Library

Dictionary

An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Ōrb'i-cle, n.p. 918A small orb. [Obs.] Such watery orbicles young boys do blow Out from their soapy shells. G. Fletcher.
  2. Or-biē'ū-lar, a.p. 918Resembling or having the form of an orb; spherical; circular. “Orbicular as the disk of a planet.” De Quincey. 2. (Anat.) Having a spherical or circular form or arrangement; as, the orbicular bone…
  3. Or-bic'ŭ-lar-ly, adv.p. 918Spherically.
  4. Or-bie'ü-lar-ness, n.p. 918The state of being orbicular; sphericity.
  5. Or-biē'ū-late, n.p. 918That which is orbicular; especially, a thing having a figure the vertical section of which is oval, and the horizontal section circular.
  6. Or-bi'cū-lāte or Or-bi'cū-lā'ted, a.p. 918Made or being in the form of an orb. Orbiculate or orbicular leaf (Bot.), a leaf whose outline is nearly circular.
  7. Or-bi-eu-lā′tion, n.p. 918The state of being made in the form of an orb; orbicularness. [Obs.]
  8. Or-bĭc'ŭ-lus, n.p. 918(Bot.) (a.) A thick mass covering the ovarium of a flower, and adherent to the stamens. Lindley. (b.) A round, flat organ, which contains the gills within the capsules of some fungi.
  9. Orb'is, n.p. 918(Ichth.) A fish of a circular form (the Chætodon orbis of Gmelin), inhabiting the Indian seas. It is covered with a firm, hard skin, full of small prickles, but is destitute of scales. It is unfit…
  10. Ōrb'it, n.p. 918(Astron.) The path described by a heavenly body in its periodical revolution; as, the orbit of Jupiter or Mercury. 2. A small orb. [Rare.] “Roll the lucid orbit of an eye.” Young. 3. (Anat.) The…
  11. Ôrb'it-al, a.p. 918Belonging or pertaining to an orbit. “Orbital revolution.” J. D. Forbes.
  12. Ôrb'it-ar, a.p. 918The same as ORBITAL. [Rare.]
  13. Ôrb'it-a-ry, a.p. 918Around the orbit; as, orbitary feathers.
  14. Or-bĭt'ū-a-ry, a.p. 918Of, or pertaining to, an orbit; orbital. [Rare.]
  15. Orb’i-tūde or Orb’i-ty, n.p. 918Bereavement by loss of parents or children; orbation. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
  16. Orb'y, a.p. 918Resembling an orb; having the motion of an orb. [Obs.] And orby hours Had gone the round again through herbs and flowers. Chapman.
  17. Ôre, n.p. 918(Ichth.) A kind of fish; the grampus. See GRAMPUS. [Written also ork.]
  18. Or-cēa'di-an, a.p. 918(Geog.) Pertaining or belonging to the Orkney Islands.
  19. Orch, n.p. 918The same as ORC, q. v.
  20. Or'chal, n.p. 918See ARCHIL.
  21. Ōr'cha-nēt, n.p. 918(Bot.) A plant; Anchusa tinctoria. Ainsworth.
  22. Or'chard, n.p. 918An inclosure or assemblage of fruit-trees; especially, of apples, peaches, pears, or cherries; — rarely of nut-bearing trees. Orchard-grass (Bot.), a tall grass (Dactylus glomerata), with long…
  23. Ôr'chard-ing, n.p. 918The cultivation of orchards. 2. Orchards in general.
  24. Ôr'chard-ĭst, n.p. 918One who cultivates orchards.
  25. Ôr'chel, n.p. 918The same as ARCHIL. See ARCHIL.
  26. Ôr'che-sŏg'ra-phy, n.p. 918A treatise upon dancing.
  27. Ôr'ches-ter, n.p. 918The same as ORCHESTRA.
  28. Ôr'ches-trȧ or Or-chĕs'trȧ, n.p. 918The space in a theater between the stage and the audience; — originally appropriated by the Greeks to the chorus and its evolutions, afterward by the Romans to persons of distinction, and by the…
  29. Ôr'ches-tral, a.p. 918Pertaining to an orchestra; suitable for, or performed in, the orchestra.
