obeisance (noun)
Deferential respect. A gesture expressing deferential respect, such as a bow or curtsy. (NOA)
A movement of the body made in token of respect or submission; bow. Acknowledgment of another's superiority or importance; homage. (MW)
Deferential respect. A gesture expressing deferential respect, such as a bow or curtsy. (NOA)
A movement of the body made in token of respect or submission; bow. Acknowledgment of another's superiority or importance; homage. (MW)
A gesture or movement of the body, such as a curtsy, that expresses deference or homage. An attitude of deference or homage. (AHD)
The fact of obeying or respecting someone, or something you do that expresses this. (CD)
obeisant (adjective)
obeisantly (adverb)
obelus or obelisk (noun)
The symbol ÷ (MW)
The symbol † (OED) meaning obsolete.
obeisant (adjective)
obeisantly (adverb)
obelus or obelisk (noun)
The symbol ÷ (MW)
The symbol † (OED) meaning obsolete.
A straight horizontal stroke (–), sometimes with one dot above and one below (÷), used in ancient manuscripts and in editions of literary or sacred texts to point out a spurious, corrupt, doubtful, or superfluous word or passage. The mark †, chiefly used in printing for marginal references, footnotes, etc. (OED)
A dagger, obelisk, or obelus † is a typographical mark that usually indicates a footnote if an asterisk has already been used. The symbol is also used to indicate death or extinction. (ascii-code.com)
obstreperous (adjective)
Noisily unruly or defiant. (AHD)
obstreperous (adjective)
Noisily unruly or defiant. (AHD)
Noisy and difficult to control. (NOA)
Difficult to deal with and noisy. (CD)
Marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness; clamorous. Stubbornly resistant to control; unruly. (MW)
ochlocracy (noun)
Government by a mob; mob rule. (NOA)
Marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness; clamorous. Stubbornly resistant to control; unruly. (MW)
ochlocracy (noun)
Government by a mob; mob rule. (NOA)
Government by the masses; mob rule. (AHD)
Mob rule; government by the populace. (CHM)
A political system in which a mob is the source of control; government by the masses. (VC)
octothorpe or octothorp (noun)
The symbol # (MW)
octothorpe or octothorp (noun)
The symbol # (MW)
odd pricing (business practice)
A strategy whereby retail prices are set at levels a little less than a round number, for example $19.99, $8.98, $99.95. (CDC)
Pricing that does not end in a zero or a number of zeros. For instance, $1.99. Conventional wisdom and numerous studies suggest it works because people read left to right. Therefore, the left-most figure is the most important in terms of perception. (RM)
oenology (noun) – see enology
oenology (noun) – see enology
oeuvre (noun)
The body of work of a painter, composer, or author. (OD)
The complete works of a writer, painter, or other artist. (CD)
The works of a painter, composer, or author regarded collectively. (NOA)
The sum of the lifework of an artist, writer, or composer. (AHD)
A substantial body of work constituting the lifework of a writer, an artist, or a composer. (MW)
oikophobia (neologism)
Psychiatry: An aversion to home surroundings. (Wikipedia)
Political: The repudiation of inheritance and home; the antithesis of xenophobia; political ideologies that repudiate one’s own culture and laud others. (Wikipedia)
The sum of the lifework of an artist, writer, or composer. (AHD)
A substantial body of work constituting the lifework of a writer, an artist, or a composer. (MW)
oikophobia (neologism)
Psychiatry: An aversion to home surroundings. (Wikipedia)
Political: The repudiation of inheritance and home; the antithesis of xenophobia; political ideologies that repudiate one’s own culture and laud others. (Wikipedia)
Roger Scruton on oikophobia: The disposition, in any conflict, to side with them against us, and the felt need to denigrate the customs, culture and institutions that are identifiably ours. Being the opposite of xenophobia I propose to call this state of mind oikophobia, by which I mean (stretching the Greek a little) the repudiation of inheritance and home…A chronic form of oikophobia has spread through the American universities, in the guise of political correctness, and loudly surfaced in the aftermath of September 11th, to pour scorn on the culture that allegedly provoked the attacks, and to side by implication with the terrorists…The oik is, in his own eyes, a defender of enlightened universalism against local chauvinism. (Roger Scruton, England and the Need for Nations, 2006.)
Grok summary: Coined by the philosopher Roger Scruton to describe a form of aversion towards one's own culture, traditions, or homeland. Scruton used this term to critique what he saw as a prevalent attitude in modern Western societies where individuals or groups might show disdain or rejection of their own cultural heritage while often idealizing or overly romanticizing foreign cultures. In broader terms, oikophobia can manifest as:
Cultural self-loathing: A tendency to criticize or devalue one's own cultural practices or national identity excessively.
Negative patriotism: An attitude where one's own country or culture is viewed through an overly critical lens, often ignoring positive aspects or achievements.
