"ci*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Officiated; p. pr. & vb. n. Officiating.] Etym: [LL. officiare. See Office.]

Defn: To act as an officer in performing a duty; to transact the business of an office or public trust; to conduct a public service. Bp. Stillingfleet.

OFFICIATE Of*fi"ci*ate, v. t.

Defn: To discharge, perform, or supply, as an official duty or function. [Obs.] Merely to officiate light Round this opacous earth. Milton.

OFFICIATOR Of*fi"ci*a`tor, n.

Defn: One who officiates. Tylor.

OFFICINAL Of*fic"i*nal, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. officina a workshop, contr.fr. opificina, fr. opifex a workman; opus work + facere to make or do.]

1. Used in a shop, or belonging to it. [Obs. or R.] Johnson.

2. (Pharm.)

Defn: Kept in stock by apothecaries; -- said of such drugs and medicines as may be obtained without special preparation or compounding; not magistral.

Note: This term is often interchanged with official, but in strict use officinal drugs are not necessarily official. See Official, a., 3.

OFFICIOUS Of*fi"cious, a. Etym: [L. officiosus: cf.F. officieux. See Office.]

1. Pertaining to, or being in accordance with, duty. [R.] If there were any lie in the case, it could be no more than as officious and venial one. Note on Gen. xxvii. (Douay version).

2. Disposed to serve; kind; obliging. [Archaic] Yet not to earth are those bright luminaries Officious. Milton. They were tolerably well bred, very officious, humane, and hospitable. Burke.

3. Importunately interposing services; intermeddling in affairs in which one has no concern; meddlesome. You are too officious In her behalf that scorns your services. Shak.

Syn. -- Impertinent; meddling. See Impertinent. -- Of*fi"cious*ly, adv. -- Of*fi"cious*ness, n.

OFFING Off"ing, n. Etym: [From Off.]

Defn: That part of the sea at a good distance from the shore, or where there is deep water and no need of a pilot; also, distance from the shore; as, the ship had ten miles offing; we saw a ship in the offing.

OFFISH Off"ish, a.

Defn: Shy or distant in manner. [Colloq. U.S.]

OFFLET Off"let, n. Etym: [Off + let.]

Defn: A pipe to let off water.

OFFPRINT Off"print`, n.

Defn: A reprint or excerpt.

OFFPRINT Off`print", v. t. [Off + print.]

Defn: To reprint (as an excerpt); as, the articles of some magazines are offprinted from other magazines.

OFFSCOURING Off"scour`ing, n. Etym: [Off + scour.]

Defn: That which is scoured off; hence, refuse; rejected matter; that which is vile or despised. Lam. iii. 45.

OFFSCUM Off"scum`, n. Etym: [Off + scum.]

Defn: Removed scum; refuse; dross.

OFFSET Off"set`, n. Etym: [Off + set. Cf. Set-off.]

Defn: In general, that which is set off, from, before, or against, something; as: --

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A short prostrate shoot, which takes root and produces a tuft of leaves, etc. See Illust. of Houseleek.

2. A sum, account, or value set off against another sum or account, as an equivalent; hence, anything which is given in exchange or retaliation; a set-off.

3. A spur from a range of hills or mountains.

4. (Arch.)

Defn: A horizontal ledge on the face of a wall, formed by a diminution of its thickness, or by the weathering or upper surface of a part built out from it; -- called also set-off.

5. (Surv.)

Defn: A short distance measured at right angles from a line actually run to some point in an irregular boundary, or to some object.

6. (Mech.)

Defn: An abrupt bend in an object, as a rod, by which one part is turned aside out of line, but nearly parallel, with the rest; the part thus bent aside.

7. (Print.)

Defn: A more or less distinct transfer of a printed page or picture to the opposite page, when the pages are pressed together before the ink is dry or when it is poor. Offset staff (Surv.), a rod, usually ten links long, used in measuring offsets.

OFFSET Off*set", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Offset; p. pr. & vb. n. Offsetting.]

1. To set off; to place over against; to balance; as, to offset one account or charge against another.

2. To form an offset in, as in a wall, rod, pipe, etc.

OFFSET Off"set, v. i. (Printing)

Defn: To make an offset.

