O B T 
OBSTUPEFAC'TION, f. [objlupefacio, Lat.] The aft 
of inducing ltupidity, or interruption of the mental 
powers. 
OBSTUPEFAC'TIVE, adj. Obftrufting the mental 
powers ; ftupefying.—The force of it is objtupefattive, and 
no other. Abbot. 
To OBSTU'PEFY, v. a. To ftupefy. Cole. 
To OBTA'IN, v. a. [ obtenir , Fr. obtine.o, Lat.] To gain ; 
to acquire; to procure.—We have obtained an inheritance. 
Epli. i. ii.—The juices of the leaves are obtained by ex- 
prdfion. Arbut/mot. —To impetrate; to gain by the con- 
ceflion or excited kindnefs of another.—Whatever once 
is denied them, they are certainly not to obtain by crying. 
Locke on Education. 
Some pray for riches; riches they obtain; 
But, watch’d by robbers, for their wealth are flain. Dnjd. 
To keep; to hold ; to continue in the pofleflion of: 
His mother then is mortal, but his fire 
He who obtains the monarchy of heaven. Milton. 
To OBTA'IN, v. n. To continue in ufe.—The Theo- 
dofian Code, feveral hundred years after Juftinian’s time, 
did obtain in the weftern parts of Europe. Baker. —To be 
eltablilhed ; to fubfift in nature or praftice.—Where waft¬ 
ing the public treafure has obtained in a court, all good 
order is banifiied. Davcnant. —The general law's of fluidity, 
elafticity, and gravity, obtain in animal and inanimate 
tubes. Cheyne's Phil. Prin. 
Our impious ufe no longer Ihall obtain, 
Brothers no more by brothers fliall be flain. Dryden. 
To prevail; to fucceed. Not in ufe. —There is due from 
the judge to the advocate, fome commendation w'here 
caufes are fair pleaded ; efpecially towards the fide which 
obtaineth not. Bacon . 
OBTAINABLE, adj. To be procured.—Spirits which 
come over in diftillations, mifcible with water, and wholly 
combuftible, are obtainable from plants by previous fer¬ 
mentation. Arbuthnot on Aliments .—To be gained.—What 
thinks he of his redemption, and the rate it coft, not being 
obtainable, unlefs God’s only Son would come down from 
heaven, and be made man, and pay down his own life for 
it ? Kettlevjell. 
OBTA'INER, f. He who obtains. 
OBTA'INMENT,./! Aft of obtaining.—What is chiefly 
fought, the obtainment of love or quietnefs. Milton's Co- 
lajlerion. 
To OBTEM'PERATE, v. a. [ obtemperer, Fr. obtempera, 
Lat.] To obev. 
OBTEMPERA'TION, /. The aft of obeying. Cole. 
To OBTEN'D, v. a. [obtendo , Lat.] To oppole; to hold 
out in oppofition : 
’Twas given to you your darling fon to fliroud. 
To draw the daftard from the fighting croud. 
And for a man obtend an empty cloud. Dryden's 2 En. 
To pretend ; to offer as the reafon of any thing ; 
Thou doll with lies the throne invade, 
Obtending Heaven for whate’er ills befal. Dryden. 
To OBTEN'EBRATE, v. a. [from the Lat. ob, againft, 
and tenebrce, darknefs.] To darken; to obfcure. Cole. 
OBTENEBRA'TION, f. Darknefs; the ftate of being 
darkened; the aft of darkening; cloudinefs.—In every 
megrim or vertigo, there is an obtenebration joined with a 
femblanceof turning round. Bacon's Nat. Hijl. 
OBTEN'SION, J'. [from obtend.'] The aft of obtending. 
To OBTEST', v. a. \obteJler, Fr. obtejlor, Lat.] To be- 
feech ; to fupplicate.— Obtefling them by all that is facred, 
to refleft ferioufly on this great truft. Bp. Burnet's Pujl. 
Care. 
Suppliants demand 
A truce, with olive-branches in their hand; 
Obtejl his clemency. Dryden. 
O B V 379 
To OB'TEST, v.n. To proteft. — We mud not bid 
them good fpeed, but obtejl againft them. Waterhous. 
