Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter O - Page 17
Open (v. t.) To spread; to expand; as, to open the hand.
Open (v. t.) To disclose; to reveal; to interpret; to explain.
The king opened himself to some of his council, that he was sorry for the earl's death. -- Bacon.
Unto thee have I opened my cause. -- Jer. xx. 12.
While he opened to us the Scriptures. -- Luke xxiv. 32.
Open (v. t.) To make known; to discover; also, to render available or accessible for settlements, trade, etc.
The English did adventure far for to open the North parts of America. -- Abp. Abbot.
Open (v. t.) To enter upon; to begin; as, to open a discussion; to open fire upon an enemy; to open trade, or correspondence; to open a case in court, or a meeting.
Open (v. t.) To loosen or make less compact; as, to open matted cotton by separating the fibers.
To open one's mouth, To speak.
To open up, To lay open; to discover; to disclose.
Poetry that had opened up so many delightful views into the character and condition of our "bold peasantry, their country's pride." -- Prof. Wilson.
Open (v. i.) To unclose; to form a hole, breach, or gap; to be unclosed; to be parted.
The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. -- Ps. cvi. 17.
Open (v. i.) To expand; to spread out; to be disclosed; as, the harbor opened to our view.
Open (v. i.) To begin; to commence; as, the stock opened at par; the battery opened upon the enemy.
Open (v. i.) (Sporting) To bark on scent or view of the game.
Compare: Audience
Audience (n.) The act of hearing; attention to sounds.
Thou, therefore, give due audience, and attend. -- Milton.
Audience (n.) Admittance to a hearing; a formal interview, esp. with a sovereign or the head of a government, for conference or the transaction of business.
According to the fair play of the world, Let me have audience: I am sent to speak. -- Shak.
Audience (n.) An auditory; an assembly of hearers. Also applied by authors to their readers.
Fit audience find, though few. -- Milton.
He drew his audience upward to the sky. -- Dryden.
Court of audience, or Audience court (Eng.), A court long since disused, belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury; also, one belonging to the Archbishop of York. -- Mozley & W.
In general (or open) audience, Publicly.
To give audience, To listen; to admit to an interview.
Open (a.) Affording unobstructed entrance and exit; not shut or closed; "an open door"; "they left the door open" [syn: open, unfastened] [ant: closed, shut, unopen].
Open (a.) Affording free passage or access; "open drains"; "the road is open to traffic"; "open ranks" [ant: closed].
Open (a.) With no protection or shield; "the exposed northeast frontier"; "open to the weather"; "an open wound" [syn: exposed, open].
Open (a.) Open to or in view of all; "an open protest"; "an open letter to the editor."
Open (a.) Used of mouth or eyes; "keep your eyes open"; "his mouth slightly opened" [syn: open, opened] [ant: closed, shut].
Open (a.) Not having been filled; "the job is still open."
Open (a.) Accessible to all; "open season"; "an open economy."
Open (a.) Not defended or capable of being defended; "an open city"; "open to attack" [syn: assailable, undefendable, undefended, open].
Open (a.) (Of textures) Full of small openings or gaps; "an open texture"; "a loose weave" [syn: loose, open].
Open (a.) Having no protecting cover or enclosure; "an open boat"; "an open fire"; "open sports cars."
Open (a.) (Set theory) Of an interval that contains neither of its endpoints [ant: closed].
Open (a.) Not brought to a conclusion; subject to further thought; "an open question"; "our position on this bill is still undecided"; "our lawsuit is still undetermined" [syn: open, undecided, undetermined, unresolved].
Open (a.) Not sealed or having been unsealed; "the letter was already open"; "the opened package lay on the table" [syn: open, opened].
Open (a.) Without undue constriction as from e.g. tenseness or inhibition; "the clarity and resonance of an open tone"; "her natural and open response."
Open (a.) Ready or willing to receive favorably; "receptive to the proposals" [syn: receptive, open] [ant: unreceptive].
Open (a.) Open and observable; not secret or hidden; "an overt lie"; "overt hostility"; "overt intelligence gathering"; "open ballots" [syn: overt, open] [ant: covert].
Open (a.) Not requiring union membership; "an open shop employs nonunion workers."
Open (a.) Possibly accepting or permitting; "a passage capable of misinterpretation"; "open to interpretation"; "an issue open to question"; "the time is fixed by the director and players and therefore subject to much variation" [syn: capable, open, subject].
