1.(informal) a) being satisfactory
or in satisfactory condition; b) sentence-initial
expression of agreement; c) please;
you are welcome. Examples: 1) The passengers were shaken up but
are ok. 2) Is everything ok? 3) Thank you. - OK. Synonyms:
all right, all-right, alright, fine, ok, o.k., okay,
okey, very well, hunky-dory, okey-doke, okeydoke,
okie dokie, okedoke, okeydokey. 2. A state in South central United States Synonyms:
Oklahoma, Sooner State , OK 3. An endorsement. Example:
They gave us the ok to go ahead. Synonyms:
ok, okay, okey, okeh 4. To give sanction
to. Example:
I ok of his educational policies. Synonyms:
approve, okay, sanction History:
The term has only been in use for just over 160
years, and until recently the etymology was much
disputed. Choctaw-Chickasaw "okah"
- "it is indeed", Greek "olla
kalla" - "all good", Scots "och
aye", and other possibilities in Finnish,
French, and West African languages, have successively
been proposed as the source. "Online Etymology
Dictionary" (http://www.etymonline.com/)
states that the word appeared in 1839 and is the
only survivor of a slang fad in Boston and New York
c.1838-9 for abbreviations of common phrases with
deliberate, jocular misspellings (cf.K.G.
for "no go," as if spelled "know
go"); in this case, "oll korrect."
Further popularized by use as an election slogan
by the "O.K. Club", New York boosters
of Democratic president Martin Van Buren's
1840 re-election bid, in allusion to his nickname
Old Kinderhook, from his birth in the N.Y.
village of OldKinderhook. Van Buren
lost, the word stuck, in part because it filled
a need for a quick way to write an approval on a
document, bill, etc. The noun is first attested
1841; the verb 1888. Spelled out as "okeh",
1919, by Woodrow Wilson, on assumption that
it represented Choctaw "okeh"
- "it is so" (a theory which lacks historical
documentation); this was ousted quickly by "okay"
after the appearance of that form in 1929. "Okey-doke"
is student slang first attested 1932.
OO!
OO
(chat, Internet) big, excited hugs
OOOXXXYYYZZZ
OOOXXXyZZZZZ
(chat, Internet) this is illegal before marriage
in nine states; OOOXXXyZZZZZ - still
illegal, but generally not nearly as well received
OOO~~~
OOO
(chat, Internet) big hugs and large caterpillars
for all
OOQ (chat, Internet) hugging with tongue
OTOH (chat) on the other hand
Occident
Orient
[AKH-suh-dun]
regions or countries lying to the west of a specified
or implied point of orientation Example:
Not only are we in the Occident girding ourselves
for recession, but... [the] economies are showing
signs of deflation, too. (Kevin Libin, "Canadian
Business", December 10, 2001) History, related words:
"Occident," which comes
from Latin "occidere," meaning
"to fall," once referred to the part of
the sky in which the sun goes down. Geoffrey
Chaucer used the word in that now obsolete sense
around 1386, and shortly thereafter, the word took
on the "western regions and countries"
sense that we still use. Exactly what is meant by
"western" is not always the same. Originally,
"Occident" referred to western
Europe or the Western Roman Empire. In modern times,
it usually refers to some portion of Europe and
North America as distinct from Asia. The opposite
of "Occident" is "Orient,"
which comes from Latin "oriri"
("to rise").
Odyssey
Odysseia
Ulysses
Odysseus
[Odisi] 1. An ancient Greek epic by Homer that tells
the adventures of Odysseus in his attempt to travel
home after the Trojan War. Example:
The film is based on the "Odyssey", Homer's
epic from Greek mythology. 2. A voyage with trials; a long, adventurous
journey. Example:
Arctic odyssey: travelling Arctic Europe is one
of the most interesting advantures in your life. Etymology:
The word "odyssey" derives
from the Greek "Odysseia",
the name of Homer's poem. It tells the story
of the 10-year wanderings of Odysseus (the
Romans called him Ulysses) after the
Trojan War. The figurative sense of the word - long,
adventurous journey - was first recorded in 1889.
Once bitten
twice
shy
Once
bitten
bite
twice
shy
If a dog bites you, you will probably be very careful
to stay clear of dogs after that.
