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OFFICE, of'is, _n._ settled duty or employment: a position imposing certain duties or giving a right to exercise an employment: business: act of worship: order or form of a religious service, either public or private: that which a thing is designed or fitted to do: a place where business is carried on: (_pl._) acts of good or ill: service: the apartments of a house in which the domestics discharge their duties.--_ns._ OFF'ICE-BEAR'ER, one who holds office: one who has an appointed duty to perform in connection with some company, society, &c.; OFF'ICER, one who holds an office: a person who performs some public duty: a person entrusted with responsibility in the army or navy.--_v.t._ to furnish with officers: to command, as officers.--_adj._ OFFIC'IAL, pertaining to an office: depending on the proper office or authority: done by authority.--_n._ one who holds an office: a subordinate public officer: the deputy of a bishop, &c.--_ns._ OFFIC'IALISM, official position: excessive devotion to official routine and detail; OFFICIAL'ITY, OFFIC'IALTY, the charge, office, or jurisdiction of an official: the official headquarters of an ecclesiastical or other deliberative and governing body.--_adv._ OFFIC'IALLY.--_n._ OFFIC'IANT, one who officiates at a religious service, one who administers a sacrament.--_v.i._ OFFIC'I[=A]TE, to perform the duties of an office: (with _for_) to perform official duties in place of another.--_n._ OFFIC'I[=A]TOR.--GIVE THE OFFICE (_slang_), to suggest, supply information; HOLY OFFICE, the Inquisition. [Fr.,--L. _officium_.]

OFFICINAL, of-fis'i-nal, _adj._ belonging to, or used in, a shop: denoting an approved medicine kept prepared by apothecaries. [Fr.,--L. _officina_, a workshop--_opus_, work, _fac[)e]re_, to do.]

OFFICIOUS, of-fish'us, _adj._ too forward in offering services: overkind: intermeddling.--_adv._ OFFIC'IOUSLY.--_n._ OFFIC'IOUSNESS. [Fr.,--L.

_officiosus_--_officium_.]

OFFING, of'ing, _n._ the part of the sea more than half-way between the shore and the horizon.

OFT, oft, OFTEN, of'n, _adv._ frequently: many times.--_adj._ OFT'EN (_B._), frequent.--_n._ OFT'ENNESS, frequency.--_advs._ OFT'TIMES, OFT'ENTIMES, many times: frequently. [A.S. _oft_; Ger. _oft_, Goth.

_ufta_.]

OGEE, [=o]-j[=e]', _n._ a wave-like moulding formed of a convex curve continued or followed by a concave one. [Fr. _ogive_.]

[Illustration]

OGHAM, OGAM, og'am, _n._ an ancient Irish writing, in straight lines crossing each other; one of the characters, twenty in number, of which it is formed.--_adjs._ OGH'AMIC, OG'AMIC.

OGIVE, [=o]'jiv, _n._ (_archit._) a pointed arch or window.--_adj._ OG[=I]'VAL. [Fr.,--Sp.,--Ar. _awj_, summit.]

OGLE, [=o]'gl, _v.t._ to look at fondly with side glances.--_v.i._ to cast amorous glances.--_ns._ O'GLE; O'GLER; O'GLING. [Dut. _oogen_--_ooge_, the eye.]

OGRE, [=o]'g[.e]r, _n._ a man-eating monster or giant of fairy tales:--_fem._ O'GRESS.--_adj._ O'GREISH. [Fr. _ogre_--Sp. _ogro_--L.

_orcus_, the lower world.]

OGYGIAN, [=o]-jij'i-an, _adj._ pertaining to the mythical Attic king _Og[)y]ges_, prehistoric, primeval.

OH, [=o], _interj._ denoting surprise, pain, sorrow, &c.

OHM, [=o]m, _n._ the unit by which electrical resistance is measured, being nearly equal to that caused by a thousand feet of copper wire one-tenth of an inch in diameter.--OHM'S LAW (see LAW). [Georg Simon _Ohm_, a German electrician, 1787-1854.]

