Opera - Ophthalmoscopy

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Opera (ŏpẽrȧ), n. [It., fr. opera work, composition, opposed to an improvisation, fr. L. opera pains, work, fr. opus, operis, work, labor: cf. F. opéra. See .] 1. A drama, either tragic or comic, of which music forms an essential part; a drama wholly or mostly sung, consisting of recitative, arias, choruses, duets, trios, etc., with orchestral accompaniment, preludes, and interludes, together with appropriate costumes, scenery, and action; a lyric drama.
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2. The score of a musical drama, either written or in print; a play set to music.
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3. The house where operas are exhibited.
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Coloq. Opéra bouffe [F. opéra opera + bouffe comic, It. buffo], Coloq. Opera buffa [It.], light, farcical, burlesque opera. -- Coloq. Opera box , a partially inclosed portion of the auditorium of an opera house for the use of a small private party. -- Coloq. Opéra comique [F.], comic or humorous opera. -- Coloq. Opera flannel , a light flannel, highly finished. Knight. -- Coloq. Opera girl or Coloq. Opera girls (Bot.), an East Indian plant (Mantisia saltatoria) of the Ginger family, sometimes seen in hothouses. It has curious flowers which have some resemblance to a ballet dancer, whence the popular name. Called also dancing girls. -- Coloq. Opera glass , a short telescope with concave eye lenses of low power, usually made double, that is, with a tube and set of glasses for each eye; a lorgnette; -- so called because adapted for use at the opera, theater, etc. -- Coloq. Opera hat , a gentleman's folding hat. -- Coloq. Opera house , specifically, a theater devoted to the performance of operas. -- Coloq. Opera seria [It.], serious or tragic opera; grand opera.
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Operable (?), a. Practicable. [Obs.]
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Operameter (?), n. [L. opus, operis, pl. opera work + -meter.] An instrument or machine for measuring work done, especially for ascertaining the number of rotations made by a machine or wheel in manufacturing cloth; a counter. Ure.
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{ Operance (?), Operancy (?), } n. The act of operating or working; operation. [R.]
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Operand (?), n. [From neuter of L. operandus, gerundive of operari. See .] (Math.) The symbol, quantity, or thing upon which a mathematical operation is performed; -- called also faciend.
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Operant (?), a. [L. operans, p. pr. of operari. See .] Operative. [R.] Shak. -- n. An operative person or thing. [R.] Coleridge.
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operant conditioning (?), n. (Psychol.) A process for causing animals to behave in a specific manner by rewarding or punishing the animal each time it performs a certain act; after a time, the animal comes to associate the reward or punishment with the act, and will increase or decrease the frequency of performing that act.
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Operate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Operated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Operating.] [L. operatus, p. p. of operari to work, fr. opus, operis, work, labor; akin to Skr. apas, and also to G. üben to exercise, OHG. uoben, Icel. æfa. Cf. , , .] 1. To perform a work or labor; to exert power or strength, physical or mechanical; to act.
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2. To produce an appropriate physical effect; to issue in the result designed by nature; especially (Med.), to take appropriate effect on the human system.
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3. To act or produce effect on the mind; to exert moral power or influence.
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The virtues of private persons operate but on a few. Atterbury.
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A plain, convincing reason operates on the mind both of a learned and ignorant hearer as long as they live. Swift.
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4. (Surg.) To perform some manual act upon a human body in a methodical manner, and usually with instruments, with a view to restore soundness or health, as in amputation, lithotomy, etc.
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5. To deal in stocks or any commodity with a view to speculative profits. [Brokers' Cant]
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Operate, v. t. 1. To produce, as an effect; to cause.
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The same cause would operate a diminution of the value of stock. A. Hamilton.
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2. To put into, or to continue in, operation or activity; to work; as, to operate a machine.
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{ Operatic (?), Operatical (?), } a. Of or pertaining to the opera or to operas; characteristic of, suitable for, or resembling, the opera; as, an operatic voice.
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operating adj. 1. pr. p. of ; as, the operating conditions of the oxidation pond.
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2. having an effect or influence.
Syn. -- at work(predicate), in operation, operant.
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Operation (?), n. [L. operatio: cf. F. opération.] 1. The act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral.
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The pain and sickness caused by manna are the effects of its operation on the stomach. Locke.
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Speculative painting, without the assistance of manual operation, can never attain to perfection. Dryden.
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2. The method of working; mode of action.
