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

To perform the office of midwife. [Obs.] "Nature does obstetricate." Evelyn.

That which a person does, either voluntarily or by appointment, for, or with reference to, others; customary duty, or a duty that arises from the relations of man to man; as, kind offices, pious offices. I would I could do a good office between you. Shak.

figure assumed by a drop of oil when placed upon water or some other liquid with which it does not mix.

bright-colored European actinian (Anemonia, or Anthea, sulcata); -- so called because it does not retract its tentacles.

ition, in distinction from the respondent, or defendant, who maintains it. How becomingly does Philopolis exercise his office, and seasonably commit the opponent with the respondent, like a long-practiced moderator! Dr. H. More.

To go beyond in performance; to excel; to surpass. An imposture outdoes the original. L' Estrange. I grieve to be outdone by Gay. Swift.

One who does not live where his office, or business, or estate, is. Bentley.

One who overdoes.

ir, but is more easily fusible. It is unique in its power of occluding hydrogen, which it does to the extent of nearly a thousand volumes, forming the alloy Pd2H. It is used for graduated circles and verniers, for plating certain silver goods, and somewhat in dentistry. It was so named in 1804 by Wollaston from the ast…

logical rules or formulæ; a formal fallacy, or pseudo- syllogism, in which the conclusion does not follow from the premises.

ne'er knew three lordly heads before, First fell by fatal partnership of power. Rowe. He does possession keep, And is too wise to hazard partnership. Dryden.

To lose the skin, bark, or rind; to come off, as the skin, bark, or rind does; -- often used with an adverb; as, the bark peels easily or readily.

One who does penance. [Obs.] Hammond.

or general; as, personal comfort; personal desire. The words are conditional, -- If thou doest well, -- and so personal to Cain. Locke.

ttled opinion or conviction, which has been induced. If the general persuasion of all men does so account it. Hooker. My firm persuasion is, at least sometimes, That Heaven will weigh man's virtues and his crimes With nice attention. Cowper.

ant; mean; -- Same as Petty. [Obs., except in legal language.] By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a vanishing notion. South. Petit constable, an inferior civil officer, subordinate to the high constable. -- Petit jury, a jury of twelve men, impaneled to try causes at the bar of a court;…

To enter; to penetrate; to make a way into or through something, as a pointed instrument does; -- used literally and figuratively. And pierced to the skin, but bit no more. Spenser. She would not pierce further into his meaning. Sir P. Sidney.

to receive in pawn, as a pawnbroker does. [Obs.]

To take hold; to grip, as a dog does. [Obs.]