omen

omen
/oh"meuhn/, n.
1. anything perceived or happening that is believed to portend a good or evil event or circumstance in the future; portent.
2. a prognostic.
3. prophetic significance; presage: a bird of ill omen.
v.t.
4. to be an omen of; portend.
5. to divine, as if from omens.
[1575-85; < L omen]
Syn. 1. augury, foreboding. See sign.

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Observed phenomenon that is interpreted as signifying good or bad fortune.

The many and varied omens that the ancients noted included lightning, cloud movements, the flights of birds, and the paths of sacred animals. Each type of omen was gauged according to specific meaningful characteristics, such as the kinds of bird in flight or the direction of flight in relation to the observer.

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      observed phenomenon that is interpreted as signifying good or bad fortune. In ancient times omens were numerous and varied and included, for instance, lightning, cloud movements, the flight of birds, and the paths of certain sacred animals. Within each type of sign were minor subdivisions, such as the different kinds of bird in flight or the direction of flight in relation to the observer, each of which had a special meaning. See also augury.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • OMEN — pro quolibet auspicio augurioque: tibullus l. 3. El. 3. Aves dant Omina dira. C. Petronius Satyr. Fortior Ominibus movit Mavortia signa Caesar. I. e. auguriis. Sueton. Nerone c. 46. Terrebatur evidentibus portentis somniorum et auspiciorum et… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Omen — (Pl. Omen oder Omina, v. lat.: omen = Vorzeichen, Vogelschau) ist ein Vorzeichen eines zukünftigen Ereignisses und findet in der Vorhersage dessen seine Verwendung. Insgesamt wird das Erkennen von Omen und das darauf basierende Wahrsagen als… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Omen — Sn Vorzeichen (immer mit dem Zusatz gut oder böse) erw. bildg. (16. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus l. ōmen Vorzeichen , dessen Herkunft unklar ist. Das zugehörige Adjektiv ominös aus l. ōminōsus ist in seiner Bedeutung auf das schlechte Omen… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • omen — omen·tal; omen·to·pexy; omen·tu·lum; omen·tum; omen; …   English syllables

  • Omen — O men, n. [L. omen, the original form being osmen, according to Varro.] An occurrence supposed to portend, or show the character of, some future event; any indication or action regarded as a foreshowing; a foreboding; a presage; an augury. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Omen — das; s, Plur. u. Ōmina <aus gleichbed. lat. omen> (gutes od. schlechtes) Vorzeichen; Vorbedeutung; vgl. ↑nomen est omen …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • omen — {{/stl 13}}{{stl 8}}rz. mnż I, D. u, Mc. omennie, blm {{/stl 8}}{{stl 7}} znak zapowiadający coś; wróżba, przepowiednia, prognostyk : {{/stl 7}}{{stl 10}}Uważać coś za dobry, zły omen.{{/stl 10}}{{stl 18}}ZOB. {{/stl 18}}{{stl 10}}nomen omen… …   Langenscheidt Polski wyjaśnień

  • Omen — O men, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Omened}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Omening}.] To divine or to foreshow by signs or portents; to have omens or premonitions regarding; to predict; to augur; as, to omen ill of an enterprise. [1913 Webster] The yet unknown… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • omen — (n.) 1580s, from L. omen foreboding, from Old L. osmen, of unknown origin; perhaps connected with the root of audire to hear [OED] or from PIE *o to believe, hold as true (Cf. Gk. oiomai I suppose, think, believe ) …   Etymology dictionary

  • omen — ȏmen m DEFINICIJA dobar ili loš predznak, dobra ili loša slutnja (u rimskoj i drugim religijama); kob, znamenje ETIMOLOGIJA lat. omen …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • Omen — »(gutes oder schlechtes) Vorzeichen; Vorbedeutung«: Das Fremdwort wurde im 16. Jh. aus gleichbed. lat. omen (ominis) übernommen, dessen weitere Zugehörigkeit unsicher ist. – Abl.: ominös »von schlimmer Vorbedeutung, unheilvoll; bedenklich;… …   Das Herkunftswörterbuch

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