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3. That which is operated or accomplished; an effect brought about in accordance with a definite plan; as, military or naval operations.
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4. Effect produced; influence. [Obs.]
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The bards . . . had great operation on the vulgar. Fuller.
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5. (Math.) Something to be done; some transformation to be made upon quantities or mathematical objects, the transformation being indicated either by rules or symbols.
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6. (Surg.) Any methodical action of the hand, or of the hand with instruments, on the human body, to produce a curative or remedial effect, as in amputation, etc.
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Coloq. Calculus of operations . See under .
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operational adj. 1. of or pertaining to operations; as, operational procedure.
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2. Fit or ready for service; available and in working condition; as, an operational aircraft. Opposite of out-of-service.
Syn. -- functional, usable, useable, in order(predicate), in working order(predicate), operable.
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3. (Mil.) of or intended for or involved in military operations. Opposite of nonoperational.
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4. In force; not expired or annulled; -- of rules or laws.
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de facto apartheid still operational even in the new' African nations Leslie Marmon Silko
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operationalism n. (Philos.) the doctrine that the meaning of a proposition consists of the operations involved in defining, proving, or applying it.
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operationalist adj. (Philos.) Of or pertaining to operationalism. operationalist doctrine
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operations n. (Finance) financial transactions at a brokerage; having to do with the execution of trades and keeping customer records.
Syn. -- trading operations.
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Operative (?), a. [Cf.L. operativus, F. opératif.] 1. Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects; as, an operative motive; operative laws.
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It holds in all operative principles. South.
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2. Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious; effective; as, an operative dose, rule, or penalty.
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3. (Surg.) Based upon, or consisting of, an operation or operations; as, operative surgery.
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Operative, n. 1. A skilled worker; an artisan; esp., one who operates a machine in a mill or manufactory.
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2. One who acts as an agent of another, especially a detective or spy.
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Operatively, adv. In an operative manner.
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Operator (?), n. [L.] 1. One who, or that which, operates or produces an effect.
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2. (Surg.) One who performs some act upon the human body by means of the hand, or with instruments.
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3. A dealer in stocks or any commodity for speculative purposes; a speculator. [Brokers' Cant]
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4. (Math.) The symbol that expresses the operation to be performed; -- called also facient.
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5. A person who operates a telephone switchboard.
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6. A person who schemes and maneuvers adroitly or deviously to achieve his/her purposes.
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Operatory (?), n. A laboratory. [Obs.]
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Opercle (?), n. [Cf. F. opercule. See .] 1. (Anat.) Any one of the bony plates which support the gill covers of fishes; an opercular bone.
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2. (Zoöl.) An operculum.
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Opercula (?), n. pl. See .
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Opercular (?), a. Of, pertaining to, or like, an operculum.
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Opercular, n. (Anat.) The principal opercular bone or operculum of fishes.
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{ Operculate (?), Operculated (?), } a. [L. operculatus, p. p. of operculare to furnish with a lid, fr. operculum lid.] 1. (Bot.) Closed by a lid or cover, as the capsules of the mosses.
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2. (Zoöl.) Having an operculum, or an apparatus for protecting the gills; -- said of shells and of fishes.
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Operculiferous (?), a. [Operculum + -ferous.] (Zoöl.) Bearing an operculum.
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Operculiform (?), a. [L. operculum a cover + -form: cf. F. operculiforme.] Having the form of a lid or cover.
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Operculigenous (?), a. [Operculum + -genous.] (Zoöl.) Producing an operculum; -- said of the foot, or part of the foot, of certain mollusks.
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Operculum (?), n.; pl. L. Opercula (#), E. Operculums (#). [L., a cover or lid, fr. operire to cover.] 1. (Bot.) (a) The lid of a pitcherform leaf. (b) The lid of the urnlike capsule of mosses.
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2. (Anat.) (a) Any lidlike or operculiform process or part; as, the opercula of a dental follicle. (b) The fold of integument, usually supported by bony plates, which protects the gills of most fishes and some amphibians; the gill cover; the gill lid. (c) The principal opercular bone in the upper and posterior part of the gill cover.
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3. (Zoöl.) (a) The lid closing the aperture of various species of shells, as the common whelk. See Illust. of . (b) Any lid-shaped structure closing the aperture of a tube or shell.
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Operetta (?), n. [It., dim. of opera.] (Mus.) A short, light, musical drama.
