Opuscle - Orb

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Coloq. Opus incertum . [L.] (Arch.) See under .
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{ Opuscle (�pŭs'l), Opuscule (�pŭsk�l), } n. [L. opusculum, dim. of opus work: cf. F. opuscule.] A small or petty work.
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Opusculum (�pŭsk�lŭm), n.; pl. Opuscula (#). [L.] An opuscule. Smart.
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Opye (?), n. Opium. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Oquassa (?), n. (Zoöl.) A small, handsome trout (Salvelinus oquassa), found in some of the lakes in Maine; -- called also blueback trout.
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-or suff. [L. -or: cf. OF. -or, -ur, -our, F. -eur.] 1. A noun suffix denoting an act; a state or quality; as in error, fervor, pallor, candor, etc.
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2. A noun suffix denoting an agent or doer; as in auditor, one who hears; donor, one who gives; obligor, elevator. It is correlative to -ee. In general -or is appended to words of Latin, and -er to those of English, origin. See .
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Or (ôr), conj. [OE. or, outher, other, auther, either, or, AS. āwðer, contr. from āhwæðer; ā aye + hwæðer whether. See , and , and cf. .] A particle that marks an alternative; as, you may read or may write, -- that is, you may do one of the things at your pleasure, but not both. It corresponds to either. You may ride either to London or to Windsor. It often connects a series of words or propositions, presenting a choice of either; as, he may study law, or medicine, or divinity, or he may enter into trade.
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If man's convenience, health,
Or safety interfere, his rights and claims
Are paramount. Cowper.
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☞ Or may be used to join as alternatives terms expressing unlike things or ideas (as, is the orange sour or sweet?), or different terms expressing the same thing or idea; as, this is a sphere, or globe.
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☞ Or sometimes begins a sentence. In this case it expresses an alternative or subjoins a clause differing from the foregoing. “Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone?” Matt. vii. 9 (Rev. Ver.).
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Or for either is archaic or poetic.
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Maugre thine heed, thou must for indigence
Or steal, or beg, or borrow thy dispence. Chaucer.
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Or, prep. & adv. [AS. �r ere, before. √204. See , prep. & adv.] Ere; before; sooner than. [Obs.]
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But natheless, while I have time and space,
Or that I forther in this tale pace. Chaucer.
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Coloq. Or ever , Coloq. Or ere . See under , and .
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Or, n. [F., fr. L. aurum gold. Cf. .] (Her.) Yellow or gold color, -- represented in drawing or engraving by small dots.
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Ora (?), n. [AS. See 2d .] A money of account among the Anglo-Saxons, valued, in the Domesday Book, at twenty pence sterling.
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Orabassu (?), n. (Zoöl.) A South American monkey of the genus Callithrix, esp. Callithrix Moloch.
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{ Orach, Orache} (?), n. [F. arroche, corrupted fr. L. atriplex, Gr. �. Cf. .] (Bot.) A genus (Atriplex) of herbs or low shrubs of the Goosefoot family, most of them with a mealy surface.
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Coloq. Garden orache , a plant (Atriplex hortensis), often used as a pot herb; -- also called mountain spinach.
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Oracle (?), n. [F., fr. L. oraculum, fr. orare to speak, utter, pray, fr. os, oris, mouth. See .]
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1. The answer of a god, or some person reputed to be a god, to an inquiry respecting some affair or future event, as the success of an enterprise or battle.
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Whatso'er she saith, for oracles must stand. Drayton.
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2. Hence: The deity who was supposed to give the answer; also, the place where it was given.
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The oracles are dumb;
No voice or hideous hum
Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving. Milton.
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3. The communications, revelations, or messages delivered by God to the prophets; also, the entire sacred Scriptures -- usually in the plural.
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The first principles of the oracles of God. Heb. v. 12.
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4. (Jewish Antiq.) The sanctuary, or Most Holy place in the temple; also, the temple itself. 1 Kings vi. 19.
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Siloa's brook, that flow'd
Fast by the oracle of God. Milton.
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5. One who communicates an oracle{1} or divine command; an angel; a prophet.
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God hath now sent his living oracle
Into the world to teach his final will. Milton.
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6. Any person reputed uncommonly wise; one whose decisions are regarded as of great authority; as, a literary oracle. “Oracles of mode.” Tennyson.
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The country rectors . . . thought him an oracle on points of learning. Macaulay.
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7. A wise pronouncement or decision considered as of great authority.
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Oracle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Oracled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Oracling (?).] To utter oracles. [Obs.]
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Oracular (?), a. [L. oracularius. See .] 1. Of or pertaining to an oracle; uttering oracles; forecasting the future; as, an oracular tongue.
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2. Resembling an oracle in some way, as in solemnity, wisdom, authority, obscurity, ambiguity, dogmatism.
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They have something venerable and oracular in that unadorned gravity and shortness in the expression. Pope.
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-- Oracularly, adv. -- Oracularness, n.
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Oraculous (?), a. Oracular; of the nature of an oracle. [R.] “Equivocations, or oraculous speeches.” Bacon. “The oraculous seer.” Pope. -- Oraculously, adv. -- Oraculousness, n.