OIDIUM, [=o]-id'i-um, _n._ a genus of parasitic fungi, including the vine-mildew, &c. [Gr. _[=o]on_, an egg.]

OIL, oil, _n._ the juice from the fruit of the olive-tree: any greasy liquid.--_v.t._ to smear or anoint with oil.--_ns._ OIL'BAG, a bag or cyst in animals containing oil; OIL'CAKE, a cake made of flax seed from which the oil has been pressed out; OIL'CLOTH, a painted floorcloth; OIL'-COL'OUR, a colouring substance mixed with oil; OIL'ER, one who, or that which, oils: an oil-can: (_coll._) a coat of oilskin; OIL'ERY, the commodities of an oil-man; OIL'-GAS, illuminating gas or heating gas made by distilling oil in closed retorts; OIL'INESS; OIL'-MAN, one who deals in oils; OIL'-MILL, a grinding-mill for expressing oil from seeds, nuts, &c.; OIL'NUT, the butter-nut of North America; OIL'-PAINT'ING, a picture painted in oil-colours: the art of painting in oil-colours; OIL'-PALM, a palm whose fruit-pulp yields palm-oil; OIL'-PRESS, a machine for expressing oils from seeds or pulp; OIL'SKIN, cloth made waterproof by means of oil: a garment made of oilskin; OIL'-SPRING, a spring whose water contains oily matter: a fissure or area from which petroleum, &c. oozes; OIL'STONE, a fine-grained kind of stone used, when wetted with oil, for sharpening tools; OIL'-WELL, a boring made for petroleum.--_adj._ OIL'Y, consisting of, containing, or having the qualities of oil: greasy.--STRIKE OIL (see STRIKE). [O. Fr.

_oile_ (Fr. _huile_)--L. _oleum_--Gr. _elaion_--_elaia_, the olive.]

OINTMENT, oint'ment, _n._ anything used in anointing: (_med._) any greasy substance applied to diseased or wounded parts: (_B._) a perfume. [O.

Fr.,--L. _unguentum_--_ung[)e]re_, to smear.]

OKAPI, [=o]'ka-pi, _n._ a giraffe-like animal of the Semliki forests of Central Africa.

OKE, [=o]k, _n._ a Turkish weight of 2 lb. avoirdupois.

OLD, [=o]ld, _adj._ advanced in years: having been long in existence: worn out: out of date, old-fashioned: ancient, former, antique, early: (_coll._) great, high: having the age or duration of: long practised: sober, wise.--_n._ OLD-CLOTHES'MAN, one who buys cast-off garments.--_v.i._ OLD'EN, to grow old, to become affected by age.--_adj._ old, ancient.--_adj._ OLD-FASH'IONED, of a fashion like that used long ago: out of date: clinging to old things and old styles: with manners like those of a grown-up person (said of a child).--_n._ OLD-FASH'IONEDNESS.--_adjs._ OLD-F[=O]'GYISH, like an old fogy; OLD-GEN'TLEMANLY, characteristic of an old gentleman; OLD'ISH, somewhat old; OLD'-LIGHT, denoting those of the Seceders from the Church of Scotland who continued to hold unchanged the principle of the connection between church and state--the position maintained by the first Seceders in 1733.--_n._ one of this body.--_ns._ OLD-MAID'HOOD, OLD-MAID'ISM.--_adj._ OLD-MAID'ISH, like the conventional old maid, prim.--_ns._ OLD'NESS; OLD'STER (_coll._), a man getting old: a midshipman of four years' standing, a master's mate.--_adj._ OLD'-TIME, of or pertaining to times long gone by: of long standing: old-fashioned.--_n._ OLD'-TIM'ER, one who has lived in a place or kept a position for a long time.--_adjs._ OLD-WOM'ANISH, like an old woman; OLD'-WORLD, belonging to earlier times, antiquated, old-fashioned.--_n._ the Eastern Hemisphere.--OLD AGE, the later part of life; OLD BACHELOR, an unmarried man somewhat advanced in years; OLD ENGLISH (see ENGLISH): the form of black letter used by 16th-century English printers; OLD GOLD, a dull gold colour like tarnished gold, used in textile fabrics; OLD HARRY, NICK, ONE, &c., the devil; OLD HUNDRED, properly OLD HUNDREDTH, a famous tune set in England about the middle of the 16th century to Kethe's version of the 100th Psalm, marked 'Old Hundredth' in Tate and Brady's new version in 1696; OLD MAID, a woman who has not been married, and is past the usual age of marriage: a simple game played by matching cards from a pack from which a card (usually a queen) has been removed; OLD MAN, unregenerate human nature: (_coll._) one's father, guardian, or employer (usually with 'the'); OLD RED SANDSTONE (see SAND); OLD SALT, an experienced sailor; OLD SCHOOL, of, or resembling, earlier days, old-fashioned; OLD SONG, a mere trifle, a very small price; OLD SQUAW, a sea-duck of the northern hemisphere--also OLD WIFE; OLD STYLE (often written with a date O.S.), the mode of reckoning time before 1752, according to the Julian calendar or year of 365 days; OLD TESTAMENT (see TESTAMENT); OLD TOM, a strong kind of English gin; OLD WIFE, a prating old woman, or even a man: a chimney-cap for curing smoking.--OF OLD, long ago, in ancient times, or belonging to such. [A.S.