This saying means that people tend to protect themselves
from being hurt, especially if they've been hurt
before. Example:
"Why didn't Lee enter the science fair?"
asked Jim. "The volcano she made last year
was great."
"Once bitten, twice shy," said Jenna.
"She heard some kids making fun of her entry
last year, so she wouldn't enter this year."
One picture is worth a thousand words
Seeing is believing
One
picture
be worth
worth
thousand
words
word
Seeing
believing
When people say this, they mean that, in a particular
instance, a picturecan explain things better
than words. Example: "Here's a picture of Rikki
after he won his diving medal." Sonia showedMrs. Smith the photograph."Goodness!"
Mrs. Smith said. "Wasn't he happy and proud!""Yes, he was," Sonia said. "Just
look at his face. This picture is wortha
thousand words!"
One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel
One
rotten
apple
spoil
whole
barrel
This saying means that one bad thing can spoil everything
connected with it. Example:
Mr. Small's class was known as the best-behaved
class in the school. One day a new boy joined the
class. He was noisy and rude, but he was also funny.
Soon the other kids in Mr. Small's class started
talking and laughing and becoming rowdy. Mr. Small
just shook his head and said, "One rotten apples
spoils the whole barrel!"
obdurate [AHB-duh-rut] 1. Stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing. 2. Hardened in feelings. 3. Resistant to persuasion or softening
influences. Example:
Although Helen tried hard to persuade Joe to attend
the neighbors' party, he remained obdurate in
his refusal to go. Etymology, related words:
When you are confronted with someone obdurate,
you may end up feeling dour. During the encounter,
you may find that you need to be durable to keep
your sanity intact. Maybe you will find such situations
less stressful in the future if you can face them
knowing that the words "obdurate,"
"dour," "during,"
and "durable" are etymological
kissing cousins. All of those words trace back
to the Latin adjective "durus,"
which means "hard."
obeisance
obeisant
[oh-BEE-suhn(t)s; oh-BAY-suhn(t)s] 1. An expression of deference or respect,
such as a bow or curtsy. 2. Deference, homage. Examples: 1) They made obeisance right to
the floor, coiling like bright snakes from the
arms of their astonished handlers. (Ann Wroe,
"Pontius Pilate") 2) His presence was betrayed to
Miloš, who ordered his execution and then
sent his rival's head to the Sultan to demonstrate
his obeisance. (Misha Glenny, "The Balkans") 3) In all, it had served to create
a highly restrictive society where the arrogance
of superiors was as ingrained as their subordinates'
fawning obeisance. (Robert Whiting, "Tokyo
Underworld") Etymology, related words:
"Obeisance" comes from
Old French "obeissance", from
"obeissant", present participle
of "obeir" ("to obey"),
from Latin "oboedire" ("to
listen to"), from "ob-"
("to") + "audire" ("to
hear"). The adjective form is "obeisant".
objurgation [ahb-jer-GAY-shun]
a harsh rebuke Example:
The young man . . . began to fan himself vigorously
with his hat, and broke out into a lively objurgation
upon the hot weather. (Henry James, "Roderick
Hudson") Etymology:
"Objurgation" traces to
the Latin "objurgare" ("to
scold or blame"), which was formed from "ob-"
("against") and "jurgare"
("to quarrel" or, literally, "to
take to law" - in other words, "to bring
a lawsuit"). "Jur-" in Latin
means "law", and there are several English
words related to "objurgation"
that have legal implications, including "perjury",
"abjure", "jurisprudence",
and even "injury". But despite
its etymological connection to the law, the word
"objurgation" carries
no legal weight. It refers to nothing more than
an unusually harsh or severe scolding.
oblation [uh-BLAY-shuhn; oh-] 1. The act of offering something, such
as worship or thanks, especially
to a deity. 2. (Usually capitalized) The act
of offering the bread and wine of the Eucharist.