Open (a.) Affording free passage or view; "a clear view"; "a clear path to victory"; "open waters"; "the open countryside" [syn: clear, open].
Open (a.) Openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness; "his candid eyes"; "an open and trusting nature"; "a heart-to-heart talk" [syn: candid, open, heart-to-heart].
Open (a.) Ready for business; "the stores are open."
Open (n.) A clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water; "finally broke out of the forest into the open" [syn: open, clear].
Open (n.) Where the air is unconfined; "he wanted to get outdoors a little"; "the concert was held in the open air"; "camping in the open" [syn: outdoors, out-of-doors, open air, open].
Open (n.) A tournament in which both professionals and amateurs may play.
Open (n.) Information that has become public; "all the reports were out in the open"; "the facts had been brought to the surface" [syn: open, surface].
Open (v.) Cause to open or to become open; "Mary opened the car door" [syn: open, open up] [ant: close, shut].
Open (v.) Start to operate or function or cause to start operating or functioning; "open a business" [syn: open, open up] [ant: close, close down, close up, fold, shut down].
Open (v.) Become open; "The door opened" [syn: open, open up] [ant: close, shut].
Open (v.) Begin or set in action, of meetings, speeches, recitals, etc.; "He opened the meeting with a long speech" [ant: close].
Open (v.) Spread out or open from a closed or folded state; "open the map"; "spread your arms" [syn: unfold, spread, spread out, open] [ant: fold, fold up, turn up].
Open (v.) Make available; "This opens up new possibilities" [syn: open, open up].
Open (v.) Become available; "an opportunity opened up" [syn: open, open up].
Open (v.) Have an opening or passage or outlet; "The bedrooms open into the hall."
Open (v.) Make the opening move; "Kasparov opened with a standard opening."
Open (v.) Afford access to; "the door opens to the patio"; "The French doors give onto a terrace" [syn: afford, open, give].
Open (v.) Display the contents of a file or start an application as on a computer [ant: close].
Open, () [You-R] OPerating ENvironment (Infineon, RFID).
OPEN, () Open Protocol Enhanced Networks.
Open (n.) Abbreviation for ?open (or left) parenthesis? ? used when necessary to eliminate oral ambiguity. To read aloud the LISP form (DEFUN FOO (X) (PLUS X 1)) one might say: ?Open defun foo, open eks close, open, plus eks one, close close.?
Open, () To prepare to read or write a file. This usually involves checking whether the file already exists and that the user has the necessary authorisation to read or write it. The result of a successful open is usually some kind of capability (e.g. a Unix file descriptor) - a token that the user passes back to the system in order to access the file without further checks and finally to close the file.
Open, () Abbreviation for "open (or left) parenthesis" - used when necessary to eliminate oral ambiguity. To read aloud the LISP form (DEFUN FOO (X) (PLUS X 1)) one might say: "Open defun foo, open eks close, open, plus eks one, close close."
Open, () Non-proprietary. An open standard is one which can be used without payment.
Open, () Open interval.
Open-air (a.) Taking place in the open air; outdoor; as, an open-air game or meeting.
Open-air (a.) In the open air; "an alfresco lunch"; "an open-air theater" [syn: alfresco, open-air(a)].
Openbill (n.) (Zool.) A bird of the genus Anastomus, allied to the stork; -- so called because the two parts of the bill touch only at the base and tip. One species inhabits India, another Africa. Called also open-beak. See Illust. (m), under Beak.
Openbill (n.) Stork with a grooved bill whose upper and lower parts touch only at the base and tip.
Open-ended investment company (n.) OEIC. A type of company that allows investors to collectively pool together money to invest in various opportunities. As money is invested, shares are created. When a shareholder requests to sell shares, that money is then redeemed. The value of a share varies with the value of the OEIC's net portfolio value (NPV). It is most often used in the United Kingdom. In the United States it is referred to as an open-ended mutual fund.
Opener (n.) One who, or that which, opens. "True opener of my eyes." -- Milton.
Opener (n.) Specifically: A bottle opener or a can opener; as, you need an opener to get the cap off.
Opener (n.) The first event in a series; "she played Chopin for her opener"; "the season's opener was a game against the Yankees."
