Chapter Obidah to Odorico of O by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Octavian Chief character of The Mountaineers, a drama by George Colman. He goes mad out of love for Donna Floranthe, whom he suspects of loving another; but Roque, a blunt old attachè, seeks him, tells him Floranthe is faithful, and induces him to return.

Octavo A book where each sheet of paper is folded into eight leaves; contracted thus— 8vo. (Italian, un' ottavo; French, in octavo; Latin, octo, eight.)

Ocypus son of Podalirius and Astasia, was eminent for his strength, agility, and beauty; but used to deride those afflicted with the gout. This provoked the anger of the goddess who presided over that distemper, and she sent it to plague the scoffer. (Lucian.)

Od (See Odyle. )

Odd Numbers Luck in odd numbers. A major chord consists of a fundamental or tonic, its major third, and its just fifth. According to the Pythagorean-system, “all nature is a harmony,” man is a full chord; and all beyond is Deity, so that nine represents deity. As the odd numbers are the fundamental notes of nature, the last being deity, it will be easy to see how they came to be considered the great or lucky numbers. In China, odd numbers belong to heaven, and v.v. (See Diapason, Number.)

“Good luck lies in odd numbers ... They say, there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance, or death.”- Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor. v. 1.

    No doubt the odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, play a far more important part than the even numbers. One is Deity, three the Trinity, five the chief division (see Five), seven is the sacred number, and nine is three times three, the great climacteric.

Odd and Even According to Pythagoras, by the number of syllables in a man's name, the side of his infirmity may be predicted: odd being left, even being right.
   Thus, to give only one or two examples: Nelson (even) lost his right arm and right eye. Raglan (even) lost his right arm at Waterloo. The fancy is quite worthless, but might afford amusement on a winter's night.

Odd's or Od's, used in oaths; as-
   Odd's bodikins! or Odsbody! means “God's body,” of course referring to incarnate Deity.
   Od's heart! God's heart.
   Od's pittikins! God's pity.
   Od's plessed will! (Merry Wives of Windsor, i. 1.)
   Od rot' em! (See Drat.)
   Od-zounds! God's wounds.

Odds By long odds. By a great difference; as, “He is the best man by long odds.” A phrase used by betting men. In horse-racing, odds are offered in bets on favourite horses; so, in the Cambridge and Oxford races, long odds are laid on the boat which is expected to win.
   That makes no odds. No difference; never mind; that is no excuse. An application of the betting phrase.

Ode Prince of The Ode. Pierre de Ronsard, a French lyrist. (1524-1585.)

Odhaerir The mead or nectar made of Kvasir's blood, kept in three jars. The second of these jars is called Sohn, and the Bohn. Probably the nectar is the “spirit of poetry.” (Scandinavian mythology.)

Odin Chief god of the Scandinavians.
   His real name was Siggë, son of Fridulph, but he assumed the name of Odin when he left the Tanais, because he had been priest of Odin, supreme god of the Scythians. He became the All-wise by drinking from Mimer's fountain, but purchased the distinction at the cost of one eye. His one eye is the Sun.

The father of Odin was Bör.
His brothers are Vilë and Ve.
His wife is Frigga.
His sons, Thor and Balder.
His mansion is Gladsheim.
His seat, Valaskjalf.
His court as war-god, Valhalla.
His hall, Einherian.
His two black ravens are Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory).
His steed, Sleipnir (q.v.).
His ships, Skidbladnir and Naglfar.
His spear, Gungner, which never fails to hit the mark aimed at.
His ring, Draupner, which every ninth night drops eight other rings of equal value.
His throne is Hlidskjalf.
His wolves, Geri and Freki.
He will be ultimately swallowed up by the wolf Fenris or Fenrir. (Scandinavian mythology.)

The vow of Odin. A matrimonial or other vow made before the “Stone of Odin,” in the Orkneys. This is an