Emily Dickinson Lexicon

OP'TI-MIST, n.

One who holds the opinion that all events , are ordered for the best. Stewart.

OP-TIM'I-TY, n.

The state of being best.

OP'TION, n. [L. optio, from opto, to wish or desire.]

1. The power of choosing; the right of choice or election; as the archbishop's option in collating to a vacant benefice. There is an option left to the United States of America, whether they will be respectable and prosperous, or contemptible and miserable, as a nation. Washington.
2. The power of wishing; wish.
3. Choice; election; preference. He ought not to complain of his lot; it was his own option. We leave this to your own option.

OP'TION-AL, a.

1. Left to one's wish or choice; depending on choice or preference. It is optional with you to go or stay.
2. Leaving something to choice. Original writs are either optional or peremptory. Blackstone.

OP'TION-AL-LY, adv.

With the privilege of choice. Dwight.

OP'U-LENCE, n. [L. opulentia, from opes, wealth.]

Wealth; riches; affluence. [Opulency is little used.] Swift.

OP'U-LENT, a. [L. opulentus.]

Wealthy; rich; affluent; having a large estate or property. Bacon. South.

OP'U-LENT-LY, adv.

Richly; with abundance or splendor.

O-PUS'CULE, n. [L. opusculum.]

A small work. Jones.

OR,

in heraldry, gold. [Fr. or, L. aurum.] [Expressed in engraving, by dots.—E. H. B.]

OR,

a termination of Latin nouns, is a contraction of vir, a man, or from the same radix. The same word tir, is in our mother tongne, wer, and from this we have the English termination er. It denotes an agent, as in actor, creditor. We annex it to many words of English origin, as in lessor, as we do er to words of Latin and Gr. origin, as in astronomer, laborer. In general, or is annexed to words of Latin, and er to those of English origin.

OR, conj. [Sax. other; G. oder. It seems that or is a contraction of other. "Tell us by what auctoritie thou doest these thynges. Other who is he that gave the thys auctorite ?" Tyndale's New Testament.]

A connective that marks an alternative. "You may read or may write;" that is, you may do one of the things at your pleasure, but not both. It corresponds to either. You may either ride to London, or to Windsor. It often connects a series of words or propositions, presenting a choice of either. He may study law or medicine or divinity, or he may enter into trade. Or sometimes begins a sentence, but in this case it expresses an alternative with the foregoing sentence. Matth. vii. and ix. In poetry, or is sometimes used for either. For thy vast bounties are so numberless, That them or to conceal or else to tell . Is equally impossible. Cowley. Or is often used to express an alternative of terms, definitions or explanations of the same thing in different words. Thus we say, a thing is a square, or a figure under four equal sides and angles. Or ever. In this phrase, or is a corruption of ere, Sax. aere, before; that is, before ever.

OR'A-CLE, n. [Fr. from L. oraculum, from oro, to utter; Sp. oraculo; It. oracolo.]

1. Among pagans, the answer of a god or some person reputed to be a god, to an inquiry made respecting some affair of importance, usually respecting some future event, as the success of an enterprise or battle.
2. The deity who gave or was supposed to give answers to inquiries; as, the Delphic oracle.
3. The place where the answers were given. Encyc.
4. Among Christians, oracles, in the plural, denotes the communications, revelations or messages delivered by God to prophets. In this sense it is rarely used in the singular; but we say, the oracles of God, divine oracles, meaning the Scriptures.
5. The sanctuary or most holy place in the temple, in which was deposited the ark of the covenant. 1 Kings vi.
6. Any person or place where certain decisions are obtained. Pope.
7. Any person reputed uncommonly wise, whose determinations are not disputed, or whose opinions are of great authority.
8. A wise sentence or decision of great authority.

OR'A-CLE, v.i.

To utter oracles. Milton.

O-RAC'U-LOUS-NESS, n.

The state of being oracular.

OR'AI-SON, n. [Fr. oraison; oratio.]

Prayer; verbal supplication or oral worship; now written orison. Shake. Dryden.

O'RAL, a. [Fr. from L. os, oris, the mouth.]

Uttered by the mouth or in words; spoken, not written; as, oral traditions; oral testimony; oral law. Addison.

OR'ANGE, n. [Fr. from L. aurantium; so named from aurum, gold, which the orange resembles in color; It. arancio; Sp. naranjo; Port. laranja; D. oranje; G. orange.]

The fruit of a species of Citrus which grows in warm climates. The fruit is round and depressed; it has a rough rind, which when ripe is yellow. This contains a vesicular pulp inclosed in nine cells for seeds. The tree producing oranges grows to the highth of ten or twelve feet and bears the same name.

OR-ANGE-COL-OR-ED, a.

Having the color of an orange.

OR'ANGE-MEN, n.

The name given to an Irish protestant society which was suppressed in 1836.

OR'ANGE-MUSK, n.

A species of pear.

OR'ANGE-PEEL, n.

The rind of an orange separated from the fruit.

OR'AN-GER-Y, n. [Fr. orangerie.]

A plantation of orange-trees. Johnson.

OR'ANGE-TAW-NY, a.

Of the color of an orange. Bacon.

OR'ANGE-WIFE, n.

A woman that sells oranges.