At the cheerful light, The groaning ghosts and birds obscene take
flight.
Dryden.
Syn. -- Impure; immodest; indecent; unchaste; lewd.
-- Ob*scene"ly, adv. -- Ob*scene"ness, n.
Ob*scen"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Obscenities (#). [L. obscentias: cf.F.
obscénité.] That quality in words or things which presents what is
offensive to chasity or purity of mind; obscene or impure lanquage or
acts; moral impurity; lewdness; obsceneness; as, the obscenity of a
speech, or a picture.
Mr.Cowley asserts plainly, that obscenity has no place in wit.
Dryden.
No pardon vile obscenity should find.
Pope.
Ob*scur"ant (?), n. [L. obscurans, p. pr. of obscurare to obscure.] One
who obscures; one who prevents enlightenment or hinders the progress of
knowledge and wisdom. Coleridge.
Ob*scur"ant*ism (?), n. The system or the principles of the obscurants.
C. Kingsley.
Ob*scur"ant*ist, n. Same as Obscurant. Ed. Rev.
Ob`scu*ra"tion (?), n. [L. obscurativ: cf.F. obscuration. See Obscure,
v. t. ] The act or operation of obscuring; the state of being obscured;
as, the obscuration of the moon in an eclipse. Sir J. Herschel.
Ob*scure" (?), a. [Compar. Obscurer (?); superl. Obscurest.] [L.
obscurus, orig., covered; ob- (see Ob-) + a root probably meaning, to
cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr. sku to cover: cf.F. obscur. Cf. Sky.]
1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly
illuminated; dusky; dim.
His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
Prov. xx. 20.
2. Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight;
indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed.
The obscure bird Clamored the livelong night.
Shak.
The obscure corners of the earth.
Sir J. Davies.
3. Not noticeable; humble; mean. "O base and obscure vulgar." Shak. "An
obscure person." Atterbury.
4. Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or blind; as,
an obscure passage or inscription.
5. Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure
view of remote objects.
Obscure rays (Opt.), those rays which are not luminous or visible, and
which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion.
Syn. -- Dark; dim; darksome; dusky; shadowy; misty; abstruse;
intricate; difficult; mysterious; retired; unnoticed; unknown; humble;
mean; indistinct.
Ob*scure", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obscured (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Obscuring.] [L. obscurare, fr. obscurus: cf. OF. obscurer. See Obscure,
a.] To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to
hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful,
or illustrious.
They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured
lights.
Shak.
Why, 't is an office of discovery, love, And I should be obscured.
Shak.
There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by the writings
of learned men as this.
Wake.
And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame?
Dryden.
<! p. 992 !>
Ob*scure" (?), v. i. To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark.
[Obs.]
How! There's bad news. I must obscure, and hear it.
Beau. & Fl.
Ob*scure", n. Obscurity. [Obs.] Milton.
Ob*scure"ly, adv. In an obscure manner. Milton.
Ob*scure"ment (?), n. The act of obscuring, or the state of being
obscured; obscuration. Pomfret.
Ob*scure"ness, n. Obscurity. Bp. Hall.
Ob*scur"er (?), n. One who, or that which, obscures.
Ob*scu"ri*ty (?), n. [L. obscuritas: cf. F. obscurité.] The quality or
state of being obscure; darkness; privacy; inconspicuousness;
unintelligibleness; uncertainty.
Yuo are not for obscurity designed.
Dryden.
They were now brought forth from obscurity, to be contemplated by
artists with admiration and despair.
Macaulay.
Syn. -- Darkness; dimness; gloom. See Darkness.
Ob"se*crate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obsecrated (?); p. pr. & vb, n.
Obsecrating.] [L. obsecratus, p. p. of obsecrare, prop., to ask on
religious grounds; ob (see Ob-) + sacrare to declare as sacred, from
sacer sacred.] To beseech; to supplicate; to implore. [R.]. Cockerman.
Ob"se*cra"tion (?), n. [L. obsecratio: cf. F. obsecration.] 1. The act
of obsecrating or imploring; as, the obsecrations of the Litany, being
those clauses beginning with "By." Bp. Stillingfeet. Shipley.
2. (Rhet.) A figure of speech in which the orator implores the
assistance of God or man.
Ob"se*cra*to*ry (?), a. Expressing, or used in, entreaty; supplicatory.
[R.] Bp. Hall.
Ob"se*quent (?), a. [L. obsequens, p. pr. of obsequi; ob (see Ob- ) +
sequi. See Sequence.] Obedient; submissive; obsequious. [Obs.]
Fotherby.