Opener (n.) A person who unfastens or unwraps or opens; "children ar talented undoers of their shoelaces" [syn: undoer, opener, unfastener, untier].
Opener (n.) A hand tool used for opening sealed containers (bottles or cans).
Open-eyed (a.) With eyes widely open; watchful; vigilant. -- Shak.
Syn: argus-eyed, hawk-eyed, unsleeping, vigilant, wary, watchful.
Open-eyed (a.) Carefully observant or attentive; on the lookout for possible danger; "a policy of open-eyed awareness"; "the vigilant eye of the town watch"; "there was a watchfu dignity in the room"; "a watchful parent with a toddler in tow" [syn: argus-eyed, open-eyed, vigilant, wakeful].
Open-handed (a.) Generous; liberal; munificent. -- O"pen-hand`ed*ness, n. -- J. S. Mill.
Open-headed (a.) Bareheaded. [Obs.]
Open-hearted (a.) Candid; frank; generous. -- Dryden. -- O"pen-heart`ed*ly, adv. -- O"pen-heart`ed*ness, n. -- Walton.
Opening (n.) The act or process of opening; a beginning; commencement; first appearance; as, the opening of a speech.
The opening of your glory was like that of light. -- Dryden.
Opening (n.) A place which is open; a breach; an aperture; a gap; cleft, or hole.
We saw him at the opening of his tent. -- Shak.
Opening (n.) Hence: An opportunity; as, an opening for business. [Colloq.] -- Dickens.
Opening (n.) Hence: A vacant place; a job which does not have a current occupant; as, they are now interviewing candidates for the two openings in the department.
Opening (n.) A thinly wooded space, without undergrowth, in the midst of a forest; as, oak openings. [U.S.] -- Cooper.
Opening (a.) First or beginning; "the memorable opening bars of Beethoven's Fifth"; "the play's opening scene" [ant: closing].
Opening (n.) An open or empty space in or between things; "there was a small opening between the trees"; "the explosion made a gap in the wall" [syn: opening, gap].
Opening (n.) A ceremony accompanying the start of some enterprise.
Opening (n.) Becoming open or being made open; "the opening of his arms was the sign I was waiting for."
Opening (n.) The first performance (as of a theatrical production); "the opening received good critical reviews" [syn: opening, opening night, curtain raising].
Opening (n.) The act of opening something; "the ray of light revealed his cautious opening of the door" [ant: closing, shutting].
Opening (n.) Opportunity especially for employment or promotion; "there is an opening in the sales department."
Opening (n.) The initial part of the introduction; "the opening established the basic theme."
Opening (n.) A possible alternative; "bankruptcy is always a possibility" [syn: possibility, possible action, opening].
Opening (n.) An aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity; "the orifice into the aorta from the lower left chamber of the heart" [syn: orifice, opening, porta].
Opening (n.) A vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made; "they left a small opening for the cat at the bottom of the door."
Opening (n.) An entrance equipped with a hatch; especially a passageway between decks of a ship [syn: hatchway, opening, scuttle].
Opening (n.) A recognized sequence of moves at the beginning of a game of chess; "he memorized all the important chess openings" [syn: opening, chess opening].
Opening (n.) The first of a series of actions [syn: first step, initiative, opening move, opening].
Openly (adv.) In an open manner; publicly; not in private; without secrecy.
How grossly and openly do many of us contradict the precepts of the gospel by our ungodliness! -- Tillotson.
Openly (adv.) Without reserve or disguise; plainly; evidently.
My love . . . shall show itself more openly. -- Shak.
Openly (adv.) 1: In an open way; "he openly flaunted his affection for his sister."
Open-mouthed (a.) Having the mouth open; gaping; hence, greedy; clamorous. -- L'Estrange.
Openness (n.) The quality or state of being open.
Openness (n.) Without obstructions to passage or view; "the openness of the prairies."
Openness (n.) Characterized by an attitude of ready accessibility (especially about one's actions or purposes); without concealment; not secretive [syn: openness, nakedness] [ant: closeness, secretiveness].
Openness (n.) Willingness or readiness to receive (especially impressions or ideas); "he was testing the government's receptiveness to reform"; "this receptiveness is the key feature in oestral behavior, enabling natural mating to occur"; "their receptivity to the proposal" [syn: receptiveness, receptivity, openness].
