The caulker's apprentice, who attends to bring oakum, pitch,
&c.

OAR. A slender piece of timber used as a lever to propel a boat through
the water. The blade is dipped into the water, while the other end
within board, termed the loom, is small enough to be grasped by the
rower. The _silver oar_ is a badge of office, similar to the staff of a
peace-officer, which on presentation, enables a person intrusted with a
warrant to serve it on board any ship he may set foot upon.--_To boat
the oars_, is to cease rowing and lay the oars in the boat.--_Get your
oars to pass!_ The order to prepare them for rowing, or shipping them.

OAR, TO SHOVE IN AN. To intermeddle, or give an opinion unasked.

OAR-PROPULSION. The earliest motive power for vessels; it may be by the
broadside in rowlocks abeam, by sweeps on the quarters fore and aft, or
by sculling with one oar in the notch of the transom amidships. (_See_
STERN-OAR.)

OARS! The order to cease rowing, by lifting the oars from the water, and
poising them on their looms horizontally in their rowlocks.--_Look to
your oars!_ Passing any object or among sea-weed.--_Double-banked oars_
(which see).

OASIS. A fertile spot in the midst of a sandy desert.

OATH. A solemn affirmation or denial of anything, before a person
authorized to administer the same, for discovery of truth and right.
(_See_ CORPORAL OATH.) Hesiod ascribes the invention of oaths to
discord. The oath of supremacy and of the Protestant faith was formerly
taken by an officer before he could hold a commission in the royal navy.

OAZE. Synonymous with the Ang.-Sax. _wase_ when applied to mud. (_See_
OOZE.)

OBEY. A word forming the fulcrum of naval discipline.

OBI. A horrible sorcery practised among the negroes in the West Indies,
the infliction of which by a threat from the juggler is sufficient to
lead the denounced victim to mental disease, despondency, and death.
Still the wretched trash gathered together for the obi-spell is not more
ridiculous than the amulets of civilized Europe.

OBLATE. Compressed or flattened.

OBLIGATION. A bond containing a penalty, with a condition annexed for
payment of money or performance of covenants.

OBLIMATION. The deposit of mud and silt by water.

OBLIQUE-ANGLED TRIANGLE. Any other than a right-angled triangle.

OBLIQUE ASCENSION. An arc between the first point of Aries and that
point of the equator which comes to the horizon with a star, or other
heavenly body, re