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Oragious (?), a. [F. orageux.] Stormy. [R.]
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Oraison (?), n. See . [Obs.] Shak.
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Oral (?), a. [L. os, oris, the mouth, akin to Skr. ās. Cf. , , .] 1. Uttered by the mouth, or in words; spoken, not written; verbal; as, oral traditions; oral testimony; oral law.
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2. Of or pertaining to the mouth; surrounding or lining the mouth; as, the oral cavity; oral cilia or cirri.
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Orally, adv. 1. In an oral manner. Tillotson.
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2. By, with, or in, the mouth; as, to receive the sacrament orally. [Obs.] Usher.
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oral surgery (?), n. (Med.) Surgery performed within the mouth cavity, especially that performed around the gums and teeth as an expedient for the purpose of preservation or replacement of teeth.
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Orang (?), n. (Zoöl.) See .
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Orange (ŏrĕnj), n. [F.; cf. It. arancia, arancio, LL. arangia, Sp. naranjia, Pg. laranja; all fr. Ar. nāranj, Per. nāranj, nārang; cf. Skr. nāranga orange tree. The o- in F. orange is due to confusion with or gold, L. aurum, because the orange resembles gold in color.]
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1. The fruit of a tree of the genus Citrus (Citrus Aurantium). It is usually round, and consists of pulpy carpels, commonly ten in number, inclosed in a leathery rind, which is easily separable, and is reddish yellow when ripe.
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☞ There are numerous varieties of oranges; as, the bitter orange, which is supposed to be the original stock; the navel orange, which has the rudiment of a second orange imbedded in the top of the fruit; the blood orange, with a reddish juice; and the horned orange, in which the carpels are partly separated.
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2. (Bot.) The tree that bears oranges; the orange tree.
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3. The color of an orange; reddish yellow.
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Coloq. Mandarin orange . See . -- Coloq. Mock orange (Bot.), any species of shrubs of the genus Philadelphus, which have whitish and often fragrant blossoms. -- Coloq. Native orange , or Coloq. Orange thorn (Bot.), an Australian shrub (Citriobatus parviflorus); also, its edible yellow berries. -- Coloq. Orange bird (Zoöl.), a tanager of Jamaica (Tanagra zena); -- so called from its bright orange breast. -- Coloq. Orange cowry (Zoöl.), a large, handsome cowry (Cypræa aurantia), highly valued by collectors of shells on account of its rarity. -- Coloq. Orange grass (Bot.), an inconspicuous annual American plant (Hypericum Sarothra), having minute, deep yellow flowers. -- Coloq. Orange oil (Chem.), an oily, terpenelike substance obtained from orange rind, and distinct from neroli oil, which is obtained from the flowers. -- Coloq. Orange pekoe , a kind of black tea. -- Coloq. Orange pippin , an orange-colored apple with acid flavor. -- Coloq. Quito orange , the orangelike fruit of a shrubby species of nightshade (Solanum Quitoense), native in Quito. -- Coloq. Orange scale (Zoöl.) any species of scale insects which infests orange trees; especially, the purple scale (Mytilaspis citricola), the long scale (Mytilaspis Gloveri), and the red scale (Aspidiotus Aurantii).
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orange, a. Of or pertaining to an orange; of the color of an orange; reddish yellow; as, an orange ribbon.
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Orangeade (?), n. [F., fr. orange.] A drink made of orange juice and water, corresponding to lemonade; orange sherbet.
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Orangeat (?), n. [F., fr. orange.] Candied orange peel; also, orangeade.
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Orangeism (?), n. Attachment to the principles of the society of Orangemen; the tenets or practices of the Orangemen.
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Orangeman (?), n.; pl. -men (�). One of a secret society, organized in the north of Ireland in 1795, the professed objects of which are the defense of the reigning sovereign of Great Britain, the support of the Protestant religion, the maintenance of the laws of the kingdom, etc.; -- so called in honor of William, Prince of Orange, who became William III. of England.
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Orangeroot (?), n. (Bot.) An American ranunculaceous plant (Hidrastis Canadensis), having a yellow tuberous root; -- also called yellowroot, golden seal, etc.
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Orangery (?), n. [F. orangerie, fr. orange. See .] A place for raising oranges; a plantation of orange trees.
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Orangetawny (?), a. & n. Deep orange-yellow; dark yellow. Shak.
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Orangite (?), (Min.) An orange-yellow variety of the mineral thorite, found in Norway.
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Orang-outang, Orang-utan (?), n. [Malayan ōrang ūtan, i. e., man of the woods; ōrang man + ūtan a forest, wood, wild, savage.] (Zoöl.) An arboreal anthropoid ape (Pongo pygmaeus, formerly Simia satyrus), which inhabits Borneo and Sumatra. Often called simply orang. It is now an endangered species. [Written also orangutan, orangutang, orang-utan, ourang-utang, and oran-utan.]
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☞ It is over four feet high, when full grown, and has very long arms, which reach nearly or quite to the ground when the body is erect. Its color is reddish brown. In structure, it closely resembles man in many respects.
