Oregonian - Orgyia

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Oregon grape (ŏr�gŏn grāp). (Bot.) An evergreen species of barberry (Berberis Aquifolium), of Oregon and California; also, its roundish, blue-black berries.
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Oregonian prop. n. A resident of Oregon.
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Oreide (?), n. See .
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oreo n. A confection consisting of a white cream filling sandwiched between two chocolate cookies.
Syn. -- oreo cookie.
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Oreodon (?), prop. n. [Gr. 'oros, -eos, mountain + 'odoys, 'odontos, tooth.] (Paleon.) A genus of extinct herbivorous mammals, abundant in the Tertiary formation of the Rocky Mountains. It is more or less related to the camel, hog, and deer.
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Oreodont (?), a. (Paleon.) Resembling, or allied to, the genus Oreodon.
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Oreographic (?), a. Of or pertaining to oreography.
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Oreography (?), n. [Gr. 'oros, -eos, mountain + -graphy.] The science of mountains; orography.
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Oreopteris prop. n. A genus of ferns having species, formerly included in genus Dryopteris or Thelypteris.
Syn. -- genus Oreopteris.
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Oreortyx prop. n. A genus of birds including the mountain quail of the western U. S.
Syn. -- genus Oreortyx.
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Oreoselin (?), n. (Chem.) A white crystalline substance which is obtained indirectly from the root of an umbelliferous plant (Imperatoria Oreoselinum), and yields resorcin on decomposition.
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Oreosoma (?), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. 'oros, -eos, mountain + sw^ma body.] (Zoöl.) A genus of small oceanic fishes, remarkable for the large conical tubercles which cover the under surface.
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Oreweed (?), n. Same as .
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Orewood (?), n. Same as .
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{ Orf (?), Orfe (?), } n. (Zoöl.) A bright-colored domesticated variety of the id. See .
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Orfgild (?), n. [AS. orf, yrfe, cattle, property + gild, gield, money, fine.] (O. Eng. Law) Restitution for cattle; a penalty for taking away cattle. Cowell.
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Orfray (?), n. [F. orfraie. Cf. , .] (Zoöl.) The osprey. [Obs.] Holland.
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Orfrays (?), n. [OF. orfrais, F. orfroi; F. or gold + fraise, frise, fringe, ruff. See , and cf. .] See . [Obs.] Rom. of R.
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Orgal (?), n. (Chem.) See . [Obs.]
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Organ (?), n. [L. organum, Gr. �; akin to � work, and E. work: cf. F. organe. See , and cf. , .]
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1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as, legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are organs of government.
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2. (Biol.) A natural part or structure in an animal or a plant, capable of performing some special action (termed its function), which is essential to the life or well-being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are organs of animals; the root, stem, foliage, etc., are organs of plants.
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☞ In animals the organs are generally made up of several tissues, one of which usually predominates, and determines the principal function of the organ. Groups of organs constitute a system. See .
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3. A component part performing an essential office in the working of any complex machine; as, the cylinder, valves, crank, etc., are organs of the steam engine.
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4. A medium of communication between one person or body and another; as, the secretary of state is the organ of communication between the government and a foreign power; a newspaper is the organ of its editor, or of a party, sect, etc. A newsletter distributed within an organization is often called its house organ.
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5. [Cf. AS. organ, fr. L. organum.] (Mus.) A wind instrument containing numerous pipes of various dimensions and kinds, which are filled with wind from a bellows, and played upon by means of keys similar to those of a piano, and sometimes by foot keys or pedals; -- formerly used in the plural, each pipe being considered an organ.
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The deep, majestic, solemn organs blow. Pope.
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☞ Chaucer used the form orgon as a plural.
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The merry orgon . . . that in the church goon [go].
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Coloq. Barrel organ , Coloq. Choir organ , Coloq. Great organ , etc. See under , , etc. -- Coloq. Cabinet organ (Mus.), an organ of small size, as for a chapel or for domestic use; a reed organ. -- Coloq. Organ bird (Zoöl.), a Tasmanian crow shrike (Gymnorhina organicum). It utters discordant notes like those of a hand organ out of tune. -- Coloq. Organ fish (Zoöl.), the drumfish. -- Coloq. Organ gun . (Mil.) Same as (b). -- Coloq. Organ harmonium (Mus.), an harmonium of large capacity and power. -- Coloq. Organ of Corti (Anat.), a complicated structure in the cochlea of the ear, including the auditory hair cells, the rods or fibers of Corti, the membrane of Corti, etc. See Note under . -- Coloq. Organ pipe . See , n., 1. -- Coloq. Organ-pipe coral . (Zoöl.) See . -- Coloq. Organ point (Mus.), a passage in which the tonic or dominant is sustained continuously by one part, while the other parts move.