_eald_; Dut. _oud_; Ger. _alt_.]

OLEAGINOUS, [=o]-l[=e]-aj'in-us, _adj._ oily: (_bot._) fleshy and oily: unctuous, sanctimonious, fawning.--_n._ OLEAG'INOUSNESS. [L.

_oleaginus_--_oleum_, oil.]

OLEANDER, [=o]-l[=e]-an'd[.e]r, _n._ an evergreen shrub with lance-shaped leathery leaves and beautiful red or white flowers, the _Rose Bay_ or _Rose Laurel_. [Fr., a corr. of Low L. _lorandrum_. Cf. _Rhododendron_.]

OLEASTER, [=o]-l[=e]-as't[.e]r, _n._ the wild olive. [L.,--_olea_, an olive-tree--Gr. _elaia_.]

OLECRANON, [=o]-l[=e]-kr[=a]'non, _n._ a process forming the upper end of the ulna.--_adj._ OLECR[=A]'NAL. [Gr.]

OLEIN, [=o]'l[=e]-in, _n._ a natural fat, found in the fatty oils of animals and vegetables.--_n._ O'LE[=A]TE, a salt of oleic acid.--_adj._ OLEF[=I]'ANT, producing oil.--_ns._ OLEF[=I]'ANT-GAS, ethylene; O'LEFINE, any one of a group of hydrocarbons homologous with ethylene.--_adjs._ O'LEIC; OLEIF'EROUS, producing oil, as seeds.--_ns._ OLEOMAR'GARINE, artificial butter at first made from pure beef-fat, now from oleo-oil, neutral lard, milk, cream, and pure butter, worked together, with a colouring matter; OLEOM'ETER, an instrument for determining the density of oils; O'LEON, a liquid obtained from the distillation of olein and lime; OLEORES'IN, a native compound of an essential oil and a resin: a preparation of a fixed or volatile oil holding resin in solution; OLEOSAC'CHARUM, a mixture of oil and sugar.--_adjs._ O'LE[=O]SE, O'LEOUS, oily. [L. _oleum_, oil.]

OLENT, [=o]'lent, _adj._ smelling. [L. _ol[=e]re_, to smell.]

OLEOGRAPH, [=o]'l[=e]-[=o]-graf, _n._ a print in oil-colours to imitate an oil-painting.--_n._ OLEOG'RAPHY, the art of preparing such. [L. _oleum_, oil, Gr. _graphein_, to write.]

