ob -abbr
- he died; she died
- observation
Ob -abbr
- Obadiah
OB -abbr
- obstetric; obstetrician; obstetrics
ob- -prefix
- inversely
Oba·di·ah [,ō-bə-'dī-ə] -n
- a Hebrew prophet
- a prophetic book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture
ob·bli·ga·to [,ä-blə-'gä-(,)tō] -adj
- not to be omitted : obligatory used as a direction in music
obbligato [-'gä-tē] -n
- an elaborate esp. melodic part accompanying a solo or principal melody and usu. played by a single instrument
- a song with violin obbligato
- accompaniment
- an attendant background sound
ob·cor·date [,äb-'kȯr-,dāt] -adj
- heart-shaped with the notch apical
ob·du·ra·cy ['äb-də-rə-sē, -dyə-; äb-'du̇r-ə-, əb-, -'dyu̇r-] -n
- the quality or state of being obdurate
ob·du·rate ['äb-də-rət, -dyə-; äb-'du̇r-ət, əb-, -'dyu̇r-] -adj, adv, n
- stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
- hardened in feelings
- resistant to persuasion or softening influences
OBE -abbr
- officer of the Order of the British Empire
- out-of-body experience
obe·ah ['ō-bē-ə] -n
- a system of belief among blacks chiefly of the British West Indies and the Guianas that is characterized by the use of magic ritual to ward off misfortune or to cause harm
obe·di·ence [ō-'bē-dē-ən(t)s, ə-] -n
- an act or instance of obeying
- the quality or state of being obedient
- a sphere of jurisdiction
- an ecclesiastical or sometimes secular dominion
obe·di·ent [-ənt] -adj, adv
- submissive to the restraint or command of authority : willing to obey
obei·sance [ō-'bē-sᵊn(t)s, ə-, -'bā-] -n, adj, adv
- a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission : bow
- acknowledgment of another's superiority or importance : homage
- makes obeisance to her mentors
obe·lia [ō-'bēl-yə] -n
- any of a genus ( Obelia) of small colonial marine hydroids with colonies branched like trees
obe·lisk ['ä-bə-,lisk also 'ō-] -n
- an upright 4-sided usu. monolithic pillar that gradually tapers as it rises and terminates in a pyramid
- obelus
- dagger
obe·lize [-,līz] -vt
- to designate or annotate with an obelus
obe·lus [-ləs] -n
- a symbol or used in ancient manuscripts to mark a questionable passage
- the symbol
Ober·on ['ō-bə-,rän, -rən] -n
- the king of the fairies in medieval folklore
obese [ō-'bēs] -adj
- having excessive body fat
obe·si·ty [ō-'bē-sə-tē] -n
- a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body
obey [ō-'bā, ə-] -vb, n
- to follow the commands or guidance of
- to conform to or comply with
- falling objects obey the laws of physics
- to behave obediently
ob·fus·cate ['äb-fə-,skāt; äb-'fəs-,kāt, əb-] -vb, n, adj
- darken
- to make obscure
- confuse
- to be evasive, unclear, or confusing
obgyn [,ō-(,)bē-'jin, -(,)jē-(,)wī-'en] -n
- a physician who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology
OBGYN -abbr
- obstetrics-gynecology
obi ['ō-bē] -n
- a broad sash worn esp. with a Japanese kimono
Obie ['ō-bē] -n
- an award presented annually by a professional organization for notable achievement in plays performed off-Broadway
obit [ō-'bit, 'ō-bət, esp Brit 'ä-bit] -n
- obituary
obi·ter dic·tum [,ō-bə-tər-'dik-təm, ,ä-] -n
- an incidental and collateral opinion that is uttered by a judge but is not binding
- an incidental remark or observation
obit·u·ary [ə-'bi-chə-,wer-ē, ō-, -'bi-chə-rē] -n, adj
- a notice of a person's death usu. with a short biographical account
obj -abbr
- object; objective
ob·ject ['äb-jikt, -(,)jekt] -n, adj
- something material that may be perceived by the senses
- I see an object in the distance
- something that when viewed stirs a particular emotion (as pity)
- look to the tragic loading of this bed...the object poisons sight; let it be hid -- Shak.
