option 
ondarily the act of choosing. Election emphasizes the 
leaving of some while choosing others. Choice and pre.f- 
trence may apply to that which is chosen ; the others not. 
Optional (op'shon-al), n. and it. [< option + 
-at.] I. 11. 1. Left to one's option or choice; 
depending on choice or preference. 
If to the former the movement was not optional, it was 
the same that the latter chose when it was optional. 
Palfrey. 
2. Leaving something to choice; involving a 
power of choice or option Optional writ, in law, 
a writ which commands the defendant to do the thing 
required, or show the reason why he has not done it : in 
distinction from & peremptory writ. See peremptory. 
II. . In the colleges of the United States, 
an elective study, or one left to choice; an 
elective. 
Optionally (op'shon-al-i), adv. In an optional 
manner ; with the privilege of choice. 
optogram (op'to-gram), . [< Gr. OTir(c<5f), of 
seeing, + ypa/i/ia, a writing.] A persistent im- 
age formed on the retina by the bleaching of 
the visual purple. It may be made permanent 
by immediately immersing the retina in a so- 
lution of potash alum. 
optometer (op-tom'e-ter), H. [< Gr. inr(<5f), 
of seeing, + fikrpov, a measure.] An instrument 
for measuring the refractive powers of the eye. 
Also optimeter. 
optqmetry (op-tom'et-ri), . [< Gr. 67n-(df), of 
seeing, + -/mrpta, < fterpov, measure. Cf. optom- 
eter.'] 1. The measurement of the range of 
vision. 2. The measurement of the visual 
powers in general (including the acuteness of 
the perception of form, of light, and of colors 
eidoptometry, photoptometry, and chromatop- 
tometry respectively), of the extent of the 
visual field (perioptometry), of the accommo- 
dative and refractive states of the eye (diop- 
tometry), and of the position and movements 
of the eyeball (ophthalmostatometry and oph- 
thalmotropometry) . 
Optostriate (op-to-stri'at), a. [< Gr. bvT(tKos), 
of seeing, + E. striate.] Pertaining to or con- 
sisting of the optic thalamus and the striate 
body: as, the optostriate body (the thalamus 
and the corpus striatum taken together). 
Optotype (op'to-tip), . [< Gr. o7rr((KOf), of see- 
ing, + ri>7rof, type.] A letter of a definite size 
selected as a test for acuteness of vision; a 
test-type, as those of Snellen. 
Opulence (op'u-lens), n. [< F. opulence = Sp. 
Pg. opulencia = "It. opulenza, < L. opulentia. 
riches, wealth, < opulen(t-)s, opulentits, rich: 
see opulent.'] Wealth; riches; affluence. 
There in full opulence a banker dwelt, 
Who all the joys and pangs of riches felt 
Swift, Mr. Thomas Snow. 
Barbarous opulence, jewel-thick, 
Sunn'd itself on his breast and his hands. 
Tennyson, Maud, xiii. 
=Syn. Opulence, Wealth, Riches, Affluence. All these 
words imply not only the possession of much property, 
but the possession of it under such circumstances that it 
can be and is enjoyed. They seem contrasted not only 
with their opposites, but with the possession of a mode- 
rate amount. Opulence is a dignified and strong word for 
wealth. Wealth and riches may mean the property pos- 
sessed, and riches generally does mean it ; the others do 
not. Affluence suggests the flow of wealth to one, and re- 
sulting free expenditure for objects of desire. There is 
little difference in the strength of the words. 
opulency (op'u-len-si), n. [As opulence (see 
-cy).'] Same as opulence. 
The infinite flatteries that follow youth and opulency. 
Shah., T. of A., v. 1. 38. 
opulent (op'u-lent), a. [< F. opulent = Sp. Pg. 
opulento = It. opulente, opulento, < L. opulen(t-)s, 
more frequently opulentus, rich, wealthy, splen- 
did, noble, < ops, power, might, pi. opes, prop- 
erty, riches, wealth. Cf. copy.] 1. Wealthy; 
rich ; affluent ; having large means. 
What can you say, to draw 
A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak. 
Shak,, Lear, i. 1. KS. 
If the circumstances of our state be such as to favour 
the accumulation of wealth, and make the opulent still 
more rich, this will increase their ambition. 
Goldsmith, Vicar, xix. 
3. Unstinted; plentiful; abundant; profuse. 
All bathed in opulent sunshine. 
Lathrop, Spanish Vistas, p. 53. 
3. Blooming; brilliant; splendid. [Rare.] 
Beast or bird or fish, or opulent flower. 
Tennyson, Lucretius. 
opulently (op'u-lent-li), adv. In an opulent 
manner; richly; with abundance or splendor 
Opuntia (o-pun'shi-ii), n. [NL. (Tournefort, 
1700), < L. Opus (Opwnt-),< Gr. 'Ovovf ('Qirowr-), 
a town of Locris in Greece, where some cactus- 
like plant, "herba Opuntia," is mentioned by 
Flowering Branch of Indian Fig (Opuntia 
uulgaris}. 
a, longitudinal section of the flower ; />, a 
stamen ; < , the stigina. 