OFFSHOOT Off"shoot`, n. Etym: [Off + shoot.]

Defn: That which shoots off or separates from a main stem, channel, family, race, etc.; as, the offshoots of a tree.

OFFSHORE Off"shore", a.

Defn: From the shore; as, an offshore wind; an offshore signal.

OFFSKIP Off"skip`, n. Etym: [Off + -skip, as in landskip.] (Paint.)

Defn: That part of a landscape which recedes from the spectator into distance. [R.] Fairholt.

OFFSPRING Off"spring`, n.sing. & pl. Etym: [Off + spring.]

1. The act of production; generation. [Obs.]

2. That which is produced; a child or children; a descendant or descendants, however remote from the stock. To the gods alone Our future offspring and our wives are known. Dryden.

3. Origin; lineage; family. [Obs.] Fairfax.

OFFTAKE Off"take`, n. [Off + take.]

1. Act of taking off; specif., the taking off or purchase of goods.

2. Something taken off; a deduction.

3. A channel for taking away air or water; also, the point of beginning of such a channel; a take-off.

OFFUSCATE; OFFUSCATION Of*fus"cate, Of`fus*ca`tion.

Defn: See Obfuscate, Obfuscation. [Obs.]

OFT Oft (ôft; 115), adv. Etym: [AS. oft; akin to OS. & G. oft, OHG. ofto, Sw. ofta, Dan. ofte, Icel.opt, Goth. ufta; of uncertain origin. Cf. Often.]

Defn: Often; frequently; not rarely; many times. [Poetic] Chaucer. Oft she rejects, but never once offends. Pope.

OFT Oft, a.

Defn: Frequent; often; repeated. [Poetic]

OFTEN Of`ten, adv. [Compar. Oftener; superl. Oftenest.] Etym: [Formerly also ofte, fr. oft. See Oft., adv.]

Defn: Frequently; many times; not seldom.

OFTEN Of"ten, a.

Defn: Frequent; common; repeated. [R.] "Thine often infirmities." 1 Tim. v. 23. And weary thee with often welcomes. Beau. & Fl.

OFTENNESS Of"ten*ness, n.

Defn: Frequency. Hooker.

OFTENSITH Of"ten*sith, adv. Etym: [Often + sith time.]

Defn: Frequently; often. [Obs.] For whom I sighed have so oftensith. Gascoigne.

OFTENTIDE Of"ten*tide", adv. Etym: [Often + tide time.]

Defn: Frequently; often. [Obs.] Robert of Brunne.

OFTENTIMES Of"ten*times`, adv. Etym: [Often + time. Cf. -wards.]

Defn: Frequently; often; many times. Wordsworth.

OFTER Oft"er, adv.

Defn: Compar. of Oft. [Obs.] Chaucer.

OFTTIMES Oft"times`, adv. Etym: [Oft + time. Cf. -wards.]

Defn: Frequently; often. Milton.

OGAM Og"am, n.

Defn: Same as Ogham.

OGDOAD Og"do*ad, n. Etym: [Gr. , , from

Defn: A thing made up of eight parts. Milman.

OGDOASTICH Og`do*as`tich, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A poem of eight lines. [Obs.] Selden

OGEE O*gee", n. Etym: [F. ogive, augive, LL. augiva, of uncertain origin; cf.LL. ogis a support, prop. L. augere to increase, strengthen, Sp. auge highest point of power or fortune, apogee, Ar. auj, an astronomical term.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: A molding, the section of which is the form of the letter S, with the convex part above; cyma reversa. See Illust. under Cyma.

2. Hence, any similar figure used for any purpose. Ogee arch (Arch.), a pointed arch, each of the sides of which has the curve of an ogee, that is, has a reversed curve near the apex.

OGEECHEE LIME O*gee"chee lime`. Etym: [So named from the Ogeechee River in Georgia.] (Bot.) (a) The acid, olive-shaped, drupaceous fruit of a species of tupelo (Nyssa capitata) which grows in swamps in Georgia and Florida. (b) The tree which bears this fruit.

OGGANITION Og`ga*ni"tion, n. Etym: [L.oggannire to snarl at; ob (see Ob-) + gannire to yelp.]

