Emily Dickinson Lexicon

OB-VERS'ANT, a. [L. observans, obversor; ob and versor, to turn.]

Conversant; familiar. [Not used.] Bacon.

OB-VERSE', a. [obvers.]

In botany, having the base narrower than the top; as a leaf.

OB'VERSE, n.

The face of a coin; opposed to reverse.

OB-VERT', v.t. [L. obverto; ob and verto, to turn.]

To turn toward. Watts.

OB-VERT'ED, pp.

Turned toward.

OB-VERT'ING, ppr.

Turning toward.

OB'VI-ATE, v.t. [Fr. obvier; It. ovviare; Sp. obviar; from L. obvius; ob and via, way.]

Properly, to meet in the way; to oppose; hence, to prevent by interception, or to remove at the beginning or in the outset; hence in present usage, to remove in general, as difficulties or objections; to clear the way of obstacles in reasoning, deliberating or planning. To lay down every thing in its full light, so as to obviate all exceptions. Woodward.

OB'VI-A-TED, pp.

Removed, as objections or difficulties.

OB'VI-A-TING, ppr.

Removing, as objections in reasoning or planning.

OB'VI-OUS, a. [L. obvius. See the Verb.]

1. Meeting; opposed in front. I to the evil turn / My obvious breast. [Not now used.] Milton.
2. Open; exposed. [Little used.] Milton.
3. Plain; evident; easily discovered, seen or understood; readily perceived by the eye or the intellect. We say, a phenomenon obvious to the sight, or a truth obvious to the mind. Milton. Dryden.

OB'VI-OUS-LY, adv.

1. Evidently; plainly; apparently; manifestly. Men do not always pursue what is obviously their interest.
2. Naturally. Holyday.
3. Easily to be found. Selden.

OB'VI-OUS-NESS, n.

State of being plain or evident to the eye or the mind. Boyle.

OB'VOL-UTE, or OB'VO-LU-TED, a. [L. obvolutus, obvolvo; ob and volvo, to roll.]

In botany, obvolute foliation is when the margins of the leaves alternately embrace the straight margin of the opposite leaf. Martyn.

OC-CA'SION, n. [s as z; L. occasio, from occido, to fall, ob and cado.]

1. Properly, a falling, happening or coming to; an occurrence, casualty, incident; something distinct from the ordinary course or regular order of things. Hooker.
2. Opportunity; convenience; favorable time, season or circumstances. I'll take th' occasion which he gives to bring / Him to his death. Waller. Use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh. Gal. v. Sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me. Rom. vii.
3. Accidental cause; incident, event or fact giving rise to something else. What was the occasion of this custom? Her beauty was the occasion of the war. Dryden.
4. Incidental need; casual exigency; opportunity accompanied with need or demand. So we say, we have occasion for all our resources. We have frequent occasions for assisting each other. The ancient canons were well fitted for the occasion of the church in its purer ages. Baker. My occasions have found time to use them toward a supply of money. Shak.

OC-CA'SION, v.i. [Fr. occasionner.]

1. To cause incidentally; to cause; to produce. The expectation of war occasions a depression in the price of stocks. Consumptions are often occasioned by colds. In digestion occasions pain in the head. Heat occasions lassitude.
2. To influence; to cause. If we inquire what it is that occasions men to make several combinations of simple ideas into distinct modes. Locke.

OC-CA'SION-A-BLE, a. [s as z.]

That may be caused or occasioned. [Little used.] Barrow.

OC-CA'SION-AL, a. [s as z; Fr. occasionnel.]

1. Incidental; casual; occurring at times, but not regular or systematic; made or happening as opportunity requires or admits. We make occasional remarks on the events of the age.
2. Produced by accident; as, the occasional origin of a thing. Brown.
3. Produced or made on some special event; as, an occasional discourse.

OC-CA'SION-AL-ISM, n.

A name given to certain theories of the Cartesian school of philosophers, by which they account for the apparent action of the soul on the body, as in voluntary action. Brande.

OC-CA'SION-AL-LY, adv. [s as z.]

According to incidental exigence; at times, as convenience requires or opportunity offers; not regularly. He was occasionally present at our meetings. We have occasionally lent our aid.

OC-CA'SION-ED, pp. [s as z.]

Caused incidentally; caused; produced.

OC-CA'SION-ER, n. [s as z.]

One that causes or produces, either incidentally or otherwise. He was the occasioner of loss to his neighbor. Sanderson.

OC-CA'SION-ING, ppr. [s as z.]

Causing incidentally as otherwise.

OC-CA'SIVE, a.

Falling; descending; western; pertaining to the setting sun. Amplitude is ortive or occasive. Encyc.

OC-CE-CA'TION, n. [L. occæcatio; ob and cæco, to blind.]

The act of making blind. [Little used.] Sanderson.

OC'CI-DENT, n. [L. occidens, occido, to fall; ob and cado.]

The west; the western quarter of the hemisphere; so called from the decline or fall of the sun. Encyc.