old ["old] 1. adj. having been alive for a long time; not recently born; not young. (Comp: older; sup: old- est.) 2. adj. having existed for a long time; not recently made; not new. (Comp: older; sup: oldest.) 3. adj. of a certain age. (Follows the age. Comp: older.) 4. adj. pre- vious; former. (Comp: older; sup: oldest.) → (as) comfortable as an old shoe → be old hat → a chip off the old block → from the old school → the good old days → ripe old age old age ["old "edZ] 1. n. the period when one is old. (No plural.) 2. adj. of or about Q. (Hyphen- ated.) old-fashioned ["old "fAS @nd] adj. belonging to the style, actions, behavior, or rules of the past. (Adv: old-fashionedly.) olive ["a lIv] 1. n. a tree grown in warm climates for its fruit. 2. n. the fruit of Q, used for food. → hold out the olive branch omelet ["am lIt] n. a dish made of beaten eggs, cooked flat and folded over, sometimes stuffed with other foods. omission [o "mIS @n] 1. n. not list- ing or not including someone or something; omitting someone or something. 2. n. something that has been left out; something that has been omitted. omit [o "mIt] tv. to leave someone or something out; to forget to list or include something. on ["On] 1. prep. above and sup- ported by someone or something; covering or partially covering someone or something; touching the surface of someone or some- thing. 2. prep. traveling by [plane, train, boat, bus, motorcycle, bicy- cle, etc.]. (But one travels in an automobile.) 3. prep. near some- thing; at the edge of [a body of water]. 4. prep. about someone or something. 5. prep. [happening] at a specific time, identified by the date or the day. 6. prep. as a mem- ber or part of some group. 7. adj. operating; turned on as in O. 8. adj. still happening; not can- celed; continuing as scheduled. 9. adv. so that something operates; so that something has the power to operate. on a bias and on the bias on a diagonal line; on a diagonal path- way or direction. on a fool’s errand involved in a useless journey or task. on a shoestring with a very small amount of money. on a waiting list [for someone’s name to be] on a list of people waiting for an opportunity to do something. on active duty in battle or ready to go into battle. (Military.) on all fours on one’s hands and knees. on Broadway located in the Broad- way (New York City) theater dis- trict; currently performing or being performed in the Broadway theater district. on campus located within the campus of a college or university. on cloud nine very happy. old 396 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 396 TLFeBOOK on consignment [of goods] hav- ing been placed in a store for sale, without transferring the title of the goods to the operator of the store. on credit using credit; buying something using credit. on duty at work; currently doing one’s work. on earth and in creation; in the world of all things, places, or peo- ple; out of all the possibilities; given all options. (Used after who, what, when, where, or how to express surprise or amazement.) on fire burning; being burned with flames. on foot [running or walking] using the feet. on impulse after having had an impulse or thought. on land on the soil; on the land and not at sea. on location in a place, located far from a movie studio, where a movie is filmed. on one’s feet 1. standing up; stand- ing on one’s feet. 2. well and healthy, especially after an illness. on one’s honor on one’s solemn oath; [promised] sincerely, speak- ing as an honorable person. on one’s last legs and on its last legs almost completely worn-out, exhausted, or broken down; close to dying or ending. on one’s mind occupying one’s thoughts; currently being thought about. on one’s person [of something] carried with one. on one’s toes alert. on patrol Go to (out) on patrol. on pins and needles anxious; waiting eagerly and nervously. on probation 1. serving a period of probation. 2. serving a trial period. on purpose [doing something] in a way that is meant or planned; not an accident. on sale available for purchase at a reduced price. on second thought having given something more thought; having reconsidered something. on someone’s doorstep Go to at someone’s doorstep. on someone’s say-so on someone’s authority; with someone’s permis- sion. on someone’s shoulders [serving as a burden] on someone. (Usually with responsibility. On can be replaced with upon.) on standby waiting for one’s turn, especially describing travelers who wait near a train, plane, or bus, hoping that a seat will become available. on target on schedule; exactly as predicted. on the air [relating to a radio, tele- vision station] broadcasting; [relating to a radio or television program] being broadcast. (Com- pare this with off the air.) on the average generally; usually. on the bench 1. directing a session of court. (Said of a judge.) 2. sit- ting, waiting for a chance to play on the bench 397 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 397 TLFeBOOK in a game. (In team sports such as basketball, football, and soccer.) on the bias Go to on a bias. on the block 1. on a city block. 