Thomas Davidson

“ Op′tic (Pope) , an organ of sight: an eye.—adv. Op′tically.—ns. Optic′ian, one skilled in optics: one who makes or sells optical instruments; Op′tics (sing.) , the science of the nature and laws of vision and light; Optim′eter, Optom′eter, an instrument for measuring the refractive powers of the eye; Optom′etry, the measurement of the visual powers.—Optic axis, the axis of the eye—that is, a line going through the middle of the pupil and the centre of the eye. ”

“ Or′gan-screen, an ornamental stone or wood screen, on which a secondary organ is sometimes placed in cathedrals; Orguinette′, a mechanical musical instrument, with reeds and exhaust-bellows.—Organic chemistry, the chemistry of substances of animal or vegetable origin, prior to 1828 supposed to be capable of formation only as products of vital processes: the chemistry of the compounds of carbon; Organic disease, a disease accompanied by changes in the structures involved; Organic remains, fossil remains of a plant or animal.—Hydraulic organ, one whose bellows is operated by a hydraulic motor. ”

“ Ottoman, ot′o-man, adj. pertaining to the Turkish Empire, founded by Othman or Osman about 1299.—n. a Turk (Shak. Ott′omite) : a cushioned seat for several persons sitting with their backs to one another: a low, stuffed seat without a back: a variety of corded silk. ”

“ Os′teoblast, a cell concerned in the formation of bone; Os′teoclast, an apparatus for fracturing bones; Osteocol′la, a deposited carbonate of lime encrusted on the roots and stems of plants; Osteoden′tine, one of the varieties of dentine, resembling bone; Osteogen′esis, the formation or growth of bone—also Osteog′eny; Osteog′rapher; Osteog′raphy, description of bones.—adj. Os′teoid, like bone: having the appearance of bone.—ns. Osteol′epis, a genus of fossil ganoid fishes peculiar to the Old Red Sandstone, so called from the bony appearance of their scales ”

“ Opuntia, ō-pun′shi-a, n. a genus of cacti.
Opus, ō′pus, n. work, a work.—Opus magnum, the great work of one's life; Opus operantis (theol.) , the effect of a sacrament ascribed chiefly, if not exclusively, to the spiritual disposition of the recipient, the grace flowing ex opere operantis—the Protestant view; Opus operatum, the due celebration of a sacrament necessarily involving the grace of the sacrament, which flows ex opere operato from the sacramental act performed independent of the merit of him who administers it—the R.C. view. ”

“ Organog′eny, Organogen′esis, history of the development of living organs; Organog′raphy, a description of the organs of plants or animals; Organol′ogy, the study of structure and function; Or′gan-pipe, one of the sounding pipes of a pipe-organ (flue-pipes and reed-pipes) ; Or′gan-point, a note sustained through a series of chords, although only in harmony with the first and last; Or′ganry, the music of the organ ”

“ Or′chestrāte, to arrange for an orchestra.—ns. Orchestrā′tion, the arrangement of music for an orchestra: instrumentation; Orches′trion, a musical instrument of the barrel-organ kind, designed to imitate an orchestra. [L.,—Gr. orchēstra—orchesthai, to dance.]
Orchid, or′kid, n. a plant with a rich, showy, often fragrant flower, frequently found growing, in warm countries, on rocks and stems of trees.—adjs. Orchidā′ceous, Orchid′ēous, pertaining to the orchids.—ns. Orchidol′ogy, the knowledge of orchids; Or′chis, a genus containing ten of the British species of orchids. ”

“ Orthoceras, or-thos′e-ras, n. a genus of fossil cephalopods, having the shell straight or but slightly curved.
Orthochromatic, or-thō-krō-mat′ik, adj. correct in rendering the relation of colours, without the usual photographic modifications. [Gr. orthos, right, chrōma, colour.]
Orthoclase, or′tho-klāz, n. common or potash feldspar.—adj. Orthoclas′tic. [Gr. orthos, straight, klasis, a fracture.]
Orthodox, or′tho-doks, adj. sound in doctrine: believing the received or established opinions, esp. in religion: according to the received doctrine.—adv. ”

