Emily Dickinson Lexicon

OB'STAN-CY, n. [L. obstantia; ob and sto.]

Opposition; impediment; obstruction. [Not used.] B. Jonson.

OB-STET'RIC, a. [L. obsletrix, a midwife; ob and sto, to stand before.]

Pertaining to midwifery, or the delivery of women in childbed; as, the obsletric art.

OB-STET'RI-CATE, v.i. [See Obstetric.]

To perform the office of a midwife. [Little used.] Waterhouse.

OB-STET'RI-CATE, v.t.

To assist as a midwife. [Little used.] Waterhouse.

OB-STET-RI-CA'TION, n.

1. The act of assisting as a midwife.
2. The office of n midwife.

OB-STE-TRI'CIAN, n.

One skilled in the art of assisting women in parturition. Med. Repos. OB-STET'RICS, n. The art of assisting women in parturition; midwifery.

OB'STI-N-A-CY, n. [L. obstinatio, from obsto, to stand against, to oppose; ob and sto.]

1. A fixedness in opinion or resolution that can not be shaken at all, or not without great difficulty; firm and usually unreasonable adherence to an opinion, purpose or system; a fixedness that will not yield to persuasion, arguments or other means. Obstinacy may not always convey the idea of unreasonable or unjustifiable firmness; as, when we say, soldiers fight with obstinacy. But often, and perhaps usually, the word denotes a fixedness of resolution which is not to be vindicated under the circumstances; stubbornness; pertinacity; persistency.
2. Fixedness that will not yield to application, or that yields with difficulty; as, the obstinacy of a disease or evil.

OB'STI-NATE, a. [L. obstinatus.]

1. Stubborn; pertinaciously adhering to an opinion or purpose; fixed firmly in resolution; not yielding to reason, arguments or other means. I have known great cures done by obstinate resolutions of drinking no wine. Temple No ass so meek, no ass so obstinate. Pope
2. Not yielding or not easily subdued or removed; as, an obstinate fever; obstinate obstructions; an obstinate cough.

OB'STI-NATE-LY, adv.

Stubbornly; pertinaciously; with fixedness of purpose not to be shaken, or not without difficulty; as, a sinner obstinately bent on his own destruction Inflexible to ill and obstinately just. Addison.

OB'STI-NATE-NESS, n.

Stubbornness; pertinacity in opinion or purpose; fixed determination. Hall.

OB-STI-PA'TION, n. [L. obstipo; ob and stipo, to crowd.]

1. The act of stopping up; as a passage.
2. In medicine, costiveness.

OB-STREP'ER-OLIS, a. [L. obstreperus, from obstrepo, to roar; ob and strepo.]

Loud; noisy; clamorous; vociferous; making a tumultuous noise. The players do not only connive at his obstreperous approbation, but repair at their own cost whatever damages he makes. Addison.

OB-STRE'PER-OUS-LY, adv.

Loudly; clamorously; with tumultuous noise.

OB-STREP'ER-OUS-NESS, n.

Loudness; clamor; noisy turbulence.

OB-STRIC'TION, n. [L. obstrictus, obstringo; ob and stringo, to strain.]

Obligation; bond. Milton.

OB-STRUCT', v.t. [LL.obstruo; and struo, to set.]

1. To block up; to stop up or close, as a way or passage to fill with obstacles or impediments that prevent passing; as, to obstruct a road, highway or channel; to obstruct the canals or fine vessels of the body.
2. To stop; to impede; to hinder in passing; as, the bar at the month of the river obstructs the entrance of ships; clouds obstruct the light of the sun.
3. To retard; to interrupt; to render slow. Progress is often obstructed by difficulties, though not entirely stopped.

OB-STRUCT'ED, pp.

1. Blocked up; stopped; as a passage.
2. Hindered; impeded; as progress.
3. Retarded; interrupted.

OB-STRUCT'ER, n.

One that obstructs or hinders.

OB-STRUC'TION, n. [L. obstructio.]

1. The act of obstructing.
2. Obstacle; impediment; any thing that stops or closes a way or channel. Bars of sand at the mouths of rivers are often obstructions to navigation.
3. That which impedes progress; hinderance. Disunion and party spirit are often obstructions to legislative measures and to public prosperity.
4. A heap. [Not proper.] Shak.

OB-STRUCT'IVE, a. [Fr. obstructif; It. osstruttivo.]

Presenting obstacles; hindering; causing impediment. Hammond.

OB-STRUCT'IVE, n.

Obstacle; impediment. [Little used.] Hammond.

OB-STRUCT'IVE-LY, adv.

By way of obstruction.

OB'STRU-ENT, a. . [L. obstruens.]

Blocking up; hindering.

OB-STRUT'ING, ppr.

Blocking up, stopping; impeding; interrupting.

OB-STU-PE-FAC'TION, n. [L. obstupefacio.]

The act of making stupid or insensible. [See Stupefaction, which is generally used.]