Search the Dictionary

A special structure found in the mouth of most mollusks, except bivalves. It consists of several muscles and a cartilage which supports a chitinous radula, or lingual ribbon, armed with teeth. Also applied to the radula alone. See Radula.

of wine) found in wine lees, and consisting of a complex mixture of the ethereal salts of several of the higher acids of the acetic acid series. It has an ethereal odor, and it used in flavoring artificial wines and liquors. Called also oil of wine. See Essential oil, under Essential.

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 condition.

esperus, whose office is to bring Twilight upon the earth. Milton. In this experiment the several intervals of the teeth of the comb do the office of so many prisms. Sir I. Newton.

One of several alkaloids found in the leaves of the oleander.

A favorite Spanish dish, consisting of a mixture of several kinds of meat chopped fine, and stewed with vegetables.

Ortalis flexa. -- Welsh onion. (Bot.) See Cibol. -- Wild onion (Bot.), a name given to several species of the genus Allium.

That which oppresses; a hardship or injustice; cruelty; severity; tyranny. "The multitude of oppressions." Job xxxv. 9.

Unreasonably burdensome; unjustly severe, rigorous, or harsh; as, oppressive taxes; oppressive exactions of service; an oppressive game law. Macaulay.

mposes unjust burdens on others; one who harasses others with unjust laws or unreasonable severity. The orphan pines while the oppressor feeds. Shak. To relieve the oppressed and to punish the oppressor. Swift.

ange and unexpected appearance. About one hundred species occur in the United States, but several thousand in the tropics.

Any severe trial, or test; a painful experience. Ordeal bean. (Bot.) See Calabar bean, under Calabar. -- Ordeal root (Bot.) the root of a species of Strychnos growing in West Africa, used, like the ordeal bean, in trials for witchcraft. -- Ordeal tree (Bot.), a poisonous tree of Madagascar (Tanghinia, or Cerbera, ven…

gher or lower orders of society; talent of a high order. They are in equal order to their several ends. Jer. Taylor. Various orders various ensigns bear. Granville. Which, to his order of mind, must have seemed little short of crime. Hawthorne.

ed method; as a rule; commonly; usually; in most cases; as, a winter more than ordinarily severe. Those who ordinarily pride themselves not a little upon their penetration. I. Taylor.

Any one of several South American wrens, noted for the sweetness of their song.

In America, any one of several species of the genus Icterus, belonging to the family Icteridæ. See Baltimore oriole, and Orchard oriole, under Orchard. Crested oriole. (Zoöl.) See Cassican.

One of several species of East Indian birds of the genera Ortygis and Hemipodius. They resemble quails, but lack the hind toe. See Turnix.

ed to give to soup and broth their characteristic odor, and probably consisting of one or several of the class of nitrogenous substances which are called extractives.

Any carnivorous animal of the genus Lutra, and related genera. Several species are described. They have large, flattish heads, short ears, and webbed toes. They are aquatic, and feed on fish. Their fur is soft and valuable. The common otter of Europe is Lutra vulgaris; the American otter is L. Canadensis; other species…

One of several species of European thrushes, especially the blackbird (Merula merula, or Turdus merula), and the mountain or ring ousel (Turdus torquatus). [Written also ouzel.] Rock ousel (Zoöl.), the ring ousel. -- Water ousel (Zoöl.), the European dipper (Cinclus aquaticus), and the American dipper (C. Mexicanus).…