onofrite 4114 
onofrite (on'o-frit), n. [< (>n<ifi-r (see def.) + onomatopoetic(on-o-mat // o-po-et'ik),a. [<OMO- 
-/iV' 2 .] In iiiiiii-nil., a sulplioselenideof mercury nnttopoexis (-poet-) '+ -ic.J Same as onomat- 
intermediate between metaeinnabarite (HgS) opceic. 
ami tiemannile (HgSe), amineral occurring at onomatopoetically (on-o-m:it"o-po-et'i-kal-i), 
San Onofre, Mexico, and in southern Utah. It rnlr. In accordance with onomatopreia; by an 
is massive, of a lead-gray color. onomatopoeic process, 
onology (o-nol'o-ji), n. [< Gr. itvoc , ass, + -taj -/a, onomatopoiesis(on-o-mat"o-poi-e'sis),. Same 
< /;.", speak: see -ofr///.] A foolish way of as onoHtnlopu'in. 
talking. [Rare,] onomatopyt (on'o-ma-to-pi), n. Same as ono- 
onomancyt (on'o-man-si), w. [= Sp. Pg. ono- mrttopa-i/i. 
manciti, < NL. "iiiiiiniiiiitiit, short for "onomato- onomomancyt (on'o-mo-man-si), . Same as 
uianlia: see onomatomancy.J Same as onoma- onoiiidtomancu. 
tomaiicy. Onondaga salt-group. See salt-group. 
onomantic (on-o-man'tik), . [= Sp. onoman- ononet, adv. A Middle English variant of anon. 
tico = Pg. oiiomantieo; as onomancy (-rnant-) + Ononis (o-no'nis), . [NL. (Linnseus, 1737), < 
-ic.] Of or pertaining to onomancy; predicted Gr. OVUIHC, a plant, < ovo;, an ass: see as* 1 .] A 
genus of leguminous plants of the tribe Trifo- 
liea;, known by the monadelphous stamens. 
There are about 60 species, in Europe and the Mediterra- 
nean region and Canary Islands. They are usually herbs, 
with leaves of three leaflets, oblong pods, and red or yel- 
low flowers, solitary or two or three together in the axils 
of the leaves. See rest-harrow, eammocfri, l t fotweed, lico- 
rice (&), and land-whin (under whin). 
\ j '-- -o-p6r'don),n. [NL. (Linnaeus, 
>p6m>, the cotton-thistle, so 
by names or by the letters composing names. 
Canute*. 
onomantical (on-o-man'ti-kal), <i, [< onoman- 
tic + -n/.] Same' as onomantic. 
An onoinantical or name-wizard Jew. 
Camden, Remains, Names. 
Pliny, as rendering asses 
pertaining to, or consisting of a name: specif 1 natuient; \ wr. ovof an ass, + napM/, breaking 
ically applied in law to the signature of an wlnd ' < 4l*w = L, .pedere, break wind.] A 
instrument the body of which is in the hand- enus f composite plants of the tribe Cynarot- 
writing of another person, or to the instru- <f ea l'" ld . t , he 8 " b , tnbe Carduinea;, characterized 
ment so signed. "J * ne P'lo 86 filaments and foveolate recepta- 
onomasticon, onomasticum (on-6-mas'ti-kon, ?2 e \ r I ? ere are about 15 8 P ecies . natives of Europe and 
-kum), . [ML., < Gr. foyuorafe (sc. fcflUov), a the Medlterrane " #- They are prickly and usually 
vocabulary, ueut. of bvouaarmo^, of or belonging 
to naming: see onomastic.] A work contain- 
ing words or names, with their explanation, ar- 
ranged in alphabetical or other regular order; 
a dictionary ; a vocabulary, 
onomatechhy (on'o-ma-tek-ni), . [For *ono- 
matoteclmy, < Gr. oi>o//a(r-), a name, + re^vt/, 
art.] Prognostication by the letters of a name, 
onomatologist (on"o-ma-toro-;jist . [< ono- 
matolog-y + -ist.~\ One versed in onomatology, 
or the history of names. Southey, The Doctor, 
clxxvi. 
onomatology (on'o-ma-toro-ji), w. [< Gr. tn-o- 
/ /a ( T ")) & name, + -Myia, < /.cyetv, speak : see -olo- 
gy. Cf. Gr. ovo/iaroUyoc, telling names.] 1. The 
branch of science which relates to the rules to 
be observed in the f ormation of names or terms, 
2. The distinctive vocabulary used in any 
particular branch of study. 3. A discourse or 
treatise on names, or the history of the names 
of persons, 
onomatomancyt (on-o-mat 'o-man-si), n. [< NL. 