Defn: Snarling; grumbling. [R.] Bp. Montagu.

OGHAM Og"ham, n. Etym: [Ir.]

Defn: A particular kind of writing practiced by the ancient Irish, and found in inscriptions on stones, metals, etc. [Written also ogam.]

OGIVE O"give, n. Etym: [F. ogive, OF. augive a pointed arch, LL. augiva a double arch of two at right angles.] (Arch.)

Defn: The arch or rib which crosses a Gothic vault diagonally.

OGLE O"gle (og'l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ogled; p. pr. & vb. n. Ogling.] Etym: [From a Dutch word corresponding to G. äugeln to ogle, fr. auge eye; cf. D. ooglonken to ogle, OD. oogen to cast sheep's eyes upon, ooge eye. See Eye.]

Defn: To view or look at with side glances, as in fondness, or with a design to attract notice. And ogling all their audience, ere they speak. Dryden.

OGLE O"gle, n.

Defn: An amorous side glance or look. Byron.

OGLER O"gler, n.

Defn: One who ogles. Addison.

OGLIO O"gli*o, n.

Defn: See Olio.

OGRE O"gre, n. Etym: [F., fr. Sp. ogro, fr. L. Orcus the god of the infernal regions; also, the lower world, hell.]

Defn: An imaginary monster, or hideous giant of fairy tales, who lived on human beings; hence, any frightful giant; a cruel monster. His schoolroom must have resembled an ogre's den. Maccaulay.

OGREISH O"gre*ish, a.

Defn: Resembling an ogre; having the character or appearance of an ogre; suitable for an ogre. "An ogreish kind of jocularity." Dickens.

OGRESS O"gress, n. Etym: [F.ogresse. See Ogre.]

Defn: A female ogre. Tennyson.

OGRISM; OGREISM O"grism, O"gre*ism, n.

Defn: The character or manners of an ogre.

OGYGIAN O*gyg"i*an, a. Etym: [L. Ogygius, Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Ogyges, a mythical king of ancient Attica, or to a great deluge in Attica in his days; hence, primeval; of obscure antiquity.

OH Oh, interj. Etym: [See O, interj.]

Defn: An exclamation expressing various emotions, according to the tone and manner, especially surprise, pain, sorrow, anxiety, or a wish. See the Note under O.

OHM Ohm, n. Etym: [So called from the German electrician, G.S. Ohm.] (Elec.)

Defn: The standard unit in the measure of electrical resistance, being the resistance of a circuit in which a potential difference of one volt produces a current of one ampére. As defined by the International Electrical Congress in 1893, and by United States Statute, it is a resistance substantially equal to 109 units of resistance of the C.G.S. system of electro-magnetic units, and is represented by the resistance offered to an unvarying electric current by a column of mercury at the temperature of melting ice 14.4521 grams in mass, of a constant cross-sectional area, and of the length of 106.3 centimeters. As thus defined it is called the international ohm. Ohm's law (Elec.), the statement of the fact that the strength or intensity of an electrical current is directly proportional to the electro-motive force, and inversely proportional to the resistance of the circuit.

OHMMETER Ohm"me`ter, n. [Ohm + meter.] (Elec.)

Defn: An instrument for indicating directly resistance in ohms.

OHO O*ho", interj.

Defn: An exclamation of surprise, etc.

-OID -oid. Etym: [Gr. wit: cf.F. -oïde, L. -oïdes.]

Defn: A suffix or combining form meaning like, resembling, in the form of; as in anthropoid, asteroid, spheroid.

OIDIUM O*ïd"i*um, n. Etym: [NL., dim. fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of minute fungi which form a floccose mass of filaments on decaying fruit, etc. Many forms once referred to this genus are now believed to be temporary conditions of fungi of other genera, among them the vine mildew (Oïdium Tuckeri), which has caused much injury to grapes.

OIL Oil, n. Etym: [OE. oile, OF. oile, F. huile, fr. L. oleum; akin to Gr. Olive.]

