Word Meanings - ORGAN - Book Publishers vocabulary database

A natural part or structure in an animal or a plant, capable of performing some special action , which is essential to the life or well-being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are organs of animals; the root, stem, foliage, etc., are organs

Additional info about word: ORGAN

A natural part or structure in an animal or a plant, capable of performing some special action , which is essential to the life or well-being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are organs of animals; the root, stem, foliage, etc., are organs of plants. Note: In animals the organs are generally made up of several tissues, one of which usually predominates, and determines the principal function of the organ. Groups of organs constitute a system. See System. 3. A component part performing an essential office in the working of any complex machine; as, the cylinder, valves, crank, etc., are organs of the steam engine. 4. A medium of communication between one person or body and another; as, the secretary of state is the organ of communication between the government and a foreign power; a newspaper is the organ of its editor, or of a party, sect, etc. 5. Etym: (more info) 1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as, legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are organs of government.

Related words: (words related to ORGAN)

• BELLMAN
  A man who rings a bell, especially to give notice of anything in the streets. Formerly, also, a night watchman who called the hours. Milton.
• BESCRATCH
  To tear with the nails; to cover with scratches.
• BELIAL
  An evil spirit; a wicked and unprincipled person; the personification of evil. What concord hath Christ with Belia 2 Cor. vi. 15. A son of Belial, a worthless, wicked, or thoroughly depraved person. 1 Sam. ii. 12.
• BEASTLIHEAD
  Beastliness. Spenser.
• BEWRAP
  To wrap up; to cover. Fairfax.
• BERGOMASK
  A rustic dance, so called in ridicule of the people of Bergamo, in Italy, once noted for their clownishness.
• BESCATTER
  1. To scatter over. 2. To cover sparsely by scattering ; to strew. "With flowers bescattered." Spenser.
• BEVELMENT
  The replacement of an edge by two similar planes, equally inclined to the including faces or adjacent planes.
• BELEAVE
  To leave or to be left. May.
• BESCORN
  To treat with scorn. "Then was he bescorned." Chaucer.
• BETSO
  A small brass Venetian coin.
• BETOKEN
  1. To signify by some visible object; to show by signs or tokens. A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow . . . Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. Milton. 2. To foreshow by present signs; to indicate something future by that which is seen
• BELLADONNA
  An herbaceous European plant with reddish bell-shaped flowers and shining black berries. The whole plant and its fruit are very poisonous, and the root and leaves are used as powerful medicinal agents. Its properties are largely due
• BECHE DE MER
  The trepang.
• BETROTHAL
  The act of betrothing, or the fact of being betrothed; a mutual promise, engagement, or contract for a future marriage between the persons betrothed; betrothment; affiance. "The feast of betrothal." Longfellow.
• BESLUBBER
  To beslobber.
• BENIM
  To take away. Ire . . . benimeth the man fro God. Chaucer.
• BESIEGER
  One who besieges; -- opposed to the besieged.
• BELAMY
  Good friend; dear friend. Chaucer.
• BEAMFUL
  Beamy; radiant.
• COMBER
  1. One who combs; one whose occupation it is to comb wool, flax, etc. Also, a machine for combing wool, flax, etc. 2. A long, curling wave.
• GABBER
  1. A liar; a deceiver. 2. One addicted to idle talk.
• HOLLOW-HEARTED
  Insincere; deceitful; not sound and true; having a cavity or decayed spot within. Syn. -- Faithless; dishonest; false; treacherous.
• HAIRBELL
  See HAREBELL
• DISPLANTATION
  The act of displanting; removal; displacement. Sir W. Raleigh.
• ORBED
  Having the form of an orb; round. The orbèd eyelids are let down. Trench.
• SUPPLANT
  heels, to throw down; sub under + planta the sole of the foot, also, 1. To trip up. "Supplanted, down he fell." Milton. 2. To remove or displace by stratagem; to displace and take the place of; to supersede; as, a rival supplants another in the
• LAMBERT PINE
  The gigantic sugar pine of California and Oregon (Pinus Lambertiana). It has the leaves in fives, and cones a foot long. The timber is soft, and like that of the white pine of the Eastern States.
• GERBE
  A kind of ornamental firework. Farrow.
• WATER-BEARER
  The constellation Aquarius.
• GABELER
  A collector of gabels or taxes.
• ABERRATE
  To go astray; to diverge. Their own defective and aberrating vision. De Quincey.
• SUPERNATURALNESS
  The quality or state of being supernatural.
• CORYMBED
  Corymbose.