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rence supposed to portend, or show the character of, some future event; any indication or action regarded as a foreshowing; a foreboding; a presage; an augury. Bid go with evil omen, and the brand Of infamy upon my name. Milton.

Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with; as, to play on a violin or piano. Hence, figuratively, to work on one's feelings; to make an impression on the mind.

accompaniment, preludes, and interludes, together with appropriate costumes, scenery, and action; a lyric drama.

The method of working; mode of action.

s strong than positive knowledge; settled judgment in regard to any point of knowledge or action. Opinion is when the assent of the understanding is so far gained by evidence of probability, that it rather inclines to one persussion than to another, yet not without a mixture of incertainty or doubting. Sir M. Hale. I c…

An image of external objects fixed on the retina by the photochemical action of light on the visual purple. See Optography.

The production of an optogram on the retina by the photochemical action of light on the visual purple; the fixation of an image in the eye. The object so photographed shows white on a purple or red background. See Visual purple, under Visual.

ve, arias, grand choruses, etc., to be sung with an orchestral accompaniment, but without action, scenery, or costume, although the oratorio grew out of the Mysteries and the Miracle and Passion plays, which were acted.

A sphere of action. [R.] Wordsworth. But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe. Shak

A rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action; a statute, law, regulation, rescript, or accepted usage; an edict or decree; esp., a local law enacted by a municipal government; as, a municipal ordinance. Thou wilt die by God's just ordinance. Shak. By custom and the ordinance of times. Shak. Walking in al…

An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as, legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are organs of government.

The act of organizing; the act of arranging in a systematic way for use or action; as, the organization of an army, or of a deliberative body. "The first organization of the general government." Pickering.

Eager or immoderate excitement or action; the state of turgescence of any organ; erethism; esp., the height of venereal excitement in sexual intercourse.

An instrument for measuring the amount of osmotic action in different liquids.

re, however, results of the same force. Osmose may be regarded as a form of molecular attraction, allied to that of adhesion.

An instrument for exhibiting the repulsive action produced by light or heat in an exhausted vessel; a modification of the radoimeter. W. Crookes.

To take away; to remove. Multiplication of actions upon the case were rare, formerly, and thereby wager of law ousted. Sir M. Hale.

To act more than is necessary; to go to excess in action. B. Jonson.

to subject (a plate or film) too long to the actinic action of the light used in producing a picture. -- O`ver*ex*po"sure (#), n.

oxamide as a thick transparent oil which has a strong narcotic odor, and a physiological action resembling that of atropine. It is probably related to pyridine.