Defn: Any one of a great variety of unctuous combustible substances, not miscible with water; as, olive oil, whale oil, rock oil, etc. They are of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin and of varied composition, and they are variously used for food, for solvents, for anointing, lubrication, illumination, etc. By extension, any substance of an oily consistency; as, oil of vitriol.

Note: The mineral oils are varieties of petroleum. See Petroleum. The vegetable oils are of two classes, essential oils (see under Essential), and natural oils which in general resemble the animal oils and fats. Most of the natural oils and the animal oils and fats consist of ethereal salts of glycerin, with a large number of organic acids, principally stearic, oleic, and palmitic, forming respectively stearin, olein, and palmitin. Stearin and palmitin prevail in the solid oils and fats, and olein in the liquid oils. Mutton tallow, beef tallow, and lard are rich in stearin, human fat and palm oil in palmitin, and sperm and cod-liver oils in olein. In making soaps, the acids leave the glycerin and unite with the soda or potash. Animal oil, Bone oil, Dipple's oil, etc. (Old Chem.), a complex oil obtained by the distillation of animal substances, as bones. See Bone oil, under Bone. -- Drying oils, Essential oils. (Chem.) See under Drying, and Essential. -- Ethereal oil of wine, Heavy oil of wine. (Chem.) See under Ethereal. -- Fixed oil. (Chem.) See under Fixed. -- Oil bag (Zoöl.), a bag, cyst, or gland in animals, containing oil. -- Oil beetle (Zoöl.), any beetle of the genus Meloe and allied genera. When disturbed they emit from the joints of the legs a yellowish oily liquor. Some species possess vesicating properties, and are used instead of cantharides. -- Oil box, or Oil cellar (Mach.), a fixed box or reservoir, for lubricating a bearing; esp., the box for oil beneath the journal of a railway-car axle. -- Oil cake. See under Cake. -- Oil cock, a stopcock connected with an oil cup. See Oil cup. -- Oil color. (a) A paint made by grinding a coloring substance in oil. (b) Such paints, taken in a general sense. -- Oil cup, a cup, or small receptacle, connected with a bearing as a lubricator, and usually provided with a wick, wire, or adjustable valve for regulating the delivery of oil. -- Oil engine, a gas engine worked with the explosive vapor of petroleum. -- Oil gas, inflammable gas procured from oil, and used for lighting streets, houses, etc. -- Oil gland. (a) (Zoöl.) A gland which secretes oil; especially in birds, the large gland at the base of the tail. (b) (Bot.) A gland, in some plants, producing oil. -- Oil green, a pale yellowish green, like oil. -- Oil of brick, empyreumatic oil obtained by subjecting a brick soaked in oil to distillation at a high temperature, -- used by lapidaries as a vehicle for the emery by which stones and gems are sawn or cut. Brande & C. -- Oil of talc, a nostrum made of calcined talc, and famous in the 17th century as a cosmetic. [Obs.] B. Jonson. -- Oil of vitriol (Chem.), strong sulphuric acid; -- so called from its oily consistency and from its forming the vitriols or sulphates. -- Oil of wine, . -- Oil painting. (a) The art of painting in oil colors. (b) Any kind of painting of which the pigments are originally ground in oil. -- Oil palm (Bot.), a palm tree whose fruit furnishes oil, esp. Elæis Guineensis. See Elæis. -- Oil sardine (Zoöl.), an East Indian herring (Clupea scombrina), valued for its oil. -- Oil shark (Zoöl.) (a) The liver shark. (b) The tope. -- Oil still, a still for hydrocarbons, esp. for petroleum. -- Oil test, a test for determining the temperature at which petroleum oils give off vapor which is liable to explode. -- Oil tree. (Bot.) (a) A plant of the genus Ricinus (R. communis), from the seeds of which castor oil is obtained. (b) An Indian tree, the mahwa. See Mahwa. (c) The oil palm. -- To burn the midnight oil, to study or work late at night. -- Volatle oils. See Essential oils, under Essential.

OIL Oil, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Oiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Oiling.]

Defn: To smear or rub over with oil; to lubricate with oil; to anoint with oil.

OILBIRD Oil"bird`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Guacharo.

OILCLOTH Oil"cloth", n.

Defn: Cloth treated with oil or paint, and used for marking garments, covering flooors, etc.

