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Giving particular attention; habitually attentive to what passes; as, an observing person; an observing mind. -- Ob*serv"ing*ly, adv.

A recently invented instrument for observing the heavenly bodies as they cross a given almacantar circle. See Almucantar.

An instrument for observing or showing the positions of the stars. It is now disused.

The art or practice of foretelling events by observing the actions of birds, etc.; divination.

A divining or taking of omens by observing birds; an omen as to an undertaking, drawn from birds; an augury; an omen or sign in general; an indication as to the future.

holds a canonry in a conventual chapter. Regular canoness, one bound by the poverty, and observing a strict rule of life. -- Secular canoness, one allowed to hold private property, and bound only by vows of chastity and obedience so long as she chose to remain in the chapter.

A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed, observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman Catholic church; the Presbyterian church.

utterer or by the manifest likelihood of truth in themselves. Hooker. A very diligent and observing person, and likewise very sober and credible. Dampier.

Observing distinctions; making differences; discriminating. "Discriminative censure." J. Foster. "Discriminative Providence." Dr. H. More.

An instrument for observing the boiling point of liquids, especially for determining the alcoholic strength of a mixture by the temperature at which it boils.

with a standard, a rule, or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual; as, a man exact in observing an appointment; in my doings I was exact. "I see thou art exact of taste." Milton.

An instrument for observing or exhibiting fluorescence.

Examination of an object, as the human body, by exposing it to the X rays and observing the shadow cast upon a fluorescent screen; cryptoscopy.

Divination by observing the objects offered in sacrifice.

e reflector adjusted to the true level artificially; -- used chiefly with the sextant for observing the double altitude of a celestial body. -- Celestial horizon. (Astron.) See def. 2, above. -- Dip of the horizon (Astron.), the vertical angle between the sensible horizon and a line to the visible horizon, the latter…

The art or practice of casting horoscopes, or observing the disposition of the stars, with a view to prediction events.

or a line on a chart, marking the simultaneous development of a thunderstorm, as noted by observing the time when the thunder is heard at different places.

To go on an excursion for observing and collecting minerals; to mineralogize.

To observe inaccurately; to mistake in observing. Locke.

Kept within due bounds; observing reasonable limits; not excessive, extreme, violent, or rigorous; limited; restrained; as: