The Oxford Thesaurus - An A-Z Dictionary Of Synonyms

impermeability, impenetrability: The opacity of the lens increases automatically in the presence of sunlight. 2 obscurity, density, impenetrability, unintelligibility, indefiniteness, vagueness, reconditeness, abstruseness, ambiguity, equivocation, mystification: For centuries scientists were unable to penetrate the opacity of the question of what occurred when substances burned. 3 stupidity, dullness, denseness, thickness, obtuseness: A light finally dawned through the thick opacity of his brain.

opalescent

adj. opaline, iridescent, nacreous, pearly, lustrous: The sea was opalescent in the moonlight.

opaque adj. 1 dark, murky, dim, turbid, muddy, cloudy, obscure, obscured, obfuscated, black, impermeable, impenetrable, clouded, non-transparent, untransparent, non-translucent, hazy, blurred, blurry, smoky: Solar eclipses should be viewed directly only

concerned, the deal is open till the contract is signed. 7 undecided, unsettled, unresolved, debatable, arguable, problematic, moot, US up in the air: Whether they should get married is a question that will remain open until he returns

from abroad. 8 unscheduled, unbooked, unspoken for, unreserved, uncommitted, free, unpromised: The doctor has an hour open at noon on Friday. 9 clear, unobstructed, wide open, uncluttered, roomy, spacious, extensive, expansive; treeless, uncrowded, unfenced, unenclosed; ice-free, navigable, unblocked, passable: We travelled through open country for days. In the spring the shipping lanes will again be open. 10 available, unfilled,

vacant, untaken: There are not many jobs open in this part of the country. 11 receptive, open-minded, flexible, amenable, persuasible or persuadable, pliant, willing, responsive: The

management is open to suggestions for improving its products and services. 12 exposed, public, well-known, widely known, unconcealed: That they are living together is an open secret.

13 evident, obvious, conspicuous, manifest, clear, unconcealed, unequivocal, plain, palpable, apparent, patent, downright, out and out, blatant, flagrant, glaring, brazen: He operates with open disregard for the law. 14 generous, liberal, charitable, unreserved, open-handed, liberal, munificent, magnanimous, big-hearted, beneficent, bounteous, unselfish, unstinting, humanitarian, altruistic: They are quite open when it comes to giving to charity. 15 unreserved, candid, frank, outspoken, straightforward, forthright, direct, honest, sincere, guileless, artless, fair: He found it difficult to be open with his wife.

16 free, unrestrained, unconstrained, uninhibited, unreserved, unrestricted: They have an open marriage, each aware of the other's affairs. 17 unfolded, extended, spread (out), outstretched, outspread: She ran into my open arms. 18 liable, subject, susceptible, exposed, inclined, predisposed, disposed: These fraudulent shipping documents may well leave the captain open to prosecution for barratry. 19 unprotected, undefended, unfortified, exposed: With the invaders at the gates, Paris was declared an open city.

--v. 20 begin, start, initiate, commence, get under way, inaugurate, launch, put in or into operation, activate, get going, set in motion; establish, set up; Colloq get or start the ball rolling, get or put the show on the road, kick off: The minister opened the proceedings with an interminable speech.

Jeremy is planning to open a restaurant in Pebble Lane. The show

operates even under water. The drug operates to reduce blood pressure. 2 manage, run, direct, conduct, control, carry on,

ply, manipulate, handle; US drive: Katherine has been operating as an antiques dealer for years. It is unsafe to operate this machinery without goggles.

operation n. 1 function, functioning, working, running, performance, action, motion, movement: The operation of the internal combustion engine is very simple. 2 manipulation, handling, direction, running, control, management, managing; manoeuvring: The operation of the aircraft is under the control of the

captain. 3 undertaking, enterprise, venture, project, affair, deal, procedure, proceeding, (day-to-day) business, transaction: Who will be in charge of the operation while the president is abroad? 4 Often, operations. action, manoeuvre, mission, task, campaign, exercise: The generals directed military operations from positions close to enemy lines. 5 in or into operation. functioning, operative, in effect, in force, operating, operational, functional, effective, efficacious: Is the factory

in operation yet? The new regulations went into operation last week.

operative adj. 1 See operation, 5, above.

--n. 2 worker, hand, employee; craftsman, craftswoman, artisan, mechanic, machinist: We hired two more lathe operatives today. 3 private detective, (private) investigator, Colloq private eye, sleuth, Brit sleuth-hound, US P.I., gumshoe, Slang (private) dick, US shamus, eye: Our operatives reported that Jones had

been seen in the company of a known enemy agent. 4 espionage or intelligence agent, counter-espionage or counter-intelligence agent, spy, counter-spy, undercover agent or man, (FBI or CIA)

agent, US G-man, Colloq US company man, member of the firm: We had an operative at the top level of the NKVD.

operator n. 1 (bus or taxi or train) driver; worker, operative, manipulator, practitioner: These operators are required to take safety courses. 2 director, administrator, manager, supervisor, superintendent: Shaughnessey is the operator of a roofing business in Tring. 3 machinator, faker, fraud, manipulator, manoeuvrer, Colloq finagler, wise guy, Slang smooth or slick operator, smoothie, wheeler-dealer, big-shot, big-time operator, Chiefly US and Canadian big wheel: Claude is a cunning operator

who always gets what he goes after.