4134 
Pliny as growing.] A genus of cacti, type of 
the tribe Ojiuntiece in the order Cactacett; hav- 
ing the stamens shorter than the half-erect pe- 
tals. There are about 200 species, of warmer America, 
with one species 
widely scattered 
throughout the 
Old World. They 
are fleshy herbs, 
shrubby plants, or 
sometimes trees, 
their branches usu- 
ally composed of 
flattened or glo- 
bose joints, with 
hairy tubercles 
which are set with 
sharp spines. They 
bear small scale- 
like leaves on the 
younger branches, 
lateral yellow, red, 
or purple flowers, 
and pear-shaped 
berries. For uses 
and names, see 
cochineal and 
pricfcly-pear; also 
Indian Jig (under 
ftg2), hedgehog- 
thistle, and tuna. 
Opuntiaceae 
(6-pun-shi-a'- 
se-e), n. pi. 
[NL. (A. L. de 
Jussieu, 1825), < Opuntia + -acece."] A name 
sometimes given to the natural order Cactacece. 
Opuntian (6-pun'shian), a. and n. [< L. Opun- 
tius, < Opus (Opunt-)j < Gr. 'Qiroiti; CQirowT-), 
Opus, a town of Locris in Greece.] I. a. Re- 
lating to a branch of the ancient Locrians in 
Greece : so called from their chief town Opus. 
II. n. A citizen or native of Opus. 
Opuntieae (6-pun-tI'e-e), n. pi. [NL. (Bentham 
and Hooker, 1865), < Opuntia + -eos.~] A tribe 
of polypetalous plants of the order Cactacece, 
distinguished by the short calyx-tube, not pro- 
longed beyond the ovary. It contains 4 genera, of 
which Opuntia, is the type and only important one, and 
about 250 species, principally American. They are succu- 
lent perennials, shrubs or sometimes trees, armed with 
sharp spines. Their usually lateral and large flowers are 
followed by pear-shaped or roundish berries. See cut un- 
der Opuntm. 
Opus (6'pus), n.; pi. opera (op'e-ra). [L., work, 
a work : see opera."] Work ; a work, as a literary 
or musical composition (in the latter use often 
abbreviated op. ). The published works of a musical 
composer are frequently numbered in order for reference : 
as, Op. 23. A single opus may contain two or more num- 
bers: as, Op. 48, No. 3. Opus Alexandrtnum, Alexan- 
drian work : a type of mosaic pavement consisting of geo- 
metric figures in black and red tessera on a white ground. 
Opus araneum, a kind of needlework done in white 
thread, with figures of men, angels, and animals, liturgical 
vessels, etc. The name is given especially to such work of 
thefourteenth and flfteenthcenturies. Opus fllatorium, 
the ancient name for fancy work of all sorts done with 
threads, including drawn and darned embroidery, and all 
kinds of netting and the like ; especially, an embroidery in 
thread or colored silk on a fabric of small square meshes, 
sometimes having a pattern cut out of thin stuff applied 
and edged with needlework. Opus incertum or opus 
antiquum, masonry formed of small rough stones set ir- 
regularly in mortar, and in some examples traversed by 
beds of bricks or tiles. Opus Insertum, in masonry, 
regular stonework in which the vertical joints of every 
A B C 
A. Opus Incertum. B. Opus Lateritium. C. Opus Reticulatum. 
course fall in the middle of the blocks of the courses im- 
mediately above and below. Opus interrasile, decora- 
tion produced by cutting away the ground, leaving the 
pattern, or cutting out the pattern, so that the openings 
form the design. Opus lateritium, in ancient masonry, 
brickwork or tilework. Opus magnum or magnum 
opus, a great work ; a literary or artistic work on which 
one spends his best powers. Opus musivum, mosaic. 
