. The system by which a country raises, classifies, arranges, and equips its armed land forces. The usual divisions are: (1) A regular or active army, in which soldiers serve continuously with the colors and live in barracks or cantonments when not in the field; (2) the reserves of this army, in which the soldiers, while remaining constantly subject to a call to the colors, live at their homes, being summoned more or less frequently to report for instruction, drill, or maneuvers; and (3) one or more classes of soldiers organized largely for territorial defense, living at home and having only occasional periods of drill and instraction, who are variously called home reserves (as in the table below), second, third, etc., line of defense (the regular army and its reserves ordinarily constituting the first line of defense), territorial forces, or the like. In countries where conscription prevails a soldier is supposed to serve a given number of years. He is usually enrolled first in the regular army, then passes to its reserve, then into the home reserves, to serve until he reaches the age limit. It for any reason he is not enrolled in the regular army, he may begin his service in the army reserves or even the home reserves, but then serves the full number of years or up to the age limit. In equipment the organization of the army is into the three great arms of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, together with more or less numerous other branches, such as engineers, medical corps, etc., besides the staff organizations such as those of the pay and subsistence departments. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. bi`os life + E. organ. ] (Biol.) A physiological organ; a living organ; an organ endowed with function; -- distinguished from idorgan. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ From Bojanus, the discoverer. ] (Zool.) A glandular organ of bivalve mollusca, serving in part as a kidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. désorganisation. See Disorganize, v. t. ] 1. The act of disorganizing; destruction of system. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being disorganized; as, the disorganization of the body, or of government. [ 1913 Webster ]

The magazine of a pawnbroker in such total disorganization, that the owner can never lay his hands upon any one article at the moment he has occasion for it. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Disorganized p. pr. & vb. n. Disorganizing ] [ Pref. dis- + organize: cf. F. désorganiser. ] To destroy the organic structure or regular system of (a government, a society, a party, etc.); to break up (what is organized); to throw into utter disorder; to disarrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lyford . . . attempted to disorganize the church. Eliot (1809). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who disorganizes or causes disorder and confusion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ect- + organism. ] (Biol.) An external parasitic organism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ent- + organism. ] (Biol.) An internal parasitic organism. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ It.; -- so called because this phenomenon was looked upon as the work of a fairy (It. fata) of the name of Morgána. See Fairy. ] A kind of mirage by which distant objects appear inverted, distorted, displaced, or multiplied. It is noticed particularly at the Straits of Messina, between Calabria and Sicily. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Homo- + organ. ] Same as Homoplast. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. hyper- + organic. ] Higher than, or beyond the sphere of, the organic. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; form + E. organ. ] (Biol.) A morphological unit, consisting of two or more plastids, which does not possess the positive character of the person or stock, in distinction from the physiological organ or biorgan. See Morphon.

a. [ Pref. in- not + organic: cf. F. inorganique. ] 1. Not organic; without the organs necessary for life; devoid of an organized structure; unorganized; lifeness; inanimate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds that are not derivatives of hydrocarbons; not organic{ 5 }. [ PJC ]

☞ The term inorganic is used to denote any one the large series of substances (as minerals, metals, etc.), which are not directly connected with vital processes, either in origin or nature, and which are broadly and relatively contrasted with organic substances. See Organic{ 5 }. [ 1913 Webster ]

Inorganic Chemistry. See under Chemistry. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Inorganic. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an inorganic manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality of being inorganic. [ Obs. ] “The inorganity of the soul.” Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being without organization. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not having organic structure; devoid of organs; inorganic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. me`ros part + E. organization. ] Organization in part. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Metalorganic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Metal, L. metallum + E. organic. ] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of a series of compounds of certain metallic elements with organic radicals; as, zinc methyl, sodium ethyl, etc.; now usually organometallic. [ Written also metallorganic. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Micro- + organism. ] (Biol.) Any microscopic form of life; a form of life too small to be seen by the naked eye; -- particularly applied to bacteria, protozoa, yeasts, and similar organisms, esp. such are supposed to cause infectious diseases. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Mon- + organic. ] (Biol. & Med.) Belonging to, or affecting, a single organ, or set of organs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of a celebrated breed of small compact American saddle and trotting horses; -- so called from the name of the stud (Justin Morgan) from which the breed originated in Vermont. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