3. Something offered in a religious rite
or as a charitable gift. Examples: 1) There is another kind of spiritual
courage as well, quieter and less celebrated,
but just as remarkable: that of making each day,
in its most conventional aspects - cooking, eating,
breathing - an oblation to the absolute. (Philip
Zaleski, "A Buddhist From Dublin," New
York Times, July 24, 1994) 2) These aren't flowers randomly snatched
from the garden; these are florist's flowers,
purchased as an offering, an oblation. (Carol
Shields, "Dressing Up for the Carnival") 3) And that day we also celebrate
the memory of his goodness in sending a star to
guide the three wise men from the east to Bethlehem,
that they might there worship, and present him
with their oblation of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh. (Izaak Walton, "The lives of John
Donne and George Herbert") Etymology:
"Oblation" derives from
Latin "oblatio", from "oblatus",
past participle of "offerre",
"to carry to, to bring to, to offer,"
from "ob-" ("to") +
"ferre" ("to bring").
obliterate [uh-BLIT-uh-rayt] 1. To remove utterly from recognition or
memory. 2. 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). 3. To make undecipherable or imperceptible
by obscuring or wearing away. 4. To deface (a postage or revenue
stamp), especially with a set of
ink lines so as to invalidate for
reuse; to cancel. Example:
To obliterate all thoughts of the blizzard outside,
Terry lit a scented candle, put on some Vivaldi,
and sat in front of the fire with her spring catalogs.
History:
Far from being removed from existence, "obliterate"
is thriving in our language today with various
senses that it has acquired over the years. True
to its Latin source, "oblitteratus,"
it began in the mid-16th century as a word for
removing something from memory. Soon after, English
speakers began to use it for the specific act
of blotting out or obscuring anything written.
Eventually (by the late 18th century), its meaning
was generalized to removing anything from existence.
In the meantime, another sense had developed.
In the late 17th century, physicians began using
"obliterate" for the surgical
act of filling or closing up a vessel, cavity,
or passage with tissue. Its final stamp on the
English lexicon was delivered in the mid-19th
century: "to cancel a postage or revenue
stamp."
oblivion [uh-BLIV-ee-un] 1. The state of forgetting or having
forgotten or of being unaware or
unconscious. 2. The condition or state of being
forgotten or unknown. Example:
When the last of his favorite author's books went
out of print, Victor feared that she would fall
into literary oblivion. Etymology, more examples:
"Oblivion" derived via
Middle English and Anglo-French from the Latin
"oblivisci," which means "to
forget." This form may have stemmed from
combining "ob-" ("in the
way") and "levis" ("smooth").
In the past, "oblivion"
has been used in reference to the River Lethe,
which according to Greek myth flowed through the
Underworld and induced a state of forgetfulness
in anyone who drank its water. Among those who
have used the word this way is the poet John
Milton, who wrote in "Paradise Lost",
"Farr off from these a slow and silent
stream, Lethe the River of Oblivion roules Her
watrie Labyrinth."
obloquy
Abuse
Vituperation
Invective
[OB-luh-kwee] 1. Strongly condemnatory or abusive
language or utterance; abusive language.
2. The condition of disgrace suffered as
a result of public blame, abuse, or condemnation;
ill repute, bad repute. Examples: 1) There he remained, weeping indignantly
at her stream of obloquy, bitterly ashamed of
his tears, until it was time for supper. (Jonathan
Keates, "Stendhal") 2) Once installed in office he earned
near-universal obloquy by pushing through the
biggest tax increase in the state's history. (Dan
Seligman, "The Taxophiliacs," Forbes,
February 5, 2001) 3) For Britain to have made a last
imperial stand on the shores of the South China
Sea would have risked local calamity and international
obloquy. (Christopher Patten, "East and
West") 4) The manager walked quickly back
to the dugout as insults and obloquy rained down
from the stands. Etymology, synonyms, more examples:
"Obloquy" derives from
Latin "obloqui" ("to speak
against"), from "ob-" ("against")
+ "loqui" ("to speak").
So, "obloquy" suggests
defamation and consequent shame and disgrace;
a typical example of its use would
be "subjected to obloquy and derision."
English speakers can choose from several synonyms
to name a tongue-lashing. "Abuse"
is a good general term that usually stresses the
anger of the speaker and the harshness of the
language, as in "scathing verbal abuse."