Opus operantis, literally, the work of the worker; 
in theol., the effect of a sacrament considered as pro- 
ceeding from the spiritual disposition or condition of 
the recipient. The doctrine that the sacraments confer 
benefits ex open operantis, from the act of the person act- 
ing or taking part in them, is regarded as a distinctively 
Protestant view, in opposition to the doctrine that the 
benefit is derived ex opere operate. Opus operatum, 
literally, a work wrought; in scholastic and Roman Cath- 
olic theology, the due celebration of a sacrament, consid- 
ered as necessarily and inherently involving the grace of 
the sacrament. Sacramental grace is said by Roman 
Catholic theologians to be conferred ex opere operate, 
'from the (sacramental) act performed,' the sacrament 
deriving its power from the institution of Christ, and not 
from the merit of the minister or recipient. Sacraments 
or 
are therefore viewed as conveying grace to the recipient, 
unless by want of the due dispositions, such lib faith, love, 
repentance, etc., he wilfully interposes a barrier which 
prevents his receiving the grace. Certain schoolmen ;ire 
thought to have taught that the sacraments produce their 
full effect in all cases without restriction, and this doctrine 
has often been imputed by Protestant controversialists to 
the Roman Catholic Church, instead of that contained in 
the decrees of the Council of Trent (session vii., canon 
viii.) as explained by liellurmine and others, and given 
above. Anglican theologians have sometimes used this 
phrase to express the doctrine of the Church of England 
that the inward grace is one of the two integral parts of 
a sacrament (Catechism), that the sacraments are signs 
which are effectual (Article xxv.), and that, as the English 
bishops declared at the Savoy conference, "sacraments 
have their effects where the receiver doth not ' ponere obi- 
cem,' put any bar against them. " Procter, Book of Common 
Prayer (Amer. ed.), p. 124. Opus phrygicum, in the 
middle ages, embroidery. Compare Phryinan work (under 
Phrygian) and auriphryi/ia.- Opus plumarlum, an old 
name for feather-stitch. Opus punctatum. Same as 
pounced work. Opus retlculatum, in masonry, regular 
stonework or brickwork in square blocks, the courses of 
which are inclined at an angle of 45 to the horizon, so 
that the joints resemble a network. Opus Saraceni- 
cum, Saracenic work (that is, tapestry, rugs, etc.), im- 
ported from the East. Opus sectlle, a kind of pavement 
formed of slabs or tiles of glass or other material, the pieces 
having a definite size, far larger than the tessene of ordi- 
nary mosaic. They are sometimes of plain color and some- 
times mottled and veined. Opus slgnlnum, a kind of 
tough cement or stucco used by the ancient Romans to 
coat the interior of aqueducts, etc. Opus spicatum 
herring-bone masonry. Opus tessellatum, a pavement 
with designs executed in pieces of different colors, called 
tesserce or tesselw, of larger size and more regular form 
than the pieces used in mosaic. 
opuscle (o-pus'l), n. Same as opuscule. 
opuscule (o-pus'kul), n. [< F. opuscule = Sp. 
onusculo = Pg. opusculo = It. opusculo, opuscolo, 
\ L. opusculum, a little work, < opus, a work : see 
opus.] A small work ; especially, a literary or 
musical work of small size. 
opusculum (6-pus'ku-lum), n. ; pi. opuscula (-la). 
[L. : see opuscule.] Same as opuscule. 
Opus-number (6^118-^"!)^), n. The number 
by which a musical work is designated : as, the 
opus-number of Beethoven's "Moonlight So- 
nata" is Op. 27, No. 2. See opus. 
opyet, n. See opie. 
oquassa (o-kwas'a), . [Amer. Ind.] The blue- 
backed trout, Salmo oquassa, [Rangeley Lake, 
Maine.] 
or 1 (or), conj. [() < ME. or, a contracted form 
of other, outlier, anther, < AS. dthor, duther, dw- 
tlier, dhwaither, pron. ; orig. the same as either, of 
which, through the obs. var. other"*, or is thus 
a contracted form: see either. Cf. nor, simi- 
larly related to neither, (b) With the ME. other, 
or, was merged in early ME. another word, oth- 
the, < AS. oththe, rarely eththa, oththon, or, = 
OHG. eddo, odo, MHG. ode, od, also with an at- 
tracted compar. suffix, due, as partly in ME., to 
association with orig. comparative forms (OHG. 
wedar = E. whether, etc.), OHG. odar, MHG. G. 
oder = Icel. ethr, etha = Goth, aiththau, or, < 
Goth, ith (with "breaking" aith-) (= L. et, and) 
+ than, or. Or is much used correlatively, as in 
either ... or (AS. dthor or oththe . . . olli- 
the), whether . . . or (AS. hwa'ther . . . oth- 
the)."] Either; else; otherwise; as an alterna- 
tive or substitute, (o) A disjunctive conjunction coor- 
dinating two or more words or clauses each one of which 
in turn is regarded as excluding consideration of the other 
or others : as, your money or your life ; by skill or by 
chance; this road or that. The corresponding negative is 
nor, with neither as introductory correlative. 
He knew the cause of everich maladye, 
Were it of hoot, or cold, or moyste, or drye. 
Chaucer, Gen. Prol. to C. T., 1. 420. 
I'll free him. or fall with him ! 
Fletcher (and another), Love's Cure, i. 3. 
It is almost a standing rule to do- as others do, or be 
ridiculous. Steele, Tatler, No. 138. 
In a little while the struggle was at an end ; Those who 
were not slain took refuge in the secret places of their 
houses, or gave themselves up as captives. 
Irving, Granada, p. 21. 
There may be several alternatives each joined to the pre- 
ceding one by or, presenting a choice between any two in 
the series : as, he may study law or medicine or divinity, 
orhemayenterintotrade. The correlations are (I) Either 
... or (in archaic or poetical use also or ... or). 
Or the bakke or some bone he breketh in his jjonthc. 
Piers Plomnan (B), vii. 03. 
Tell me, where is fancy bred, 
Or in the heart, or in the head? 
Shak., M. of V., iii. 2. 64. 
He either fears his fate too much, 
Or his deserts are small, 
That dares not put it to the touch, 
To gain or lose it all. 
Montrose, My Dear and Only Love. 
For thy vast bounties are so numberless 
That them or to conceal or else to tell 
Is equally impossible. Cowley. 
So that one may go [in Venice] to most houses either by 
land or water. Addison, Remarks on Italy, Works, 1. 387. 
