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To darken; to obscure; to becloud; hence, to confuse; to bewilder. His head, like a smokejack, the funnel unswept, and the ideas whirling round and round about in it, all obfuscated and darkened over with fuliginous matter. Sterne. Clouds of passion which might obfuscate the intellects of meaner females. Sir. W. Scott.…

To cloud; to obscure. [Obs.] Burton. -- Ob*nu"bi*la"tion, n. [Obs.] Beddoes.

Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects. Obscure rays (Opt.), those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion.

to stop; to impede; to retard; as, the bar in the harbor obstructs the passage of ships; clouds obstruct the light of the sun; unwise rules obstruct legislation. "Th' impatience of obstructed love." Johnson.

To shade; to darken; to cloud. [R.] Howell.

To darken; to cloud. [Obs.] Boyle.

Manifestation; token; portent. Dryden. We asked of God that some ostent might clear Our cloudy business, who gave us sign. Chapman.

gher than, in place or position, with the idea of covering; -- opposed to Ant: under; as, clouds are over our heads; the smoke rises over the city. The mercy seat that is over the testimony. Ex. xxx. 6. Over them gleamed far off the crimson banners of morning. Longfellow.

To blow away; to dissipate by wind, or as by wind. When this cloud of sorrow's overblown. Waller.

To cast or cover over; hence, to cloud; to darken. Those clouds that overcast your morn shall fly. Dryden.

To come or pass over; to spreads over. [Obs.] And overcome us like a summer's cloud. Shak.

en any country is overlaid by the multitude which live upon it. Sir W. Raleigh. As when a cloud his beams doth overlay. Spenser. Framed of cedar overlaid with gold. Milton. And overlay With this portentous bridge the dark abyss. Milton.

To throw a shadow, or shade, over; to darken; to obscure. There was a cloud that overshadowed them. Mark ix. 7.

To mutter; as prayers. [The hooded clouds] patter their doleful prayers. Longfellow. To patter flash, to talk in thieves' cant. [Slang]

issiles, as, to pelt with stones; pelted with hail. The children billows seem to pelt the clouds. Shak.

urveying or map making by photography, used also in determining the height and motions of clouds, sea waves, and the like.

ars of Hercules; a pillar of the state. "You are a well-deserving pillar." Shak. By day a cloud, by night a pillar of fire. Milton.

tain peace and plenty." Shak. Houses of office stuffed with plentee. Chaucer. The teeming clouds Descend in gladsome plenty o'er the world. Thomson.

, violently, or recklessly; moving precipitately. They leave their little lives Above the clouds, precipitant to earth. J. Philips. Should he return, that troop so blithe and bold, Precipitant in fear would wing their flight. Pope.

A meteor or exhalation formerly supposed to be thrown from the clouds with such violence that by collision it is set on fire. [Obs.]