"Vituperation" often specifies
fluent, sustained abuse; "a torrent of
vituperation" is a typical use of this
term. "Invective" implies
vehemence comparable to "vituperation,"
but may suggest greater verbal and rhetorical
skill; it may also apply especially to a public
denunciation, as in "blistering political
invective."
obsequious
compliant
fawning
obedient
servile
slavish
subservient
consequence
sequel
non
sequitur
non
sequitur
[ob-SEE-kwee-us]
Servilely attentive; compliant to excess; marked
by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness.
Synonyms:
compliant, fawning, obedient, servile, slavish,
subservient. Examples: 1) His wealth nevertheless turns
the townspeople into groveling, obsequious sycophants.
(Stephen Holden, "'The Best Man': When
She Says 'I Do,' She Means 'Not You'," New
York Times, August 14, 1998) 2) Politicians these days have to
pretend to like football, and I am tired of their
obsequious, crowd-pleasing football jokes. (Margaret
Drabble, "Will the BBC pay up?", Times
(London), July 6, 2000) 3) This is a brazenly stylish restaurant
where the staff are razor-sharp and not remotely
obsequious. (Orna Mulcahy, "Brash, edgy
- and so good," Irish Times, August 1, 2000) 4) The movie star traveled with
an entourage of obsequious attendants who indulged
her every whim and waited on her hand and foot.
Etymology, related words:
"Obsequious" comes from
Latin "obsequiosus", from "obsequium"
("compliance"), from "obsequi"
("to comply with"), from "ob-"
("toward") + "sequi"
("to follow"). "Sequi"
is a linguistic great-grandparent here and the
source of a number of other English words, too,
including "consequence"
(a result that follows from an action), "sequel"
(a novel, film, or TV show that follows
an original version), and "non sequitur"
(a conclusion that doesn't follow from what was
said before).
An obsequious person is more likely
to be a follower than a leader. Use that fact
to help you remember the meaning of "obsequious."
All you need to do is bear in mind that the word
comes from the Latin root "sequi,"
meaning "to follow."
obstreperous [ub-STREP-uh-russ] 1. uncontrollably noisy 2. stubbornly resistant to control Synonym: unruly Example:
Keith admitted that he had been an obstreperous
teenager until he got his first summer job and
learned some self-discipline. Etymology:
The handy Latin preposition "ob,"
meaning "in the way," "against,"
or "toward," occurs as a prefix in many
Latin and English words. "Obstreperous"
comes from "ob-" plus "strepere,"
a verb meaning "to make a noise," so
someone who is obstreperous is literally making
noise to rebel against something, much like a
protesting crowd or an unruly child. The word
has been used in English since around the 17th
century. "Strepere" has not played
a role in the formation of any other notable English
words, but "ob-" words abound;
these include "obese," "obnoxious,"
"occasion," "offend,"
"omit," "oppress,"
and "oust."
obviate
prevent
preclude
avert
[AHB-vee-ayt]
To anticipate and prevent (as a situation)
or make unnecessary (as an action). Example:
Rob checks every ledger entry twice to obviate
any problems when it comes time for an audit.
Etymology, synonyms:
"Obviate" derives from
the Late Latin "obviare" (meaning
"to meet or withstand") and the Latin
"obviam," which means "in
the way" and is also an ancestor of our adjective
"obvious." "Obviate"
has a number of synonyms in English, including
"prevent," "preclude,"
and "avert"; all of these
words can mean to hinder or stop something. When
you prevent or preclude something, you put up
an insurmountable obstacle. In addition, "preclude"
often implies that a degree of chance was involved
in stopping an event. "Obviate"
generally suggests the use of intelligence or
forethought to ward off trouble. "Avert"
always implies that a bad situation has been anticipated
and prevented or deflected by the application
of immediate and effective means.
occlusion
malocclusion
[uh-KLOO-zhun] 1. The complete obstruction of the breath
passage in the articulation of a speech sound.
2. The bringing of the opposing surfaces
of the teeth of the two jaws into contact; the
relation between the surfaces when in contact.
3. The inclusion or sorption of gas trapped
during solidification of a material. 4. The front formed by a cold front overtaking
a warm front and lifting the warm air above the
earth's surface. Example:
"Expect plenty of rain," warned the
Midland Gliding Club Web site, "[from] a
weakening occlusion ... close to northern Scotland."
