Chapter 1048

Nux` vom"i*ca (?) . [NL., fr. L. nux <?/ nut + vomere to vomit.] The seed of Strychnos Nuxvomica , a tree which abounds on the Malabar and Coromandel coasts of the East Indies. From this seed the deadly poisons known as strychnine and brucine are obtained. The seeds are sometimes called Quaker buttons .

Nuzzle <Xpage=987>

Nuz"zle (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Nuzzied (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Nuzzling (?) .] [See Noursle .]

1. To noursle or nurse; to foster; to bring up. [Obs.]

The people had been nuzzled in idolatry. Milton.

2. [Perh. a corruption of nestle . Cf. Nustle .] To nestle; to house, as in a nest.

<page="988"> Page 988

Nuzzle <Xpage=988>

Nuz"zle (?) , v. i. [Dim. fr. nose . See Nozzle .]

1. To work with the nose, like a swine in the mud.

And nuzzling in his flank, the loving swine Sheathed, unaware, the tusk in his soft groin. Shak.

He charged through an army of lawyers, sometimes . . . nuzzling like an eel in the mud. Arbuthnot.

2. To go with head poised like a swine, with nose down.

Sir Roger shook his ears, and nuzzled along. Arbuthnot.

3. [Cf. Nuzzle , v. t. , 2.] To hide the head, as a child in the mother's bosom; to nestle.

4. To loiter; to idle. [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

Ny <Xpage=988>

Ny (?) . [Contr. fr. ne I .] Not I; nor I. [Obs.]

Ny, Nye <Xpage=988>

Ny , Nye (?) , a. & adv. Nigh. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Nyas <Xpage=988>

Ny"as (?) , n. See Nias .

Nyctalopia <Xpage=988>

Nyc`ta*lo"pi*a (?) , n. [L. nyctalopia , fr. nyctalops a nyctalops, Gr. <?/. Gr. <?/ meant, a person affected either with day blindness or with night blindness, and in the former case was derived fr. <?/, <?/, night + <?/, <?/, the eye; in the latter, fr. <?/ + <?/ blind + <?/.] (Med.) (a) A disease of the eye, in consequence of which the patient can see well in a faint light or at twilight, but is unable to see during the day or in a strong light; day blindness. (b) See Moonblink .

&hand; Some writers (as Quain) use the word in the opposite sense, night blindness. See Hemeralopia .

Nyctalops <Xpage=988>

Nyc"ta*lops (?) , n. [L., from Gr. <?/.] One afflicted with nyctalopia.

Nyctalopy <Xpage=988>

Nyc"ta*lo`py (?) , n. Same as Nyctalopia .

Nycthemeron <Xpage=988>

Nyc*the"me*ron (?) , n. [Gr. <?/; <?/, <?/, night + <?/ day.] The natural day and night, or space of twenty-four hours.

Nyctibune <Xpage=988>

Nyc"ti*bune (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A South American bird of the genus Nyctibius , allied to the goatsuckers.

Nyctitropic <Xpage=988>

Nyc`ti*trop"ic (?) , a. [From Gr. <?/, <?/, night + <?/ turning.] (Bot.) Turning or bending at night into special positions.

&hand; Nyctitropic movements of plants usually consist in a folding or drooping of the leaves, the advantage being in lessening the radiation of heat.

Nyctophile <Xpage=988>

Nyc"to*phile (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/, night + <?/ to love.] (Zo\'94l.) Any Australian bat of the genus Nyctophilus , having a very simple nasal appendage.

Nye <Xpage=988>

Nye (?) , n. [Prob. fr. F. nid nest, brood, L. nidus nest. See Nest , and cf. Eye brood, Nide .] A brood or flock of pheasants.

Nyentek <Xpage=988>

Ny*en"tek (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A carnivorous mannual ( Helictis moscatus , or H. orientalis ), native of Eastern Asia and the Indies. It has a dorsal white stripe, and another one across the shoulders. It has a strong musky odor.

Nylghau, Nylgau <Xpage=988>

Nyl"ghau , Nyl"gau (?) , n. [Hind. & Per. n\'c6lg\'bew , prop., a blue cow; Per. n\'c6l blue + g\'bew cow. See Lilac , and Cow the animal.] (Zo\'94l.) A large Asiatic antelope ( Boselaphus, &or; Portax, tragocamelus ), found in Northern India. It has short horns, a black mane, and a bunch of long hair on the throat. The general color is grayish brown. [Written also neelghau , nilgau , and nylghaie .]

Nymph <Xpage=988>

Nymph (?) , n. [L. nympha nymph, bride, young woman, Gr. <?/: cf. F. nymphe . Cf. Nuptial .]