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Organ, v. t. To supply with an organ or organs; to fit with organs; to organize. [Obs.]
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Thou art elemented and organed for other apprehensions. Bp. Mannyngham.
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{ Organdie, Organdy } (?), n. [F. organdi.] A kind of transparent light but stiff muslin.
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organelle n. (Biol.) a specialized part of a cell performing a specific function, usually visible under the microscope as a distinct object; it is analogous to an organ{2}, but on a microscopic scale.
Syn. -- cell organ.
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Organic (?), a. [L. organicus, Gr. �: cf. F. organique.] 1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic remains. Cf. .
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2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]
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3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to a certain destined function or end. [R.]
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Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and write perspicuously. Milton.
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4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but organic.
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5. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds which are derivatives of hydrocarbons; pertaining to, or denoting, any one of a large series of carbon-containing compounds which are related to the carbon compounds produced by biological processes (such as methane, oils, fats, sugars, alcohols, ethers, proteins, etc.) and include many substances of artificial production which may or may not occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with inorganic. Borderline cases exist which may be classified as either organic or inorganic, such as carbon terachloride (which may be viewed as a derivative of methane), but in general a compound must have a carbon with a hydrogen atom or another carbon atom attached to it to be viewed as truly organic, i.e. included in the subject matter of organic chemistry.
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☞ The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are identical; but the enormous number and the completeness of related series of organic compounds, together with their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution, offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.
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Coloq. Organic analysis (Chem.), the analysis of organic compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent, and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide; -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from proximate analysis. -- Coloq. Organic chemistry . See under . -- Coloq. Organic compounds . (Chem.) Chemical substances which are organic{5}. See Carbon compounds, under . -- Coloq. Organic description of a curve (Geom.), the description of a curve on a plane by means of instruments. Brande & C. -- Coloq. Organic disease (Med.), a disease attended with morbid changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to functional disease. -- Coloq. Organic electricity . See under . -- Coloq. Organic law or Coloq. Organic laws , a law or system of laws, or declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and organization of a political or other association; a constitution. -- Coloq. Organic stricture (Med.), a contraction of one of the natural passages of the body produced by structural changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic stricture, which is due to muscular contraction.
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Organical (?), a. Organic.
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The organical structure of human bodies, whereby they live and move. Bentley.
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Organically, adv. In an organic manner; by means of organs or with reference to organic functions; hence, fundamentally. Gladstone.
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Organicalness, n. The quality or state of being organic.
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Organicism (?), n. (Med.) The doctrine of the localization of disease, or which refers it always to a material lesion of an organ. Dunglison.
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Organific (?), a. [Organ + L. -ficare (in comp.) to make. See .] Making an organic or organized structure; producing an organism; acting through, or resulting from, organs. Prof. Park.
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organise v. t. Same as . [Chiefly Brit.]
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Organism (?), n. [Cf. F. organisme.] 1. Organic structure; organization. “The advantageous organism of the eye.” Grew.
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2. (Biol.) An organized being; a living body, either vegetable or animal, composed of different organs or parts with functions which are separate, but mutually dependent, and essential to the life of the individual.
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☞ Some of the lower forms of life are so simple in structure as to be without organs, but are still called organisms, since they have different parts analogous in functions to the organs of higher plants and animals.
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organismal organismic adj. 1. of or pertaining to organism (definition 2). the organismic theory of the state
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Organist, n. [Cf. F. organiste.] 1. (Mus.) One who plays on the organ.
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2. (R. C. Ch.) One of the priests who organized or sung in parts. [Obs.]
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Organista (?), n. [Sp., an organis.] (Zoöl.) Any one of several South American wrens, noted for the sweetness of their song.
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Organity (?), n. Organism. [R.]
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Organizability (?), n. Quality of being organizable; capability of being organized.