'onomatoman tia, < Gr. bvoua(--), name, + [tavTeia, 
divination.] Divination by names. </. Gaule 
(1652), quoted in Hall's Modem English, p. 37, 
note. Also ononwmancy, onomancy. 
onomatope (on'o-ma-top), n. [A short form < 
onomotopceia. ] A word formed to resemble the 
sound made by the thing signified, 
onomatopoeia ( on-6-mat-6-pe ' ya ), H. r=F.oo- , , * -. 
r ^^=sp,oo; tof ^=pg. OKO( L to ,, f( - a= foS&ra^^tS^2^ 
U.onomatopeja, onomatopea,< LL. onomatoposia, its silvery whiteness. See cotton-thistte, and Scotch tlMle 
< dr. ovofiarovoda, also ovo/MT<moi>/ait;, the making (under thistle). 
of a name, esp. to express a natural sound, < ovo- onort, onourt, . Obsolete spellings of honor. 
ftaToiroiuf, making names, esp. to express natu- Onosma(o-noz'mfi),. [NL. (Linnaeus, 1767), < 
ral sounds, < bvofiu(T-), a name, + irotelv, make.] Gr ; 6voa f<t, a boraginaceous plant, < ovof, an ass, 
1. In philol., the formation of names by imita- + <W, smell.] A genus of gamopetalous plants 
tion of natural sounds ; the naming of anything f tue order Boraginea:, the tribe Borages, and 
by a more or less exact reproduction of the tne subtribe Lithospermeoe, characterized by the 
sound which it makes, or something audible four separate nutlets, fixed by a broad flat base, 
connected with it ; the imitative principle in The . re are about 70 species, natives of the Mediterranean 
Onopordoti Acatithiwn. 
i, the upper part of the stem with the heads ; 2, a leaf ; a, a flower ; 
, the fmit with the pappus. 
cottony herbs, with deep-cut and spiny leaves, and large 
terminal heads of purplish or white flowers. 0. Acan- 
nun 
+- f H. etc . , are pro- 
duced by onomatopoeia. Words thus formed natu- 
rally suggest the objects or actions producing the sound. 
In the etymologies of this dictionary the principle is ex- 
Oiwmatooteia [as a word], in addition to its awkward- 
ness, has neither associative nor etymological application 
to words imitating sounds. 
J. A. H. Murray, 9th Ann. Address to Phil. Soc. 
usually yellow flowers. They are to some extent in favor 
for cultivation, the hardy species being specially suited 
to rockwork. 0. Tauricum is called golden-drop 
(Mi- 
,, (see 
A genus of plants of the order Boragi- 
nere, the tribe Borageai, and the subtribe LAtlto- 
spermeai, having obtuse included anthers, bract- 
ed racemes, and erect corolla-lobes. There are 
, -- ..... ..' ono- Onrush (on'rush), H. |~< ow 1 -f- rush 1 A rush or 
matopoQia J.^resenthig the sound of the thing dash onward ; a rapid or violent onset 
see vnomatopteia.] Same as onomat- 
onset 
First came New Custome, and hee gave the onsay. 
New Custome. (Nares ) 
is),w. [Also onset (on'set),. [<ol + #efi,.] 1. A rushing 
.seeonomat- or setting upon; attack; assault; especially. 
the assault of an army or body of troops upon 
onto 
an enemy or a fort, or the order for such an 
assault. 
Gif your countrie lords fa' back, 
Our Borderers sail the onset gie. 
Sang of the Outlaw Murray (child's Ballads, VI. 32). 
O for a single hour of that Dundee 
Who on that day the word of onset gave ! 
Wordsworth, Pass of Killicranky. 
2f. Start; beginning; initial step or stage; out- 
set. 
Children, if sufficient pains are taken with them at the 
onset, may much more easily be taught to shoot well than 
men. 
Ascham, quoted in Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, p. 125. 
There is surely no greater wisdom than well to time the 
beginnings and onsets of things. Bacon, Delays (ed. 1887). 