2. on sale at auction; on the auc- tion block. on the borderline in an uncertain position between two statuses; undecided. on the button exactly right; in exactly the right place; at exactly the right time. on the contrary in opposition to what has just been said. on the defensive overly ready to defend oneself. on the dot at exactly the right time. on the go busy; moving about busily. on the heels of something soon after something. on the horizon soon to happen. on the horns of a dilemma hav- ing to decide between two things, people, etc.; balanced between one choice and another. on the hour at the beginning of the hour or of each hour; precisely when the numbered hour begins—for example, at 3:00, not 3:08 or 3:30. on the house [something that is] given away free by a merchant. on the level Go to (strictly) on the level. on the market available for sale; offered for sale. on the mend getting well; healing. on the move moving; happening busily. on the off chance because of a slight possibility [that something may happen or might be the case]; just in case. on the QT quietly; secretly. on the right track following the right set of assumptions. on the spot 1. at exactly the right place; at exactly the right time. 2. in trouble; in a difficult situa- tion. on the spur of the moment sud- denly; spontaneously. on the tip of one’s tongue about to be said; almost remembered. on the wagon not drinking alco- hol; no longer drinking alcohol. (Refers to a “water wagon.”) on the wrong track going the wrong way; following the wrong set of assumptions. on thin ice in a risky situation. on tiptoe standing or walking on the front part of the feet (the balls of the feet) with no weight put on the heels. (This is done to gain height or to walk quietly.) on top victorious over something; famous or notorious for some- thing. on top of the world feeling won- derful; glorious; ecstatic. on trial being tried in court. on vacation taking a trip; taking time off from work. once ["w^ns] 1. adv. one time. 2. adv. at a time in the past; formerly. once in a blue moon very rarely. on the bias 398 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 398 TLFeBOOK oncoming ["On k@m IN] adj. coming toward [oneself]; approaching. one ["w^n] 1. 1. Go to four. 2. n. a bill E or note E worth a single dollar. 3. adj. happening on or at a particular time. (Prenominal only.) 4. adj. united; together; joined. (Not prenominal.) 5. pron. a person or thing that is referred to. 6. pron. you; anybody; a per- son. → the last (one) → as one → at one fell swoop → go in one ear and out the other → have a one-track mind → a hole in one → in one ear and out the other → in one fell swoop → kill two birds with one stone → a new one on someone → six of one and half a dozen of the other → wear more than one hat → with one hand tied behind one’s back one in a hundred Go to one in a thousand. one in a million Go to one in a thousand. one in a thousand and one in a hundred; one in a million unique; one of a very few. One thing leads to another. One event sets things up for another event and so on. one thing or person after another a series of people or things that seems without limit. one’s back is to the wall one is in a defensive position. One’s bark is worse than one’s bite. Although one appears threatening, one will not actually do much damage. one’s better half one’s spouse. (Usually refers to a wife.) one’s days are numbered one faces death or dismissal. one’s deepest sympathy one’s very sincere sympathy. one’s ears are red one has red ears from embarrassment. One’s eyes are bigger than one’s stomach. One has taken or asked for more food than one can eat. one’s fair share the amount of something that one is due relative to what other people are receiving. one’s folks n. relatives, especially one’s own parents. (Treated as plu- ral, but not countable.) one’s hands are tied one is pre- vented from doing something. one’s heart is in one’s mouth [for one] to feel strongly emotional. one’s heart is set on something one desires and expects some- thing. one’s labor(s) n. one’s work or the product of one’s work; effort. (Singular or plural with the same meaning, but not countable.) one’s mission in life one’s purpose for living; the reason for which one lives on the earth. one’s number is up one’s time to die—or to suffer some other unpleasantness—has come. one’s pet hate something that is disliked intensely and is a constant or repeated annoyance. one’s pet peeve a frequent annoy- ance to someone; one’s “favorite” one’s pet peeve 399 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 399 TLFeBOOK or most-often encountered annoy- ance. one’s tail is between one’s legs one is acting frightened or cowed. one’s way n. one’s desire; one’s wish. (No plural.) one’s wits n. one’s intelligence; one’s control of one’s thinking, under- standing, temper, and actions. one’s word n. someone’s promise; someone’s pledge. (No plural.) one’s words stick in one’s throat to find it difficult to speak because of emotion. oneself [w@n "sElf] pron. the reflex- ive form of the pronoun one Y. (Used when one is the subject of the sentence.) onion ["^n j@n] 1. n. a plant with a large, round edible bulb and thin green stalks. 