
obedience | obedience: n. compliance, dutifulness, observance, respect, respectfulness, tractability, conformity or conformance, yielding, conformability, adaptability, agreement, agreeability, agreeableness, acquiescence, submissiveness, submission, subservience, docility, passiveness, passivity: The abbot demanded unquestioning obedience with regard to every rule of the monastic order.
obedient | obedient: adj. compliant, dutiful, duteous, observant, respectful, tractable, yielding, conformable, adaptable, agreeable, amenable, acquiescent, submissive, subservient, docile, passive, timid, biddable, pliant: Prunella was always an obedient child. All matter and energy is obedient to the laws of physics.
obeisance | obeisance: n. deference, respect, respectfulness, homage, submission, reverence, honour: As she entered the chamber, she made obeisance to the king.
obese | obese: adj. fat, overweight, stout, fleshy, gross, corpulent, heavy, plump, portly, tubby, pudgy, chubby, paunchy, rotund, pot-bellied, Rare abdominous: I sat down next to an obese person who occupied nearly two chairs.
obesity | obesity: n. corpulence, plumpness, tubbiness, chubbiness, grossness, embonpoint, rotundity, portliness, paunchiness, size, bulk, weight, avoirdupois: Risk factors with respect to heart disease include smoking, bad diet, obesity, and family history of heart disease.
obey | obey: v. 1 comply (with), agree (to), consent (to), submit (to), abide (by), observe, respect, adhere to, follow, conform (to or with), acquiesce (to or in), mind, accept, heed, defer to, yield (to), knuckle under (to), give way (to), surrender (to), succumb (to), give in (to), truckle to, bow to, bend to, take or accept orders from: Unfortunately, Ogilvy has obeyed his baser instincts in making the punishment fit the crime. Everything must obey the laws of nature. Harold obeys Millie''s slightest whim. 2 discharge, execute, effect, carry out, fulfil, meet, satisfy, do, perform; serve, act: We obeyed the colonel''s orders to the letter. It is your function to command, mine to obey.
obituary | obituary: n. necrology, death notice, eulogy, necrologue, Colloq obit: Mark Twain is one of the few people ever to have read his own obituary.
object | object: n. 1 thing, tangible, item; reality, entity, fact, phenomenon: A number of objects lay on the table. Thoughts may be considered as objects of the imagination. 2 focus, target, butt, aim, destination, quarry, goal: The object of my affection has married someone else. 3 purpose, end, intention, objective, reason, intent, idea, goal: The object of our visit is to ask you a few questions. --v. 4 protest (to or against), interfere (with), raise objections (to), argue (against), oppose, be against, take exception (to), disapprove (of), draw the line (at), complain (about), remonstrate (over or about), take a stand (against), refuse: I won''t object if you want to bring the wine. Would you object to rereading that passage? If they ask me, I cannot object.
objection | objection: n. protest, opposition, exception, argument, challenge, interference, demur or demurral or demurrer, question, doubt, disapproval, interference, complaint, remonstration, remonstrance, stand, refusal, dislike, antipathy: The meeting proceeded without further objection from the audience. If you have no objection, I''d like to leave now. The secretary has raised an objection to the method of procedure.
objective | objective: adj. 1 fair, impartial, just, judicious, equitable, neutral, disinterested, dispassionate, open-handed, open-minded, detached, unbiased, unprejudiced, unbigoted, even-handed, uncoloured, unjaundiced: How can you be objective about the guilt or innocence of your own child? --n. 2 target, goal, object, aim, purpose, end (in view), intent, intention, design, aspiration, ambition, hope: If we capture the flag, we shall have gained our objective. My objective is to win the pentathlon.
objectivity | objectivity: n. impartiality, fairness, fair-mindedness, equitableness, equitability, even-handedness, neutrality, disinterest, detachment, indifference, dispassion: The jury''s objectivity was never in doubt.
obligate | obligate: n. oblige, pledge, commit, bind; require, compel, constrain, force: I feel deeply obligated to her for her kindness to our children. We are obligated to do what we are told.