3. An attack of any kind: as, the impetuous 
onset of grief. 4. Something set on or added 
by way of ornament. =gyn. 1. Attack, Charge, On- 
set, Assault, Onslaught. Attack is the general word; the 
rest are arranged according to the degree of violence im- 
plied. Charge is a military word : as, "The Charge of the 
Light Brigade." Onset generally applies to a collective 
movement; assault and onslaught may indicate the act of 
many or of one. An onslaught is rough and sudden, with- 
out method or persistence. 
onsett (on'set), v. t. [< onset, .] To assault; 
begin. 
This for a time was hotly onsetted, and a reasonable 
price offered, but soon cooled again. Carew. 
onshore (on'shor'), adv. Toward the land: as, 
the wind blew onshore. 
onshore (on'shor), a. [< onshore, adr.] Being 
on or moving toward the land : as, an onshore 
wind. 
onsidet, onsidest, adv. Middle English forms of 
aside. 
onslaught (on'slat), . [< on + slaiight, < ME. 
slagt, < AS. sleaht, a striking, attack: see 
slauglit, slaughter.] Attack; onset; aggression; 
assault; an inroad; an incursion; a bloody at- 
tack. 
I do remember yet that onslaught [orig. printed anslaighl, 
by error] ; thou wast beaten, 
And fled'st before the butler. 
Fletcher, Monsieur Thomas, ii. 3. 
His reply to this unexpected onslaught is a mixture of 
satire, dignity, good-humour, and raillery. 
A. Dobson, Selections from Steele, Int., p. xl. 
= Syn. Assault, etc. See onset. 
onslepet, adv. A Middle English form of asleep. 
onst (wunst), adv. [Also written, more distinc- 
tively, but badly, oncet, onct; < once + -t excres- 
cent, as in against, amongst, etc. So twist, twicet, 
for twice.~\ A common vulgarism for once 1 . 
"It [Nature] 's amazin' hard to come at," sez he, "but 
otiet git it an' you've gut everythin' ! " 
Lowell, Biglow Papers, 2d ser., No. xi., The Argymunt. 
onstead (on'sted), n. [With loss of orig. w (due 
to Scant!.), from *wonstead, < won 2 , wane (< AS. 
wunian = Icel. una), dwell, + stead, place.] A 
farmstead; the buildings on a farm. [Scotch 
and North. Eng.] 
onsweret, " and r. A Middle English form of 
answer. 
Ontarian (oii-ta'ri-au), a. and n. [< Ontario 
(see def.) + -.] "I. . Of or pertaining to 
Ontario, a province of the Dominion of Canada, 
or Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes, on 
the border between Canada and New York. 
II. 11. An inhabitant of the province of On- 
tario. 
Onthophagus (on-thof'a-gus), n. [NL. (La- 
treille, 1807),< Gr.ot^of, diing, + 0<z; eiv, devour.] 
A genus of scarabteoid beetles, it is one of the 
largest genera of the family Scarabceidte, containing sev- 
eral hundred species, found all over the world, usually of 
small size, sometimes of brilliant color, breeding in dung. 
The genus is characterized by the combination of nine- 
jointed antennae with no visible scutellum. 
ontilt, ontillt, prep. Middle English forms of 
until. 
Ont0 1 t, prep. An obsolete form of unto. 
The bestis furth hes tursyt this ilka syre 
Onto the altar blesand (blazing ?] of hayt fyre. 
Gavin Douglas, tr. of Virgil, XII. iv. 80. 
onto 2 (on'to), prep. [A mod. form, due to co- 
alescence of the adv. owl with the following 
prep, to, after the analogy of into (and of nn/i>, 
formerly also onto, so far as that is analogous), 
upon, etc. The word is regarded by purists as 
vulgar, and is avoided by careful writers.] 1. 
Toward and upon: as, the door opens directly 
onto the street. 
It is a very pleasant country-Heat, situated about two 
miles from the Frowning City, nnl'i which it looks. 
H. Jt. Haggard, Allan Quatermain, xxiii. 
2. To and in connection with. 
When the attention is turned to a dream scene passing 
in the mind, on awakening it can recall i-crtain antece- 
dent events that join onto the ones present, and so on 
back into the night. Amrr. Jour. I'xi/r/m/., I. 383. 
