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Oxbridge
o-ver-ween-ing /ˌəʊvəˈwiːnɪŋ -ˈvɜːr-/ adj fml derog too proud and too sure of oneself: overweening pride —ly adv
o-ver-weight /ˌəʊvəˈweɪt ‖-ˈvɜːr-/ adj weighing more than is expected or usual: This parcel is overweight by two kilos. | [after n] He's two kilos overweight. | an overweight person ➔ opposite UNDERWEIGHT; see FAT (USAGE)
o-ver-whelm /ˌəʊvəˈwelm ‖-ˈvɜːr-/ v [T] 1 to defeat or make powerless (usually a group of people) by much greater force of numbers: to overwhelm the opposing army 2 [often pass.] (of feelings) to make (someone) completely helpless, usually suddenly: to be overwhelmed by grief 3 (of water) to cover completely and usually suddenly
o-ver-whelm-ing /ˌəʊvəˈwelmɪŋ -ˈvɜr-/ adj very large; too great to oppose: overwhelming generosity | An overwhelming majority voted against the proposal. —ly adv
o-ver-win-ter /ˌəʊvəˈwɪntər ‖-ˈvɜːr-/ v [I] (usually of plants and certain animals) to live through the winter: This variety of spinach will overwinter if it is well mulched.
o-ver-work¹ /ˌəʊvəˈwɜːk ‖ˌəʊvərˈwɜːrk/ v [I;T] to (cause to) work too much
overwork² n [U] too much work; working too hard
o-ver-wrought /ˌəʊvəˈrɔːt / adj too nervous and excited at the moment, especially because of anxiety ➔ compare WROUGHT-UP
Ov-id /ˈɒvɪd ‖ˈɑːv-/ (43 BC-17 AD) a Latin poet whose Roman name was Publius Ovidius Naso, famous for the Metamorphoses, a set of poems telling ancient stories (MYTHS)
o-vip-a-rous /əʊˈvɪpərəs/ adj tech egg-laying
o-void /ˈəʊvɔɪd/ adj, n fml or tech (an object that is) egg-shaped
ov-u-late /ˈvjʊleɪt ‖ˈɑːv-/ v [I] to produce eggs from the OVARY —lation /ˌɒvjʊˈleɪʃn ‖ˌɑːv-/ n [C,U]
o-vum /ˈəʊvəm/ n pl. ova /ˈəʊvə/ tech an egg, especially one that develops inside the mother's body
ow /aʊ/ interj (an expression of sudden slight pain)
owe /əʊ/ v [T not in progressive forms] 1 [(to, for)] to have to pay, for something already done or given: I still owe the garage for those repairs. | [+obj(i)+obj(d)] I owe the garage £20 (for the new tyre). | (fig.) We owe loyalty to our country. | He seems to think the world owes him a living. (=he doesn't want to make any effort at anything) 2 [(to)] to feel grateful: We owe a lot to our parents. | [+obj(i)+obj(d)] We owe our parents a lot. 3 owe someone one infml to be prepared to do someone a favour, in return for a favour that they have done for oneself ➔ see also IOU
owe sthg. to sthg./sbdy. phr v [T not in progressive forms] to have (something good) because of: She owes her success to good luck.
Ow-en, David /ˈəʊən/ (1938-) a British politician, who was Foreign Secretary in the Labour government (1977-79), but later left the Labour Party to help start the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which he led from 1983 to 1987. He left British politics and was given a special job by the United Nations to try to establish peace in Bosnia. In 1992, he was given a PEERAGE, and his official title is Lord Owen of the City of Plymouth.
Owen, Michael (1979-) an English football player who has played for Liverpool and England. In 1998, he became the youngest player in the 20th Century to play for the English team and score a goal for England.
Owen, Wil-fred /ˈwɪlfrɪd/ (1893-1918) a British poet who was a soldier in World War I and whose poems are mainly about the terrible events and experiences of the war. Some of his best-known poems, such as 'Anthem for Doomed Youth', are a protest against the idea that it is honourable to die for your country. He was killed just before the end of the war, and his poems were published after his death.