obligation | obligation: n. 1 responsibility, duty, charge, burden, onus; accountability, liability, trust; demand, requirement, compulsion, Literary devoir: It was Frank''s obligation to get the children home safely. Civil servants have an obligation to serve the people. I could never fulfil all my obligations. 2 constraint, requirement, contract, promise, pledge, bond, agreement, covenant: The company is under no obligation to replace a product because the customer dislikes its colour. I am under an obligation to her for introducing us. 3 debt, liability: Denby may be unable to meet all his obligations.
obligatory | obligatory: adj. required, demanded, necessary, requisite, compulsory, mandatory; incumbent; indispensable, essential: Has she been able to meet all the obligatory qualifications?
oblige | oblige: v. 1 accommodate, indulge, favour, serve, please, cater to, gratify: The hotelier obliged us with every luxury he had to offer. Please oblige us by keeping your dog on a lead. 2 make, require, demand, force, compel, coerce, bind, obligate: What hold has she over you that obliges you to do her housework?
obliged | obliged: adj. 1 thankful, grateful, appreciative, beholden, indebted, obligated: We are deeply obliged to you for lending us your car. 2 bound, required, compelled, forced, made, obligated: Under the terms of the agreement, I am obliged to repay the debt by May.
obliging | obliging: adj. accommodating, willing, indulgent, gracious, courteous, civil, considerate, polite, agreeable, amenable, kind, kindly, helpful, friendly, amiable, neighbourly, supportive: It was very obliging of you to look after my cat while I was gone.
oblique | oblique: adj. 1 slanting, slanted, sloping, aslant, inclined, diagonal, inclining, angled, angling, canted, canting, banked, banking, cambered, crooked, askew, divergent, diverging, tilted, atilt, tilting: The roof joins the wall at an oblique angle. 2 awry, devious, roundabout, indirect, circuitous, circumlocutionary, evasive, sly, sidelong, offhand, surreptitious, furtive, implied, clandestine, underhand(ed), deceitful, devious, deceptive, false: She made some oblique comments about the candidate''s wife.
obliterate | obliterate: v. 1 erase, expunge, rub out, efface, eradicate, wipe out, delete, dele, strike off or out, strike from, rule out, eliminate, write off: After the scandal, that name was obliterated from the roll of honour. 2 annihilate, destroy, kill, exterminate, wipe out, eliminate, blot out, eradicate, extirpate: The entrance to the cave was completely obliterated by the explosion.
oblivion | oblivion: n. 1 blankness, blackness, darkness, obscurity, nothingness, nihility, anonymity, extinction, non-existence, void, limbo: The rock band enjoyed brief fame, then sank into oblivion. 2 unawareness, obliviousness, forgetfulness, heedlessness, disregard, unconsciousness, insensibility: I sank back into the sweet oblivion of deep sleep.
oblivious | oblivious: adj. unaware, unconscious, unmindful, disregardful, insensible, insensitive, distant, unconcerned, detached, removed, unfeeling, abstracted, absent-minded, forgetful, Lethean: Many are completely oblivious to the plight of the starving millions in Africa.
obnoxious | obnoxious: adj. revolting, repulsive, repugnant, disgusting, offensive, objectionable, fulsome, noisome, vile, repellent, nauseous, nauseating, sickening, foul, noxious, mephitic, unsavoury, execrable, abominable, abhorrent, loathsome, detestable, hateful, odious, scurvy, base, obscene, despicable, awful, terrible, unpalatable, distasteful, unlikeable, unpleasant, nasty, Colloq chiefly Brit beastly: Mary''s obnoxious sister even has obnoxious table manners.