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Organizable (?), a. Capable of being organized; esp. (Biol.), capable of being formed into living tissue; as, organizable matter.
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Organization (?), n. [Cf. F. organisation.]
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1. The act of organizing; the act of arranging in a systematic way for use or action; as, the organization of an army, or of a deliberative body. “The first organization of the general government.” Pickering.
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2. The state of being organized.
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3. That which is organized; an organized existence; an organism; specif. (Biol.), an arrangement of parts for the performance of the functions necessary to life.
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The cell may be regarded as the most simple, the most common, and the earliest form of organization. McKendrick.
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4. Specifically: A group of persons associated together for a common purpose and having a set of rules which specify the relations of the individual members to the whole gorup.
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5. The manner in which something is organized; the relations included in an organized state or condition; as, the organization of the department permits ad hoc groups to form.
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What is organization but the connection of parts in and for a whole, so that each part is, at once, end and means? Coleridge.
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organizational adj. of or pertaining to organization; as, organizational structure.
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Organize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Organized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Organizing (?).] [Cf. F. organiser, Gr. �. See .] 1. (Biol.) To furnish with organs; to give an organic structure to; to endow with capacity for the functions of life; as, an organized being; organized matter; -- in this sense used chiefly in the past participle.
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These nobler faculties of the mind, matter organized could never produce. Ray.
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2. To arrange or constitute in parts, each having a special function, act, office, or relation; to systematize; to get into working order; -- applied to products of the human intellect, or to human institutions and undertakings, as a science, a government, an army, a war, etc.
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This original and supreme will organizes the government. Cranch.
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3. (Mus.) To sing in parts; as, to organize an anthem. [R.] Busby.
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organized adj. 1. same as ; as, an organized tour.
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2. formed into an organization. Opposite of unorganized. [Narrower terms: corporate, incorporated]
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3. well-conducted. Opposite of disorganized. Also See: .
Syn. -- organized.
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4. arranged according to a system or rule.
Syn. -- systematized.
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5. being a member of or formed into a labor union; -- of workers, used especially in the phrase “organized labor. Opposite of nonunion.
Syn. -- unionized, union.
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organized crime n. Groups of persons organized for illegal purposes, such as bootlegging, conducting illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, etc.; -- a general term encompassing most forms of criminal groups, but especially those that are consolidated into “families” more or less recognizing each other's different regions of operation; sometimes considered synonymous with the mafia or the syndicate.
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Organizer (?), n. One who organizes.
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Organling (?), n. (Zoöl.) A large kind of sea fish; the orgeis.
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Organo- (?). [See .] A combining form denoting relation to, or connection with, an organ or organs.
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Organogen (?), n. [Organo- + -gen.] (Chem.) A name given to any one of the four elements, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, which are especially characteristic ingredients of organic compounds; also, by extension, to other elements sometimes found in the same connection; as sulphur, phosphorus, etc.
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Organogenesis (?), n. [Organo- + genesis.] 1. (Biol.) The origin and development of organs in animals and plants.
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2. (Biol.) The germ history of the organs and systems of organs, -- a branch of morphogeny. Haeckel.
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Organogenic (?), a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to organogenesis.
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Organogeny (?), n. (Biol.) Organogenesis.
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{ Organographic (?), Organographical (?), } a. [Cf. F. organographique.] Of or pertaining to organography.
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Organographist (?), n. One versed in organography.
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Organography (?), n. [Organo- + -graphy: cf. F. organographie.] A description of the organs of animals or plants.
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Organoleptic (?), a. [F. organoleptique, fr. Gr. � an organ + � to lay hold of.] (Physiol.) Making an impression upon an organ; plastic; -- said of the effect or impression produced by any substance on the organs of touch, taste, or smell, and also on the organism as a whole.
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Organological (?), a. Of or relating to organology.
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Organology (?), n. [Organ + -logy: cf. F. organologie.] 1. The science of organs or of anything considered as an organic structure.
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The science of style, as an organ of thought, of style in relation to the ideas and feelings, might be called the organology of style. De Quincey.
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2. That branch of biology which treats, in particular, of the organs of animals and plants. See .
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organometallic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of a series of compounds of certain metallic elements bound to organic radicals; such as, methylmercury, zinc methyl, sodium ethyl, etc.; formerly refered to as metalorganic.