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Operose (?). a. [L. operosus, fr. opera pains, labor, opus, operis, work, labor.] Wrought with labor; requiring labor; hence, tedious; wearisome. “Operose proceeding.” Burke. “A very operose calculation.” De Quincey. -- Operosely, adv. -- Operoseness, n.
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Operosity (?), n. [L. operositas.] Laboriousness. [R.] Bp. Hall.
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Operous (?), a. Operose. [Obs.] Holder. -- Operously, adv. [Obs.]
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Opertaneous (?), a. [L. opertaneus; operire to hide.] Concealed; private. [R.]
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Opetide (?), n. [Ope + tide.] Open time; -- applied to different things: (a) The early spring, or the time when flowers begin opening. [Archaic] Nares. (b) The time between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday wherein marriages were formerly solemnized publicly in churches. [Eng.] (c) The time after harvest when the common fields are open to all kinds of stock. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. [Written also opentide.]
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Ophelic (?), a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a substance (called ophelic acid) extracted from a plant (Ophelia) of the Gentian family as a bitter yellowish sirup, used in India as a febrifuge and tonic.
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Ophicleide (?), n. [F. ophicléide, fr. Gr. 'ofis a serpent + �, gen. �, a key. So named because it was in effect the serpent, an old musical instrument, with keys added.] (Mus.) A large brass wind instrument, formerly used in the orchestra and in military bands, having a loud tone, deep pitch, and a compass of three octaves; -- now generally supplanted by bass and contrabass tubas. It developed from the older wooden instrument called the serpent. Moore (Encyc. of Music).
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Ophidia (?), prop. n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. �, dim. of 'ofis a snake.] (Zoöl.) The suborder of reptiles which includes the serpents; called also Serpentes.
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☞ The most important divisions are: the Solenoglypha, having erectile perforated fangs, as the rattlesnake; the Proteroglypha, or elapine serpents, having permanently erect fang, as the cobra; the Asinea, or colubrine serpents, which are destitute of fangs; and the Opoterodonta, or Epanodonta, blindworms, in which the mouth is not dilatable.
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Ophidian (?), n. [Cf. F. ophidien.] (Zoöl.) One of the Ophidia; a snake or serpent.
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Ophidian, a. [Cf. F. ophidien.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Ophidia; belonging to serpents.
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Ophidioid (?), a. [Ophidion + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Ophidiidæ, a family of fishes which includes many slender species. -- n. One of the Ophidiidæ.
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Ophidion (?), n.; pl. Ophidia (#). [L., fr. Gr. � little snake, fr. 'ofis a serpent.] (Zoöl.) The typical genus of ophidioid fishes. [Written also Ophidium.] See Illust. under .
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Ophidious (?), a. Ophidian.
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Ophiodontidae prop. n. A natural family of fishes closely related to greenlings (fish of the genus Hexagrammos).
Syn. -- family Ophiodontidae.
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Ophioglossaceae prop. n. A natural family of succulent ferns cosmopolitan in distribution.
Syn. -- family Ophioglossaceae.
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Ophioglossales prop. n. An order coextensive with the family Ophioglossaceae.
Syn. -- order Ophioglossales.
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Ophiolatry (ōfĭŏlȧtr�), n. [Gr. 'ofis serpent + latreia worship.] The worship of serpents.
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{ Ophiologic (?), Ophiological (?), } a. Of or pertaining to ophiology.
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Ophiologist (?), n. One versed in the natural history of serpents.
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Ophiology (?), n. [Gr. � a serpent + -logy: cf. F. ophioloqie.] That part of natural history which treats of the ophidians, or serpents.
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Ophiomancy (?), n. [Gr. 'ofis a serpent + -mancy: cf. F. ophiomantie.] Divination by serpents, as by their manner of eating, or by their coils.
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Ophiomorpha (?), n. pl. [NL. See .] (Zoöl.) An order of tailless amphibians having a slender, wormlike body with regular annulations, and usually with minute scales imbedded in the skin. The limbs are rudimentary or lacking. It includes the cæcilians. Called also Gymnophiona and Ophidobatrachia.
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Ophiomorphite (?), n. [Gr. 'ofis a serpent + morfh form.] (Paleon.) An ammonite.
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Ophiomorphous (?), a. [Gr. 'ofis a serpent + -morphous.] Having the form of a serpent.
