Etymology : Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin orient-, oriens, from present participle of oriri to rise; akin to Sanskrit rnoti he moves, arises, Greek ornynai to rouse, oros mountain
Pronunciation : 'Or-E-&nt, 'or-, -E-"ent
Function : noun
Date : 14th century
1. eastern hemisphere; countries of Asia. eastern, of the orient. direct; place in a particular position; become familiar with (especially a new place or location); guide, lead; turn to a place in the east. orient\o"ri*ent\ , v. t. [f. orienter. cf. orientate.].
2. to define the position of, in relation to the orient or east; hence, to ascertain the bearings of.
3. fig.: to correct or set right by recurring to first principles; to arrange in order; to orientate.orient \o"ri*ent\ , a. [f., fr. l. oriens, -entis, p. pr. of oriri to rise. see:
origin.].
4. rising, as the sun. moon, that now meet'st the orient sun.
5. eastern; oriental. "the orient part." akluyt.
6. bright; lustrous; superior; pure; perfect; pellucid; -- used of gems and also figuratively, because the most perfect jewels are found in the east. "pearls round and orient." taylor. "orient gems." "orient liquor in a crystal glass."orient \o"ri*ent\, n.
7. the part of the horizon where the sun first appears in the morning; the east. [morn] came furrowing all the orient into gold.
8. the countries of asia or the east. best built city throughout the orient. t. herbert.
9. a pearl of great luster. [r.] arlyle.orient \o"ri*ent\, v. t.
10. same as orientate,.
11. 2. to place (a map or chart) so that its east side, north side, etc., lie toward the corresponding parts of the horizon; specif. (surv.), to rotate (a map attached to a plane table) until the line of direction between any two of its points is parallel to the corresponding direction in nature. [orient (poetic) "the orient sun" n.
12. the countries of asia [syn: east].
13. the hemisphere that includes eurasia and africa and australia [syn: eastern hemisphere] v 1: be oriented; "the weather vane points north" [syn: point] 2: determine one's position with reference to another point [syn: orientate] [ant: disorient].
14. cause to point; "orient the house towards the west".
15. set or arrange in a new or different determinate position; "orient the house towards the south" [syn: change orientation , reorient].
16. Rising, as the sun.
17. Eastern; oriental.
18. Bright; lustrous; superior; pure; perfect; pellucid; used of gems and also figuratively, because the most perfect jewels are found in the East.
19. The part of the horizon where the sun first appears in the morning; the east.
20. The countries of Asia or the East.
21. A pearl of great luster.
22. To define the position of, in relation to the orient or east; hence, to ascertain the bearings of.
23. Fig.: To correct or set right by recurring to first principles; to arrange in order; to orientate.
24. Same as Orientate, 2.
25. To place so that its east side, north side, etc., lie toward the corresponding parts of the horizon; to rotate until the line of direction between any two of its points is parallel to the corresponding direction in nature. determine one's position with reference to another point cause to point; "Orient the house towards the West" be oriented; "The weather vane points North" eastern; "the orient sun".
26. The eastern part of Asia is sometimes referred to as the Orient. = East.
27. When you orient yourself to a new situation or course of action, you learn about it and prepare to deal with it. You will need the time to orient yourself to your new way of eating. = accustom see also:
oriented. the Orient the eastern part of the world, especially China and Japan the East east (1a), Occident.