“ Op′timist, one who holds that everything is ordered for the best.—adj. Optimist′ic.—adv. Optimist′ically.—n. Op′timum (bot.) , that point of temperature at which metabolic—i.e. vegetative and fructificative processes are best carried on. [L. optimus, best.]
Option, op′shun, n. act of choosing: power of choosing or wishing: wish.—adj. Op′tional, left to one's option or choice.—adv. Op′tionally.—n. Op′tions, a mode of speculating, chiefly in stocks and shares, which is intended to limit the speculator's risk. ”

“ Outdistance, owt-dis′tans, v.t. to distance, leave far behind in any competition.
Outdo, owt-dōō′, v.t. to surpass: excel.
Outdoor, owt′dōr, adj. outside the door or the house: in the open air.—adv. Out′doors, out of the house: abroad.—Outdoor relief, help given to a pauper who does not live in the workhouse.
Outdwell, owt-dwel′, v.t. (Shak.) to dwell or stay beyond.—n. Out-dwell′er, one who owns land in a parish but lives outside it. ”

“ Osseous, os′ē-us, adj. bony: composed of, or resembling, bone: of the nature or structure of bone.—ns. Ossā′rium, an ossuary; Oss′ēin, the organic basis of bone; Oss′elet, a hard substance growing on the inside of a horse's knee; Oss′icle, a small bone.—adjs. Ossif′erous, producing bone: (geol.) containing bones; Ossif′ic.—n. Ossificā′tion, the process or state of being changed into a bony substance.—v.t. Oss′ify, to make into bone or into a bone-like substance.—v.i. to become bone:—pa.p. ”

“ Outing, owt′ing, n. the act of going out, or the distance gone out: an excursion or airing.
Outjest, owt-jest′, v.t. (Shak.) to overpower by jesting: to excel in jesting.
Outjet, owt′jet, n. that which projects from anything.—n. Outjut′ting, a projection.
Outland, owt′land, n. land beyond the limits of cultivation.—adj. (Tenn.) foreign.—n. Out′lander, a foreigner, a person not naturalised.—adj. Outland′ish, belonging to an out or foreign land: foreign: not according to custom: strange: rustic: rude: vulgar.—adv. Outland′ishly.—n. Outland′ishness. ”

“ Osteomalā′cia, a disease in which the earthy salts disappear from the bones, which become soft and misshapen; Os′teophyte, an abnormal bony outgrowth.—adjs. Osteophyt′ic; Osteoplast′ic.—ns. Os′teoplasty, a plastic operation by which a loss of bone is remedied; Osteosarcō′ma, a tumour composed of intermingled bony and sarcomatous tissue; Os′teotome (surg.) , a saw-like instrument for cutting bones; Osteot′omy, the division of, or incision into, a bone; Ostī′tis, inflammation of bone. [L. osseus—os, ossis, bone; Gr. osteon, bone.] ”

“ Ontogenesis, on-tō-jen′e-sis, n. the history of the individual development of an organised being as distinguished from phylogenesis and biogenesis—also Ontog′eny.—adjs. Ontogenet′ic, -al, Ontogen′ic.—adv. Ontogenet′ically. [Gr. onta, things being, neut. pl. of ōn, pr.p. of einai, to be, genesis, generation.]
Ontology, on-tol′o-ji, n. the science that treats of the principles of pure being: that part of metaphysics which treats of the nature and essence of things.—adjs. ”

“ Outfield, owt′fēld, n. (Scot.) arable land continually cropped without being manured—opp. to Infield: any open field at a distance from the farm-steading: any undefined district or sphere: at cricket and baseball, the players collectively who occupy the outer part of the field.—n. ”

“ Out′lawry, the act of putting a man out of the protection of the law: state of being an outlaw. [A.S. útlaga; cf. Ice. útlági—út, out, lög, law.]
Outlay, owt′lā, n. that which is laid out: expenditure.—v.t. to lay out to view.
Outleap, owt′lēp, n. a sally, flight.
Outlearn, owt-lėrn′, v.t. to learn: to excel in learning: to get beyond the instruction of.
Outlet, owt′let, n. the place or means by which anything is let out: the passage outward, vent.
Outlier, owt′lī-ėr, n. (geol.) a portion of a stratum: anything, as detached from the principal mass, and lying some distance from it.—v.t. ”

“ Os′tracite, a fossil oyster; Os′trēa, the typical genus of the oyster family; Ostrēicul′ture, oyster-culture; Ostrēicul′turist.
Ostracise, os′tra-sīz, v.t. in ancient Greece, to banish by the vote of the people written on an earthenware tablet: to banish from society.—n. Os′tracism, banishment by ostracising: expulsion from society. [Gr. ostrakizein—ostrakon, an earthenware tablet.]
Ostrich, os′trich, n. the largest of birds, found in Africa, remarkable for its speed in running, and prized for its feathers.—n. Os′trich-farm, a place where ostriches are bred and reared for their feathers. ”

