Ocean Greyhound. A fast Atlantic steamer belonging to one of the great lines.
Octavo. A sheet of printing paper which, when folded and cut, makes eight leaves or sixteen pages.
October. The eighth month of the Roman calendar when the year began with March.
Octroi. The name given to a toll or tax levied upon market produce passing through the gates of a town. It comes from the Latin auctoritas, authority.
Odder. Colloquial for one who obtains a livelihood by doing odd jobs.
Oddfellows. This friendly society originated with five Manchester shoemakers who in 1812 were accustomed to meet after the day’s work. It having occurred to one of them how his family would fare if, through sickness, he should be unable to follow his occupation, and thinking it would be wise to make some provision against such a contingency, he proposed that each of them should subscribe a few pence weekly towards a common sick fund. The idea was at once taken up. They called themselves Oddfellows because they numbered five. Others soon joined the little society, and from these humble beginnings it grew into a powerful organisation.
Odd rot it. A perversion of the Crusaders’ curse: “God rot them!” meaning the Saracens, the enemies of Christianity.
Odds Bodkins. A perversion of “God’s Body,” in allusion to the Eucharist. This oath was not considered profane during the Ages of Faith.
Odds Fish. A favourite exclamation of Charles II. It was a corruption of “God’s Flesh,” or the Body of Christ.
Odds Splutter. A corruption of the Dutch oath Got’s plut, “God’s Blood,” introduced into England during the reign of William III.