opinion n. 1 belief, judgement, thought, sentiment, (point of) view, viewpoint, conviction, way of thinking, perception, idea, impression, notion, conception, theory, id‚e re‡u; mind: It is my opinion that sickness benefits ought to be increased. In her opinion all men are chauvinists. 2 evaluation, estimation, estimate, appraisal, appreciation, impression: Myra has a very low opinion of Ray's taste in architecture.

opinionated

adj. 1 stubborn, pigheaded, obstinate, doctrinaire, inflexible, dogmatic, single-minded, cocksure, obdurate, dictatorial, dogged, mulish, bull-headed, overbearing: Felix is too opinionated to change his mind even if he knows he is wrong. 2 prejudiced, biased, bigoted, one-sided, jaundiced, coloured, partial, partisan: You can count on Joan for an opinionated view of social values.

opponent n. antagonist, adversary, disputant, contestant, competitor, contender, rival, foe, enemy; the opposition: He may be my opponent in the chess competition, but we are the best of friends.

opportune adj. 1 favourable, advantageous, auspicious, good, felicitous, happy, propitious, beneficial, helpful, fortunate, lucky,

profitable: As I need money, and you have it to invest, our meeting is most opportune. 2 timely, well-timed, seasonable, apt, appropriate, germane, pertinent, convenient, fitting, suitable, becoming: If this is not an opportune time to bring up the matter of the money you owe me, just say so.

opportunistic

adj. expedient, selfish, taking advantage, exploitive or exploitative, unprincipled, Machiavellian, opportunist: Don't you agree that it was opportunistic of him to inform on his own brother for a reward?

opportunity

n. chance, occasion, opening, possibility, moment, time, Slang break: She has taken advantage of every opportunity to vilify her ex-employers.

oppose v. 1 resist, counter, object (to), defy, take a stand against, withstand, resist, combat, contest, attack, counter-attack, fight, grapple with, contend with or against: If it comes to that, we must oppose force with force. 2 check, bar, obstruct, block, hinder, impede, stop, slow, curb, restrain, inhibit, interfere with, restrict, prevent, obviate, preclude, thwart, foil, frustrate: Labour seeks to oppose the privatization of industry. 3 match, offset, counterbalance, contrast, pit or set against, play off (against), set off: What can they call upon to oppose the power of the Devil?

opposed adj. Often, opposed to. against, in opposition (to), opposing, in conflict (with), antipathetic, conflicting, contrary (to), at variance (with), antithetical (to), hostile (to), inimical (to), opposite (to), contrasting: Harvey is among those opposed to abortion. All those who are opposed to the motion raise your hands.

opposing adj. opposite, conflicting, contrary, antithetical, antagonistic, antipathetic, hostile, inimical, contrasting, rival, contradictory, incompatible, irreconcilable, dissident,

discrepant: Those with opposing views will be heard from later.

opposite adj. 1 facing, vis-…-vis, en face: The sniper was on the roof of the building opposite. 2 opposing, conflicting, contrary, contrasting, contradictory, antithetical, differing, different, divergent, diverse, antagonistic, inconsistent, irreconcilable: William and his wife hold diametrically opposite political views.

--n. 3 reverse, converse, contrary, antithesis: Whatever you tell teenagers to do, their first reaction is to do the

opposite.

opposition

n. 1 hostility, antagonism, unfriendliness, resistance, counteraction, disapproval, objection, conflict, defiance, contrast, antipathy, adversity, Colloq flak: There is strong opposition to plans for an amusement arcade. 2 competition, opponent, adversary, competitor, antagonist, enemy, foe, rival, other side: We must overcome the opposition in order to win. 3 in opposition. competing, competitive, antagonistic, hostile, conflicting, in conflict, antithetic(al), opposed, at daggers

paragon, exemplar: In all work, the optimum is difficult to achieve.

--adj. 2 best, finest, most favourable, ideal, perfect, choicest, optimal, first-rate, first-class, sterling, prime, capital, excellent, exceptional, superlative, extraordinary,

unique, peerless, unequalled, unexcelled, unsurpassed: These instruments keep the chamber at the optimum temperature. After months of training, Guy is in optimum condition to win the marathon.

option n. 1 choice, selection, alternative, recourse, opportunity, way out: There are fewer employment options open to the uneducated. 2 choice, privilege, election, opportunity, chance: Investors

pay for the option to buy at a fixed figure if the price of the shares goes up.

optional adj. voluntary, discretionary or discretional, elective, facultative, free, spontaneous, uncoerced, unforced, non-compulsory, uncompulsory, non-mandatory, unmandatory, non-requisite, unrequisite: Life insurance is optional for

those who have our hospitalization policy.

opulent adj. 1 wealthy, affluent, rich, prosperous, well-to-do, well off, comfortable, Colloq flush, well-heeled, loaded, rolling in it, made of money, in clover, on Easy Street, Brit on velvet, US

15.14 oracle...

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oracle n. 1 prophet, sibyl, seer, soothsayer, augur, fortune-teller, diviner, prognosticator, US reader (and adviser or advisor),

Cassandra, Nostradamus; authority, guru, mastermind, mentor, wizard: He insists on consulting his oracle before making any final decision. 2 prophecy, augury, prediction, divination, advice, prognostication, answer, message, divine utterance: According to the oracle, the travellers would survive the perils of the journey.

discourse, monologue, declamation; valedictory, eulogy, homily, panegyric; Colloq spiel: Bentley delivered a long oration on

the future of the economy.

oratory n. public speaking, speech-making, eloquence, rhetoric, way with words, command of the language, fluency, glibness,