Openwork (n.) Anything so constructed or manufactured (in needlework, carpentry, metal work, etc.) as to show openings through its substance; work that is perforated or pierced.
Openwork (n.) (Mining) A quarry; an open cut. -- Raymond.
Openwork (n.) Ornamental work (such as embroidery or latticework) having a pattern of openings.
Compare: Opus
Opus (n.; pl. Opera.) [L. See Opera.] A work; specif. (Mus.), a musical composition.
Note: Each composition, or set of pieces, as the composer may choose, is called an opus, and they are numbered in the order of their issue. (Often abbrev. to op.)
Opus incertum. [L.] (Arch.) See under Incertum. Opuscle
Opera (n.) A drama, either tragic or comic, of which music forms an essential part; a drama wholly or mostly sung, consisting of recitative, arials, choruses, duets, trios, etc., with orchestral accompaniment, preludes, and interludes, together with appropriate costumes, scenery, and action; a lyric drama.
Opera (n.) The score of a musical drama, either written or in print; a play set to music.
Opera (n.) The house where operas are exhibited.
Opera bouffe [F. op['e]ra opera + bouffe comic, It. buffo], Opera buffa [It.], light, farcical, burlesque opera.
Opera box, A partially inclosed portion of the auditorium of an opera house for the use of a small private party.
Opera comique [F.], Comic or humorous opera.
Opera flannel, A light flannel, highly finished. -- Knight.
Opera girl or Opera girls (Bot.), An East Indian plant ({Mantisia saltatoria) of the Ginger family, sometimes seen in hothouses. It has curious flowers which have some resemblance to a ballet dancer, whence the popular name. Called also dancing girls.
Opera glass, A short telescope with concave eye lenses of low power, usually made double, that is, with a tube and set of glasses for each eye; a lorgnette; -- so called because adapted for use at the opera, theater, etc.
Opera hat, A gentleman's folding hat.
Opera house, Specifically, a theater devoted to the performance of operas.
Opera seria [It.], Serious or tragic opera; grand opera.
Opera (n.) A drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes.
Opera (n.) A commercial browser.
Opera (n.) A building where musical dramas are performed [syn: opera, opera house].
OPERA, () Open PLC European Research Alliance (org., PLC, Europe)
OPERA, (n.) A play representing life in another world, whose inhabitants have no speech but song, no motions but gestures and no postures but attitudes. All acting is simulation, and the word _simulation_ is from _simia_, an ape; but in opera the actor takes for his model _Simia audibilis_ (or _Pithecanthropos stentor_) -- the ape that howls.
The actor apes a man -- at least in shape; The opera performer apes and ape.
Operable (a.) Practicable. [Obs.]
Operable (a.) Capable of being treated by surgical operation; "an operable cancer" [ant: inoperable].
Operable (a.) Fit or ready for use or service; "the toaster was still functional even after being dropped"; "the lawnmower is a bit rusty but still usable"; "an operational aircraft"; "the dishwasher is now in working order" [syn: functional, usable, useable, operable, operational].
Operable (a.) Usable for a specific purpose; "an operable plan"; "a practicable solution" [syn: operable, practicable].
Operameter (n.) An instrument or machine for measuring work done, especially for ascertaining the number of rotations made by a machine or wheel in manufacturing cloth; a counter. -- Ure.
Operance (n.) Alt. of Operancy.
Operancy (n.) The act of operating or working; operation. [R.]
Operand (n.) (Math.) The symbol, quantity, or thing upon which a mathematical operation is performed; -- called also faciend.
Operand (n.) A quantity upon which a mathematical operation is performed.
Operand, () An argument of an operator or of a machine language instruction. (1995-08-18)
Operant (a.) Operative. [R.] -- Shak.
Operant (n.) An operative person or thing. [R.] -- Coleridge.
Operant (a.) Having influence or producing an effect; "many emotional determinants at work"; "an operant conscience."
Operate (v. t.) To produce, as an effect; to cause.
The same cause would operate a diminution of the value of stock. -- A. Hamilton.
Operate (v. t.) To put into, or to continue in, operation or activity; to work; as, to operate a machine. Operatic
Operated (imp. & p. p.) of Operate.
Operating (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Operate.
Operate (v. i.) To perform a work or labor; to exert power or strengh, physical or mechanical; to act.