- something mental or physical toward which thought, feeling, or action is directed
- the object of my affection
- delicately carved art object s
- something physical that is perceived by an individual and becomes an agent for psychological identification
- the mother is the primary object of the child
- the goal or end of an effort or activity : purpose, objective
- their object is to investigate the matter thoroughly
- a cause for attention or concern
- a thing that forms an element of or constitutes the subject matter of an investigation or science
- a noun or noun equivalent (as a pronoun, gerund, or clause) denoting the goal or result of the action of a verb
- a noun or noun equivalent in a prepositional phrase
- a data structure in object-oriented programming that can contain functions as well as data, variables, and other data structures
- a discrete entity (as a window or icon) in computer graphics that can be manipulated independently of other such entities
- to put forth in opposition or as an objection
- object ed that the statement was misleading
- to oppose something firmly and usu. with words or arguments
- to feel distaste for something
object [same as ¹] -adj
- of, relating to, or being object code
ob·ject ball ['äb-jik(t)-, -(,)jek(t)-] -n
- the ball first struck by the cue ball in pool or billiards
- a ball hit by the cue ball
object code -n
- a computer program after translation from source code usu. into machine language by a compiler
ob·jec·ti·fy [əb-'jek-tə-,fī] -vt, n
- to treat as an object or cause to have objective reality
- to give expression to (as an abstract notion, feeling, or ideal) in a form that can be experienced by others
- it is the essence of the fairy tale to objectify differing facets of the child's emotional experience -- John Updike
ob·jec·tion [əb-'jek-shən] -n
- an act of objecting
- a reason or argument presented in opposition
- a feeling or expression of disapproval
ob·jec·tion·able [-sh(ə-)nə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- undesirable, offensive
ob·jec·tive [əb-'jek-tiv, äb-] -adj, adv, n
- relating to or existing as an object of thought without consideration of independent existence used chiefly in medieval philosophy
- of, relating to, or being an object, phenomenon, or condition in the realm of sensible experience independent of individual thought and perceptible by all observers : having reality independent of the mind
- our reveries...are significantly and repeatedly shaped by our transactions with the objective world -- Marvin Reznikoff
- perceptible to persons other than the affected individual
- involving or deriving from sense perception or experience with actual objects, conditions, or phenomena
- relating to, characteristic of, or constituting the case of words that follow prepositions or transitive verbs
- expressing or dealing with facts or conditions as perceived without distortion by personal feelings, prejudices, or interpretations
- an objective history of the war
- limited to choices of fixed alternatives and reducing subjective factors to a minimum
objective -n
- a lens or system of lenses that forms an image of an object
- something toward which effort is directed : an aim, goal, or end of action
- a strategic position to be attained or a purpose to be achieved by a military operation
objective complement -n
- a noun, adjective, or pronoun used in the predicate as complement to a verb and as qualifier of its direct object (as chairmanin we elected him chairman)
objective correlative -n
- something (as a situation or chain of events) that symbolizes or objectifies a particular emotion and that may be used in creative writing to evoke a desired emotional response in the reader
ob·jec·tiv·ism [əb-'jek-ti-,vi-zəm, äb-] -n, adj or n, adj
- any of various theories asserting the validity of objective phenomena over subjective experience
- realism
- an ethical theory that moral good is objectively real or that moral precepts are objectively valid