1. (Class. Myth.) A goddess of the mountains, forests, meadows, or waters.

Where were ye, nymphs , when the remorseless deep Closed o'er the head of your loved Lycidas ? Milton.

2. Hence: A lovely young girl; a maiden; a damsel.

Nymph , in thy orisons Be all my sins remembered. Shak.

3. (Zo\'94l.) The pupa of an insect; a chrysalis.

4. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of a subfamily ( Najades ) of butterflies including the purples, the fritillaries, the peacock butterfly, etc.; -- called also naiad .

Nympha <Xpage=988>

Nym"pha (?) , n. ; pl. Nymph<?/ (#) . [L. See Nymph a goddess.] 1. (Zo\'94l.) Same as Nymph , 3.

2. pl. (Anat.) Two folds of mucous membrane, within the labia, at the opening of the vulva.

Nymph\'91a <Xpage=988>

Nym*ph\'91"a (?) , n. [L., the water lily, Gr. <?/.] (Bot.) A genus of aquatic plants having showy flowers (white, blue, pink, or yellow, often fragrant), including the white water lily and the Egyptia lotus.

&hand; Recent critics have endeavored to show that this genus should be called Castalia , and the name Nymph\'91a transferred to what is now known as Nuphar .

Nymphal <Xpage=988>

Nymph"al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to a nymph or nymphs; nymphean.

Nymphales <Xpage=988>

Nym*pha"les (?) , n. pl. [NL.] (Zo\'94l.) An extensive family of butterflies including the nymphs, the satyrs, the monarchs, the heliconias, and others; -- called also brush-footed butterflies .

Nymphean <Xpage=988>

Nym*phe"an (?) , a. [Gr. <?/. See Nymph .] Of, pertaining to, or appropriate to, nymphs; inhabited by nymphs; as, a nymphean cave .

Nymphet <Xpage=988>

Nymph"et (?) , n. A little or young nymph. [Poetic] "The nymphets sporting there."

Drayton.

Nymphic, Nymphical <Xpage=988>

Nymph"ic (?) , Nymph"ic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ bridal.] Of or pertaining to nymphs.

Nymphiparous <Xpage=988>

Nym*phip"a*rous (?) , a. [ Nymph + L. parere to produce.] (Zo\'94l.) Producing pupas or nymphs.

Nymphish <Xpage=988>

Nymph"ish (?) , a. Relating to nymphs; ladylike. " Nymphish war."

Drayton.

Nymphlike, Nymphly <Xpage=988>

Nymph"like` (?) , Nymph"ly (?) , a. Resembling, or characteristic of, a nymph.

Nympholepsy <Xpage=988>

Nym"pho*lep`sy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ a nymph + <?/ to seize.] A species of demoniac enthusiasm or possession coming upon one who had accidentally looked upon a nymph; ecstasy. [R.]

De Quincey.

The nympholepsy of some fond despair. Byron.

Nympholeptic <Xpage=988>

Nym`pho*lep"tic (?) , a. Under the influence of nympholepsy; ecstatic; frenzied. [Poetic]

Nymphomania <Xpage=988>

Nym`pho*ma"ni*a (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ a bride + <?/ madness.] (Med.) Morbid and uncontrollable sexual desire in women, constituting a true disease.

Nymphomany <Xpage=988>

Nym"pho*ma`ny (?) , n. [Cf. F. nymphomanie .] (Med.) Same as Nymphomania .

Nymphotomy <Xpage=988>

Nym*phot"o*my (?) , n. [ Nympha + Gr. <?/ to cut.] (Med.) Excision of the nymph\'91.

Nys <Xpage=988>

Nys (?) . Is not. See Nis .

Chaucer. Spenser.

Nystagmus <Xpage=988>

Nys*tag"mus (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ drowsiness, fr. <?/ to nod in sleep, to slumber.] (Med.) A rapid involuntary oscillation of the eyeballs.

Nyula <Xpage=988>

Ny*u"la (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A species of ichneumon ( Herpestes nyula ). Its fur is beautifully variegated by closely set zigzag markings.

O.

O <Xpage=988>

O (?) . 1. O, the fifteenth letter of the English alphabet, derives its form, value, and name from the Greek O, through the Latin. The letter came into the Greek from the Ph&oe;nician, which possibly derived it ultimately from the Egyptian. Etymologically, the letter o is most closely related to a , e , and u ; as in E. b o ne, AS. b \'be n; E. st o ne, AS. st \'be n; E. br o ke, AS. br e can to break; E. b o re, AS. b e ran to bear; E. d o ve, AS. d &umac; fe; E. t o ft, t u ft; t o ne, t u ne; n u mber, F. n o mbre.