Operate (v. i.) To produce an appropriate physical effect; to issue in the result designed by nature; especially (Med.), to take appropriate effect on the human system.
Operate (v. i.) To act or produce effect on the mind; to exert moral power or influence.
The virtues of private persons operate but on a few. -- Atterbury.
A plain, convincing reason operates on the mind both of a learned and ignorant hearer as long as they live. -- Swift.
Operate (v. i.) (Surg.) To perform some manual act upon a human body in a methodical manner, and usually with instruments, with a view to restore soundness or health, as in amputation, lithotomy, etc.
Operate (v. i.) To deal in stocks or any commodity with a view to speculative profits. [Brokers' Cant]
Operate (v.) Direct or control; projects, businesses, etc.; "She is running a relief operation in the Sudan" [syn: operate, run].
Operate (v.) Perform as expected when applied; "The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in"; "Does this old car still run well?"; "This old radio doesn't work anymore" [syn: function, work, operate, go, run] [ant: malfunction, misfunction].
Operate (v.) Handle and cause to function; "do not operate machinery after imbibing alcohol"; "control the lever" [syn: operate, control].
Operate (v.) Perform a movement in military or naval tactics in order to secure an advantage in attack or defense [syn: manoeuver, maneuver, manoeuvre, operate].
Operate (v.) Happen; "What is going on in the minds of the people?"
Operate (v.) Keep engaged; "engaged the gears" [syn: engage, mesh, lock, operate] [ant: disengage, withdraw].
Operate (v.) Perform surgery on; "The doctors operated on the patient but failed to save his life" [syn: operate on, operate].
Operatic, Operatical (a.) Of or pertaining to the opera or to operas; characteristic of, suitable for, or resembling, the opera; as, an operatic voice.
Operatic (a.) Of or relating to or characteristic of opera.
Operation (n.) The act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral.
The pain and sickness caused by manna are the effects of its operation on the stomach. -- Locke.
Speculative painting, without the assistance of manual operation, can never attain to perfection. -- Dryden.
Operation (n.) The method of working; mode of action.
Operation (n.) That which is operated or accomplished; an effect brought about in accordance with a definite plan; as, military or naval operations.
Operation (n.) Effect produced; influence. [Obs.]
The bards . . . had great operation on the vulgar. -- Fuller.
Operation (n.) (Math.) Something to be done; some transformation to be made upon quantities, the transformation being indicated either by rules or symbols.
Operation (n.) (Surg.) Any methodical action of the hand, or of the hand with instruments, on the human body, to produce a curative or remedial effect, as in amputation, etc.
Calculus of operations. See under Calculus.
Operation (n.) The state of being in effect or being operative; "that rule is no longer in operation.
Operation (n.) A business especially one run on a large scale; "a large-scale farming operation"; "a multinational operation"; "they paid taxes on every stage of the operation"; "they had to consolidate their operations."
Operation (n.) A planned activity involving many people performing various actions; "they organized a rescue operation"; "the biggest police operation in French history"; "running a restaurant is quite an operation"; "consolidate the companies various operations."
Operation (n.) (Computer science) Data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction); "it can perform millions of operations per second."
Operation (n.) Activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign); "it was a joint operation of the navy and air force" [syn: operation, military operation].
Operation (n.) A medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body; "they will schedule the operation as soon as an operating room is available"; "he died while undergoing surgery" [syn: operation, surgery, surgical operation, surgical procedure, surgical process]
Operation (n.) A process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work; "the operations in building a house"; "certain machine tool operations" [syn: operation, procedure].
Operation (n.) Process or manner of functioning or operating; "the power of its engine determines its operation"; "the plane's operation in high winds"; "they compared the cooking performance of each oven"; "the jet's performance conformed to high standards" [syn: operation, functioning, performance].
Operation (n.) (Psychology) The performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contents; "the process of thinking"; "the cognitive operation of remembering" [syn: process, cognitive process, mental process, operation, cognitive operation].
Operation (n.) (Mathematics) Calculation by mathematical methods; "the problems at the end of the chapter demonstrated the mathematical processes involved in the derivation"; "they were learning the basic operations of arithmetic" [syn: mathematical process, mathematical operation, operation].
Operation (n.) The activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.); "her smooth operation of the vehicle gave us a surprisingly comfortable ride."