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Orarian (?), a. [L. orarius, fr. ora coast.] Of or pertaining to a coast.
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Oration (?), n.[L. oratio, fr. orare to speak, utter, pray. See , .] An elaborate discourse, delivered in public, treating an important subject in a formal and dignified manner; especially, a discourse having reference to some special occasion, as a funeral, an anniversary, a celebration, or the like; -- distinguished from an argument in court, a popular harangue, a sermon, a lecture, etc.; as, Webster's oration at Bunker Hill.
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The lord archbishop . . . made a long oration. Bacon.
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Syn. -- Address; speech. See .
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Oration, v. i. To deliver an oration. Donne.
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Orator (?), n. [L., fr. orare to speak, utter. See .] 1. A public speaker; one who delivers an oration; especially, one distinguished for his skill and power as a public speaker; one who is eloquent.
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I am no orator, as Brutus is. Shak.
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Some orator renowned
In Athens or free Rome. Milton.
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2. (Law) (a) In equity proceedings, one who prays for relief; a petitioner. (b) A plaintiff, or complainant, in a bill in chancery. Burrill.
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3. (Eng. Universities) An officer who is the voice of the university upon all public occasions, who writes, reads, and records all letters of a public nature, presents, with an appropriate address, those persons on whom honorary degrees are to be conferred, and performs other like duties; -- called also public orator.
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Oratorial (?), a. Oratorical. [R.] Swift. --Oratorially, adv.
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Oratorian (?), a. Oratorical. [Obs.] R. North.
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Oratorian, n. [Cf. F. oratorien.] (R. C. Ch.) See Fathers of the Oratory, under .
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Oratorical (?), a. Of or pertaining to an orator or to oratory; characterized by oratory; rhetorical; becoming to an orator; as, an oratorical triumph; an oratorical essay. -- Oratorically, adv.
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Oratorio (?), n. [It., fr. L. oratorius belonging to praying. See , and cf. .]
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1. (Mus.) A more or less dramatic text or poem, founded on some Scripture nerrative, or great divine event, elaborately set to music, in recitative, arias, grand choruses, etc., to be sung with an orchestral accompaniment, but without action, scenery, or costume, although the oratorio grew out of the Mysteries and the Miracle and Passion plays, which were acted.
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☞ There are instances of secular and mythological subjects treated in the form of the oratorios, and called oratorios by their composers; as Haydn's “Seasons,” Handel's “Semele,” etc.
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2. Performance or rendering of such a composition.
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Oratorious (?), a. [LL. oratorius.] Oratorical. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor. -- Oratoriously, adv. [Obs.]
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Oratorize (?), v. i. To play the orator. [Jocose or derisive] Dickens.
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Oratory (?), n.; pl. Oratories (#). [OE. oratorie, fr. L. oratorium, fr. oratorius of praying, of an orator: cf. F. oratoire. See , , and cf. .] A place of orisons, or prayer; especially, a chapel or small room set apart for private devotions.
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An oratory [temple] . . . in worship of Dian. Chaucer.
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Do not omit thy prayers for want of a good oratory, or place to pray in. Jer. Taylor.
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Coloq. Fathers of the Oratory (R. C. Ch.), a society of priests founded by St. Philip Neri, living in community, and not bound by a special vow. The members are called also oratorians.
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Oratory, n. [L. oratoria (sc. ars) the oratorical art.] The art of an orator; the art of public speaking in an eloquent or effective manner; the exercise of rhetorical skill in oral discourse; eloquence. “The oratory of Greece and Rome.” Milton.
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When a world of men
Could not prevail with all their oratory. Shak.
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Oratress (?), n. A woman who makes public addresses. Warner.
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Oratrix (?), n. [L.] A woman plaintiff, or complainant, in equity pleading. Burrill.
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Orb (ôrb), n. [OF. orb blind, fr. L. orbus destitute.] (Arch.) A blank window or panel. [Obs.] Oxf. Gloss.
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Orb, n. [F. orbe, fr. L. orbis circle, orb. Cf. .]
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1. A spherical body; a globe; especially, one of the celestial spheres; a sun, planet, or star.
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In the small orb of one particular tear. Shak.
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Whether the prime orb,
Incredible how swift, had thither rolled. Milton.
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2. One of the azure transparent spheres conceived by the ancients to be inclosed one within another, and to carry the heavenly bodies in their revolutions.
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3. A circle; esp., a circle, or nearly circular orbit, described by the revolution of a heavenly body; an orbit.
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The schoolmen were like astronomers, which did feign eccentrics, and epicycles, and such engines of orbs. Bacon.
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You seem to me as Dian in her orb. Shak.
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In orbs
Of circuit inexpressible they stood,
Orb within orb. Milton.
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4. A period of time marked off by the revolution of a heavenly body. [R.] Milton.
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5. The eye, as luminous and spherical. [Poetic]
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A drop serene hath quenched their orbs. Milton.
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6. A revolving circular body; a wheel. [Poetic]
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The orbs
Of his fierce chariot rolled. Milton.
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7. A sphere of action or influence. Wordsworth.
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But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe. Shak
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8. Same as , a ball or globe. See 1st .
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