Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Eaves'-catch, n. p. 425See EAVES-BOARD.Eaves'dröp, v. i. p. 425To stand under the eaves or near the windows of a house, to listen and learn what is said within doors; hence, to watch for opportunities of hearing the private conversation of others. “To eavesdrop…Eaves'drŏp, n. p. 425The water which falls in drops from the eaves of a house. Ogilvie.Eaves'dröp-per, n. p. 425One who stands under the eaves, or near the window or door of a house, to listen; hence, one who watches for an opportunity of hearing the private conversation of others.Eaves'-lath, n. p. 425See EAVES-BOARD.Ebb, n. p. 425The reflux of the tide; the return of tide-water toward the sea;—opposed to flood. 2. The state or time of passing away; a falling from a better to a worse state; decline; decay. “Our ebb of life.”…Ĕbb, v. i. p. 425To flow back; to return, as the water of a tide toward the ocean;—opposed to flow. 2. To return or fall back from a better to a worse state; to decline; to decay. “The hours of life ebb fast.”…Ĕbb, v. t. p. 425To cause to flow back or return to the sea. [Obs.] Ford.Ĕbb, a. p. 425Not deep; shallow; low. [Obs.] “The water there is very low and ebb.” Holland.Ĕbb'-tīde, n. p. 425The reflux of tide-water; the retiring tide.Ěb'e-nā'ce-æ p. 425m. pl. [From Gr. ἔβενος, ebony; Lat. ebenus.] (Bot.) A natural order of monopetalous exogenous plants, including those trees which furnish the ebony wood of commerce.E'bĭ-o-nite, n. p. 426(Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of Jewish Christians, in the first ages of the church, who combined Judaism with Christianity, rejected much of the New Testament, and were accounted heretics by the…Ĕb'i-o-nite, a. p. 426Pertaining to the religious sect called Ebionites, or to their doctrines.Ĕb'la-nine, n. p. 426(Chem.) A yellowish-red crystallizable substance obtained from wood-spirit. Ogilvie.Ĕb'lis, n. p. 426(Mohammedan Myth.) An evil spirit or devil. E. W. Lane.Ĕb'o-lĭ'tion, n. p. 426The act of breathing out; hence, the act of smoking, as tobacco. [Obs.] “The practice of the Cuban ebolition.” B. Jonson.Ēb'on, a. p. 426Consisting of ebony; like ebony. 2. Black as ebony; dark. Night, sable goddess! from her ebon throne, In rayless majesty, now stretches forth Her leaden scepter o'er a slumbering world. Young.Éb'on-ist, n. p. 426One who works in ebony.Eb'on-ize, v. t. p. 426To make black or tawny; to tinge like ebony; as, to ebonize the fairest complexion.Ĕb'on-y, n. p. 426A species of hard, heavy, and durable wood, from Madagascar and Ceylon, which admits of a fine polish or gloss. The most usual color is black, but it also occurs red or green. The black is the heart…Ĕb'on-y-tree, n. p. 426(Bot.) A tree (the Anthyllis Cretica) growing in Crete. It is not the species which furnishes the ebony wood. See EBONY.Éboulement, n. p. 426(Mil.) The crumbling or falling of the wall of a fortification.Ē-brăc'te-ate, a. p. 426(Bot.) Without bracts.E-brăc'te-o-late, a. p. 426(Bot.) Without bracteoles, or little bracts; — said of a pedicel or flower stalk.E-brī'e-ty, n. p. 426Intoxication by spirituous liquors; drunkenness; inebriety.E-bril'ade, n. p. 426(Man.) A check given to a horse by a sudden jerk of one rein, when he refuses to turn.Ē'bri-ōs'i-ty, n. p. 426— Partial intoxication; habitual drinking to excess.Ĕb'ri-ōus, a. p. 426Partially intoxicated; inclined to drink to excess.E-bŭl'li-āte, v. i. p. 426To boil up; to bubble; to effervesce. [Obs.] Prynne.E-bŭl'lience or E-bŭl'lien-cy, n. p. 426A boiling over. Cudworth.