Operative (a.) Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects; as, an operative motive; operative laws.
It holds in all operative principles. -- South.
Operative (a.) Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious; as, an operative dose, rule, or penalty.
Operative (a.) (Surg.) Based upon, or consisting of, an operation or operations; as, operative surgery.
Operative (n.) A skilled worker; an artisan; esp., one who operates a machine in a mill or manufactory.
Operative (n.) One who acts as an agent of another, especially a detective or spy.
Operative (a.) Being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system" [ant: inoperative].
Operative (a.) Relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine; "a surgical appendix"; "a surgical procedure"; "operative dentistry" [syn: surgical, operative] [ant: medical].
Operative (a.) Effective; producing a desired effect; "the operative word."
Operative (a.) (Of e.g. a machine) Performing or capable of performing; "in running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes." [syn: running(a), operative, functional, working(a)].
Operative (n.) A person secretly employed in espionage for a government [syn: secret agent, intelligence officer, intelligence agent, operative].
Operative (n.) Someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information [syn: private detective, PI, private eye, private investigator, operative, shamus, sherlock].
OPERATIVE. () A workman; one employed to perform labor for another.
OPERATIVE. () This word is used in the bankrupt law of 19th August, 1841, s. 5, which directs that any person who shall have performed any labor as an operative in the service of any bankrupt shall be entitled to receive the full amount of wages due to him for such labor, not exceeding twenty-five dollars; provided that such labor shall have been performed within six months next before the bankruptcy of his employer.
OPERATIVE. () Under this act it has been decided that an apprentice who had done work beyond a task allotted to him by his master, commonly called overwork, under an agreement on the part of the master to pay for such work, was entitled as an operative. 1 Penn. Law Journ. 368. See 3 Rob. Adm. R. 237; 2 Cranch, 240 270.
Operatively (adv.) In an operative manner.
Operatively (adv.) In a manner to produce an effect.
Operator (n.) [L.] One who, or that which, operates or produces an effect.
Operator (n.) [L.] (Surg.) One who performs some act upon the human body by means of the hand, or with instruments.
Operator (n.) [L.] A dealer in stocks or any commodity for speculative purposes; a speculator. [Brokers' Cant]
Operator (n.) [L.] (Math.) The symbol that expresses the operation to be performed; -- called also facient.
Operator (n.) [L.] A person who operates a telephone switchboard.
Operator (n.) [L.] A person who schemes and maneuvers adroitly or deviously to achieve his/ her purposes.
Operator (n.) (Mathematics) A symbol or function representing a mathematical operation.
Operator (n.) An agent that operates some apparatus or machine; "the operator of the switchboard" [syn: operator, manipulator].
Operator (n.) Someone who owns or operates a business; "who is the operator of this franchise?"
Operator (n.) A shrewd or unscrupulous person who knows how to circumvent difficulties [syn: hustler, wheeler dealer, operator].
Operator (n.) A speculator who trades aggressively on stock or commodity markets.
Operatory (n.) A laboratory. [Obs.]
Opercle (n.) (Anat.) Any one of the bony plates which support the gill covers of fishes; an opercular bone.
Opercle (n.) (Zool.) An operculum.
Compare: Operculum
Operculum (n.; pl. L. Opercula, E. Operculums.) 1. (Bot.) (a) The lid of a pitcherform leaf.
(b) The lid of the urnlike capsule of mosses.
Operculum (n.) (Anat.) (a) Any lidlike or operculiform process or part; as, the opercula of a dental follicle.
Operculum (n.) (Anat.) (b) The fold of integument, usually supported by bony plates, which protects the gills of most fishes and some amphibians; the gill cover; the gill lid.
Operculum (n.) (Anat.) (c) The principal opercular bone in the upper and
posterior part of the gill cover.
Operculum (Zool.) (a) The lid closing the aperture of various species of shells, as the common whelk. See Illust. of Gastropoda.
Operculum (Zool.) (b) Any lid-shaped structure closing the aperture of a tube or shell.
Opercula (n. pl.) See Operculum.
Opercular (a.) Of, pertaining to, or like, an operculum.
Opercular (n.) (Anat.) The principal opercular bone or operculum of fishes. Operculate
Operculate (a.) Alt. of Operculated.
Operculated (a.) (Bot.) Closed by a lid or cover, as the capsules of the mosses.