History, related words:
"Occlusion" is a descendant
of the Latin verb "occludere,"
meaning "to close up." "Occludere"
in turn comes from the prefix "ob-,"
here meaning "in the way," and the verb
"claudere," meaning "to
close, shut". "Occlusion"
is one of many English terms derived from "claudere."
Some others are "recluse," "seclusion,"
and "exclude." An occlusion
occurs when something has been closed
up or blocked off. Almost all heart attacks are
the result of the occlusion of a
coronary (heart) artery by a blood clot. When
a person's upper and lower teeth form a "malocclusion,"
they close incorrectly or badly. An occlusion,
or "occluded" front, happens
when a fast-moving cold front overtakes a slow-moving
warm front and slides underneath it, lifting the
warm air and blocking its movement.
oche
double
top
double
top
bag
o' nuts
bag
of nuts
bag
nuts
nut
Shanghai
mugs
away
mug
away
mugs
mug
away
mad
house
mad
house
hockey-dockies
hockey-dockie
hockey-docky
hockey
dockies
hock
dockie
hock-dock
dock
docky
Shanghai
mugs
away
mad
house
("Oche" is pronounced
like "hockey" without the initial "h",
as a rule: ['Oki], ['(h)akey]) - the line
behind which darts players stand when throwing.
Examples: 1) Eric settles himself on the oche.
2) She was pipped by reluctant newcomer
Jane Lester of Basildon Savacentre who was so
doubtful of her abilities that she virtually had
to be carried up to the oche. Usage and similar terminology:
The classic pub game, darts is the ultimate non-sportsman's
sport - you don't need any special clothing and
little equipment (a set of darts is a good idea,
but pubs lend those out), and you don't need to
be fit (the aptitude of players often appears
to be in direct proportion to the size of their
beer guts). All you have to remember is to count
back from 501, end on a double, and avoid putting
your toes over the oche. "Oche"
is the classic bit of darts jargon, even more
obscure and basic than "double top"
for a double twenty, "bag o' nuts"
for a score of 45, "Shanghai"
for a score made up of a single, double and triple
of the same number (ditto), "mugs away"
as an invitation to the losing player to start
the next round, or "mad house"
for a double one (because getting it can drive
you crazy). Etymology:
The origin of the word is uncertain. Attempts
are sometimes made to derive it from an obsolete
word meaning to chop off, from Old French "ochen"
- "to cut a deep notch in something"
or even a groove, though the link with darts
is obscure. Eric Partridge preferred an
origin in "hoggins line", for
no good reason that one may discern. However,
the earliest written examples - from the 1930s
- are all spelled "hockey" and
the "oche" form didn't
become standard until the late 1970s. But why
"hockey"? One story holds that
it's from the name of a West Country brewery,
S. Hockey and Sons, whose crates were just
the right size with which to mark out the throwing
distance. On the other hand, Peter Brooke
suggested that this word for the line behind which
one must stand in playing darts might well come
from the Victorian "hockey-dockies"
for shoes, an elaboration of "hock-dock",
itself a nonsense reduplication of "hock",
a slang term for the foot.
octothorpe
#
the pound sign (#) Example:
This program reads a set of time-series data (while
ignoring all characters that follow an octothorpe
- '#'). Etymology: 1) According to dictionary.com
: the word "octothorpe"
was probably coined as a "humorous blend"
of "octal" and the name Oglethorpe
(James Edward). 2) According to
Ralph Carlsen (a retired employee at Bell
Labs), the history of the pound sign and the word
"octothorpe" is as follows:
"First, where did the symbol #
come from? In about 1961 when DTMF dials were
still in development, two Bell Labs guys in data
communications engineering (Link Rice and Jack
Soderberg) toured the USA talking to people who
were thinking about telephone access to computers.
They asked about possible applications, and what
symbols should be used on two keys that would
be used exclusively for data applications. The
primary result was that the symbols should be
something available on all standard typewriter
keyboards. The * and # were selected
as a result of this study, and people did not
expect to use those keys for voice services. The
Bell System in those days did not look internationally
to see if this was a good choice for foreign countries.
