From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Orient \O"ri*ent\ ([=o]"r[i^]*ent), a. [F., fr. L. oriens,
-entis, p. pr. of oriri to rise. See Origin.]
1. Rising, as the sun.
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Moon, that now meet'st the orient sun. --Milton.
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2. Eastern; oriental. "The orient part." --Hakluyt.
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3. 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." --Jer. Taylor. "Orient gems." --Wordsworth.
"Orient liquor in a crystal glass." --Milton.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Orient \O"ri*ent\, n.
1. The part of the horizon where the sun first appears in the
morning; the east.
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[Morn] came furrowing all the orient into gold.
--Tennyson.
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2. The countries of Asia or the East. --Chaucer.
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Best built city throughout the Orient. --Sir T.
Herbert.
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3. A pearl of great luster. [R.] --Carlyle.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Orient \O"ri*ent\ ([=o]"r[i^]*[e^]nt), v. t. [F. orienter. Cf.
Orientate.]
1. To define the position of, in relation to the orient or
east; hence, to ascertain the bearings of.
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2. Hence: To acquaint with new surroundings or a new
situation.
[PJC]
3. Fig.: To correct or set right by recurring to first
principles; to arrange in order; to orientate.
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4. Same as Orientate, 2.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
5. 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.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
Orient
n 1: the countries of Asia [syn: East, Orient]
2: the hemisphere that includes Eurasia and Africa and Australia
[syn: eastern hemisphere, orient]
v 1: be oriented; "The weather vane points North"; "the dancers
toes pointed outward" [syn: orient, point]
2: determine one's position with reference to another point; "We
had to orient ourselves in the forest" [syn: orient,
orientate] [ant: disorient, disorientate]
3: cause to point; "Orient the house towards the West"
4: familiarize (someone) with new surroundings or circumstances;
"The dean of students tries to orient the freshmen"
5: adjust to a specific need or market; "a magazine oriented
towards young people"; "tailor your needs to your
surroundings" [syn: tailor, orient]