The letter o has several vowel sounds, the principal of which are its long sound, as in bone , its short sound, as in nod , and the sounds heard in the words orb , son , do ( feod ), and wolf ( book ). In connection with the other vowels it forms several digraphs and diphthongs. See Guide to Pronunciation , &sect;&sect; 107-129.

2. Among the ancients, O was a mark of triple time, from the notion that the ternary, or number 3, is the most perfect of numbers, and properly expressed by a circle, the most perfect figure.

O was also anciently used to represent 11: with a dash over it (<Omac/), 11,000.

O <Xpage=988>

O (?) , n. ; pl. O's &or; Oes (<?/) . 1. The letter O, or its sound. "Mouthing out his hollow oes and aes."

Tennyson.

2. Something shaped like the letter O; a circle or oval. "This wooden O [Globe Theater]".

Shak.

3. A cipher; zero. [R.]

Thou art an O without a figure. Shak.

O'. <Xpage=988>

O'. [Ir. o a descendant.] A prefix to Irish family names, which signifies grandson or descendant of, and is a character of dignity; as, O' Neil, O' Carrol .

O' <Xpage=988>

O' (?) , prep. A shortened form of of or on . "At the turning o' the tide."

Shak.

O <Xpage=988>

O (?) , a. [See One .] One. [Obs.] Chaucer . "Alle thre but o God." Piers Plowman .

O <Xpage=988>

O (?) , interj. An exclamation used in calling or directly addressing a person or personified object; also, as an emotional or impassioned exclamation expressing pain, grief, surprise, desire, fear, etc.

For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Ps. cxix. 89.

O how love I thy law ! it is my meditation all the day. Ps. cxix. 97.

&hand; O is frequently followed by an ellipsis and that , an in expressing a wish: " O [I wish] that Ishmael might live before thee !" Gen. xvii. 18 ; or in expressions of surprise, indignation, or regret: " O [it is sad] that such eyes should e'er meet other object !"

Sheridan Knowles.

&hand; A distinction between the use of O and oh is insisted upon by some, namely, that O should be used only in direct address to a person or personified object, and should never be followed by the exclamation point, while Oh (or oh ) should be used in exclamations where no direct appeal or address to an object is made, and may be followed by the exclamation point or not, according to the nature or construction of the sentence. Some insist that oh should be used only as an interjection expressing strong feeling. The form O , however, is, it seems, the one most commonly employed for both uses by modern writers and correctors for the press. " O , I am slain !" Shak . " O what a fair and ministering angel !" " O sweet angel !" Longfellow .

O for a kindling touch from that pure flame ! Wordsworth.

But she is in her grave, -- and oh The difference to me ! Wordsworth.

Oh for a lodge in some vast wilderness ! Cowper.

We should distinguish between the sign of the vocative and the emotional interjection, writing O for the former, and oh for the latter. Earle.

O dear , &and; O dear me! [corrupted fr. F. O Dieu ! or It. O Dio ! O God! O Dio mio ! O my God! Wyman ] , exclamations expressive of various emotions, but usually promoted by surprise, consternation, grief, pain, etc.

Oad <Xpage=988>

Oad (?) , n. See Woad . [Obs.]

Coles.

Oaf <Xpage=988>

Oaf (?) , n. [See Auf .] Originally, an elf's child; a changeling left by fairies or goblins; hence, a deformed or foolish child; a simpleton; an idiot.

Oafish <Xpage=988>

Oaf"ish , a. Like an oaf; simple. -- Oaf"ish*ness , n.

Oak <Xpage=988>

Oak (?) , n. [OE. oke , ok , ak , AS. \'bec ; akin to D. eik , G. eiche , OHG. eih , Icel. eik , Sw. ek , Dan. eeg .]

1. (Bot.) Any tree or shrub of the genus Quercus . The oaks have alternate leaves, often variously lobed, and staminate flowers in catkins. The fruit is a smooth nut, called an acorn , which is more or less inclosed in a scaly involucre called the cup or cupule . There are now recognized about three hundred species, of which nearly fifty occur in the United States, the rest in Europe, Asia, and the other parts of North America, a very few barely reaching the northern parts of South America and Africa. Many of the oaks form forest trees of grand proportions and live many centuries. The wood is usually hard and tough, and provided with conspicuous medullary rays, forming the silver grain.