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Ophiophagous (?), a. [Gr. 'ofis a serpent + � to eat: cf. F. ophiophage.] (Zoöl.) Feeding on serpents; -- said of certain birds and reptiles.
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Ophiophagus, n. [NL. See .] (Zoöl.) A genus of venomous East Indian snakes, which feed on other snakes. Ophiophagus elaps is said to be the largest and most deadly of poisonous snakes.
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Ophism (?), n. 1. Doctrines and rites of the Ophites.
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2. Serpent worship or the use of serpents as magical agencies.
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Ophite (?), a. [Gr. 'ofiths, fr. 'ofis a serpent.] Of or pertaining to a serpent. [Obs.]
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Ophite, n. [L. ophites, Gr. 'ofiths (sc. �), a kind of marble spotted like a serpent: cf. F. ophite.] (Min.) A greenish spotted porphyry, being a diabase whose pyroxene has been altered to uralite; -- first found in the Pyreness. So called from the colored spots which give it a mottled appearance. -- Ophiic (#), a.
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Ophite, n. [L. Ophitae, pl. See , a.] (Eccl. Hist.) A mamber of a Gnostic serpent-worshiping sect of the second century.
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Ophiuchus (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. �, lit., holding a serpent; 'ofis a serpent + � to hold.] (Astron.) A constellation in the Northern Hemisphere, delineated as a man holding a serpent in his hands; -- called also Serpentarius.
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Ophiura (?), n. [NL., from Gr. 'ofis snake + 'oyra a tail.] (Zoöl.) A genus of ophiurioid starfishes.
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Ophiuran (?), a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Ophiurioidea. -- n. One of the Ophiurioidea.
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Ophiurid (?), n. (Zoöl.) Same as .
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Ophiurida (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) Same as .
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Ophiurioid (?), a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Ophiurioidea. -- n. One of the Ophiurioidea. [Written also ophiuroid.]
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{ Ophiurioidea (?), Ophiuroidea (?), } n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. 'ofis serpent + 'oyra tail + e'i^dos form.] (Zoöl.) A class of star-shaped echinoderms having a disklike body, with slender, articulated arms, which are not grooved beneath and are often very fragile; -- called also Ophiuroida and Ophiuridea. See Illust. under .
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Ophryon (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. �, �, the brow.] (Anat.) The supraorbital point.
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Ophthalmia (ŏfthălmĭȧ), n. [F. ophthalmie, L. ophthalmia, fr. Gr. 'ofqalmia, fr. 'ofqalmos the eye, akin to E. optic. See .] (Med.) An inflammation of the membranes or coats of the eye or of the eyeball.
Syn. -- ophthalmitis.
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Ophthalmic (ŏfthălmĭk; 277), a. [Gr. 'ofqalmikos: cf. F. ophthalmique. See .] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the eye; ocular; as the ophthalmic, or orbitonasal, nerve, a division of the trigeminal, which gives branches to the lachrymal gland, eyelids, nose, and forehead.
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Coloq. Ophthalmic region (Zoöl.), the space around the eyes.
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Ophthalmite (?), n. [Gr. 'ofqalmos the eye.] (Zoöl.) An eyestalk; the organ which bears the compound eyes of decapod Crustacea.
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ophthalmitis n. (Med.) severe conjunctivitis; ophthalmia.
Syn. -- ophthalmia.
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Ophthalmological (?), a. Of or pertaining to ophthalmology.
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Ophthalmologist (?), n. One skilled in ophthalmology; an oculist.
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Ophthalmology (?), n. [Gr. 'ofqalmos the eye + -logy: cf. F. ophthalmologie.] The science which treats of the structure, functions, and diseases of the eye.
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Ophthalmometer, n. [Gr. 'ofqalmos eye + -meter.] (Physiol.) An instrument devised by Helmholtz for measuring the size of a reflected image on the convex surface of the cornea and lens of the eye, by which their curvature can be ascertained.
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Ophthalmoscope (?), n. [From Gr. 'ofqalmos the eye + -scope.] (Physiol.) An instrument for viewing the interior of the eye, particularly the retina. Light is thrown into the eye by a mirror (usually concave) and the interior is then examined with or without the aid of a lens. -- Ophthalmoscopic (#), a.
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Ophthalmoscopy (?), n. [Cf. F. ophthalmoscopie.] 1. A branch of physiognomy which deduces the knowledge of a person's temper and character from the appearance of the eyes.
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2. Examination of the eye with the ophthalmoscope.
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