ocularn.adj.
/ˈɒkjᵿlə/, U.S. /ˈɑkjələr/ A. n.† 1. A bone of the skull. Obsolete. rare.† 2. Something that is visible or manifest. Obsolete. rare.† 4. humorous. The eye. Obsolete. rare.
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1503 tr. Kalendayr Shyppars sig. h i Two boonys ar in the heyd be hynd the eyrys callyt oculayrs [1506 oculares; Fr. oculaires].
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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > [noun] > that which is visible
seen1577
visible1614
visibility1628
ocular1648
observable1660
the visible1744
seeable1802
1648 S. H. Knaves & Fooles in Folio 5 Fooles know, it's not words, or expressions, or oculars define, but things, natures, intentions, intrinsiques, and occults.
1656 S. Hunton Golden Law 70 Its Natures, and not Names; its occults, and not occulars, entitle to the title King.
3. A lens or combination of lenses at the eye end of a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument; an eyepiece.
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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > optical instruments > lens > [noun] > eye-piece
eyeglass1665
ocular1702
eyepiece1729
Ramsden1787
field glass1797
negative eyepiece1831
positive eyepiece1842
Kellner1865
orthoscopic1868
eye-point1875
comparison eyepiece1940
1702 A. Sharp Let. 2 Oct. in J. Flamsteed Corr. (1997) II. 970 A plano-convex ocular whose focall distance is about 7½ or 8 inches and 2¾ inchs Diameter.
1848 J. Lindley Introd. Bot. (ed. 4) I. 17 An Amici's achromatic ocular.
1877 T. W. Webb in G. F. Chambers Handbk. Descr. Astron. (ed. 3) vii. viii. 745 The Ramsden ocular is never achromatic.
1890 Internat. Ann. Anthonys Photogr. Bull. 84 The objectives and compensating oculars now available for microscopical research.
1950 F. A. Jenkins & H. E. White Fund. Optics (ed. 2) x. 170 One of the most important considerations in the design of oculars is correction for lateral chromatic aberration.
1991 Astronomy Dec. 3/2 (advt.) Series 4000 Super Plössl 32mm Eyepiece, the perfect low-power, wide-field ocular for nebulae, galaxies, and other deep-space objects.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [noun]
eyeeOE
the fleshly eyec1175
balla1400
window1481
glazier1567
light1580
crystal1592
orb1594
glass1597
optic1601
twinkler1605
lampa1616
watchera1616
wink-a-peeps1615
visive organa1652
ogle1673
peeper1691
goggle?1705
visual orb1725
orbit1727
winker1734
peep?1738
daylights?1747
eyewinker1808
keeker1808
glimmer1814
blinker1816
glim1820
goggler1821
skylight1824
ocular1825
mince pie1857
saucer1858
mince1937
1825 C. M. Westmacott Eng. Spy I. 164 The queerest looking oculars I had ever seen.
1881 W. S. Gilbert Patience ii. 30 To cut his curly hair, and stick an eye-glass in his ocular.
5. Zoology. An ocular plate of a sea urchin.
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1893 Science 5 May 241/2 The five genital plates and two of the oculars border upon the anal ring.
1952 Evolution 6 89/2 In the genera Echinus and Psammechinus the oculars usually do not reach the periproct.
1989 Paleobiology 15 241/1 Mespilia globulus and Phyllacanthus imperialis..do show separation of these sets of oculars.
B. adj.
1.
a. Designating a person who has seen a thing happening or being done, as ocular witness (cf. eyewitness n.); based on or derived from what has been seen, as ocular testimony. In early use as postmodifier. Now rare.
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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > one who sees > [noun] > eyewitness
eyewitness1539
ocular witness1570
titlark1800
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > attestation, witness, evidence > [noun] > a witness, testifier > who saw something
witness?c1225
eyewitness1539
ocular witness1570
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > attestation, witness, evidence > [noun] > evidence given, testimony > piece of > provided by eyewitness
eyewitness1607
ocular testimony1670
1570 in F. G. Emmison Essex Wills (1986) (modernized text) III. 10 I make..my master Jeffery Finche and Robert Rowland our parson..to be overseers oculars of my Will.
1601 B. Jonson Fountaine of Selfe-love ii. iii. sig. D3v You shall now, as well be the Ocular as the Eare-witnesse.
1608 T. Dekker Dead Tearme sig. D4 To bee an Occuler witnesse-bearer of what I Speake.
1670 I. Walton Life J. Donne 44 in Lives He gave an ocular testimony of the strictness and regularity of [his life].
1767 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. (new ed.) II. xx. 313 Depending on the ocular testimony and remembrance of the witnesses.
1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian (1830) viii. 126 Determined that, by no possibility whatever, would he be an ocular witness of the shame of his house.