2. The strong wood or timber of the oak.

&hand; Among the true oaks in America are: Barren oak , or Black-jack , Q. nigra . -- Basket oak , Q. Michauxii . -- Black oak , Q. tinctoria : -- called also yellow or quercitron oak . -- Bur oak (see under Bur .), Q. macrocarpa ; -- called also over-cup or mossy-cup oak . -- Chestnut oak , Q. Prinus and Q. densiflora . -- Chinquapin oak (see under Chinquapin ), Q. prinoides . -- Coast live oak , Q. agrifolia , of California; -- also called enceno . -- Live oak (see under Live ), Q. virens , the best of all for shipbuilding; also, Q. Chrysolepis , of California. -- Pin oak . Same as Swamp oak . -- Post oak , Q. obtusifolia . -- Red oak , Q. rubra . -- Scarlet oak , Q. coccinea . -- Scrub oak , Q. ilicifolia , Q. undulata , etc. -- Shingle oak , Q. imbricaria . -- Spanish oak , Q. falcata . -- Swamp Spanish oak , or Pin oak , Q. palustris . -- Swamp white oak , Q. bicolor . -- Water oak , Q. aguatica . -- Water white oak , Q. lyrata . -- Willow oak , Q. Phellos .

Among the true oaks in Europe are: Bitter oak , &or; Turkey oak , Q. Cerris (see Cerris ). -- Cork oak , Q. Suber . -- English white oak , Q. Robur . -- Evergreen oak , Holly oak , &or; Holm oak , Q. Ilex . -- Kermes oak , Q. coccifera . -- Nutgall oak , Q. infectoria .

&hand; Among plants called oak , but not of the genus Quercus , are: African oak , a valuable timber tree ( Oldfieldia Africana ). -- Australian, &or; She , oak , any tree of the genus Casuarina (see Casuarina ). -- Indian oak , the teak tree (see Teak ). -- Jerusalem oak . See under Jerusalem . -- New Zealand oak , a sapindaceous tree ( Alectryon excelsum ). -- Poison oak , the poison ivy. See under Poison . -- Silky, &or; Silk-bark , oak , an Australian tree ( Grevillea robusta ).

Green oak , oak wood colored green by the growth of the mycelium of certain fungi. -- Oak apple , a large, smooth, round gall produced on the leaves of the American red oak by a gallfly ( Cynips confluens ). It is green and pulpy when young. -- Oak beauty (Zo\'94l.) , a British geometrid moth ( Biston prodromaria ) whose larva feeds on the oak. -- Oak gall , a gall found on the oak. See 2d Gall . -- Oak leather (Bot.) , the mycelium of a fungus which forms leatherlike patches in the fissures of oak wood. -- Oak pruner . (Zo\'94l.) See Pruner , the insect. -- Oak spangle , a kind of gall produced on the oak by the insect Diplolepis lenticularis . -- Oak wart , a wartlike gall on the twigs of an oak. -- The Oaks , one of the three great annual English horse races (the Derby and St. Leger being the others). It was instituted in 1779 by the Earl of Derby, and so called from his estate. -- To sport one's oak , to be "not at home to visitors," signified by closing the outer (oaken) door of one's rooms. [Cant, Eng. Univ.]

Oaken <Xpage=988>

Oak"en (?) , a. [AS. \'becen .] Made or consisting of oaks or of the wood of oaks. "In oaken bower."

Milton.

Oaken timber, wherewith to build ships. Bacon.

Oaker <Xpage=988>

Oak"er (?) , n. See Ocher . [Obs.]

Spenser.

Oakling <Xpage=988>

Oak"ling (?) , n. A young oak.

Evelyn.

<page="989"> Page 989

Oakum <Xpage=989>

Oak"um (?) , n. [AS. \'becumba ; pref. <?/ (cf.G. er- , Goth. us- , orig. meaning, out) + cemban to comb, camb comb. See Comb .] 1. The material obtained by untwisting and picking into loose fiber old hemp ropes; -- used for calking the seams of ships, stopping leaks, etc.

2. The coarse portion separated from flax or hemp in nackling.

Knight.

White oakum , that made from untarred rope.

Oaky <Xpage=989>

Oak"y (?) , n. Resembling oak; strong.

Bp. Hall.

Oar <Xpage=989>

Oar (?) , n [AS. \'ber ; akin to Icel. \'ber , Dan. aare , Sw. \'86ra ; perh. akin to E. row , v. Cf. Rowlock .]

1. An implement for impelling a boat, being a slender piece of timber, usually ash or spruce, with a grip or handle at one end and a broad blade at the other. The part which rests in the rowlock is called the loom .

&hand; An oar is a kind of long paddle, which swings about a kind of fulcrum, called a rowlock , fixed to the side of the boat.

2. An oarsman; a rower; as, he is a good car .

3. (Zo\'94l.) An oarlike swimming organ of various invertebrates.