OILED Oiled, a.

Defn: Covered or treated with oil; dressed with, or soaked in, oil. Oiled silk, silk rendered waterproof by saturation with boiled oil.

OILER Oil"er, n.

1. One who deals in oils.

2. One who, or that which, oils.

OILERY Oil"er*y, n. Etym: [Cf.F. huilerie.]

Defn: The business, the place of business, or the goods, of a maker of, or dealer in, oils.

OILINESS Oil"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being oily. Bacon.

OILLET Oil"let, n. Etym: [See Eyelet.] (Arch.) (a) A small opening or loophole, sometimes circular, used in mediæval fortifications. (b) A small circular opening, and ring of moldings surrounding it, used in window tracery in Gothic architecture. [Written also oylet.]

OILMAN Oil"man, n.; pl. Oilmen (.

Defn: One who deals in oils; formerly, one who dealt in oils and pickles.

OILNUT Oil"nut`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The buffalo nut. See Buffalo nut, under Buffalo.

Note: The name is also applied to various nuts and seeds yielding oil, as the butternut, cocoanut, oil-palm nut.

OILSEED Oil"seed`, n. (Bot.) (a) Seed from which oil is expressed, as the castor bean; also, the plant yielding such seed. See Castor bean. (b) A cruciferous herb (Camelina sativa). (c) The sesame.

OILSKIN Oil"skin`, n.

Defn: Cloth made waterproof by oil.

OILSTONE Oil"stone`, n.

Defn: A variety of hone slate, or whetstone, used for whetting tools when lubricated with oil.

OILY Oil"y, a. [Compar. Oilier; superl. Oiliest.]

1. Consisting of oil; containing oil; having the nature or qualities of oil; unctuous; oleaginous; as, oily matter or substance. Bacon.

2. Covered with oil; greasy; hence, resembling oil; as, an oily appearance.

3. Smoothly subservient; supple; compliant; plausible; insinuating. "This oily rascal." Shak. His oily compliance in all alterations. Fuller. Oily grain (Bot.), the sesame. -- Oily palm, the oil palm.

OINEMENT Oi"ne*ment, n.

Defn: Ointment. [Obs.] Chaucer.

OINOMANIA Oi`no*ma"ni*a, n.

Defn: See oenomania.

OINT Oint, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ointed; p. pr & vb. n. Ointing.] Etym: [F. oint, p.p. of oindre, L. ungere. See Anoint, Ointment.]

Defn: To anoint. [Obs.] Dryden.

OINTMENT Oint"ment, n. Etym: [OE. oinement, OF. oignement, fr.F. oindre to anoint, L. ungere, unguere; akin to Skr. a, and to G. anke (in Switzerland) butter. The first t in the E. word is due to the influence of anoint. Cf. Anoint, Unguent.]

Defn: That which serves to anoint; any soft unctuous substance used for smearing or anointing; an unguent.

OJIBWAYS O*jib"ways, n. pl.; sing. Ojibway. (Ethnol.)

Defn: Same as Chippeways.

OJO O"jo, n. Etym: [Sp., prop., an eye.]

Defn: A spring, surrounded by rushes or rank grass; an oasis. [Southwestern U.S.] Bartlett.

OKAPI O*ka"pi, n. [Native name on the borders of Belgian Kongo, possibly the same word as Mpongwe okapo lean.]

Defn: A peculiar mammal (Okapia johnostoni) closely related to the giraffe, discovered in the deep forests of Belgian Kongo in 1900. It is smaller than an ox, and somewhat like a giraffe, except that the neck is much shorter. Like the giraffe, it has no dewclaws. There is a small prominence on each frontal bone of the male. The color of the body is chiefly reddish chestnut, the cheeks are yellowish white, and the fore and hind legs above the knees and the haunches are striped with purplish black and cream color.

OKE Oke, n. Etym: [Turk. okkah, fr. Ar. ukiyah, wakiyah, prob. fr. Gr. uncia. Cf. Ounce a weight.]

1. A Turkish and Egyptian weight, equal to about 2

2. An Hungarian and Wallachian measure, equal to about 2

OKENITE O"ken*ite, n. Etym: [Prob. from Lorenz Oken, a German naturalist.] (Min.)