prop. n. John Pierpont Morgan, a noted American financier and philanthropist; 1837-1913.
Syn. -- J. P. Morgan. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ LL. matrimonium ad morganaticam, fr. morganatica a morning gift, a kind of dowry paid on the morning before or after the marriage, fr. OHG. morgan morning, in morgangeba morning gift, G. morgengabe. See Morn. ] Pertaining to, in the manner of, or designating, a kind of marriage, called also left-handed marriage, between a man of superior rank and a woman of inferior, in which it is stipulated that neither the latter nor her children shall enjoy the rank or inherit the possessions of her husband. Brande & C. -- Mor`ga*nat"ic*al*ly adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. organum, Gr. 'o`rganon; akin to 'e`rgon work, and E. work: cf. F. organe. See Work, and cf. Orgue, Orgy. ] 1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as, legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are organs of government. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) A natural part or structure in an animal or a plant, capable of performing some special action (termed its function), which is essential to the life or well-being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are organs of animals; the root, stem, foliage, etc., are organs of plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In animals the organs are generally made up of several tissues, one of which usually predominates, and determines the principal function of the organ. Groups of organs constitute a system. See System. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A component part performing an essential office in the working of any complex machine; as, the cylinder, valves, crank, etc., are organs of the steam engine. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A medium of communication between one person or body and another; as, the secretary of state is the organ of communication between the government and a foreign power; a newspaper is the organ of its editor, or of a party, sect, etc. A newsletter distributed within an organization is often called its house organ. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

5. [ Cf. AS. organ, fr. L. organum. ] (Mus.) A wind instrument containing numerous pipes of various dimensions and kinds, which are filled with wind from a bellows, and played upon by means of keys similar to those of a piano, and sometimes by foot keys or pedals; -- formerly used in the plural, each pipe being considered an organ. [ 1913 Webster ]

The deep, majestic, solemn organs blow. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Chaucer used the form orgon as a plural. [ 1913 Webster ] The merry orgon . . . that in the church goon [ go ]. [ 1913 Webster ]

Barrel organ,
Choir organ,
Great organ, etc. See under Barrel, Choir, etc. --
Cabinet organ (Mus.), an organ of small size, as for a chapel or for domestic use; a reed organ. --
Organ bird (Zool.), a Tasmanian crow shrike (Gymnorhina organicum). It utters discordant notes like those of a hand organ out of tune. --
Organ fish (Zool.), the drumfish. --
Organ gun. (Mil.) Same as Orgue (b). --
Organ harmonium (Mus.), an harmonium of large capacity and power. --
Organ of Corti (Anat.), a complicated structure in the cochlea of the ear, including the auditory hair cells, the rods or fibers of Corti, the membrane of Corti, etc. See Note under Ear. --
Organ pipe. See Pipe, n., 1. --
Organ-pipe coral. (Zool.) See Tubipora. --
Organ point (Mus.), a passage in which the tonic or dominant is sustained continuously by one part, while the other parts move. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To supply with an organ or organs; to fit with organs; to organize. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou art elemented and organed for other apprehensions. Bp. Mannyngham. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ F. organdi. ] A kind of transparent light but stiff muslin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Biol.) a specialized part of a cell performing a specific function, usually visible under the microscope as a distinct object; it is analogous to an organ{ 2 }, but on a microscopic scale.
Syn. -- cell organ. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. organicus, Gr. 'organiko`s: cf. F. organique. ] 1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic remains. Cf. Inorganic. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to a certain destined function or end. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and write perspicuously. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but organic. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds which are derivatives of hydrocarbons; pertaining to, or denoting, any one of a large series of carbon-containing compounds which are related to the carbon compounds produced by biological processes (such as methane, oils, fats, sugars, alcohols, ethers, proteins, etc.) and include many substances of artificial production which may or may not occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with inorganic. Borderline cases exist which may be classified as either organic or inorganic, such as carbon terachloride (which may be viewed as a derivative of methane), but in general a compound must have a carbon with a hydrogen atom or another carbon atom attached to it to be viewed as truly organic, i.e. included in the subject matter of organic chemistry. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

☞ The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are identical; but the enormous number and the completeness of related series of organic compounds, together with their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution, offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry. [ 1913 Webster ]