Preference for the foreign: An inclination to prefer or overly idealize other cultures at the expense of one's own, sometimes leading to cultural relativism where all cultures are considered equal regardless of their practices or values. (Grok)
omniana (noun)
A miscellaneous collection of scraps of information on different topics, often in written form. (CDC)
Thoughts or scraps of information about all or many kinds of things, especially (a collection of) notes, jottings, or short pieces of writing on all or many kinds of subjects. (OED)
A miscellaneous collection of notes, thoughts, or information on various subjects, often gathered by an individual over time. The term was popularized by Robert Southey, an English poet, who used it for his collection of literary and historical anecdotes in the early 19th century. Essentially, it is a catch-all term for a broad, eclectic mixture of writings or knowledge. (Grok)
Note: Like this weblog.
ontology (noun)
Note: Like this weblog.
ontology (noun)
The part of philosophy that studies what it means to exist. (CD)
The branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being. (NOA)
The metaphysical study of the nature of being and existence. The study of being alive and existing. (VC)
The branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature and essence of things or of existence. (CHM)
ontological argument:
A philosophical argument for the existence of God that asserts God's existence can be deduced from the concept of God itself, primarily focusing on the idea that God is a being than which no greater can be conceived. (Grok)
Argument that proceeds from the idea of God to the reality of God. (EB)
Christopher Hitchens: The simpleminded notion that if god can be conceived as an idea, or stated as a predicate, he must therefore possess the quality of existence. (God is Not Great, 2007, Page 265)
opprobrium (noun)
Severe criticism and blame. (CD)
Harsh criticism or censure. The public disgrace arising from someone's shameful conduct. (NOA)
Disgrace arising from exceedingly shameful conduct; ignominy. Scornful reproach or contempt. (AHD)
Something that brings disgrace. Public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious. Contempt, reproach. (MW)
opprobrious (adjective): Of language, expressing scorn or criticism. (NOA)
organization man (noun)
A man who subordinates his individuality and his personal life to the organization for which he works. (OED)
A man who lets his individuality and personal life be dominated by the organization he serves. (OD)
A man who subordinates individualism to conformity with the standards and requirements of an organization. (MW)
An employee who sacrifices his own individuality for the good of an organization. (VC)
A man who subordinates his personal life to the demands of the organization he works for. An employee, especially of a large corporation, who has adapted so completely to what is expected in attitudes, ideas, behavior, etc. by the corporation as to have lost a sense of personal identity or independence. (CDC)
orthography (noun)
The conventional spelling system of a language. The study of spelling and how letters combine to represent sounds and form words. (NOA)
The art or study of correct spelling according to established usage. The aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words. (AHD)
The accepted way of spelling and writing words. (CD)
The art of writing words with the proper letters according to standard usage. The representation of the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols. A part of language study that deals with letters and spelling. (MW)
A writing system. Spelling considered to be correct. The principles underlying spelling. The study of spelling. Spelling in accord with accepted usage. Any style or method of spelling. Spelling as a subject for study. (CDC)
Oxbridge (noun and adjective)
The universities of Oxford and Cambridge regarded together, especially in contrast to other British universities. Of, relating to, characteristic of, or reminiscent of Oxbridge, frequently with implication of superior social or intellectual status. (OED)
opprobrious (adjective): Of language, expressing scorn or criticism. (NOA)
organization man (noun)
A man who subordinates his individuality and his personal life to the organization for which he works. (OED)
A man who lets his individuality and personal life be dominated by the organization he serves. (OD)
A man who subordinates individualism to conformity with the standards and requirements of an organization. (MW)
An employee who sacrifices his own individuality for the good of an organization. (VC)
A man who subordinates his personal life to the demands of the organization he works for. An employee, especially of a large corporation, who has adapted so completely to what is expected in attitudes, ideas, behavior, etc. by the corporation as to have lost a sense of personal identity or independence. (CDC)
orthography (noun)
The conventional spelling system of a language. The study of spelling and how letters combine to represent sounds and form words. (NOA)
The art or study of correct spelling according to established usage. The aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words. (AHD)
The accepted way of spelling and writing words. (CD)
The art of writing words with the proper letters according to standard usage. The representation of the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols. A part of language study that deals with letters and spelling. (MW)
A writing system. Spelling considered to be correct. The principles underlying spelling. The study of spelling. Spelling in accord with accepted usage. Any style or method of spelling. Spelling as a subject for study. (CDC)
Oxbridge (noun and adjective)
The universities of Oxford and Cambridge regarded together, especially in contrast to other British universities. Of, relating to, characteristic of, or reminiscent of Oxbridge, frequently with implication of superior social or intellectual status. (OED)
Oxford and Cambridge universities regarded together. (NOA)
Oxford and Cambridge universities, especially when regarded as the seat of traditional academic excellence, privilege, and exclusiveness. Of or characteristic of Oxbridge. (AHD)
The universities of Oxford and Cambridge, considered as a unit separate from other universities in Britain. Belonging or relating to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. (CD)
Of, relating to, or characteristic of Oxford and Cambridge Universities. (MW)
Oxford comma (noun)
A comma immediately preceding the conjunction in a list of items. (OED)
A comma used to separate the second-to-last item in a list from a final item introduced by the conjunction and or or. Also known as a serial comma. (MW)
A comma between the final items in a list, often preceding the word and or or. (CDC)
The Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma, is an optional comma used before the conjunction, usually and or or, in a list of three or more items. It is more commonly used in British English than in American English, although this is a generalization and usage varies widely. (Grok)
MLA: This comma precedes the final item in a list or series, before the word and or or. With the exception of newspapers, most publications use the serial comma, because it helps writers avoid ambiguity. Who would object to unambiguous prose? Fair-weather comma users: Publications that do not require the serial comma may use it only when misreading results. Proponents of the serial comma, like the MLA, would decry the inconsistency of the use-it-when-you-need-it approach and advocate using the serial comma in all series of three or more items or phrases. (MLA)