Defn: A massive and fibrous mineral of a whitish color, chiefly hydrous silicate of lime.

OKER O"ker, n. (Min.)

Defn: See Ocher.

OKRA O"kra, n. (Bot.)

Defn: An annual plant (Abelmoschus, or Hibiscus, esculentus), whose green pods, abounding in nutritious mucilage, are much used for soups, stews, or pickles; gumbo. [Written also ocra and ochra.]

-OL -ol. Etym: [From alcohol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A suffix denoting that the substance in the name of which it appears belongs to the series of alcohols or hydroxyl derivatives, as carbinol, glycerol, etc.

OLAY O"lay, n. pl. Etym: [Tamil olai.]

Defn: Palm leaves, prepared for being written upon with a style pointed with steel. [Written also ola.] Balfour (Cyc. of India).

OLD Old, n.

Defn: Open country. [Obs.] See World. Shak.

OLD Old, a. [Compar. Older; superl. Oldest.] Etym: [OE. old, ald, AS. ald, eald; akin to D. oud, OS. ald, OFries. ald, old, G. alt, Goth. alpeis, and also to Goth. alan to grow up, Icel. ala to bear, produce, bring up, L. alere to nourish. Cf. Adult, Alderman, Aliment, Auld, Elder.]

1. Not young; advanced far in years or life; having lived till toward the end of the ordinary term of living; as, an old man; an old age; an old horse; an old tree. Let not old age disgrace my high desire. Sir P. Sidney. The melancholy news that we grow old. Young.

2. Not new or fresh; not recently made or produced; having existed for a long time; as, old wine; an old friendship. "An old acquaintance." Camden.

3. Formerly existing; ancient; not modern; preceding; original; as, an old law; an old custom; an old promise. "The old schools of Greece." Milton. "The character of the old Ligurians." Addison.

4. Continued in life; advanced in the course of existence; having (a certain) length of existence; -- designating the age of a person or thing; as, an infant a few hours old; a cathedral centuries old. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou Cen. xlvii. 8.

Note: In this use old regularly follows the noun that designates the age; as, she was eight years old.

5. Long practiced; hence, skilled; experienced; cunning; as, an old offender; old in vice. Vane, young in years, but in sage counsel old. Milton.

6. Long cultivated; as, an old farm; old land, as opposed to Ant: new land, that is, to land lately cleared.

7. Worn out; weakened or exhausted by use; past usefulness; as, old shoes; old clothes.

8. More than enough; abundant. [Obs.] If a man were porter of hell gate, he should have old turning the key. Shak.

9. Aged; antiquated; hence, wanting in the mental vigor or other qualities belonging to youth; -- used disparagingly as a term of reproach.

10. Old-fashioned; wonted; customary; as of old; as, the good old times; hence, colloquially, gay; jolly.

11. Used colloquially as a term of cordiality and familiarity. "Go thy ways, old lad." Shak. Old age, advanced years; the latter period of life. -- Old bachelor. See Bachelor, 1. -- Old Catholics. See under Catholic. -- Old English. See under English. n., 2. -- Old Nick, Old Scratch, the devil. -- Old lady (Zoöl.), a large European noctuid moth (Mormo maura). -- Old maid. (a) A woman, somewhat advanced in years, who has never been married; a spinster. (b) (Bot.) A West Indian name for the pink- flowered periwinkle (Vinca rosea). (c) A simple game of cards, played by matching them. The person with whom the odd card is left is the old maid. -- Old man's beard. (Bot.) (a) The traveler's joy (Clematis Vitalba). So named from the abundant long feathery awns of its fruit. (b) The Tillandsia usneoides. See Tillandsia. -- Old man's head (Bot.), a columnar cactus (Pilocereus senilis), native of Mexico, covered towards the top with long white hairs. -- Old red sandstone (Geol.), a series of red sandstone rocks situated below the rocks of the Carboniferous age and comprising various strata of siliceous sandstones and conglomerates. See Sandstone, and the Chart of Geology. -- Old school, a school or party belonging to a former time, or preserving the character, manner, or opinious of a former time; as, a gentleman of the old school; -- used also adjectively; as, Old-School Presbyterians. -- Old sledge, an old and well-known game of cards, called also all fours, and high, low, Jack, and the game. -- Old squaw (Zoöl.), a duck (Clangula hyemalis) inhabiting the northern parts of both hemispheres. The adult male is varied with black and white and is remarkable for the length of its tail. Called also longtailed duck, south southerly, callow, hareld, and old wife. -- Old style. (Chron.) See the Note under Style. -- Old Testament. See under Testament. -- Old wife. [In the senses b and cwritten also oldwife.] (a) A prating old woman; a gossip. Refuse profane and old wives' fables. 1 Tim. iv. 7. (b) (Zoöl.) The local name of various fishes, as the European black sea bream (Cantharus lineatus), the American alewife, etc. (c) (Zoöl.) A duck; the old squaw. -- Old World, the Eastern Hemisphere.