2. n. the edible bulb of Q, sometimes sliced or chopped. 3. adj. made with or fla- vored with W. only ["on li] 1. adj. sole; single. 2. adv. [this and] nothing more. 3. conj. except that. onset ["On sEt] n. the beginning of something; the start of something. onstage [On "stedZ] 1. adj. located or happening on a part of a stage that an audience can see. 2. adv. on, to, or toward a part of the stage that an audience can see. onto ["On tu] prep. to a position that is on something. onward ["On w#d] adv. further in space or time; forward in space or time. ooze ["uz] 1. n. mud; slime; a thick liquid. (No plural.) 2. iv. to flow slowly, like mud or a very thick liquid; to seep out of a hole slowly. opaque [o "pek] 1. adj. not able to be seen through; not allowing light to pass through; not clear. (Adv: opaquely.) 2. adj. hard to understand. (Figurative on Q. Adv: opaquely.) open ["o p@n] 1. adj. not shut; not closed; not sealed. 2. adj. allowing customers to enter; ready for busi- ness. 3. adj. not decided. 4. adj. available; free and not restricted. (Adv: openly.) 5. adj. sincere; hon- est about one’s feelings. (Adv: openly.) 6. tv. to cause something to become Q; to allow a place to be entered into or exited from. 7. tv. to establish the beginning of something; to cause something to start. 8. iv. to be accessible; to become ready for business or use. → be (out) in the open → keep one’s weather eye open → not open one’s mouth → pry something open open a can of worms to uncover a set of problems; to create unnec- essary complications. open a conversation to start a conversation. an open book someone or some- thing that is easy to understand. open for business [of a shop, store, restaurant, etc.] operating and ready to do business. open one’s heart (to someone ) to reveal one’s private thoughts to someone. open (out) on(to) something [for a building’s doors] to exit toward something. one’s tail is between one’s legs 400 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 400 TLFeBOOK open secret something that is sup- posed to be a secret but is known to a great many people. open something up 1. to open something that was closed. 2. to begin working on something for which there are paper records, such as a case, investigation, file, etc. open something up (to someone ) to make something available to someone; to permit someone to join something or participate in something. open to something agreeable to hear or learn about new ideas or suggestions. open up (to someone ) 1. to tell [everything] to someone; to con- fess to someone. 2. [for opportu- nities] to become available to someone. (Figurative.) open up (to someone or some- thing ) 1. [for doors] to become open so someone, something, or some creature can enter; to open for someone or something. 2. [for someone] to become more accept- ing of someone or something. an open-and-shut case some- thing, usually a legal case or a problem, that is simple and straightforward. opener ["o p@ n#] n. someone or something that opens something. opening ["o p@ nIN] 1. n. a way into a container, compartment, or room; a way through a wall or bar- rier. 2. n. something that is avail- able; a job that is available. 3. n. an opportunity to do something or say something. (Figurative on Q.) 4. adj. at the beginning; the first; the earliest. opening gambit an opening move- ment or statement that is made to secure a position that is to one’s advantage. opera ["a pr@] 1. n. the branch of theater or music in which lengthy performances include solo and choral singing, orchestra music, and sometimes dance. (No plural.) 2. n. a presentation or perform- ance of a musical production as in Q. operate ["ap @ ret] 1. iv. [for a machine or device] to work or function. 2. iv. to perform surgery; to perform an operation. 3. tv. to cause something to work or func- tion; to direct or manage some- thing. operate on someone or something to perform surgery on a certain part of the body or on someone or something. operation [a p@ "re S@n] 1. n. sur- gery; a medical procedure where something is done to the body, usually involving cutting. 2. n. the way something works; the way something is used. operator ["ap @ ret #] 1. n. some- one who operates a machine. 2. n. someone who handles telephone calls; the person one talks to when one dials “0” on a telephone. opinion [@ "pIn j@n] 1. n. thoughts, ideas, or attitudes concerning someone or something. (Plural only for types and instances.) 2. n. advice from a professional or an expert. opinion 401 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 401 TLFeBOOK → form an opinion → hazard an opinion → keep one’s opinions to oneself → a matter of opinion opossum [@ "pas @m] n. a small, gray, furry animal with a hairless, flexible tail. opponent [@ "pon @nt] n. someone who is on the opposite side in a contest, fight, or argument. opportunity [ap # "tu n@ ti] n. a good chance for doing something; a favorable time for doing some- thing. oppose [@ "poz] tv. to be against someone or something; to fight against someone or something; to argue against someone or some- thing. (Often passive.) opposite ["ap @ sIt] 1. adj. com- pletely different in at least one major respect. (Adv: oppositely.) 