- a 20th century movement in poetry growing out of imagism and putting stress on form
ob·ject language ['äb-jikt-, -(,)jekt-] -n
- target language
ob·ject lesson ['äb-jikt-, -(,)jekt-] -n
- something that serves as a practical example of a principle or abstract idea
ob·jectori·ent·ed [-,ȯr-ē-,en-təd] -adj
- relating to, used in, or implemented by object-oriented programming
- an objectoriented language
objectoriented programming -n
- computer programming in which programming objects are used to form additional objects and are arranged into hierarchies and in which a single object member (as a variable or function) may be used in several different but related ways
ob·jet d'art [,ȯb-,zhā-'där] -n
- an article of some artistic value
- curio called also objet
ob·jet trou·ve ['ȯb-,zhā-trü-'vā] -n
- a natural or discarded object found by chance and held to have aesthetic value
ob·jur·ga·tion [,äb-jər-'gā-shən] -n, vt, adj
- a harsh rebuke
obl -abbr
- oblique
- oblong
ob·lan·ceo·late [(,)äb-'lan(t)-sē-ə-,lāt] -adj
- inversely lanceolate
ob·last ['ä-,blast, 'ȯ-, -bləst] -n
- a political subdivision of Imperial Russia or a republic of the U.S.S.R. or of the Russian Federation
ob·late [ä-'blāt, 'ä-,] -adj, n
- flattened or depressed at the poles
- a layman living in a monastery under a modified rule and without vows
- a member of one of several Roman Catholic communities of men or women
ob·la·tion [ə-'blā-shən, ō-] -n
- the act of making a religious offering
- the act of offering the eucharistic elements to God
- something offered in worship or devotion : a holy gift offered usu. at an altar or shrine
ob·li·gate ['ä-blə-,gāt] -vt
- to bind legally or morally : constrain
- to commit (as funds) to meet an obligation
- restricted to one particularly characteristic mode of life
- biologically essential for survival
ob·li·ga·tion [,ä-blə-'gā-shən] -n
- the action of obligating oneself to a course of action (as by a promise or vow)
- something (as a formal contract, a promise, or the demands of conscience or custom) that obligates one to a course of action
- a debt security (as a mortgage or corporate bond)
- a commitment (as by a government) to pay a particular sum of money
- an amount owed under such an obligation
- unable to meet its obligation s, the company went into bankruptcy
- a condition or feeling of being obligated
- a debt of gratitude
- something one is bound to do : duty, responsibility
oblig·a·to·ry [ə-'bli-gə-,tȯr-ē, ä- also 'ä-bli-gə-] -adj, adv
- binding in law or conscience
- relating to or enforcing an obligation
- mandatory, required
- obligatory military service
- so commonplace as to be a convention, fashion, or cliche
- the obligatory death scene in opera
- obligate
oblige [ə-'blīj] -vb, n
- to constrain by physical, moral, or legal force or by the exigencies of circumstance
- to put in one's debt by a favor or service
- we are much obliged for your help
- to do a favor for
- always ready to oblige a friend
- to do something as or as if as a favor
ob·li·gee [,ä-blə-'jē] -n
- one to whom another is obligated (as by a contract)
- one who is protected by a surety bond
obliging [-jiŋ-lē] -adj, adv, n
- willing to do favors : helpful
ob·li·gor [,ä-blə-'gȯr, -'jȯr] -n
- one who is bound by a legal obligation
oblique [ō-'blēk, ə-, -'blīk; military usu ī] -adj, adv, n
- neither perpendicular nor parallel : inclined
- having the axis not perpendicular to the base
- having no right angle
- not straightforward : indirect
- obscure
- devious, underhanded
- situated obliquely and having one end not inserted on bone
- taken from an airplane with the camera directed horizontally or diagonally downward
- something (as a line) that is oblique
- any of several oblique muscles
- any of the thin flat muscles forming the middle and outer layers of the lateral walls of the abdomen
- at a 45 degree angle
- to the right oblique, march
oblique angle -n
- an acute or obtuse angle
oblique case -n
