Oviposit intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Oviposited ; present participle & verbal noun Ovipositing .] [ See Ovum , and Posit .] To lay or deposit eggs; -- said esp. of insects.

Oviposit transitive verb To deposit or lay (an egg).

Ovipositing, Oviposition noun The depositing of eggs, esp. by insects.

Ovipositor noun [ Latin ovum an egg + positor a placer, from ponere to place.] (Zoology) The organ with which many insects and some other animals deposit their eggs. Some ichneumon files have a long ovipositor fitted to pierce the eggs or larvæ of other insects, in order to lay their own eggs within the same.

Ovisac noun [ Ov um + sac .] (Anat) (a) A Graafian follicle; any sac containing an ovum or ova. (b) The inner layer of the fibrous wall of a Graafian follicle.

Ovism noun [ Ov um + - ism .] (Zoology) The old theory that the egg contains the whole embryo of the future organism and the germs of all subsequent offsprings and is merely awakened to activity by the spermatozoön; -- opposed to spermism or animalculism .

Ovist noun (Biol.) Same as Ovulist .

Ovist noun (Zoology) A believer in ovism.

Ovococcus noun ; plural Ovococci . [ Ov um + Greek ... grain, seed.] (Biol.) A germinal vesicle.

Ovoid noun A solid resembling an egg in shape.

Ovoid, Ovoidal adjective [ Ov um + -oid : confer French ovoïde .] Resembling an egg in shape; egg-shaped; ovate; as, an ovoidal apple.

Ovolo noun [ Italian ovolo , uovolo , from Latin ovum an egg. Confer Ovule .] (Architecture) A round, convex molding. See Illust. of Column .

» In Roman work it is usually a quarter circle in section; in Greek work it is flatter, and is equivalent to the echinus; that is, it has in section the elastic curve of the shell of the sea urchin. In mediæval architecture it is not distinguishable from the multitude of convex moldings, of all sections, which are used.

Ovology noun [ Ov um + - logy . Confer French ovologie .] That branch of natural history which treats of the origin and functions of eggs.

Ovoplasma noun [ Ov um + plasma .] (Boil.) Yolk; egg yolk. Haeckel.

Ovotesttis noun [ New Latin See Ovum , and Testis .] (Zoology) An organ which produces both ova and spermatozoids; an hermaphrodite gland.

Ovoviviparous adjective [ Ov um + viviparous : confer French ovovivipare .] (Biol.) Oviparous, but hatching the egg while it is within the body, as some fishes and reptiles.

Ovular adjective (Biol.) Relating or belonging to an ovule; as, an ovular growth.

Ovulary adjective (Biol.) Pertaining to ovules.

Ovulate adjective (Biol.) Containing an ovule or ovules.

Ovulation noun (Phisiol.) The formation of ova or eggs in the ovary, and the discharge of the same. In the mammalian female the discharge occurs during menstruation.

Ovule noun [ Dim. of Latin ovum an egg: confer French ovule . Confer Ovolo , Ovulum .] (Biol.) (a) The rudiment of a seed. It grows from a placenta, and consists of a soft nucleus within two delicate coatings. The attached base of the ovule is the hilum , the coatings are united with the nucleus at the chalaza , and their minute orifice is the foramen . (b) An ovum.

Ovuliferous adjective [ Ovule + -ferous .] (biol.) Producing ovules.

Ovulist noun (Biol.) A believer in the theory (called encasement theory ), current during the last century, that the egg was the real animal germ, and that at the time of fecundation the spermatozoa simply gave the impetus which caused the unfolding of the egg, in which all generations were inclosed one within the other. Also called ovist .

Ovulite noun [ Ov um + - lite .] A fossil egg.

Ovulum noun ; plural Ovula . [ New Latin See Ovule .] (Biol.) An ovule.

Ovum noun ; plural Latin Ova , English Ovums . [ Latin , an egg. See Oval .]
1. (Biol.) A more or less spherical and transparent mass of granular protoplasm, which by a process of multiplication and growth develops into a mass of cells, constituting a new individual like the parent; an egg, spore, germ, or germ cell. See Illust. of Mycropyle .

» The ovum is a typical cell, with a cell wall, cell substance, nucleus, and nucleolus. In man and the higher animals the cell wall, a vertically striated membrane, is called the zona pellucida ; the cell contents, the vitellus ; the nucleus, the germinal vesicle ; and the nucleolus, the germinal spot . The diameter of the ripe ovum in man and the domestic animals varies between 1-200 and 1-120 of an inch.

2. (Architecture) One of the series of egg- shaped ornaments into which the ovolo is often carved. Gwilt.

Owch noun See Ouch . [ Obsolete] Speser.

Owe transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Owed , ( Ought obsolete ); present participle & verbal noun Owing .] [ Middle English owen , awen , aghen , to have, own, have (to do), hence, owe, Anglo-Saxon āgan to have; akin to German eigen , adjective , own, Icelandic eiga to have, Danish eie , Swedish äga , Goth. áigan , Sanskrit .... ............. Confer Ought , v. , 2d Own , Fraught .]
1. To possess; to have, as the rightful owner; to own. [ Obsolete]

Thou dost here usurp
The name thou ow'st not.

Shak.

2. To have or possess, as something derived or bestowed; to be obliged to ascribe (something to some source); to be indebted or obliged for; as, he owed his wealth to his father; he owed his victory to his lieutenants. Milton.

O deem thy fall not owed to man's decree.

Pope.

3. Hence: To have or be under an obigation to restore, pay, or render (something) in return or compensation for something received; to be indebted in the sum of; as, the subject owes allegiance; the fortunate owe assistance to the unfortunate.

The one ought five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

Bible (1551).

A son owes help and honor to his father.

Holyday.