obscene | obscene: adj. 1 inelegant, improper, rude, impure, unchaste, shameless, shameful, indecent, immodest, off colour, indecorous, indelicate, risqu�, vulgar, immoral, degenerate, amoral, dissolute, broad, suggestive, erotic, sensual, ribald, debauched, wanton, loose, libertine, bawdy, blue, scabrous, coarse, dirty, filthy, smutty, pornographic, libidinous, lewd, licentious, lecherous, lustful, goatish, carnal, ruttish, lascivious, filthy, salacious, prurient, disgusting, offensive, repulsive, foul, abominable, vile, loathsome, gross, foul-mouthed, scurrilous, scatological, vile, Literary Cyprian, Paphian, Fescennine, thersitical: In the cinema business, ''adult'' and ''obscene'' seem to be synonyms. 2 evil, wicked, heinous, atrocious, awful, outrageous, repulsive, shocking, repellent, obnoxious, off-putting, objectionable, beastly, intolerable, insufferable, unpalatable, distasteful, nauseous, nauseating, sickening, execrable, despicable, nasty: The obscene monster dashed the brave warriors to the rocks far below.
obscure | obscure: adj. 1 dark, unlit, gloomy, sombre, dismal, murky, dusky, black, Cimmerian, tenebrous, dim, faint, blurred, veiled, shadowy, subfusc, subfuscous, umbral, shady, hazy, foggy, befogged, clouded, nebulous, overcast, cloudy: The traveller''s lantern was barely seen in the obscure reaches of the wood. 2 unclear, uncertain, ambiguous, vague, hazy, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, indefinite, indistinct, fuzzy, blurred, confused, confusing, Delphic, puzzling, enigmatic, perplexing, baffling, mystifying, mysterious, cryptic, incomprehensible, unfamiliar, foreign, strange: The sorcerer muttered some obscure words, and a golden horse stood prancing before them. 3 secret, concealed, hidden, remote, out-of-the-way, inconspicuous, unnoticeable, secluded, unnoticed: The caped figure scurried down the alley and disappeared into some obscure doorway. 4 unknown, unheard-of, anonymous, unnamed, insignificant, unimportant, inconsequential, humble, lowly, mean, inglorious, inconspicuous, undistinguished, unnoticed, unsung, minor, little-known: Though extremely popular, the song was written by an obscure composer. 5 abstruse, arcane, recondite, esoteric, intricate, complex, occult, out of the ordinary, unfamiliar, Colloq far-out: He is an authority on some obscure subject like Coptic calligraphy. --v. 6 cover, conceal, hide, veil, shroud, cloak, mask, screen, disguise, keep from: Her link with military intelligence was obscured from her family. 7 dim, bedim, cloud, becloud, dull, shroud, shade, adumbrate, overshadow, darken, obfuscate, block, eclipse: The street lamp was obscured by trees.
obscurity | obscurity: n. 1 dimness, darkness, gloom, murk, murkiness, duskiness, dusk, blackness, faintness, blurriness, shade, shadow, haze, fog, cloudiness, nebulousness: The two of them vanished into the obscurity of the night. 2 abstruseness, ambiguousness, intricacy, complexity, unintelligibility; mystery, arcanum, secret, esoterica (pl.): Can he truly believe that he has fathomed all the obscurities of Scripture? 3 insignificance, unimportance, ingloriousness, inconspicuousness, anonymity, namelessness, limbo: After a fleeting surge of popularity, punk rock sank into obscurity.
obsequious | obsequious: adj. low, cringing, toadying, toadyish, sycophantic(al), sycophantish, unctuous, truckling, grovelling, crawling, fawning, deferential, ingratiating, menial, flattering, servile, slavish, subservient, submissive, abject, mealy-mouthed, slimy, Colloq boot-licking, Chiefly Brit smarmy, Taboo slang brown-nosing, Brit arse-kissing, arse-licking, US ass-licking, ass-kissing: He is surrounded with obsequious followers who cater to his every whim.
observable | observable: adj. perceptible, perceivable, noticeable, discernible, recognizable, detectable, visible, apparent, distinct, evident, manifest, plain, obvious, clear, explicit, transparent, patent, tangible, unmistakable or unmistakeable: A marked change in public sentiment became at once observable.
observance | observance: n. 1 observation, observing, obedience, obeying, compliance, complying, conformity, conforming, adherence, adhering, keeping, accordance, regard, recognition, recognizing, respect, respecting, heed, heeding, attention: Observance of the rules by everyone makes for a happier community. 2 ceremony, celebration, ceremonial, practice, rite, ritual, service, performance, form, custom, convention, tradition, formality, usage, habit, wont, institution: Almost all the fine arts derived their origin from religious observances. 3 observation, examination, inspection, scrutiny, looking, watching: His observance of the passing scene was chronicled in his diary.