2. adj. of or about a location that is the farthest point away within a defined area. (Adv: oppositely.) 3. prep. across from someone or something; facing someone or something. 4. n. someone or something that is opposite as in Q as compared to someone or some- thing else. opposite sex ["ap @ s@t "sEks] n. [from the point of view of a female] a male; [from the point of view of a male] a female. opposition [ap @ "zI S@n] 1. n. a state of being against someone or something; resistance. (No plural.) 2. n. the people who are against something. (No plural.) oppress [@ "prEs] tv. to rule some- one or a group of people harshly or cruelly; to keep someone from succeeding. optic ["ap tIk] adj. of or about the eye or vision. (Adv: optically [ Ik li ].) optical ["ap tI k@l] adj. of or about the eye or vision. (Adv: optically [ Ik li].) option ["ap S@n] n. a choice; some- thing [else] that is available for choosing. or ["or] 1. conj. a word used in a list of items to show a choice or differ- ence. 2. conj. otherwise; if not. 3. conj. that is to say. or else or suffer the consequences. oral ["or @l] 1. adj. of or about the mouth. (Adv: orally.) 2. adj. spo- ken. (Adv: orally.) orange ["or IndZ] 1. n. a color of the rainbow between red and yel- low, and the color of W. (Plural only for types and instances.) 2. n. a round, juicy citrus fruit—of the color Q—that grows on a tree. 3. adj. of the color Q. 4. adj. made with W; flavored with W. orbit ["or bIt] 1. n. a pathway around a planet or a star, such as that taken by a planet, a moon, or a rocket. 2. tv. to move in a circle around a star or planet. 3. iv. to move in a circle around a star or planet. orchard ["or tS#d] n. a farm of fruit or nut trees. orchestra ["or k@ str@] n. a group of several musicians and the instruments they play, usually including strings. opossum 402 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 402 TLFeBOOK orchid ["or kId] n. a flower with unusually shaped and brightly col- ored petals. ordain [or "den] 1. tv. to confer the status of being a priest or a minis- ter on someone. 2. tv. to order something; to make something a law. (The object can be a clause with that U.) ordeal [or "dil] n. a very difficult experience. order ["or d#] 1. n. the sequence in which a series of things is arranged. 2. n. a state of every- thing being in its proper place. (No plural.) 3. n. a state of being able to be used; condition. (No plural. See also out of order.) 4. n. a state wherein people are follow- ing rules and behaving properly. (No plural.) 5. n. a command. 6. n. a request for certain goods or services. 7. n. one serving of a kind of food. 8. tv. to request goods or services. 9. tv. to request a serving of food or a full meal. 10. tv. to arrange someone or something into a certain sequence. → call a meeting to order → follow orders → in short order → just what the doctor ordered → out of order → place an order the order of the day something necessary or usual at a certain time. order someone in(to something ) to command someone to get into something. order something in to have some- thing, usually food, brought into one’s house or place of business. orderly ["or d# li] 1. adj. neat; in order. 2. n. a hospital worker who assists doctors and nurses in car- ing for patients. ordinal number Go to ordinal numeral. ordinal numeral and ordinal number ["or dI n@l "nu m@ r@l, "or dI n@l "n^m b# ] n. the number used to show rank or position in a series, such as first, second, third, etc. (See also cardinal numeral.) ordinary ["ord n nEr i] adj. usual; common; typical; regular. (Adv: ordinarily [ ord n "nEr @ li].) organ ["or g@n] 1. n. a part of an animal that performs a specific function. 2. n. a musical instru- ment with keyboards that control the air flow into many pipes of different lengths, each sounding a different note. (Also pipe organ.) organism ["or g@ nIz @m] n. a plant or an animal; a living thing. organization [or g@ n@ "ze S@n] n. a group of people, such as those in a club or society; a company; a department of government. organize ["or g@ naIz] 1. tv. to arrange different parts in a way so that they work properly; to arrange different parts into a sys- tem. 2. tv. to form an organization or meeting. origin ["or @ dZ@n] n. the starting point; something that other things develop from. original [@ "rIdZ @ n@l] 1. adj. not copied or based on something else. 2. adj. first; earliest. (Adv: origi- nally.) 3. n. something that copies are made from; the first example original 403 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 403 TLFeBOOK of something that other examples are based on. originate [@ "rIdZ @ net] 1. tv. to cause something to exist; to found something; to establish something, such as an organization. 2. iv. to start; to begin. orphan ["or f@n] 1. n. a young child whose parents are dead or missing. 