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| OPIATE | | —adj. - containing opium.
- narcotic, soporific. —n. - drug containing opium, usu. To ease pain or induce sleep.
- soothing influence. [latin: related to *opium] | |
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| OPPOSE | | v. (-sing) 1 set oneself against; resist; argue or compete against.
- (foll. By to) place in opposition or contrast. as opposed to in contrast with. opposer n. [latin: related to *opponent] | |
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| OPPUGN | | v. Literary controvert, call in question. [latin oppugno fight against] | |
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| OPTICS | | n.pl. (treated as sing.) Science of light and vision. | |
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| OPTION | | n. - a choosing; choice. B thing that is or may be chosen.
- liberty to choose.
- right to buy or sell at a specified price within a set time. keep (or leave) one's options open not commit oneself. [latin: related to *opt] | |
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| ORACLE | | n. - a place at which divine advice or prophecy was sought in classical antiquity. B response given. C prophet or prophetess at an oracle.
- person or thing regarded as a source of wisdom etc.
- (oracle) propr. Teletext service provided by independent television. oracular adj. [latin oraculum from oro speak] | |
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| ORANGE | | —n. - a roundish reddish-yellow juicy citrus fruit. B tree bearing this.
- its colour. —adj. Orange-coloured. [arabic naranj] | |
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| ORATOR | | n. - person making a formal speech.
- eloquent public speaker. [latin: related to *oration] | |
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| ORCHID | | n. Any of various plants with brilliant flowers. [greek orkhis, originally = testicle] | |
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| ORDAIN | | v. - confer holy orders on.
- decree, order. [latin ordino: related to *order] | |
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