observant | observant: adj. 1 watchful, alert, attentive, vigilant, on the lookout, on the qui vive, on guard, wide awake, regardful, mindful, aware, keen, keen-eyed, sharp-eyed, eagle-eyed, perceptive, sharp, shrewd: Hannay was observant of all who passed him on the way to the train. How very observant of you to spot the man in the crowd! 2 Usually, observant of. obedient (to), compliant (with), respectful (of), heedful(of), attentive (to or of), conformist (to), adherent (to): One must be always be observant of the rules of the road.
observation | observation: n. 1 watching, examination, scrutiny, inspection, viewing, survey, surveillance; notice, discovery, attention, awareness: The police put the house under 24-hour observation. The smuggled weapon escaped the guard''s observation. 2 comment, remark, note, reflection, opinion, sentiment, point of view, impression, feeling, commentary, criticism; utterance, word, announcement, pronouncement, proclamation, declaration: She made a number of trenchant observations concerning life in Britain today.
observe | observe: v. 1 obey, abide by, comply with, be heedful of, attend to, conform to, regard, keep, follow, adhere to, respect, pay attention to: We observed the prohibition against swimming. 2 watch, look at, examine, monitor, scrutinize, study, regard, view, inspect, pore over, contemplate, consider , Colloq check (out or up on), check over, size up, Slang case: The naturalists went to the Arctic to observe the polar bears. 3 see, mark, notice, look, perceive: Observe how swiftly the skin forms pustules when this substance is applied. 4 Sometimes, observe on or upon. comment (on or upon), remark (on or upon), mention, say, note, refer (to), make reference to, animadvert on or upon or to; state, declare: It is impolite to observe on others'' manners. He couldn''t help observing to his cell-mate how easy it would be to escape. 5 celebrate, keep, solemnize, respect, keep holy, mark, commemorate, memorialize, remember, recognize: We always observe the sabbath.
observer | observer: n. witness, eyewitness, spectator, viewer, onlooker, beholder, watcher, looker-on; non-participant: UN observers reported that the battle was over.
obsess | obsess: v. haunt, harass, plague, bedevil, torment, take over, preoccupy, dominate, control, grip, possess, hold: He was obsessed by the conviction that he could design a successful flying machine.
obsession | obsession: n. fixed idea, id�e fixe, fixation, conviction, preoccupation, prepossession, passion, mania, phobia, Colloq hang-up, thing: Thoughts of death became his constant obsession.
obsessive | obsessive: adj. haunting, harassing, tormenting, dominating, controlling, possessing, all-encompassing, passionate, unshakeable or unshakable: She has an obsessive fear of heights.
obsolescent | obsolescent: adj. fading, waning, on the wane, declining, dying, on the way out, on the decline, going or passing out of use or fashion or style: Much of yesterday''s newest slang is obsolescent today.
obsolete | obsolete: adj. out of date, out of fashion, out-dated, pass�, out, dead, outmoded, old, antiquated, antediluvian, ancient, superannuated, dated, archaic, old-fashioned, d�mod�; unused, disused, discarded, superseded, extinct, Colloq old hat: The expression ''tickety-boo'' is obsolete. He plays his 78-rpm records on an obsolete gramophone.
obstacle | obstacle: n. impediment, hindrance, obstruction, hurdle, hitch, catch, snag, stumbling-block, barrier, bar, check: The obstacles in the road prevented our proceeding further. One must often overcome many obstacles before achieving success.
obstinacy | obstinacy: n. obstinateness, stubbornness, doggedness, tenacity, persistence or persistency, mulishness, pigheadedness, wilfulness, contrariness, perverseness, perversity, cantankerousness, recalcitrance, uncooperativeness, rebelliousness, contumacy, contumaciousness, refractoriness, intractability, intransigence, pertinacity, pertinaciousness, obduracy, fixedness, stolidity, inflexibility, firmness, Archaic frowardness, Colloq Brit bloody-mindedness: His obstinacy and narrow-mindedness made it impossible to work in any cooperative way with him.