Then in the early 1960s Bell Labs developed the
101 ESS (Electronic Switching System, a pioneer
electronic exchange) which was the first stored
program controlled switching system (it was a
PBX). One of the first installations was at the
Mayo Clinic. This PBX had lots of modern features
(Call Forwarding, Speed Calling, Directed Call
Pickup, etc.), some of which were activated by
using the # sign. A Bell Labs supervisor
Don MacPherson went to the Mayo Clinic
just before cut-over to train the doctors and
staff on how to use the new features on this state
of the art switching system. During one of his
lectures he felt the need to come up with a word
to describe the # symbol. Don also
liked to add humour to his work. His thought process
- which took place while at the Mayo Clinic doing
lectures - was as follows: There are eight points
on the symbol so "octo"
should be part of the name. We need a few more
letters or another syllable to make a noun, so
what should that be? (Don MacPherson, at
this point in his life, was active in a group
that was trying to get Jim Thorpe's Olympic
medals returned from Sweden.) The term "thorpe"
would be unique, and people would not suspect
he was making the word up if he called it an octothorpe.
So Don Macpherson began using the term
"octothorpe" to describe
the # symbol in his lectures. When
he returned to Bell Labs in Holmdel NJ, he told
us what he had done, and began using the term
"octothorpe" in memos
and letters. The term was picked up by other Bell
Labs people and used mostly for the fun of it.
Some of the documents which used the term "octothorpe"
found their way to Bell Operating Companies and
other public places. Over the years, Don
and I have enjoyed seeing the term "octothorpe"
appear in documents from many different sources."
od (SMS) oh dear
odious
hateful
odium
[OH-dee-us]
Arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance.
Synonym: hateful Example:
Martin was an odious person: cruel, violent, and
deceitful, willing to do anything to anyone to
gain the wealth and power he craved. Etymology, related words, examples:
"Odious" has been with
us since the days of Middle English. It is borrowed
from Anglo-French, which in turn had taken it
from Latin "odiosus." The Latin
adjective came from the noun "odium,"
meaning "hatred." "Odium"
is also an ancestor of the English verb "annoy"
(another word that came to Middle English via
Anglo-French). And, at the beginning of the 17th
century, "odium" entered
English in its unaltered form, giving us a noun
meaning "hatred" or "disgrace"
(as in "ideas that have
incurred much odium").
odium [OH-dee-uhm] 1. Intense hatred or dislike; loathing;
abhorrence. 2. The state or fact of being intensely
hated as the result of some despicable action.
3. Disgrace or discredit attaching
to something hated or repugnant. Examples: 1) At the back of the Tyn Church,
we were told about the young Jesuit whose harshness
earned him the odium of his congregation. (Will
Cohu, "High spirits and gloomy spectres,"
Sunday Telegraph, May 16, 1999) 2) The point here is that, for all
its efforts at avoiding offence, new Labour has
still managed to attract the odium of the paper
that regards itself as the voice of Middle England.
("Will Mr Brown hang for a sheep or a
lamb?", New Statesman, December 2, 2002) 3) But this brought forth nothing
but odium on his head, so much so that he had
to backtrack soon afterwards. (Andrew Stephen,
"A nation left unprotected," New Statesman,
November 5, 2001) 4) Moralists warn against the spurious
sorrow that afflicts the first-person plural of
so many collective apologies: We erred, says the
penitent, though he clearly intends to shift blame
and odium to his fellows. ("The Week,"
National Review, April 19, 2004) Etymology:
"Odium" comes from the
Latin "odium" ("hatred"),
from "odisse" ("to hate").
off hand
off
hand
Without much thought or preparation. Example:
Could you tell me his new address? - Not off
hand, but here's my notebook.
1. Not on the main road, remote from populous
or much-traveled regions; an unfamiliar location.