1883 R. Broughton Belinda II. ii. vii. 93 Perhaps she is not particularly anxious to be an ocular witness of that ceremony which she has certainly speeded with her prayers.
1930 E. Pound Cantos (1972) xxv. 115 On the faith of several ocular witnesses.
b. Perceived by or made evident to sight, visible; conveyed to the mind through the actual sight of a thing; set visibly before a person. Now only in ocular proof.
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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > [adjective] > appearing or addressed to eye
ocular1589
oculary1608
visive1646
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie ii. x. 70 Your occular proportion doeth declare the nature of the audible: for if it please the eare well, the same represented by delineation to the view pleaseth the eye well.
?1615 G. Chapman tr. Homer Odysses (new ed.) xxiii. 349 The scar That still remaines a marke too ocular To leaue your heart yet blinded.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) iii. iii. 365 Giue me the oculer [1623 Occular] proofe. View more context for this quotation
1702 in Rous's Academia Cœlestis Advt. sig. A3v Giving his Testimony, by Ocular Demonstration.
1798 Trans. Soc. Promotion Useful Information 39 The best way to introduce any thing new which is useful among farmers, is to give them occular demonstration.
1875 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) III. 383 Of my zeal you shall have ocular demonstration.
1973 Times Lit. Suppl. 9 Nov. 1373/1 The proof ocular arrived in the shape of twenty-three glamorously produced, Vogue-shaped ‘units’.
1991 G. Josipovici Big Glass (BNC) 79 There it is. Ocular proof.
c. Esp. of an inspection, observation, etc.: performed by eye; done by means of the sense of sight; visual.
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the world > life > the body > sense organ > sight organ > [adjective]
oculate1549
ocularc1600
visual1626
c1600 in Balfour's Practicks (1754) 382 The Lordis of counsal, be ocular inspectioun, may decern..ony letter, contract..or uther writ, to be false and feinzeit.
1612 in R. Pitcairn Criminal Trials Scotl. (1833) III. 239 As is manifest nocht onlie be ocular inspectioun.
1699 in J. Lauder Decisions Lords of Council (1761) II. 53 She having vitiate the compt-books by ocular inspection..by tearing out leafs thereof.
1738 Philos. Trans. 1735–6 (Royal Soc.) 39 325 He contrives a very general Method..to make Fluxions and Fluents the Objects of Sense and ocular Inspection.
1830 J. F. W. Herschel Prelim. Disc. Study Nat. Philos. §194 To make the induction of their law a matter of ocular inspection.
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. (1856) xli. 372 In these regions we have learned to distrust ocular measurements of distance.
1993 W. Dalrymple City of Djinns (BNC) 221 Who is the traveller who can describe from ocular observation the interior of that building?
d. Of or relating to the sense of sight; visual.
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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > [adjective]
perspective?a1475
optical1570
optic1600
visual1603
specular1656
speculative1656
visional1790
visionary1814
ocular1831
1831 M. Faraday in Jrnl. Royal Inst. Great Brit. 1 205 A peculiar ocular deception.
1849 J. Ruskin Seven Lamps Archit. vi. 166 It is not a question of mere ocular delight.
1990 Mirabella Sept. 56/2 Byrne..has yet to achieve American recognition, which is puzzling, considering his talent, smarts and, oh yes, significant ocular appeal.
2.
a. Of or relating to the eye; of the nature of an eye; bearing an eye.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [adjective]
ophthalmic?a1425
optic?a1425
ocular1598
oculopalpebral1867
oculofrontal1890
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > parts of insects > [adjective] > of head > relating to eye > relating to compound eye
ocular1828
1598 A. M. tr. J. Guillemeau Frenche Chirurg. 12 b/2 The Eye, or ocullare vayne [Fr. veine oculaire].
1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 195 The excellency of that ocular Organ that God hath bestowed upon man.
1677 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Oxford-shire 95 Ocular distempers in Horses.
1786 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 76 313 When any one has long and attentively looked at a bright object..an image..continues some time to be visible: this appearance in the eye we shall call the ocular spectrum of that object.
1828 J. Stark Elements Nat. Hist. II. 150 Exterior antennæ..inserted near the ocular peduncles.
1831 D. Brewster Treat. Optics xxxvi. 304 The bluish green image of the wafer is called an ocular spectrum, because it is impressed on the eye.
1851 S. P. Woodward Man. Mollusca i. 49 Snails, whose ocular tentacles have been destroyed, reproduce them completely in a few weeks.
1885 J. Thomas Med. Dict. Ocular Cone,..a cone formed in the eye by the rays of light, the base being on the cornea, the apex on the retina.
1898 E. E. Maddox Tests & Stud. Ocular Muscles iii. 65 Our studies of the ocular motions up to this point have been quite independent of the ocular muscles.