obstinate | obstinate: adj. stubborn, dogged, tenacious, persistent, mulish, perverse, headstrong, pigheaded, single-minded, wilful, strong-willed, self-willed, contrary, recalcitrant, uncooperative, rebellious, contumacious, refractory, intransigent, pertinacious, obdurate, fixed, inflexible, stony, adamant, set, unmoving, immovable, inexorable, intractable, unchangeable, resolute, steadfast, unyielding, persevering, stiff, rigid, hard, Archaic froward, Colloq Brit bloody-minded: The obstinate man does not hold opinions - they hold him.
obstreperous | obstreperous: adj. vociferous, clamorous, noisy, loud, raucous, riotous, uproarious, tumultuous, boisterous, rowdy, rumbustious, tempestuous, unruly, disorderly, unmanageable, uncontrollable, uncontrolled, unrestrained, irrepressible, out of control, undisciplined, roisterous, wild, turbulent, Colloq rambunctious, Brit mafficking: The party was getting rough and some of the guests a bit too obstreperous.
obstruct | obstruct: v. 1 block, bar, check, prevent, stop (up), arrest, halt, clog, make impassable; bring to a standstill: The vein is obstructed by a large blood clot. A clogged drain is obstructing the water. 2 hamper, slow, impede, interfere with, retard, hinder, interrupt, delay, stay, stall: An overturned truck obstructed traffic on the motorway. 3 preclude, prevent, debar, block, prohibit, forbid, stop, stand in the way of: They are manoeuvring to obstruct her from taking over the company.
obstruction | obstruction: n. 1 obstacle, barrier, bar, check, stumbling-block, hindrance, impediment, hurdle, hitch, snag, catch, bottleneck, limitation, constraint, restriction: The fallen trees created an almost impassable obstruction. 2 checking, stopping, cessation, proscription, forbidding, forbiddance; hindering, impeding, limiting, halting, slowing: The obstruction of the bill''s passage can be blamed on the Tories.
obtain | obtain: v. 1 get, procure, acquire, come by, come into (the) possession of, secure, get hold of or one''s hands on, grasp, capture, take possession of, seize; buy, purchase: She has been unable to obtain the job she wants. You can obtain that kind of soap at the supermarket. 2 earn, gain: We talked to the manager about obtaining an increase in wages. 3 prevail, be in force, be in vogue, exist, subsist, have (a) place, be prevalent, be established, be customary, apply, be relevant, relate: A different set of regulations obtains here.
obtrude | obtrude: v. thrust (oneself) forward or forth, intrude, impose (oneself), force (oneself): The best writers never obtrude between the reader and the story.
obtrusive | obtrusive: adj. interfering, intrusive, meddling, officious, meddlesome, importunate, forward, presumptuous, forceful, Colloq pushy: She found him somewhat obtrusive - always giving advice when she least needed it.
obtuse | obtuse: adj. 1 rounded, unpointed, blunt: When mature, the leaves become more obtuse. 2 dull, insensitive, unfeeling, imperceptive, thick-skinned, stolid, thick, dense, doltish, cloddish, thickheaded, dull-witted, dim-witted, slow-witted, (mentally) retarded, boneheaded, lumpish, loutish, oafish, simple, simple-minded: Luke is a bit too obtuse to get the point of the story.
obvious | obvious: adj. clear, plain, apparent, patent, perceptible, evident, self-evident, clear-cut, manifest, palpable, (much) in evidence, conspicuous, open, visible, overt, ostensible, pronounced, prominent, glaring, undeniable, unconcealed, unhidden, unsubtle, distinct, simple, bald, bald-faced, straightforward, direct, self-explanatory, indisputable, unmistakable or unmistakeable: There are obvious flaws in the fabric. The reason you were refused seemed obvious to me.
obviously | obviously: adv. clearly, plainly, apparently, patently, evidently, simply, certainly, of course, undeniable, unmistakably or unmistakeably, indubitably, doubtless(ly): You are obviously the right person for the assignment.