- a grammatical case other than the nominative or vocative
obliq·ui·ty [ō-'bli-kwə-tē, ə-] -n
- deviation from moral rectitude or sound thinking
- deviation from parallelism or perpendicularity
- the amount of such deviation
- the angle between the planes of the earth's equator and orbit having a value of about 2327
- obliquity of the ecliptic
- indirectness or deliberate obscurity of speech or conduct
- an obscure or confusing statement
oblit·er·ate [ə-'bli-tə-,rāt, ō-] -vt, n
- to remove utterly from recognition or memory
- to remove from existence : destroy utterly all trace, indication, or significance of
- to cause to disappear (as a bodily part or a scar) or collapse (as a duct conveying body fluid) : remove
- a blood vessel obliterated by inflammation
- to make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or wearing away
- cancel
oblit·er·a·tive [ə-'bli-tə-,rā-tiv, ō-, -rə-tiv] -adj
- : inducing or characterized by obliteration: as
- causing or accompanied by closure or collapse of a lumen
- obliterative arterial disease
- tending to make inconspicuous
obliv·i·on [ə-'bli-vē-ən, ō-, ä-] -n
- the fact or condition of forgetting or having forgotten
- the condition of being oblivious
- the condition or state of being forgotten or unknown
obliv·i·ous [-vē-əs] -adj, adv, n
- lacking remembrance, memory, or mindful attention
- lacking active conscious knowledge or awareness usu. used with of or to
ob·long ['ä-,blȯŋ] -adj, n
- deviating from a square, circular, or spherical form by elongation in one dimension
ob·lo·quy ['ä-blə-kwē] -n
- a strongly condemnatory utterance : abusive language
- the condition of one that is discredited : bad repute
ob·nox·ious [äb-'näk-shəs, əb-] -adj, adv, n
- exposed to something unpleasant or harmful used with to
- deserving of censure
- odiously or disgustingly objectionable : highly offensive
ob·nu·bi·late [äb-'nü-bə-,lāt, -'nyü-] -vt, n
- becloud, obscure
OBO -abbr
- or best offer
oboe ['ō-(,)bō] -n
- a double-reed woodwind instrument having a conical tube, a brilliant penetrating tone, and a usual range from B flat below middle C upward for over 2 octaves
obol ['ä-bəl, 'ō-] -n
- an ancient Greek coin or weight equal to drachma
ob·ovate [(,)äb-'ō-,vāt] -adj
- ovate with the narrower end basal
ob·ovoid [-,vȯid] -adj
- ovoid with the broad end toward the apex
ob·scene [äb-'sēn, əb-] -adj, adv
- disgusting to the senses : repulsive
- abhorrent to morality or virtue
- designed to incite to lust or depravity
- containing or being language regarded as taboo in polite usage
- repulsive by reason of crass disregard of moral or ethical principles
- an obscene misuse of power
- so excessive as to be offensive
ob·scen·i·ty [-'se-nə-tē also -'sē-] -n
- the quality or state of being obscene
- something (as an utterance or act) that is obscene
ob·scur·ant [äb-'skyu̇r-ənt, əb-] -adj, n
- tending to make obscure
ob·scu·ran·tism [äb-'skyu̇r-ən-,ti-zəm, əb-; ,äb-skyu̇-'ran-] -n, n or adj
- opposition to the spread of knowledge : a policy of withholding knowledge from the general public
- a style (as in literature or art) characterized by deliberate vagueness or abstruseness
- an act or instance of obscurantism
ob·scure [äb-'skyu̇r, əb-] -adj, adv, n
- dark, dim
- shrouded in or hidden by darkness
- not clearly seen or easily distinguished : faint
- not readily understood or clearly expressed
- mysterious
- : relatively unknown: as
- remote, secluded
- not prominent or famous
- constituting the unstressed vowel or having unstressed as its value
obscure [,äb-skyu̇-'rā-shən] -vt, n
- to make dark, dim, or indistinct
- to conceal or hide by or as if by covering
- to reduce (a vowel) to the value
- obscurity
ob·scu·ri·ty [äb-'skyu̇r-ə-tē, əb-] -n
- one that is obscure
- the quality or state of being obscure
ob·se·qui·ous [əb-'sē-kwē-əs, äb-] -adj, adv, n
- marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
ob·se·quy ['äb-sə-kwē] -n
- a funeral or burial rite usu. used in pl.