1925 Amer. Jrnl. Ophthalmol. 8 935/1 The left eye, like the left hand, was also considered as the drudge, or ocular Cinderella.
1964 M. Hynes Med. Bacteriol. (ed. 8) xxxviii. 444 Ocular toxoplasmosis leads to chronic retinochoroiditis... As much as 5 per cent of blindness has been ascribed to this cause.
1991 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 9 Mar. 571/1 Pupillary constriction (miosis) is an accepted accompaniment of intraocular inflammation and also forms part of the ocular response to injury.
b. Applied to the eye; used on, for, or with the eye. Later (also): of or relating to an eyepiece.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [adjective] > used for
ocular1599
oculary1601
1599 A. M. tr. O. Gaebelkhover Bk. Physicke 53/1 A tryede Oculare vnguent [Ger. Augensälblin].
1661 R. Lovell Πανζωορυκτολογια, sive Panzoologicomineralogia 83 It's used in ocular remedies.
1665 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 1 120 He hath likewise already begun his Object-Glasses for the mentioned two Ocular ones.
1889 Internat. Ann. Anthonys Photogr. Bull. 157 Abraded by the constant..insertion and withdrawal of the different eye pieces, leaving a..shining and reflecting surface at the ocular end.
1987 M. Monk Mammalian Devel. (BNC) 64 The microscope should be fitted with a calibrated ocular micrometer.
1992 Chem. in Brit. 28 243 Other ocular devices have been used to deliver medication..directly onto the eye.
c. Expressed by the eye; conveyed by the look of the eye.
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society > communication > indication > gesturing or gesture > other gestures > [adjective] > expressed by the eye
oculara1631
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [adjective] > expressed by
oculara1631
a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1956) VIII. 148 They did countenance that which was said, with..ocular applause, with fixing their eyes upon the Preacher.
1860 R. W. Emerson Behaviour in Conduct of Life in Wks. (1906) II. 384 The eyes of men converse as much as their tongues..the ocular dialect needs no dictionary.
1993 J. Meades Pompey (1994) 296 When we move we move in slomo, fighting the thick air, submitting each other to ocular interrogation; we move forward and stand back.
d. Resembling an eye.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [adjective] > of nature of
ocular1640
1640 W. Somner Antiq. Canterbury 171 The ocular and peeked or pointed form of the arch.
1993 J. Mortimore & A. Lane Lucifer Rising (BNC) 209 The reconstructive surgery is fairly basic. If standard EB Corporation ocular replacements are used instead of cloned organs the estimate is only nineteen thousand adjusted ergs.
Compounds
ocular dominance n. Ophthalmology and Neurology. (a) the priority of one eye over the other with regard to preference of use or acuity of vision; (b) Physiology preferential response by certain neurons of the visual cortex to input from one eye rather than the other.
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1925 Amer. Jrnl. Ophthalmol. 8 936/2 Tests for ocular dominance are bound to become part of the fixed routine of eye examinations.
1961 Science 1 Sept. 614 In a systematic discussion of ocular dominance, Walls..differentiated between two which are commonly considered to be independent, namely, sighting-dominance (one eye is consistently aligned with a near point when sighting or pointing at a far point) and acuity-dominance (one eye has greater visual acuity than the other).
1998 Neuropharmacology 37 607 In the mammalian visual cortex, key neuronal response properties such as orientation preference and ocular dominance (OD) are mapped in an orderly fashion across the cortical surface.
ocular dominance column n. Physiology any of the vertical columns of neurons in the visual cortex that respond selectively to input from one eye.
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1968 D. H. Hubel & T. N. Wiesel in Jrnl. Physiol. 195 215 The ocular-dominance columns are larger than the orientation columns.
1989 W. F. Ganong Rev. Med. Physiol. (ed. 14) viii. 132/1 Ocular dominance columns can also be demonstrated by radioautography following injection of 2-deoxyglucose with one eye of the subject closed.
1997 Cerebral Cortex 7 166 The light columns in wet sections viewed under darkfield illumination matched the ocular dominance columns serving the enucleated eye.
ocular plate n. [so called because it was originally supposed to bear an eye] Zoology each of five small plates located between the genital plates of the test of a sea urchin.
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1873 C. W. Thomson Depths of Sea iii. 109 We have thus the three anterior ambulacra ending in their ocular plates, meeting at one point, where there are likewise four genital plates.
1963 G. A. Kerkut Borradaile & Potts's Invertebrata (rev. ed.) xvii. 688 At the aboral pole each radius ends in a single ocular plate, which bears the opening of the terminal tentacle.
1994 E. E. Ruppert & R. D. Barnes Invertebr. Zool. (ed. 6) xviii. 953/1 The genital plates, each of which bears a gonopore, line up with interambulacral areas and alternate with the ocular plates.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
> see also
also refers to : -ocularcomb. form
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n.adj.1503see also