» Owe was sometimes followed by an objective clause introduced by the infinitive. "Ye owen to incline and bow your heart." Chaucer.

4. To have an obligation to (some one) on account of something done or received; to be indebted to; as, to iwe the grocer for supplies, or a laborer for services.

Owel adjective [ Old French oel , owel , iwel , ivel , French égal , from Latin aequalis .] (Law) Equal. [ Obsolete] Burrill.

Owelty noun [ Old French oelté , ivelté .] (Law) Equality; -- sometimes written ovelty and ovealty . Burrill.

Owen adjective [ See Own .] Own. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Owenite noun A follower of Robert Owen , who tried to reorganize society on a socialistic basis, and established an industrial community on the Clyde, Scotland, and, later, a similar one in Indiana.

Owher adverb [ Anglo-Saxon āhwær .] Anywhere. [ Obsolete] "If he found owher a good fellow." Chaucer.

Owing past participle & adjective [ Used in a passive sense for owed (AS. āgen . See Own ).]
1. Had or held under obligation of paying; due.

There is more owing her than is paid.

Shak.

2. Had or experienced as a consequence, result, issue, etc.; ascribable; -- with to ; as, misfortunes are often owing to vices; his failure was owing to speculations.

Owl noun [ Anglo-Saxon ūle ; akin to Dutch uil , Old High German ūwila , German eule , Icelandic ugla , Swedish ugla , Danish ugle .]

1. (Zoology) Any species of raptorial birds of the family Strigidæ . They have large eyes and ears, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye. They are mostly nocturnal in their habits.

» Some species have erectile tufts of feathers on the head. The feathers are soft and somewhat downy. The species are numerous. See Barn owl , Burrowing owl , Eared owl , Hawk owl , Horned owl , Screech owl , Snowy owl , under Barn , Burrowing , etc.

» In the Scriptures the owl is commonly associated with desolation; poets and story-tellers introduce it as a bird of ill omen. . . . The Greeks and Romans made it the emblem of wisdom, and sacred to Minerva, -- and indeed its large head and solemn eyes give it an air of wisdom. Am. Cyc.

2. (Zoology) A variety of the domestic pigeon.

Owl monkey (Zoology) , any one of several species of South American nocturnal monkeys of the genus Nyctipithecus . They have very large eyes. Called also durukuli . -- Owl moth (Zoology) , a very large moth ( Erebus strix ). The expanse of its wings is over ten inches. -- Owl parrot (Zoology) , the kakapo. -- Sea owl (Zoology) , the lumpfish. -- Owl train , a cant name for certain railway trains whose run is in the nighttime.

Owl intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Owled ; present participle & verbal noun Owling .]
1. To pry about; to prowl. [ Prov. Eng.]

2. To carry wool or sheep out of England. [ Obsolete]

» This was formerly illegal, and was done chiefly by night.

3. Hence, to carry on any contraband trade. [ Eng.]

Owl-eyed adjective Having eyes like an owl's.

Owler noun [ From Owl , intransitive verb ] One who owls; esp., one who conveys contraband goods. See Owling , noun [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.] T. Brown.

Owlery noun ; plural Owleries An abode or a haunt of owls.

Owlet noun [ Dim. of owl . Confer Howlet .] (Zoology) A small owl; especially, the European species ( Athene noctua ), and the California flammulated owlet ( Megascops flammeolus ).

Owlet moth (Zoology) , any noctuid moth.

Owling noun [ From Owl , intransitive verb ] (O. Eng. Law) The offense of transporting wool or sheep out of England contrary to the statute formerly existing. Blackstone.

Owlish adjective Resembling, or characteristic of, an owl.

Owlism noun Affected wisdom; pompous dullness. [ R.]

Owllight noun Glimmering or imperfect light. [ R.] Bp. Warburton.

Own (ōn) transitive verb [ Middle English unnen to grant, permit, be pleased with, Anglo-Saxon unnan to grant; akin to Old Saxon giunnan , German gönnen , Icelandic unna ; of uncertain origin. This word has been confused with own to possess.] To grant; to acknowledge; to admit to be true; to confess; to recognize in a particular character; as, we own that we have forfeited your love.

The wakeful bloodhound rose, and shook his hide;
But his sagacious eye an inmate owns .

Keats.

Own adjective [ Middle English owen , awen , auen , aughen , Anglo-Saxon āgen , past participle of āgan to possess; akin to Old Saxon ēgan , G. & Dutch eigen , Icelandic eiginn , Swedish & Danish egen . √110. See Owe .] Belonging to; belonging exclusively or especially to; peculiar; -- most frequently following a possessive pronoun, as my , our , thy , your , his , her , its , their , in order to emphasize or intensify the idea of property, peculiar interest, or exclusive ownership; as, my own father; my own composition; my own idea; at my own price. "No man was his own [ i. e. , no man was master of himself, or in possession of his senses]." Shak.

To hold one's own , to keep or maintain one's possessions; to yield nothing; esp., to suffer no loss or disadvantage in a contest. Shak.

Own transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Owned ; present participle & verbal noun Owning .] [ Middle English ohnien , ahnien , Anglo-Saxon āgnian , from āgen own, adjective See Own , adjective ] To hold as property; to have a legal or rightful title to; to be the proprietor or possessor of; to possess; as, to own a house.

Owner noun One who owns; a rightful proprietor; one who has the legal or rightful title, whether he is the possessor or not. Shak.

Ownerless adjective Without an owner.

Ownership noun The state of being an owner; the right to own; exclusive right of possession; legal or just claim or title; proprietorship.

Owre noun [ Anglo-Saxon ūr ; akin to German auer ochs, Old High German ūr , ūr ohso, Icelandic ūrr .] (Zoology) The aurochs. [ Obsolete]