2. tv. to cause someone to become Q. (Typically passive.) ostrich ["as trItS] n. a large bird that runs very quickly but cannot fly. other ["^D #] 1. pron. the second of two people or things; the remain- ing person or things. 2. the adj. use of Q. 3. adj. more of the same or similar kind of thing or people. → every other person or thing → go in one ear and out the other → have other fish to fry → in one ear and out the other → laugh out of the other side of one’s mouth → look the other way → none other than someone → six of one and half a dozen of the other → There are plenty of other fish in the sea. → turn the other cheek → with every (other) breath the other side of the tracks the poorer part of a town, often near the railroad tracks. (Especially with from the or live on the.) otherwise ["^D # waIz] 1. conj. or else; or it is that. 2. adv. in another way; in a different way; differently. 3. adv. in every regard except [this one]; in every way except [this one]. otter ["at #] 1. n. a long, thin, furry animal that lives in and near water, and eats fish. 2. n. the skin and fur of Q. (No plural.) 3. adj. made from W. ought to do something ["Ot ] have to do something; obliged to do something. ought to happen and ought to be somehow ["Ot ] likely to happen; should happen; likely to be some- how. ounce ["aUns] 1. n. a unit of meas- urement of weight equal to ¹⁄₁₆ of a pound or about 28 grams. 2. n. a unit of measurement of liquid equal to ¹⁄₁₆ of a pint or ¹⁄₈ of a cup. our ["a#] pron. the first-person plu- ral possessive pronoun including the speaker or writer. (Used as a modifier before a noun.) ours pron. the first-person plural possessive pronoun. (Used in place of a noun.) ourselves ["a# "sElvz] 1. pron. the first-person plural reflexive pro- noun. 2. pron. a form used to emphasize we. → by ourselves oust ["aUst] tv. to get rid of some- one or something; to remove someone or something by force. out ["aUt] 1. adv. away from a place; not in a place; not in the usual condition; not at the usual posi- tion; to a point beyond a limit. 2. adv. in the open air; into the open air; outside; not inside. 3. adj. not at the usual position; to a point beyond a limit; not at home; not at work. (Not prenomi- originate 404 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 404 TLFeBOOK nal.) 4. adj. no longer in style; old- fashioned. (Not prenominal.) 5. adj. not a possible choice. (Not prenominal. Informal.) 6. adj. no longer burning; no longer giving off light. (Not prenominal.) 7. adj. not working; not functioning properly. (Not prenominal.) 8. adj. [in baseball, of someone] no longer permitted to play in a particular turn. (Not prenominal.) 9. adj. used up; no longer having more of a substance. (Not pre- nominal.) 10. adj. unconscious; not aware; not awake. (Not prenominal.) out and about able to go out and travel around; well enough to go out. out cold and out like a light unconscious; deeply asleep. out in left field offbeat; unusual and eccentric. out like a light Go to out cold. out of a clear blue sky and out of the blue suddenly; without warning. out of all proportion of an exag- gerated proportion; of an unrealis- tic proportion compared with something else. out of circulation [of someone] not interacting socially with other people. out of control not manageable; not restrained; disorderly. out of earshot too far from the source of a sound to hear the sound. out of gas tired; exhausted; worn- out. out of luck without good luck; having bad fortune. out of one’s element not in a nat- ural or comfortable situation. out of one’s head Go to out of one’s mind. out of one’s mind and out of one’s head; out of one’s senses silly and senseless; crazy; irra- tional. out of one’s senses Go to out of one’s mind. out of order 1. not following cor- rect procedure in a meeting. 2. not working; not functioning; broken. out of practice performing poorly due to a lack of practice. out of print [for a book] to be no longer available for sale. (Compare this with in print.) out of proportion Go to in pro- portion. out of season 1. not now available for sale. 2. not now legally able to be hunted or caught. out of service inoperable; not cur- rently operating; out of order. out of spite with the desire to harm someone or something. out of the blue Go to out of a clear blue sky. out of the corner of one’s eye [seeing something] at a glance; glimpsing (something). out of the frying pan into the fire from a bad situation to a worse situation. out of the hole out of debt. out of the question not possible; not permitted. out of the question 405 06 7/23/03 8:49 AM Page 405 TLFeBOOK . offbeat; unusual and eccentric. out like a light Go to out cold. out of a clear blue sky and out of the blue suddenly; without warning. out of all proportion of an exag- gerated proportion; of. of one’s mind. out of one’s mind and out of one’s head; out of one’s senses silly and senseless; crazy; irra- tional. out of one’s senses Go to out of one’s mind. out of order 1. not following. color of the rainbow between red and yel- low, and the color of W. (Plural only for types and instances.) 2. n. a round, juicy citrus fruit of the color Q—that grows on a tree. 3. adj. of the