Emily Dickinson Lexicon

OATH-BREAK-ING, n.

The violation of an oath; perjury. Shak.

OAT-MALT, n.

Malt made of oats. Mortimer.

OAT-MEAL, n.

1. Meal of oats produced by grinding or pounding. Gay.
2. A plant. [Not used.]

OAT-THIS-TLE, n.

A plant. [Not used.] Ainsworth.

OB, prep.

A Latin preposition, signifies primarily, in front; before, and hence against, toward; as in objicio, to object, that is, to throw against. It has also the force of in or on; as in obtrude. In composition, the letter b is often changed into the first letter of the word to which it is prefixed; as, in occasion, offer, oppose.

OB-AM'BU-LATE, v.i. [L. obambulo.]

To walk about. [Not used.] Cockeram.

OB-AM-BU-LA'TION, n.

A walking about. [Not used.] Dict.

OB-BLI-GA'TO, a. [It. bound.]

A term in music, signifying on purpose for the instrument named. Cyc.

OB-CON'IC, a. [ob and conic.]

In botany, conical, but having the apex downward.

OB-CORD'ATE, a. [L. from ob and cor, the heart.]

In botany, shaped like a heart, with the apex downward; as, an obcordate petal or legume. Martyn.

OB-DOR-MI'TION, n. [L. obdormio, to sleep.]

Sleep; sound sleep. [Little used.] Hall.

OB-DUCE', v.t. [L. obduco; ob and duco, to lead.]

To draw over, as a covering. [Little used.] Hale.

OB-DUCT', v.t. [L. obduco.]

To draw over; to cover. [Not in use.] Brown.

OB-DUC'TION, n. [L. obductio.]

The act of drawing over, as a covering; the act of laying over. [Little used.] Cockeram.

OB'DU-RA-CY, n. [See Obdurate.]

Invincible hardness of heart; impenitence that can not be subdued; inflexible persistency in sin; obstinacy in wickedness. God may by almigh'y grace hinder the absolute completion of sin in final obduracy. South.

OB'DU-RATE, a. [L. obduro, to harden; ob and duro.]

1. Hardened in heart; inflexibly hard; persisting obstinately in sin or impenitence.
2. Hardened against good or favor; stubborn; unyielding; inflexible. The custom of evil makes the heart obdurate against whatsoever instructions to the contrary. Hooker.
3. Harsh; rugged; as, an obdurate consonant. [Little used.] Swift.

OB'DU-RATE, v.t.

To harden. [Not used.] More.

OB'DU-RATE-LY, adv.

Stubbornly; inflexibly; with obstinate impenitence.

OB'DU-RATE-NESS, n.

Stubbornness; inflexible persistence in sin.

OB-DU-RA'TION, n.

The hardening of the heart; hardness of heart; stubbornness. Hooker. Hammond.

OB-DURE, v.t. [L. obduro.]

1. To harden; to render obstinate in sin. [Little used.] Herbert.
2. To render inflexible. [Little used.] Hall.

OB-DUR-ED, pp. [or a.]

Hardened; inflexible; impenitent. Milton.

OB-DUR-ED-NESS, n.

Hardness of heart; stubbornness. [Little used.] Hall.

O-BE'DI-ENCE, n. [Fr.; from L. obedientia. See Obey.]

Compliance with a command, prohibition or known law and rule of duty prescribed; the performance of what is required or enjoined by authority, or the abstaining from what is prohibited, in compliance with the command or prohibition. To constitute obedience, the act or forbearance to act must be in submission to authority; the command must be known to the person, and his compliance must be in consequence of it, or it is not obedience. Obedience is not synonymous with obsequiousness; the latter often implying meanness or servility, and obedience being merely a proper submission to authority. That which duty requires implies dignity of conduct rather than servility. Obedience may be voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary obedience alone can be acceptable to God. Government must compel the obedience of individuals; otherwise who will seek its protection or fear its vengeance? Ames.

O-BE'DI-ENT, a. [L. obediens.]

Submissive to authority; yielding compliance with commands, orders or injunctions; performing what is required, or abstaining from what is forbid. The chief his orders gives; the obedient band, / With due observance, wait the chief's command. Pope.