“ Organ′ic, -al, pertaining to an organ: organised: instrumental.—adv. Organ′ically.—n. Organ′icalness.—v.t. Organ′ify, to add organic matter to.—n. Organisabil′ity.—adj. Organis′able, that may be organised.—n. Organisā′tion, the act of organising: the state of being organised.—v.t. Or′ganīse, to supply with organs: to form several parts into an organised whole, to arrange.—ns. Or′ganīser; Or′ganism, organic structure, or a body exhibiting such: a living being, animal or vegetable.—adj. Or′ganismal.—ns. Or′ganist, one who plays on an organ; Or′gan-loft, the loft where an organ stands ”

“ Orthop′nic, one who can breathe in an upright posture only. [Gr. orthos, straight, pnein, to breathe.]
Orthopraxy, or′thō-prak-si, n. correct practice or procedure.
Orthoptera, or-thop′tėr-a, n. an order of insects with wing-covers, that overlap at the top when shut, under which are the true wings, which fold lengthwise like a fan.—ns. Orthop′ter, Orthop′teran, an insect of the order orthoptera; Orthopterol′ogy.—adj. Orthop′terous, pertaining to the orthoptera. [Gr. orthos, straight, ptera, pl. of pteron, wing.]
Orthoscopic, or-thō-skop′ik, adj. seeing correctly: appearing normal to the eye. ”

“ Ossuary, os′ū-ar-i, n. a place where the bones of the dead are deposited: a charnel-house. [L. ossuarium, a charnel-house—os, a bone.]
Ostensible, os-tens′i-bl, adj. that may be shown: declared: put forth as real: apparent.—n. Ostensibil′ity.—adv. Ostens′ibly.—adj. Ostens′ive, showing: exhibiting.—adv. Ostens′ively.—ns. Osten′sory, a monstrance; Os′tent (Shak.) , appearance, manner: token: portent, prodigy; Ostentā′tion, act of making a display: ambitious display: display to draw attention or admiration: boasting.—adj. ”

“ Ordure, or′dūr, n. dirt: dung: excrement: also fig. anything unclean.—adj. Or′durous. [Fr.,—O. Fr. ord, foul—L. horridus, rough.]
Ore, ōr, n. metal as it comes from the mine: metal mixed with earthy and other substances. [A.S. ór, another form of ár, brass; Ice. eir, L. æs, ær-is, bronze.]
Oread, ō′rē-ad, n. (myth.) a mountain nymph:—pl. O′reads, or Orē′ades. [Gr. oreias, oreiados—oros, a mountain.]
Oreog′raphy=Orography.
Organ, or′gan, n. ”

“ Ophthalmoplē′gia, paralysis of one or more of the muscles of the eye; Ophthal′moscope, an instrument for examining the interior of the eye.—adjs. Ophthalmoscop′ic, -al.—adv. Ophthalmoscop′ically.—ns. Ophthal′moscopy, examination of the interior of the eye with the ophthalmoscope ”

“ Opportun′ism, practice of regulating principles by favourable opportunities without regard to consistency; Opportun′ist, a politician who waits for events before declaring his opinions: a person without settled principles ”

“ Order-of-the-day, in a legislative assembly, the business set down to be considered on any particular day: any duty assigned for a particular day.—Close order, the usual formation for soldiers in line or column, the ranks 16 inches apart, or for vessels two cables'-length (1440 ft.) apart—opp. to Extended order; Full orders, the priestly order; Minor orders, those of acolyte, exorcist, reader, and doorkeeper; Open order, a formation in which ships are four cables'-length (2880 ft.) apart; Sailing orders, written instructions given to the commander of a vessel before sailing ”

“ Oppidan, op′i-dan, n. at Eton, a student who is not a foundationer or colleger. [L. oppidanus—oppidum, town.]
Oppilation, op-i-lā′shun, n. stoppage.—v.t. Opp′ilate, to crowd together.—adj. Opp′ilātive, obstructive. [L.]
Opponent, ō-pō′nent, adj. opposing in action, speech, &c.: placed in front.—n. one who opposes. ”