Chapter Old Mortality to Oliver Twist of O by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Oldcastle (Sir John), a drama by Anthony Munday (1600). This play appeared with the name of Shakespeare on the title-page.

Oldcastle (Humphrey), the assumed name of Henry St. John, viscount Bolingbroke (1678–1751).

Oldham (Sir John), in the Nabob by Foote (1772). A local squire, whose ancestors had for ages controlled their family borough, opposed by sir Matthew Mite, who had risen from the ranks.

Lady Oldham, his wife.

Oldstyle (Jonathan), a name assumed by Washington Irving (1785–1859).

Oldworth, of Oldworth Oaks, a wealthy squire, liberally educated, very hospitable, benevolent, humorous, and whimsical. He brings up Maria “the maid of the Oaks” as his ward, but she is his daughter and an heiress.—Burgoyne: The Maid of the Oaks (1779).

Olifant, the horn of Roland or Orlando . This horn and the sword “Durindana” were buried with the hero. Turpin tells us in his Chronicle that Charlemagne heard the blare of this horn at the distance of eight miles.

Olifant (Basil), a kinsman of lady Margaret Bellenden, of the Tower of Tillietudlem.—Sir W. Scott: Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Olifaunt (Lord Nigel), of Glenvarloch. On going to court to present a petition to king James I., he aroused the dislike of the duke of Buckingham. Lord Dalgarno gave him the cut direct, and Nigel struck him, but was obliged to seek refuge in Alsatia. After various adventures, he married Margaret Ramsay, the watchmaker’s daughter, and obtained the title-deeds of his estates.—Sir W. Scott: The Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Olimpia, the wife of Bireno, uncompromising in love, and relentless in hate.—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).

Olimpia, a proud Roman lady of high rank. When Rome was sacked by Bourbon, she flew for refuge to the high altar of St. Peter’s, where she clung to a golden cross. On the advance of certain soldiers in the army of Bourbon to seize her, she cast the huge cross from its stand, and as it fell it crushed to death the foremost soldier. Others then attempted to seize her, when Arnold dispersed them and rescued the lady; but the proud beauty would not allow the foe of her country to touch her, and flung herself from the high altar on to the pavement. Apparently lifeless, she was borne off; but whether she recovered or not we are not informed, as the drama was never finished.—Byron: The Deformed Transformed (1821).

Olindo, the lover of Sophronia. Aladine king of Jerusalem, at the advice of his magicians, stole an image of the Virgin, and set it up as a palladium in the chief mosque. During the night it was carried off, and the king, unable to discover the thief, ordered all his Christian subjects to be put to death: To prevent this massacre, Sophronia delivered up herself as the perpetrator of the deed, and Olindo, hearing thereof, went to the king and declared Sophronia innocent, as he himself had stolen the image. The king commanded both to be put to death, but by the intercession of Clorinda they were both set free.—Tasso: Jerusalem Delivered, ii. (1575).

Oliphant or Ollyphant, the twinbrother of Argantê the giantess. Their father was Typhæus, and their mother Earth.—Spenser: Faërie Queene, iii. 7, 11 (1590).

Olive, emblem of peace. In Greece and Rome, those who desired peace used to carry an olive branch in their hand (see Gen. viii. II).

Peace sitting under her olive, and slurring the days gone by.
   —Tennyson: Maud, I. i. 9 (1855).