Ow-ens, Jes-se /ˈəʊnz, ˈdʒesi/ (1913-80) a very successful African-American ATHLETE, who won four GOLD MEDALS at the 1936 OLYMPIC GAMES in Berlin. Hitler is said to have been very angry about this, because it disproved the Nazi idea that the 'Aryans' (=white people from Northern Europe) were better than people of other races. Hitler refused to attend the ceremonies at which Owens was given his gold medals.
ow-ing /ˈəʊɪ/ adj 1 [F(to)] still to be paid: How much is owing to you? | There is still £5 owing. 2 owing to because of: Our flight was delayed, owing to the bad weather. ➔ see DUE (USAGE)
owl
owl /aʊl/ n a night bird with large eyes and a loud call tu-wit tu-whoo. According to old stories, owls are very wise. ➔ see also NIGHT OWL
Owl and the Pus-sy-cat, The /ˌaʊl ənd ðə ˈpʊsikæt/ (1871) a NONSENSE poem (=a humorous poem that uses strange words and describes impossible events) by Edward LEAR which begins:
The owl and the pussycat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat.
They took some honey and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note...
owl-et /ˈaʊlət/ n a young owl
owl-ish /ˈaʊlɪʃ/ adj (of a person) having a round solemn face and usually glasses
owl-ish-ly /ˈaʊlɪʃli/ adv solemnly; in a wise manner
own¹ /əʊn/ determiner, pron 1 belonging to oneself and to no one else: It was (all) her own idea. | I only borrowed the book; it's not my own. | They treated the child as if she were their own. | The country has its own oil and doesn't need to import any. | For reasons of my own, I don't want to see him just yet. | Mind your own business! (=pay attention to your own affairs, not mine) | I didn't believe it till I saw it with my own eyes. 2 have/get one's own back (on someone) to succeed in doing harm (to someone) in return for harm done to oneself; get one's REVENGE 3 (all) on one's own a) alone: How do you like living on your own? b) without help: I can't carry it on my own; it's too heavy. ➔ see also come into one's own (COME¹), hold one's own (HOLD¹), one's own man (MAN¹)
USAGE Own is used only after possessive words like my, John's, the company's etc: He has his own room/a room of his own. It can be made stronger by adding very: He has his very own room/a room of his very own.
own² v [T not in progressive forms] 1 to possess (something), especially by lawful right: Who owns this house/this dog? | Do you own a car, sir? ➔ see also DISOWN 2 [+(that);obj] fml to admit: He owns (that) he was wrong.
own to sthg. phr v [T] fml to admit: I must own to a feeling of anxiety. | [+v-ing] I must own to feeling rather anxious.
own up phr v [I(to)] to admit a fault or crime: He owned up to the robbery. | She finally owned up to having taken the money.
own-er /ˈəʊnər/ n a person who owns something, especially by lawful right: He is now the proud owner of a new car. —ship n [U] the ownership of the means of production | a dispute over ownership | home ownership
,owner-'driver n especially BrE a person who drives their own car
,owner-'occupier n especially BrE a person who owns the house or flat in which they live ➔ compare TENANT —pied adj: owner-occupied flats
,own 'goal n especially BrE 1 (in football) a GOAL against one's own team scored (SCORE) by mistake by one of one's own players 2 infml a mistake that makes one look foolish, especially a remark or action that is against one's own interests: the minister's spectacular own goal in his speech to parliament
,own 'label also ,own 'brand BrE ‖ store brand AmE—n goods produced for and sold by certain shops, carrying the name of the shop rather than the producer: Have you tried Sainsbury's own label tomato ketchup? ➔ compare TRADE NAME
ox /ɒks ‖ɑːks/ n pl. ox-en /ˈɒksən ‖ɑːk-/ 1 also bullock — a fully-grown male of the cattle family with its sexual organs removed, often used for heavy work on farms ➔ compare HEIFER, STEER² 2 any large animal of the cattle type
Ox-bridge /ˈɒksˌbrɪdʒ ‖ɑːks-/ the British universities of Oxford and/or Cambridge: Oxbridge-educated judges | Are there still a lot of Oxbridge graduates in the Civil Service?