Webster's Dictionary, 1913

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Obliquely adverb In an oblique manner; not directly; indirectly. "Truth obliquely leveled." Bp. Fell.

Declining from the noon of day,
The sun obliquely shoots his burning ray.
Pope

His discourse tends obliquely to the detracting from others.
Addison.

Obliqueness noun Quality or state of being oblique.

Obliquity noun ; plural Obliquities . [ Latin obliquitas : confer French obliquité .]
1. The condition of being oblique; deviation from a right line; deviation from parallelism or perpendicularity; the amount of such deviation; divergence; as, the obliquity of the ecliptic to the equator.

2. Deviation from ordinary rules; irregularity; deviation from moral rectitude.

To disobey [ God] . . . imports a moral obliquity .
South.

Oblite adjective [ Latin oblitus , past participle pf oblinere to besmear.] Indistinct; slurred over. [ Obsolete] "Obscure and oblite mention." Fuller.

Obliterate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Obliterated ; present participle & verbal noun Obliterating .] [ Latin obliteratus , past participle of obliterare to obliterate; ob (see Ob- ) + litera , littera , letter. See Letter .]
1. To erase or blot out; to efface; to render undecipherable, as a writing.

2. To wear out; to remove or destroy utterly by any means; to render imperceptible; as. to obliterate ideas; to obliterate the monuments of antiquity.

The harsh and bitter feelings of this or that experience are slowly obliterated .
W. Black.

Obliterate adjective (Zoology) Scarcely distinct; -- applied to the markings of insects.

Obliteration noun [ Latin obliteratio : confer French oblitération .] The act of obliterating, or the state of being obliterated; extinction. Sir. M. Hale.

Obliterative adjective Tending or serving to obliterate.

Oblivion noun [ Latin oblivio , akin to oblivisci to forget: confer Old French oblivion .]
1. The act of forgetting, or the state of being forgotten; cessation of remembrance; forgetfulness.

Second childishness and mere oblivion .
Shak.

Among our crimes oblivion may be set.
Dryden

The origin of our city will be buried in eternal oblivion .
W. Irving.

2. Official ignoring of offenses; amnesty, or general pardon; as, an act of oblivion . Sir J. Davies.

Syn. -- See Forgetfulness .

Oblivious adjective [ Latin obliviosus : confer French oblivieux .]


1. Promoting oblivion; causing forgetfulness. "The oblivious pool." Milton.

She lay in deep, oblivious slumber.
Longfellow.

2. Evincing oblivion; forgetful.

Through are both weak in body and oblivious .
Latimer.

-- Obliv"i*ous*ly , adverb -- Ob*liv"i*ous*ness , noun Foxe.

Oblocutor noun [ Latin oblocutor , obloquutor , from obloqui , oblocutus , to speak against; ob (see Ob- ) + loqui to speak. See Loquacious .] A disputer; a gainsayer. [ Obsolete] Bale.

Oblong adjective [ Latin oblongus ; ob (see Ob- ) + longus long: confer French oblong .] Having greater length than breadth, esp. when rectangular.

Oblong noun A rectangular figure longer than it is broad; hence, any figure longer than it is broad.

The best figure of a garden I esteem an oblong upon a descent.
Sir W. Temple.

Oblong-ovate adjective Between oblong and ovate, but inclined to the latter.

Oblongata noun [ New Latin ] (Anat.) The medulla oblongata. B. G. Wilder.

Oblongatal adjective Of or pertaining to the medulla oblongata; medullar.

Oblongish adjective Somewhat oblong.

Oblongly adverb In an oblong form.

Oblongness noun State or quality of being oblong.

Oblongum noun ; plural Oblonga . [ New Latin See Oblong .] (Geom.) A prolate spheroid; a figure described by the revolution of an ellipse about its greater axis. Confer Oblatum , and see Ellipsoid of revolution , under Ellipsoid .

Obloquious adjective Containing obloquy; reproachful [ R.] Naunton.

Obloquy (ŏb"lo*kwȳ) noun [ Latin obloquium , from obloqui . See Oblocutor .]
1. Censorious speech; defamatory language; language that casts contempt on men or their actions; blame; reprehension.

Shall names that made your city the glory of the earth be mentioned with obloquy and detraction?
Addison.

2. Cause of reproach; disgrace. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Syn. -- Reproach; odium; censure; contumely; gainsaying; reviling; calumny; slander; detraction.

Obluctation noun [ Latin oblictutio , from obluctari to struggle against.] A struggle against; resistance; opposition. [ Obsolete] Fotherby.

Obmutescence (ŏb`mu*tĕs"s e ns) noun [ Latin obmutescens , p. pr of obmutescere to become dumb; ob (see Ob- ) + mutescere to grow dumb, from mutus dumb.]
1. A becoming dumb; loss of speech. Sir T. Browne.

2. A keeping silent or mute. Paley.

Obnoxious (ŏb*nŏk"shŭs) adjective [ Latin obnoxius ; ob (see Ob- ) + noxius hurtful. See Noxious .]
1. Subject; liable; exposed; answerable; amenable; -- with to .

The writings of lawyers, which are tied obnoxious to their particular laws.
Bacon.

Esteeming it more honorable to live on the public than to be obnoxious to any private purse.
Milton.

Obnoxious , first or last,
To basest things
Milton.

2. Liable to censure; exposed to punishment; reprehensible; blameworthy. "The contrived and interested schemes of . . . obnoxious authors." Bp. Fell.

All are obnoxious , and this faulty land,
Like fainting Hester, does before you stand
Watching your scepter.
Waller.

3. Offensive; odious; hateful; as, an obnoxious statesman; a minister obnoxious to the Whigs. Burke.

-- Ob*nox"ious*ly , adverb -- Ob*nox"ious*ness , noun South.