ob·serv·able [əb-'zər-və-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- noteworthy
- capable of being observed : discernible
ob·ser·vance [əb-'zər-vən(t)s] -n
- a customary practice, rite, or ceremony
- a rule governing members of a religious order
- an act or instance of following a custom, rule, or law
- observance of the speed limits
- an act or instance of watching
ob·ser·vant [-vənt] -adj, adv
- paying strict attention : watchful
- keen, perceptive
- careful in observing (as rites, laws, or customs) : mindful
- pious and religiously observant families -- Sidney Hook
- always observant of the amenities
observant -n
- an assiduous or obsequious servant or attendant
ob·ser·va·tion [,äb-sər-'vā-shən, -zər-] -n, adj, adv
- an act or instance of observing a custom, rule, or law
- observance
- an act of recognizing and noting a fact or occurrence often involving measurement with instruments
- a record or description so obtained
- a judgment on or inference from what one has observed
- remark, statement
- attentive care : heed
- the condition of one that is observed
- under observation at the hospital
observation -adj
- designed for use in viewing something (as scenery) or in making observations
ob·ser·va·to·ry [əb-'zər-və-,tȯr-ē] -n
- a building or place given over to or equipped for observation of natural phenomena (as in astronomy)
- an institution whose primary purpose is making such observations
- a situation or structure commanding a wide view
ob·serve [əb-'zərv] -vb, adv
- to conform one's action or practice to (as a law, rite, or condition) : comply with
- to inspect or take note of as an augury, omen, or presage
- to celebrate or solemnize (as a ceremony or festival) in a customary or accepted way
- to watch carefully esp. with attention to details or behavior for the purpose of arriving at a judgment
- to make a scientific observation on or of
- to come to realize or know esp. through consideration of noted facts
- to utter as a remark
- to take notice
- to make observations : watch
- remark, comment
ob·serv·er [əb-'zər-vər] -n
- : one that observes: as
- a representative sent to observe but not participate officially in an activity (as a meeting or war)
- an expert analyst and commentator in a particular field
ob·sess [əb-'ses, äb-] -vb
- to haunt or excessively preoccupy the mind of
- was obsess ed with the idea
- to engage in obsessive thinking : become obsessed with an idea
ob·ses·sion [äb-'se-shən, əb-] -n, adj, adv
- a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling
- compelling motivation
- an obsession with profits
- something that causes an obsession
ob·ses·sive [äb-'se-siv, əb-] -adj, n, adv
- tending to cause obsession
- excessive often to an unreasonable degree
- of, relating to, or characterized by obsession : deriving from obsession
obsessivecompulsive -adj, n
- relating to, characterized by, or affected with recurring obsessions and compulsions esp. as symptoms of a neurotic state
- obsessivecompulsive disorder
ob·sid·i·an [əb-'si-dē-ən] -n
- a dark natural glass formed by the cooling of molten lava
ob·so·lesce [,äb-sə-'les] -vb
- to be or become obsolescent
- to make obsolescent
ob·so·les·cence [-'le-sᵊn(t)s] -n
- the process of becoming obsolete or the condition of being nearly obsolete
- the gradual obsolescence of machinery
ob·so·les·cent [-sᵊnt] -adj, adv
- going out of use : becoming obsolete
ob·so·lete [,äb-sə-'lēt, 'äb-sə-,] -adj, adv, n
- no longer in use or no longer useful
- of a kind or style no longer current : old-fashioned
- indistinct or imperfect as compared with a corresponding part in related organisms : vestigial
obsolete -vt
- to make obsolete
ob·sta·cle ['äb-sti-kəl, -,sti-] -n
- something that impedes progress or achievement
obstacle course -n
