Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Oc-cā′sion, n. p. 904A falling, happening, or coming to pass; hence, that which falls or happens out of the regular order of events; an occurrence, casualty, incident. The unlooked-for incidents of family history, and…Oc-cā'sion, v. t. p. 905To give occasion to; to cause incidentally; to produce; 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-cā'sion-a-ble, a. p. 905Capable of being occasioned. [Obs.] Barrow.Oc-cā'sion-al, a. p. 905Pertaining to or occurring at times, but not regular or systematic; made or happening as opportunity requires or admits; called out by some occasion; furnishing an occasion; casual; incidental; as…Oc-cā'sion-al-ĭsm, n. p. 905The system of occasional causes; — a name given to certain theories of the Cartesian school of philosophers, by which they account for the apparent reciprocal action of the soul and the body.Oc-cā'sion-ăl'i-ty, n. p. 905The state or quality of being occasional; occurrence at intervals or occasionally.Oc-cā'sion-al-ly, adv. p. 905In an occasional manner; on occasion; at times, as convenience requires or opportunity offers; not regularly. “The one, Wol-sey, directly his subject by birth; the other, his subject occasionally by…Oc-cā'sion-āte, v. t. p. 905To cause; to occasion. [Obs. and rare.] The lowest may occasionate much ill. More.Oc-cā'sion-er, n. p. 905One who occasions, causes, or produces. He was the occasioner of loss to his neighbor. Sanderson.Oc-cā'sive, a. p. 905Pertaining to the setting sun; falling; descending; western.Oc-ce-cā'tion, n. p. 905The act of making blind. [Rare.]ŏc'ci-dent, n. p. 905The western quarter of the hemisphere; the west; — so called from the decline, or fall, of the sun.Oc'ci-dent'al, a. p. 905Situated in, or pertaining to, the west; western; — opposed to oriental: as, occidental climates; occidental pearl; occidental gold. 2. Setting after the sun; as, an occidental planet. 3. Possessing…Oc-cid'ū-ous, a. p. 905Western; occidental. [Obs.]Oc-cip'i-tal, a. p. 905Pertaining to the occiput, or the back part of the head.Ŏc'ci-pūt, n. p. 905(Anat.) The hinder part of the head, or that part of the skull which forms the hind part of the head.Oe-cĭs′ion, n. p. 905A killing; the act of killing. [Obs.] Hall.Oc-clūde', v. t. p. 905To shut up; to close. [Obs.] Browne.Oc-clū'dent, a. p. 905Serving to close; shutting up. [Obs.]Oc-clūd'ent, n. p. 905That which closes or shuts up.Oc-clūse', a. p. 905Shut; closed. [Obs.] Holder.Oc-clū'sion, n. p. 905The act of occluding, or shutting up; the state of being shut up. “Constriction and occlusion of the orifice.” Howell. 2. The transient approximation of the edges of a natural opening; also…Oc-cŭlt’, a. p. 905Hidden from the eye or understanding; invisible; secret; unknown; undiscovered; undetected. “Occult guilt.” Shak. It is of an occult kind, and is so insensible in its advances as to escape…Oc'cul-ta'tion, n. p. 905The act of rendering occult, or the state of being occult. “The re-appearance of such an author after those long periods of occultation.” Jeffrey. 2. (Astron.) The hiding of a heavenly body from…Oc-cùlt'ed, a. p. 905Hid; secret. [Obs.] Shak. 2. (Astron.) Hidden or concealed by the intervention of some other heavenly body, as a star by the moon.Oc-cult'ing, n. p. 905The same as OCCULTATION.Ŏc-cŭlt'ly, adv. p. 905In an occult manner.Ŏc-cŭlt'ness, n. p. 905The state of being occult; secretness.Ŏc'cu-pan-cy, n. p. 905The act of taking or holding possession; possession. Title by occupancy (Law), a right of property acquired by taking the first possession of a thing, or possession of a thing which belonged to…Ŏc'cu-pant, n. p. 905One who occupies, or takes possession; one who has the actual use or possession, or is in possession, of a thing. ☞ This word, in law, sometimes signifies one who takes the first possession of a…Ōc'cu-pāte, v. t. p. 905To hold; to possess; to take up. [Obs.] Bacon.