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{ Organon (?), Organum (?), } n. [NL. organon, L. organum. See .] An organ or instrument; hence, a method by which philosophical or scientific investigation may be conducted; -- a term adopted from the Aristotelian writers by Lord Bacon, as the title (“Novum Organon”) of part of his treatise on philosophical method. Sir. W. Hamilton.
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Organonymy (?), n. [Organo- + Gr.�, for �, a name.] (Biol.) The designation or nomenclature of organs. B. G. Wilder.
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Organophyly (?), n. [Organo- + Gr. � clan.] (Biol.) The tribal history of organs, -- a branch of morphophyly. Haeckel.
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Organoplastic (?), a. [Organo- + -plastic.] (Biol.) Having the property of producing the tissues or organs of animals and plants; as, the organoplastic cells.
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Organoscopy (?), n. [Organo- + -scopy.] Phrenology. Fleming.
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Organotrophic (?), a. [Organo- + Gr. � to nourish.] (Biol.) Relating to the creation, organization, and nutrition of living organs or parts.
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Organule (?), n. [Dim. of organ.] (Anat.) One of the essential cells or elements of an organ. See Sense organule, under . Huxley.
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Organy (?), n. [AS. Organe, from the Latin. See .] (Bot.) See .
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organzine (ôrg�nzĭn), n. [F. organsin; cf. Sp. organsino, It. organzino.] A kind of double thrown silk of very fine texture, that is, silk twisted like a rope with different strands, so as to increase its strength.
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orgasm (ôrgăz'm), n. [F. orgasme; cf. Gr. 'orgasmos a kneading, softening, prob. confused with 'orga^n to swell, especially with lust; to feel an ardent desire.] (Physiol.) Eager or immoderate excitement or action; the state of turgescence of any organ; erethism.
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2. Especially: The peak of the physical pleasurable sexual excitement caused by stimulation of the sexual organs, as in intercourse; in the male, it is usually accompanied by ejaculation.
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3. Hence: An eruption of intense, uncontrolled excitement; -- used of groups and individuals.
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Orgeat (?), n. [F., fr. orge barley, L. hordeum.] A sirup in which, formerly, a decoction of barley entered, but which is now prepared with an emulsion of almonds, -- used to flavor beverages or edibles.
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Orgeis (?), n. (Zoöl.) See .
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Orgiastic (?), a. [Gr. �. See .] Pertaining to, or of the nature of, orgies. Elton.
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Orgy (?), n.; sing. Orgies (�). [F. orgie, orgies, L. orgia, pl., Gr. �; akin to � work. See , and .]
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1. A sacrifice accompanied by certain ceremonies in honor of some pagan deity; especially, the ceremonies observed by the Greeks and Romans in the worship of Dionysus, or Bacchus, which were characterized by wild and dissolute revelry. Usually in the plural form. [The singular is rarely used in this sense.]
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As when, with crowned cups, unto the Elian god,
Those priests high orgies held. Drayton.
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2. Wild, drunken, or licentious revelry; an uninhibited carouse. B. Jonson. Tennyson.
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3. A series of sexual activities involving more than two couples in a group.
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4. Hence: An event characterized by unrestrained indulgence in passion; as, an orgy of buying of internet stocks.
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Orgillous (?), a. [OF. orguillous, F. orgueilleux, fr. OF. orgoil pride, F. orgueil.] Proud; haughty. [Obs.] Shak.
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Orgue (?), n. [F., fr. L. organum organ, Gr. �. See .] (Mil.) (a) Any one of a number of long, thick pieces of timber, pointed and shod with iron, and suspended, each by a separate rope, over a gateway, to be let down in case of attack. (b) A piece of ordnance, consisting of a number of musket barrels arranged so that a match or train may connect with all their touchholes, and a discharge be secured almost or quite simultaneously.
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Orgulous (?), a. See . [Obs.]
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Orgy (?), n.; pl. Orgies (�). A frantic revel; drunken revelry. See
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Orgyia (�), prop. n. [NL., fr. Gr. � the length of the outstretched arms. So named because, when at rest, it stretches forward its fore legs like arms.] (Zoöl.). A genus of bombycid moths whose caterpillars (esp. those of Orgyia leucostigma) are often very injurious to fruit trees and shade trees. The female is wingless. Called also vaporer moth.
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