Organic analysis (Chem.), the analysis of organic compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent, and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide; -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from proximate analysis. --
Organic chemistry. See under Chemistry. --
Organic compounds. (Chem.) Chemical substances which are organic{ 5 }. See Carbon compounds, under Carbon. --
Organic description of a curve (Geom.), the description of a curve on a plane by means of instruments. Brande & C. --
Organic disease (Med.), a disease attended with morbid changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to functional disease. --
Organic electricity. See under Electricity. --
Organic law or
Organic laws, a law or system of laws, or declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and organization of a political or other association; a constitution. --
Organic stricture (Med.), a contraction of one of the natural passages of the body produced by structural changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic stricture, which is due to muscular contraction. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Organic. [ 1913 Webster ]

The organical structure of human bodies, whereby they live and move. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an organic manner; by means of organs or with reference to organic functions; hence, fundamentally. Gladstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being organic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) The doctrine of the localization of disease, or which refers it always to a material lesion of an organ. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Organ + L. -ficare (in comp.) to make. See fy. ] Making an organic or organized structure; producing an organism; acting through, or resulting from, organs. Prof. Park. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. Same as organize. [ Chiefly Brit. ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. organisme. ] 1. Organic structure; organization. “The advantageous organism of the eye.” Grew. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) An organized being; a living body, either vegetable or animal, composed of different organs or parts with functions which are separate, but mutually dependent, and essential to the life of the individual. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Some of the lower forms of life are so simple in structure as to be without organs, but are still called organisms, since they have different parts analogous in functions to the organs of higher plants and animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to organism (definition 2). the organismic theory of the state [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. organiste. ] 1. (Mus.) One who plays on the organ. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (R. C. Ch.) One of the priests who organized or sung in parts. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Sp., an organis. ] (Zool.) Any one of several South American wrens, noted for the sweetness of their song. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Organism. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality of being organizable; capability of being organized. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being organized; esp. (Biol.), capable of being formed into living tissue; as, organizable matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. organisation. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of organizing; the act of arranging in a systematic way for use or action; as, the organization of an army, or of a deliberative body. “The first organization of the general government.” Pickering. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being organized. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is organized; an organized existence; an organism; specif. (Biol.), an arrangement of parts for the performance of the functions necessary to life. [ 1913 Webster ]

The cell may be regarded as the most simple, the most common, and the earliest form of organization. McKendrick. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Specifically: A group of persons associated together for a common purpose and having a set of rules which specify the relations of the individual members to the whole gorup. [ PJC ]

5. The manner in which something is organized; the relations included in an organized state or condition; as, the organization of the department permits ad hoc groups to form. [ PJC ]

What is organization but the connection of parts in and for a whole, so that each part is, at once, end and means? Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Of or pertaining to organization; as, organizational structure. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Organized p. pr. & vb. n. Organizing ] [ Cf. F. organiser, Gr. 'organi`zein. See Organ. ] 1. (Biol.) To furnish with organs; to give an organic structure to; to endow with capacity for the functions of life; as, an organized being; organized matter; -- in this sense used chiefly in the past participle. [ 1913 Webster ]

These nobler faculties of the mind, matter organized could never produce. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To arrange or constitute in parts, each having a special function, act, office, or relation; to systematize; to get into working order; -- applied to products of the human intellect, or to human institutions and undertakings, as a science, a government, an army, a war, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

This original and supreme will organizes the government. Cranch. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) To sing in parts; as, to organize an anthem. [ R. ] Busby. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. Same as arranged; as, an organized tour. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Formed into an organization. Opposite of unorganized. [ Narrower terms: corporate, incorporated ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. well-conducted. Opposite of disorganized. Also See: systematic.
Syn. -- organized. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

4. Arranged according to a system or rule.
Syn. -- systematized. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

5. Being a member of or formed into a labor union; -- of workers, used especially in the phrase “organized labor”. Opposite of nonunion.
Syn. -- unionized, union. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Groups of persons organized for illegal purposes, such as bootlegging, conducting illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, etc.; -- a general term encompassing most forms of criminal groups, but especially those that are consolidated into “families” more or less recognizing each other's different regions of operation; sometimes considered synonymous with the mafia or the syndicate. [ PJC ]

n. One who organizes. [ 1913 Webster ]