Obnubilate transitive verb [ Latin obnubilatus , past participle of obnubilare to obscure. See Ob- , and Nubilate .] To cloud; to obscure. [ Obsolete] Burton. -- Ob*nu"bi*la"tion noun [ Obsolete] Beddoes.

Oboe noun [ Italian , from French hautbois . See Hautboy .] (Mus.) One of the higher wind instruments in the modern orchestra, yet of great antiquity, having a penetrating pastoral quality of tone, somewhat like the clarinet in form, but more slender, and sounded by means of a double reed; a hautboy.

Oboist noun A performer on the oboe.

Obolary adjective [ See Obolus .] Possessing only small coins; impoverished. [ R.] Lamb.

Obole noun [ Confer F. obole . See Obolus .] (Old Pharm.) A weight of twelve grains; or, according to some, of ten grains, or half a scruple. [ Written also obol .]

Obolize transitive verb See Obelize .

Obolo noun [ Confer Obolus .] A copper coin, used in the Ionian Islands, about one cent in value.

Obolus noun ; plural Oboli . [ Latin , fr Greek ] (Gr.Antiq.) (a) A small silver coin of Athens, the sixth part of a drachma, about three cents in value. (b) An ancient weight, the sixth part of a drachm.

Obomegoid adjective [ Prefix ob- + omegoid .] (Zoology) Obversely omegoid.

Oboval adjective [ Prefix ob- + oval .] Obovate.

Obovate adjective [ Prefix ob- + ovate .] (Botany) Inversely ovate; ovate with the narrow end downward; as, an obovate leaf.

Obreption noun [ Latin obreptio , from obrepere , obreptum , to creep up to; ob (see Ob- ) + repere to creep.]
1. The act of creeping upon with secrecy or by surprise. [ Obsolete] Cudworth.

2. (Scots Law) The obtaining gifts of escheat by fraud or surprise. Bell.

Obreptitious adjective [ Latin obreptitus . See Obreption .] Done or obtained by surprise; with secrecy, or by concealment of the truth. [ R.] Cotgrave.

Obrogate transitive verb [ Latin obrogatus , past participle of obrogare to obrogate.] To annul indirectly by enacting a new and contrary law, instead of by expressly abrogating or repealing the old one. [ Obsolete] Bailey.

Obrok noun [ Russian obrok' .] (a) A rent. (b) A poll tax paid by peasants absent from their lord's estate. [ Russia] Brande & C.

Obscene adjective [ Latin obscenus , obscaenus , obscoenus , ill looking, filthy, obscene: confer French obscéne .]


1. Offensive to chastity or modesty; expressing or presenting to the mind or view something which delicacy, purity, and decency forbid to be exposed; impure; as, obscene language; obscene pictures.

Words that were once chaste, by frequent use grew obscene and uncleanly.
I. Watts.

2. Foul; fifthy; disgusting.

A girdle foul with grease b......ds his obscene attire.
Dryden.

3. Inauspicious; ill-omened. [ R.] [ A Latinism]

At the cheerful light,
The groaning ghosts and birds obscene take flight.
Dryden.

Syn. -- Impure; immodest; indecent; unchaste; lewd.

-- Ob*scene"ly , adverb -- Ob*scene"ness , noun

Obscenity noun ; plural Obscenities . [ Latin obscentias : confer French obscénité .] That quality in words or things which presents what is offensive to chasity or purity of mind; obscene or impure lanquage or acts; moral impurity; lewdness; obsceneness; as, the obscenity of a speech, or a picture.

Mr.Cowley asserts plainly, that obscenity has no place in wit.
Dryden.

No pardon vile obscenity should find.
Pope.

Obscurant noun [ Latin obscurans , present participle of obscurare to obscure.] One who obscures; one who prevents enlightenment or hinders the progress of knowledge and wisdom. Coleridge.

Obscurantism noun The system or the principles of the obscurants. C. Kingsley.

Obscurantist noun Same as Obscurant . Ed. Rev.

Obscuration noun [ Latin obscurativ : confer French obscuration . See Obscure , transitive verb ] The act or operation of obscuring; the state of being obscured; as, the obscuration of the moon in an eclipse. Sir J. Herschel.

Obscure adjective [ Compar. Obscurer ; superl. Obscurest .] [ Latin obscurus , orig., covered; ob- (see Ob- ) + a root probably meaning, to cover; confer Latin scutum shield, Sanskrit sku to cover: confer French obscur . Confer Sky .]


1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim.

His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
Prov. xx. 20.

2. Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed.

The obscure bird
Clamored the livelong night.
Shak.

The obscure corners of the earth.
Sir J. Davies.

3. Not noticeable; humble; mean. "O base and obscure vulgar." Shak. "An obscure person." Atterbury.

4. Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or blind; as, an obscure passage or inscription.

5. Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects.

Obscure rays (Opt.) , those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion.

Syn. -- Dark; dim; darksome; dusky; shadowy; misty; abstruse; intricate; difficult; mysterious; retired; unnoticed; unknown; humble; mean; indistinct.

Obscure transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Obscured ; present participle & verbal noun Obscuring .] [ Latin obscurare , from obscurus : confer Old French obscurer . See Obscure , adjective ] To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.

They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured lights.
Shak.

Why, 't is an office of discovery, love,
And I should be obscured .
Shak.

There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by the writings of learned men as this.
Wake.

And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame?
Dryden.

Obscure intransitive verb To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark. [ Obsolete]

How! There's bad news.
I must obscure , and hear it.
Beau. & Fl.

Obscure noun Obscurity. [ Obsolete] Milton.