OLERACEOUS, ol-e-r[=a]'shus, _adj._ of the nature of a pot-herb, for kitchen use. [L.]

OLFACTORY, ol-fak'tor-i, _adj._ pertaining to, or used in, smelling. [L.

_olfact[=a]re_, to smell--_ol[=e]re_, to smell, _fac[)e]re_, to make.]

OLIBANUM, [=o]-lib'a-num, _n._ a gum-resin flowing from incisions in several species of _Boswellia_ in Somaliland and southern Arabia--the _Lebonah_ of the Hebrews, _Libanos_ and _Liban[=o]tos_ of the Greeks.

OLIGaeMIA, ol-i-j[=e]'mi-a, _n._ abnormal deficiency of blood.

OLIGARCHY, ol'i-gark-i, _n._ government by a small exclusive class: a state governed by such: a small body of men who have the supreme power of a state in their hands.--_n._ OL'IGARCH, a member of an oligarchy.--_adjs._ OLIGARCH'AL, OLIGARCH'IC, -AL, pertaining to an oligarchy. [Fr.,--Gr., _oligos_, few, _archein_, to rule.]

OLIGIST, ol'i-jist, _n._ a crystallised variety of hematite.

OLIGOCENE, ol'i-g[=o]-s[=e]n, _adj._ (_geol._) pertaining to a division of the Tertiary series, the rocks chiefly of fresh and brackish water origin, with intercalations of marine beds. [Gr. _oligos_, little, _kainos_, new.]

OLIGOCHROME, ol'i-g[=o]-kr[=o]m, _adj._ and _n._ painted in few colours.

[Gr. _oligos_, few, _chr[=o]ma_, colour.]

OLIGOCLASE, ol'i-g[=o]-kl[=a]s, _n._ a soda-lime triclinic feldspar.

OLIO, [=o]'li-[=o], _n._ a savoury dish of different sorts of meat and vegetables: a mixture: a medley, literary miscellany. [Sp. _olla_--L.

_olla_, a pot.]

OLIPHANT, ol'i-fant, _n._ an ancient ivory hunting-horn: an obsolete form of elephant.

OLITORY, ol'i-t[=o]-ri, _adj._ and _n._ pertaining to kitchen-vegetables:--_pl._ OL'ITORIES. [L. _olitor_, gardener.]

OLIVE, ol'iv, _n._ a tree cultivated round the Mediterranean for its oily fruit: its fruit: peace, of which the olive was the emblem: a colour like the unripe olive.--_adj._ of a brownish-green colour like the olive.--_adjs._ OLIV[=A]'CEOUS, olive-coloured: olive-green; OL'IVARY, like olives.--_ns._ OL'IVENITE, a mineral consisting chiefly of arsenic acid and protoxide of iron; OL'IVE-OIL, oil pressed from the fruit of the olive; OL'IVE-YARD, a piece of ground on which olives are grown; OL'IVINE, chrysolite.--OLIVE BRANCH, a symbol of peace: (_pl._) children (Ps.

cxxviii. 4; _Pr. Bk._). [Fr.,--L. _oliva_--Gr. _elaia_.]

OLIVER, ol'i-v[.e]r, _n._ a forge-hammer worked by foot.

OLIVERIAN, ol-i-v[=e]'ri-an, _adj._ an adherent of the great Protector, _Oliver_ Cromwell (1599-1658).

OLIVET, ol'i-vet, _n._ an imitation pearl manufactured for trade with savages.

OLIVETAN, ol'i-vet-an, _n._ one of an order of Benedictine monks founded in 1313, the original house at Monte _Oliveto_, near Siena.

OLLA, ol'la, _n._ a jar or urn.--_n._ OL'LA-PODRIDA (-po-dr[=e]'da), a Spanish mixed stew or hash of meat and vegetables: any incongruous mixture or miscellaneous collection. [Sp.,--L. _olla_, a pot.]

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