Organ /(ôr"gan)/

Or·gan

Organ

n.
  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.
  2. 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. (Biol.)
  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.
  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.
  5. 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. (Mus.)
    The deep, majestic, solemn organs blow.
    The merry orgon . . . that in the church goon [go].

Phrases & Compounds
Barrel organ
See under Barrel, Choir, etc.
Cabinet organ
an organ of small size, as for a chapel or for domestic use; a reed organ.
Organ bird
a Tasmanian crow shrike (Gymnorhina organicum). It utters discordant notes like those of a hand organ out of tune.
Organ fish
the drumfish.
Organ gun
Same as Orgue (b).
Organ harmonium
an harmonium of large capacity and power.
Organ of Corti
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
See Tubipora.
Organ point
a passage in which the tonic or dominant is sustained continuously by one part, while the other parts move.

Organ

v. t.
  1. To supply with an organ or organs; to fit with organs; to organize. [Obs.]
    Thou art elemented and organed for other apprehensions.