O/W

See also: OW

English

Noun

O/W (plural O/Ws)

1. (Scientology) Initialism of overt/withhold.
   • 1986, Stewart Lamont, Religion Inc.: The Church of Scientology, →ISBN, page 100:

     WENDELL REYNOLDS then mounted the rostrum and made the audience there and then write down all their O/Ws (overts and withholds, or sins to use religious terminology).

   • 1998 December 6, Richard Lei, “The Life & Death of a Scientologist”, in The Washington Post:

     In confessional rituals, a parishioner must declare his O/Ws -- "overts and withholds" -- immoral acts that include harmful, undisclosed transgressions against Scientology.

   • 2017, Donald A. Westbrook, “Researching Scientology and Scientologists in the United States: Methods and Conclusions”, in James R. Lewis, Kjersti Hellesøy, editors, Handbook of Scientology, →ISBN, page 24, note 5:

     These courses were introductions, respectively, to […] O/W (Overt/Withhold) Write-Ups, and cycles of action (start, change, stop).

   • 2022, Mike Rinder, A Billion Years: My Escape from a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology, →ISBN, page 10:

     The nature of the O/W was not really important at that time, only that I felt guilt.