Ŏc'cu-pā'tion, n. p. 905The act of occupying or taking possession. 2. The state of being occupied; possession; a holding or keeping; tenure; use; as, lands in the occupation of a tenant. 3. That which occupies or engages…Ŏc'cu-pī'er, n. p. 905One who occupies, or has possession. 2. One who follows an employment; hence, a tradesman. [Obs.] Also for coffins or coronets to lap spices and fruits in, and thereupon merchants and occupiers gave…ŏc'cu-pȳ, v. t. p. 905To take or hold in possession; to hold or keep for use; to possess. The better apartments were already occupied. W. Irving. 2. To hold, or fill, the dimensions of; to take up; to possess; to cover or…ŏc'cu-py, v. i. p. 905To hold possession; to be an occupant; to follow business; to negotiate. Occupy till I come. Luke xix. 13.Oc-cûr', v. i. p. 905— [Lat. occurrere, from prefix ob and currere, to run; It. occorrere, Sp. occurrir, Pr. occorrer, occorre, O. Fr. occurrir.] 1. To meet; to clash. [Obs.] “The resistance of the bodies they occur…Oc-cür'rençe, n. p. 905A coming or happening; hence, any incident or accidental event; that which happens without being designed or expected; any single event; as, an unusual occurrence, or the ordinary occurrences of…Oc·cur'rent, a. p. 905Occurring or happening; hence, incidental; accidental.Oc-cür'rent, n. p. 905One who meets; an adversary. “The weak parts of their occurrents, by which they may assail and conquer them sooner.” Holland. 2. Any thing that happens; an incident; an occurrence. Although these…Oc-cŭrse', n. p. 905A meeting or impact of bodies; occursion. [Obs.] Bentley.Oc-cûr'sion, n. p. 905A meeting of bodies; a clash. [Obs.] Boyle.Ō’cean, n. p. 905The water, considered as one vast body, which covers more than three fifths of the surface of the globe; — called also the sea, or great sea. 2. One of the large bodies of water into which the great…Ō'cean, a. p. 905Pertaining to the main or great sea; as, the ocean wave; ocean stream.Ō'ce-ăn'ic, a. p. 905Pertaining to the ocean; found or formed in the ocean.Ō'cean-ōl'o-gy, n. p. 905That branch of science which relates to the ocean; a treatise upon the ocean.O-cēl'a-nūs, n. p. 905(Myth.) The god of the sea.O·cĕl'la-ry, a. p. 905Pertaining to ocelli. See OCELLUS.Ō'çel-lā'ted or Ō-çēl'la-ted, a. p. 905Resembling an eye. 2. Formed with the figures of little eyes; having spots of one color within, or bordered by, another color.O-çēl'lus, n. p. 905A little eye; a minute simple eye found in many articulate and other inferior animals. Carpenter.Ō'çe-lōt, n. p. 905(Zoöl.) A digitigrade carnivorous mammal, of the cat kind, found in Mexico. It is the Felis pardalis of Linnæus. It is likewise the French popular name of several other nearly allied American species…Ō'cher or Ō'chre, n. p. 905(Min.) A variety of fine clay, containing iron. The common colors are yellow and red; the latter variety being colored by the sesquioxide of iron, and the yellow by the hydrous sesquioxide. Green…O'cher-oŭs or O'chre-oŭs, a. p. 905Consisting of ocher; containing ocher; as, ocherous matter. 2. Resembling ocher; as, an ocherous color.Ō'cher-y, a. p. 905Pertaining to ocher; containing or resembling ocher. [Written also ochrey and ochry.]Oeh'i-my, n. p. 905See OCCAMY.Och-lē'sis, n. p. 905(Med.) A morbid condition induced by the crowding together of sick persons under one roof—so called by Dr. G. Gregory. Dunglison.O·chlōc'ra·cy, n. p. 905A form of government in which the multitude or common people rule. An ochlocracy is no more than a noisy prelude to anarchy. Hare.Ŏch'lo-crăt'ic or Ŏch'lo-crăt'ic-al, a. p. 906Pertaining to ochlocracy; having the form or character of an ochlocracy; as, an ochlocratic government.Ōch'lo-crăt'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 906In an ochlocratic manner.O-chrā'ceoŭs, a. p. 906Of an ocherous color, or yellow running into brown.O'chre-ā, n. p. 906(Bot.) A kind of sheath formed by two stipules united round a stem.