2. Not well-known or used; unusual; different. Synonyms: out of the way, off the beaten
path Examples: 1) He found a quiet off-the-beaten-track
resort" 2) I like to explore places that
are off the beaten track - wild places. 3) This restaurant's really off
the beaten track but worth the trip. History:
In the 1600s, when this idiom was first used,
there were many dirt roads. As people walked or
rode over them, the paths were beaten down
by feet, horses' hooves, and
wagon wheels. They looked well used. But if something
was "off the beaten track"
(or
"path"), then few people
traveled that way. We now use this expression
to describe
anything unusual, not often used, or not seen
by many people.
officinal [uh-FISS-uh-nul]
Tending or used to cure disease or
relieve pain. Synonym: medicinal. Example:
The officinal properties of the ginkgo tree, long
accepted by traditional herbalists, have been
the subject of modern scientific study. History:
"Officinal" is a word
applied in medicine to plants and herbs that are
used in medicinal preparations. In the 19th century,
it was the standard word used by the United States
Pharmacopeia to refer to the drugs, chemicals,
and medicinal preparations that they recognized,
but in 1893 it was replaced by "official"
in this context. Despite this supersession, you
still can find a healthy dose of "officinal"
in the pharmaceutical field, where it is used
today as a word describing preparations that are
regularly kept in stock at pharmacies. "Officinal"
was derived from the Medieval Latin noun "officina,"
a word for the storeroom of a monastery in which
provisions and medicines were kept. In Latin,
"officina" means "workshop,"
as in "laboratory."
officious
meddlesome
[uh-FISH-uhs]
Marked by excessive eagerness in offering services
or advice where they are neither requested nor
needed. Synonym: meddlesome. Examples: 1) Ian Holm plays a well-meaning
but officious lawyer who tries to make the grieving
families sue for damages. (John Simon, "Minus
Four," National Review, February 9, 1998) 2) The guy was an officious twerp,
but Luke and Pete were vagrants, and a railroad
employee had the right to throw them out. (Ken
Follett, "Code to Zero") 3) "Why don't you mind your
own business, ma'am?" roared Bounderby. "How
dare you go and poke your officious nose into
my family affairs?" (Charles Dickens,
"Hard Times") Etymology:
"Officious" comes from
Latin "officiosus" ("obliging,
dutiful"), from "officium"
("dutiful action, sense of duty, official
employment"), from "opus"
("a work, labor") + "-ficere",
combining form of "facere" ("to
do, to make"). It is related to official,
"of or pertaining to an office or
public trust."
offshorable 1. capable of being moved to another country,
especially to reduce costs; 2. capable of being performed by a person
in another country, especially at a lower wage
or salary. Example:
All our tech support jobs are offshorable. We
can have people in India keep our customers on
hold much cheaper.
oftentimes
oftentime
often
repeatedly
ofttimes
ofttime
oft-
oft
often, repeatedly Example:
Oftentimes the villagers must travel great distances
on muleback in order to work their fields . .
. each family isolated from the rest during the
hours of labor. (John Crow, "Spain: The
Root And The Flower") Etymology:
Despite its archaic, literary ring, "oftentimes"
is quite alive today. In fact, it seems to be
more popular even now than it was thirty years
or so ago. Nor is "oftentimes"
confined to writing - it appears frequently in
quoted speech. "Oftentimes"
was first used in the 14th century (the same century
that gave us "often"), and its
meaning hasn't changed - as meanings oftentimes
will - in all that time. It was formed as an extension
of its older synonym "ofttimes".
Today "ofttimes" is less
common, but "oft" (which
comes from Old English and also means "often"
or "frequently") is popular in combination
with past participles, as in "oft-praised".
ohnosecond 1. Like the millisecond, the microsecond
and the nanosecond, the ohnosecond is a measure
of time. 2. That minuscule fraction of time in which
you realize that you've just made a BIG, uncorrectable,
mistake. Example:
Avoiding the Ohnosecond is the good sense of making
backups. Etymology:
The ohnosecond is the length of
time between clicking the mouse button, realising
that you've done something disastrous, and exclaiming
"OH NO!".
old hat
old
hat
Out of fashion; antique, ancient, very old; an
old idea or fashion, passé; out-of-date;
not new; too familiar; uninteresting; repeated
too often; overfamiliar through overuse. Examples: 1) Sunday picnics are old hat. They're
not popular now. 2) Let's try a new place for our
next vacation. Dooley's Dude Ranch is so old hat. 3) His remarks were old hat. History:
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when
this phrase became popular, men and women wore
hats much more than they do today. Most
people wanted to keep up with the latest styles,
and an old hat was no longer fashionable.