OBTESTA'TION, j'. Supplication; entreaty.—With 
which words, obtejlations, and tears, of Giffipus, Titus was 
conllrayned. Sir T. Elyot's Gov. —Solemn injunftion.— 
Let me take up that obtejlation of the Pfalmift, “ O all ye 
that love the Lord, hate the thing which is fin.” Bp. Hall. 
OB'TICENCE, f. [from the Lat. eft, againft, and taceo, 
to be filent.] The aft of keeping filence. Not vfed. 
OBTOR'TED, adj. [from the Lat. eft, againft, and torto, 
to wreathe.] Wreathed; wrefted. Cole. 
OBTRECTA'TION, f. [obtrcdo, Lat.] Slander; de¬ 
traction; calumny. — To ufe obloquy or obtrcciatiou. 
Barrow's Sermons. 
OBTRI'TE, adj. [from the Lat. oft, againft, and tern, 
to wear.] Worn ; bruifed ; trampled under foot. Cole. 
OBTRI'TION, J'. The aft of bruifing or wearing away 
by friftion. Cole. 
To OBTRU'DE, v. a. [ obtnulo , Lat.] To thruft into 
any place or ftate by force or impotture ; to offer with 
unreafonable importunity.—There may be as great a va¬ 
nity in retiring and withdrawing men’s conceits from the 
world, as in obtruding them. Bacon. 
Why Ihouldft thou then obtrude this diligence 
In vain, where no acceptance it can find ? Milton. 
OBTRU'DER, f. One that obtrudes.—Do jultice to 
the inventors or publifhers of the true experiments, as 
well as upon the obtruders of falfe ones. Boyle. 
To OBTRUN'CATE, v. a. [ obtrunco , Lat.] To deprive 
of a limb; to lop. An old word, (occurring in the voca¬ 
bulary of Cockeram,) revived in a modern poem of great 
merit, where the participial adjeftive defcribes the muti¬ 
lated limbs of the beggar: 
Thofe props, on which the knees obtruncate (land ; 
That crutch, ill-wielded in the widow’d hand. 
London Cries, or Pictures of Tumult and Dijlrefs, 1805. 
OBTRUNCA'TION, f. The aft of lopping or cutting. 
OBTRU'SION, J'. [from obtrufus, Lat.] The aft of ob¬ 
truding.—No man can think it other than the method of 
flavery, by favage ruder.efs and importunate obtrujions of 
violence, to have the mill of his errour and paflion dif- 
pelled. K. Charles. 
OBTRU'SIVE, adj. Inclined to force one’s felf, or any 
thing elfe, upon others: 
Not obvious, not obtrujive, but retir’d 
The more defirable. Milton's P. L. , 
To OBTUN'D, v. a. [ obtundo , Lat.] To blunt; to dull; 
to quell; to deaden.—Avicen countermands letting 
blood in cholerick bodies, becaufe he eiteems the blood a 
bridle of gall, obtunding its acrimony and fiercenefs. 
Harvey on ConJ'umptions. 
OBTURA'TION, J'. [Fr. from obturatus, Lat.] The 
aft of ftopping-up any thing with lomething lmeared 
over it. Cotgrave and Sherwood. 
OBTURBA'TION, f. [from the Lat. oft, againft, and 
turbo, to trouble.] The aft of troubling. 
OBTUSAN'GULAR, adj. [from obtuj'e and angle.] 
Having angles larger than right angles. 
OBTU'SE, adj. [obtufus, Lat.] Not pointed ; not acute. 
—Not quick ; dull; llupid.—Though the fancy of this 
dolt be as obtufe and fad as any mallet. Milton's Colujlerion. 
Thy fenfes then, 
Obtufe, all tafte of pleafures muft forego. Milton's P. L. 
Not flirill; obfcure : as, an obtuj'e found. 
OBTU'SELY, adv. Without a point. Dully; llupidly. 
OBTU'SENESS, f. Bluntnefs ; dullnefs. 
OBTU'SIONjJi The aft of dulling. The ftate of being 
dulled.— Obtujion of the fenfes, internal and external. 
Harvey. 
OB'VA, a river of Ruffia, which runs into the Kama 
near Obvinlk. 
OBVALLA'TION,/. [from the Lat. oft, againft, and 
vallum , 
