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A species of sorcery, probably of African origin, practiced among the negroes of the West Indies. [Written also obe and obeah.] De Quincey. B. Edwards.

Belief in, or the practice of, the obi superstitions and rites.

easured by, the rewards and punishments annexed to it. South. Religion obliges men to the practice of those virtues which conduce to the preservation of our health. Tillotson.

cing, gradually takes ground to the right or left at an angle of about 25º. It is not now practiced. Wilhelm. -- Oblique system of coördinates (Anal. Geom.), a system in which the coördinate axes are oblique to each other.

The act or practice of observing or noticing with attention; a heeding or keeping with care; performance; -- usually with a sense of strictness and fidelity; as, the observance of the Sabbath is general; the strict observance of duties. It is a custom More honored in the breach than the observance. Shak.…

Performance of what is prescribed; adherence in practice; observance. [Obs.] We are to procure dispensation or leave to omit the observation of it in such circumstances. Jer. Taylor.

To take notice of by appropriate conduct; to conform one's action or practice to; to keep; to heed; to obey; to comply with; as, to observe rules or commands; to observe civility. Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Ex. xii. 17. He wolde no such cursedness observe. Chaucer. Must I budge Must I observe you S…

One who keeps any law, custom, regulation, rite, etc.; one who conforms to anything in practice. "Diligent observers of old customs." Spenser. These... hearkend unto observers of times. Deut. xviii. 14.

One who practices or excuses obtrusion. [R.] Gent. Mag.

Knowledge of wine, scientific or practical.

l. [Colloq.] -- To take off, to mimic or personate. -- To tell off (Mil.), to divide and practice a regiment or company in the several formations, preparatory to marching to the general parade for field exercises. Farrow. -- To be well off, to be in good condition. -- To be ill off, To be badly off, to be in poor co…

A particular kind of writing practiced by the ancient Irish, and found in inscriptions on stones, metals, etc. [Written also ogam.]

Long practiced; hence, skilled; experienced; cunning; as, an old offender; old in vice. Vane, young in years, but in sage counsel old. Milton.

Practicable. [Obs.]

Of the nature of an opinion; conjectured. [Obs.] "Things both opinionative and practical." Bunyan. -- O*pin"ion*a*tive*ly, adv. -- O*pin"ion*a*tive*ness, n.

exercise his office, and seasonably commit the opponent with the respondent, like a long-practiced moderator! Dr. H. More.

The art or practice of taking advantage of opportunities or circumstances, or of seeking immediate advantage with little regard for ultimate consequences. [Recent]

One who advocates or practices opportunism. [Recent]

ically, the aggregate of persons or things opposing; hence, in politics and parliamentary practice, the party opposed to the party in power.

One who is skilled in or practices optometry.