Syn. -- Aged; ancient; pristine; primitive; antique; antiquated; old- fashioned; obsolete. See Ancient.

OLD DOMINION Old Dominion.

Defn: Virginia; -- a name of uncertain origin, perh. from the old designation of the colony as "the Colony and Dominion of Virginia."

OLDEN Old"en, a.

Defn: Old; ancient; as, the olden time. "A minstrel of the olden stamp." J. C. Shairp.

OLDEN Old"en, v. i.

Defn: To grow old; to age. [R.] She had oldened in that time. Thackeray.

OLD-FASHIONED Old`-fash"ioned, a.

Defn: Formed according to old or obsolete fashion or pattern; adhering to old customs or ideas; as, an old-fashioned dress, girl. "Old-fashioned men of wit." Addison. This old-fashioned, quaint abode. Longfellow.

OLD-GENTLEMANLY Old`-gen"tle*man*ly, a.

Defn: Pertaining to an old gentleman, or like one. Byron.

OLDISH Old"ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat old.

OLD LANG SYNE Old` lang syne".

Defn: See Auld lang syne.

OLD LINE STATE Old Line State.

Defn: Maryland; a nickname, alluding to the fact that its northern boundary in Mason and Dixon's line.

OLD-MAIDISH Old`-maid"ish, a.

Defn: Like an old maid; prim; precise; particular.

OLD-MAIDISM Old`-maid"ism, n.

Defn: The condition or characteristics of an old maid. G. Eliot.

OLDNESS Old"ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being old; old age.

OLDSTER Old"ster, n. Etym: [Cf. Youngster.]

Defn: An old person. [Jocular] H. Kingsley.

OLD-WOMANISH Old`-wom`an*ish, a.

Defn: Like an old woman; anile. -- Old`-wom"an*ish*ness, n.

OLEA O"le*a, n. Etym: [L. olive. See Olive.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of trees including the olive.

Note: The Chinese Olea fragrans, noted for its fragrance, and the American devilwood (Olea Americana) are now usually referred to another genus (Osmanthus).

OLEACEOUS O`le*a"ceous, a. Etym: [L. oléaceus of the olive tree.] (Bot.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, a natural order of plants (Oleaceæ), mostly trees and shrubs, of which the olive is the type. It includes also the ash, the lilac, the true jasmine, and fringe tree.

OLEAGINOUS O`le*ag`i*nous, a. Etym: [L. oleaginus, oleagineus, belonging to the olive, fr. olea olive: cf. F. oléagineux. See Olive, Oil.]

Defn: Having the nature or qualities of oil; oily; unctuous.

OLEAGINOUSNESS O`le*ag`i*nous*ness, n.

Defn: Oiliness. Boyle.

OLEAMEN O`le*a"men, n. Etym: [L.] (Med.)

Defn: A soft ointment prepared from oil. Dunglison.

OLEANDER O`le*an"der, n. Etym: [F. oléandre (cf. It. oleandro, LL. lorandrum), prob. corrupted, under the influence of laurus laurel, fr. L. rhododendron, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A beautiful evergreen shrub of the Dogbane family, having clusters of fragrant red or white flowers. It is native of the East Indies, but the red variety has become common in the south of Europe. Called also rosebay, rose laurel, and South-sea rose.