Operculated (a.) (Zool.) Having an operculum, or an apparatus for protecting the gills; -- said of shells and of fishes.
Operculiferous (a.) (Zool.) Bearing an operculum.
Operculiform (a.) Having the form of a lid or cover.
Operculigenous (a.) (Zool.) Producing an operculum; -- said of the foot, or part of the foot, of certain mollusks.
Opercula (n. pl. ) of Operculum.
Operculums (n. pl. ) of Operculum.
Operculum (n.) (Bot.) The lid of a pitcherform leaf.
Operculum (n.) (Bot.) The lid of the urnlike capsule of mosses.
Operculum (n.) (Anat.) Any lidlike or operculiform process or part; as, the opercula of a dental follicle.
Operculum (n.) (Anat.) The fold of integument, usually supported by bony plates, which protects the gills of most fishes and some amphibians; the gill cover; the gill lid.
Operculum (n.) (Anat.) The principal opercular bone in the upper and posterior part of the gill cover.
Operculum (n.) (Zool.) The lid closing the aperture of various species of shells, as the common whelk. See Illust. of Gastropoda.
Operculum (n.) (Zool.) Any lid-shaped structure closing the aperture of a tube or shell.
Opercula (n. pl.) See Operculum.
Operetta (n.) (Mus.) A short, light, musical drama.
Operetta (n.) A short amusing opera [syn: operetta, light opera].
Operose (a.) Wrought with labor; requiring labor; hence, tedious; wearisome. "Operose proceeding." -- Burke. "A very operose calculation." -- De Quincey. -- Op"er*ose`ly, adv. -- Op"er*ose`ness, n.
Operose (a.) Characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort; "worked their arduous way up the mining valley"; "a grueling campaign"; "hard labor"; "heavy work"; "heavy going"; "spent many laborious hours on the project"; "set a punishing pace" [syn: arduous, backbreaking, grueling, gruelling, hard, heavy, laborious, operose, punishing, toilsome].
Operosity (n.) Laboriousness. [R.] -- Bp. Hall.
Operous (a.) Operose. [Obs.] -- Holder. -- Op"er*ous*ly, adv. [Obs.]
Opertaneous (a.) Concealed; private. [R.]
Opetide (n.) Open time; -- applied to different things:
Opetide (n.) The early spring, or the time when flowers begin opening. [Archaic] --Nares.
Opetide (n.) The time between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday wherein marriages were formerly solemnized publicly in churches. [Eng.].
Opetide (n.) The time after harvest when the common fields are open to all kinds of stock. [Prov. Eng.] -- Halliwell. [Written also opentide.]
Ophelic (a.) (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a substance (called ophelic acid) extracted from a plant ({Ophelia) of the Gentian family as a bitter yellowish sirup, used in India as a febrifuge and tonic.
Ophicleide (n.) (Mus.) A large brass wind instrument, formerly used in the orchestra and in military bands, having a loud tone, deep pitch, and a compass of three octaves; -- now generally supplanted by bass and contrabass tubas. It developed from the older wooden instrument called the serpent. -- Moore (Encyc. of Music).
Ophidion (n.; pl. Ophidia.) (Zool.) The typical genus of ophidioid fishes. [Written also Ophidium.] See Illust. under Ophidioid.
Ophidia (prop. n. pl.) (Zool.) The suborder of reptiles which includes the serpents; called {Serpentes"> also {Serpentes.
Note: The most important divisions are: the Solenoglypha, having erectile perforated fangs, as the rattlesnake; the Proteroglypha, or elapine serpents, having permanently erect fang, as the cobra; the Asinea, or colubrine serpents, which are destitute of fangs; and the Opoterodonta, or Epanodonta, blindworms, in which the mouth is not dilatable.
Ophidia (n.) Snakes [syn: Serpentes, suborder Serpentes, Ophidia, suborder Ophidia].
Ophidian (n.) (Zool.) One of the Ophidia; a snake or serpent.
Ophidian (a.) (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Ophidia; belonging to serpents.
Ophidian (n.) Limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous [syn: snake, serpent, ophidian].
Ophidioid (a.) (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Ophidiidae, a family of fishes which includes many slender species.
Ophidioid (n.) (Zool.) One of the Ophidiidae.
Ophidia (n. pl. ) of Ophidion.