- a military training course filled with obstacles (as hurdles, fences, walls, and ditches) that must be negotiated
- a series of obstacles that must be overcome
ob·stet·ric [əb-'ste-trik, äb-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or associated with childbirth or obstetrics
ob·ste·tri·cian [,äb-stə-'tri-shən] -n
- a physician specializing in obstetrics
ob·stet·rics [əb-'ste-triks, äb-] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- a branch of medical science that deals with birth and with its antecedents and sequels
ob·sti·na·cy ['äb-stə-nə-sē] -n
- the quality or state of being obstinate : stubbornness
- the quality or state of being difficult to remedy, relieve, or subdue
- the obstinacy of tuberculosis
- an instance of being obstinate
ob·sti·nate ['äb-stə-nət] -adj, adv, n
- perversely adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
- obstinate resistance to change
- not easily subdued, remedied, or removed
ob·strep·er·ous [əb-'stre-p(ə-)rəs, äb-] -adj, adv, n
- marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness : clamorous
- stubbornly resistant to control : unruly
ob·struct [əb-'strəkt, äb-] -vt, adj or n, n
- to block or close up by an obstacle
- to hinder from passage, action, or operation : impede
- to cut off from sight
- a wall obstruct s the view
ob·struc·tion [əb-'strək-shən, äb-] -n
- the state of being obstructed
- a condition of being clogged or blocked
- an act of obstructing
- something that obstructs
ob·struc·tion·ism [-shə-,ni-zəm] -n, n or adj, adj
- deliberate interference with the progress or business esp. of a legislative body
ob·tain [əb-'tān, äb-] -vb, n, adj
- to gain or attain usu. by planned action or effort
- succeed
- to be generally recognized or established : prevail
ob·tect [əb-'tekt, äb-] -adj
- enclosed in a firm case or covering with the appendages held tightly against the body
ob·trude [əb-'trüd, äb-] -vb, n
- to thrust out : extrude
- to force or impose (as oneself or one's ideas) without warrant or request
- to become unduly prominent or interfering : intrude
ob·tru·sion [-'trü-zhən] -n
- an act of obtruding
- something that is obtruded
ob·tru·sive [-'trü-siv, -ziv] -adj, adv, n
- forward in manner or conduct
- undesirably prominent
- thrust out : protruding
ob·tund [äb-'tənd] -vt
- to reduce the edge or violence of : dull
ob·tu·ra·tion [,äb-tyə-'rā-shən, -tə-] -n, vt
- obstruction, closure
ob·tu·ra·tor ['äb-tyə-,rā-tər, -tə-] -n
- : one (as a prosthetic device) that closes or blocks up an opening (as a fissure in the palate)
ob·tuse [äb-'tüs, əb-, -'tyüs] -adj, adv, n
- not pointed or acute : blunt
- exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees
- having an obtuse angle
- rounded at the free end
- lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect : insensitive, stupid
- difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression
obv -abbr
- obverse
ob·verse [äb-'vərs, əb-, 'äb-,] -adj, adv
- facing the observer or opponent
- having the base narrower than the top
- constituting the obverse of something : opposite
- the side of a coin or currency note bearing the chief device and lettering
- a front or principal surface
- a counterpart having the opposite orientation or force
- their rise was merely the obverse of the Empire's fall -- A. J. Toynbee
- opposite
- joy and its obverse, sorrow
- a proposition inferred immediately from another by denying the opposite of what the given proposition affirms
- the obverse of all A is B is no A is not B
ob·vi·ate ['äb-vē-,āt] -vt, n
- to anticipate and prevent (as a situation) or make unnecessary (as an action)
ob·vi·ous ['äb-vē-əs] -adj, n
- being in the way or in front
- easily discovered, seen, or understood
ob·vi·ous·ly [-lē] -adv
- in an obvious manner
- showed his anger obviously
- as is plainly evident
- obviously, something is wrong