  30. Or'ches-trā'tion, n.p. 918(Mus.) The arrangement of music for an orchestra; the orchestral treatment of a composition; — called also instrumentation.
  31. Ôr'ches-tre, n.p. 918The same as ORCHESTRA.
  32. Or-chē'stric, a.p. 918Belonging to an orchestra; as, the orchestric accompaniments.
  33. Ōr'chid, n.p. 918(Bot.) A species of orchis; any orchidaceous plant. Gray.
  34. Ōr'chi-dā'ceous, a.p. 918Pertaining to, or resembling, a certain group of plants of which the orchis is the type.
  35. Or-chĭd'e-ous, a.p. 918Of, or pertaining to, the orchis.
  36. Ôr'chid-ōl'o-gīst, n.p. 918One versed in the science of orchidaceous plants.
  37. Ôr'kid-ōl'o-gy, n.p. 918The science of orchidaceous plants.
  38. Ōr'chil or Or-chil'il'ā, n.p. 918The same as ARCHIL. See ARCHIL.
  39. Or'chis, n.p. 919(Bot.) An endogenous plant having the stamens and pistils united in a single column, around which the petals are irregularly arranged. The flowers are usually fragrant, of great beauty, and singular…
  40. Ōr'cine, n.p. 919(Chem.) A crystallizable coloring matter obtained from a species of lichen.
  41. Ord, n.p. 919An edge or point; also, a beginning. [Obs.] Ord and end, the beginning and end. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
  42. Or·dāin′, v. t.p. 919To set in order; to arrange according to rule; to regulate; to set; to establish. 2. To appoint; to decree; to enact; to institute. Let them be for lights, as I ordain. Milton. And doth the power…
  43. Or-dāin'a-ble, a.p. 919Capable of being ordained; worthy to be ordained or appointed.
  44. Or-dāin'er, n.p. 919One who ordains, appoints, or invests with sacerdotal powers.
  45. Or-dāin'ing, a.p. 919Performing the ceremony of ordination, or having the right or power to ordain; as, an ordaining council.
  46. Or-dāin'ment, n.p. 919The act of ordaining. [R.] Burke.
  47. Or-dā'li-an, a.p. 919Of, or pertaining to, trial by ordeal. [Obs. and rare.] To make the sword arbiter of such differences, were no better than to revive the old ordalian trial used by our heathen ancestors. Bp. Hall.
  48. Or'de-al, n.p. 919An ancient form of trial to determine guilt or innocence, practiced by the rude nations of Europe, and still practiced in many parts of the East. ☞ In England, the ordeal was of two sorts—ordeal by…
  49. Ôr'de-al, a.p. 919Of, or pertaining to, trial by ordeal.
  50. Ōr'der, n.p. 919Regular arrangement; any methodical or established succession; as, (a.) Of material things, like the books in a library; (b.) Of intellectual notions, like the topics of a discourse; (c.) Of periods…
  51. ôr'der, v. t.p. 919To put in order; to reduce to a methodical arrangement; to arrange in a series, or with reference to a definite end; to systematize; to adjust; as, to order domestic affairs with prudence. “Warriors…
  52. Ōr'der, v. i.p. 919To give command or direction.
  53. Ōr'der-a-ble, a.p. 919Capable of being ordered. “Being very orderable in all his sickness.” Fuller.
  54. Ōr'der-er, n.p. 919One who orders, methodizes, or regulates; one who gives orders.
  55. Ŏr'der-ing, n.p. 919Disposition; distribution; management.
  56. Ōr'der-less, a.p. 919Without order or regularity; disorderly; out of rule.
  57. Ōr'der-li-ness, n.p. 919The state of being orderly or methodical; regularity.
  58. Ōr′der-ly, a.p. 919Conformed to order; methodical; regular. Orderly proceeding will divide our inquiry into our forefathers’ day, and into our own time. Milton. 2. Observant of order, method, or rule; hence, quiet…
  59. Ôr′der-ly, adv.p. 919According to due order; regularly; methodically. You are too blunt; go to it orderly. Shak.
  60. Ôr'der-ly, n.p. 919(Mil.) A non-commissioned officer who attends a superior officer for the purpose of bearing his orders, or rendering other service; an orderly officer. 2. A street-sweeper. Simmonds.