Ē-bŭl'lient, a. p. 426Boiling over, as a liquor; hence, manifesting exhilaration or excitement, as of feeling; effervescing. “Ebullient with subtlety.” De Quincey.Ĕb'ul-lĭ'tion, n. p. 426The operation of boiling; the agitation of a liquid from the escape of bubbles, the existence of these being due to the action of heat in converting a part of the liquid into vapor. 2. Effervescence…E-bur'na, n. p. 426(Zoöl.) A genus of gastropodous mollusks, having a smooth shell covered with a shining enamel. Baird.E-bûr'ne-an, a. p. 426Made of ivory.E-bŭr’ni-fi-cā’tion, n. p. 426The conversion of substances into others which have the appearance or characteristics of ivory. Craig.Ē-cau'date, a. p. 426(Bot.) Without a tail or spur.Ec-băl'li-ŭm, n. p. 426(Bot.) A genus of plants. E. elaterium is the squirting cucumber, the fruit of which, by reason of its remarkable elasticity, when ripe and distended, bursts when touched, and throws its contents to…Ĕc'ba-sĭs, n. p. 426(Rhet.) A figure in which the orator treats of things according to their events and consequences.Ec-bat'ic, a. p. 426(Gram.) Denoting a mere result or consequence, as distinguished from telic, which denotes intention or purpose; thus the phrase ἵνα πληρωθῇ, if rendered “so that it was fulfilled,” is ecbatic; if…Ĕc'bo-le, n. p. 426(Rhet.) A digression in which a person is introduced speaking his own words.Ec'ca-le-ō'bi-on, n. p. 426A contrivance for hatching eggs by artificial heat.Ĕc'ce-hō'mo, n. p. 426(Paint.) A picture which represents the Savior given up to the people by Pilate, and wearing a crown of thorns.Ec-çĕn'tric or Ec-çĕn'tric-al, a. p. 426Deviating or departing from the center, or from the line of a circle; as, an eccentric or elliptical orbit. 2. Pertaining to eccentricity or to an eccentric; as, the eccentric anomaly of a planet…Ec-çĕn'tric, n. p. 426A circle not having the same center as another contained in some measure within the first. Bacon. 2. One who, or that which, deviates from regularity; an anomalous or irregular person or thing. 3.…Ec-cĕn′tric-al-ly, adv. p. 426With eccentricity; in an eccentric manner.Ĕc'cen-trĭc'i-ty, n. p. 426The state of being eccentric; oddity; whimsicalness. 2. (Astron.) The distance of the center of the orbit of a heavenly body from the center of the body round which it revolves; that is, the distance…Ĕc'chy-mō'sis, n. p. 426(Med.) A livid, black, or yellow spot, produced by the extravasation or effusion of blood into the areolar tissue from a contusion. Dunglison.Ee-clē'si-ă, n. p. 426(Gr. Antiq.) The public legislative assembly of the Athenians. 2. An ecclesiastical society or assembly; a congregation; a church.Ec·cle' si·al, a. p. 426Ecclesiastical. [Obs.] “Our ecclesial and political choices.” Milton.Ec-cle'si-ārch, n. p. 426A ruler of the church.Ec-clē'si-ăst, n. p. 426An ecclesiastic. [Rare.] “A noble ecclesiast.” Chaucer.Ec-cle'si-äs'tic or Ec-cle'si-äs'tic-al, a. p. 426Pertaining to the church; relating to the organization or government of the church; not secular; as, ecclesiastical affairs, history, or polity; ecclesiastical courts. Every circumstance of…Ee-elē/ṣi-ăs/tie, n. p. 426A person in orders, or consecrated to the service of the church and the ministry of religion; a clergyman; a priest. From a humble ecclesiastic, he was subsequently preferred to the highest dignities…Ec-cle'si-äs'ti-cal-ly, adv. p. 426In an ecclesiastical manner: according to ecclesiastical rules.Ec-cle'si-ăs'ti-cĭsm, n. p. 426Strong attachment to ecclesiastical observances, privileges, &c.Ee-e-lē'si-ā'st'i-eŭs, n. p. 426A book of the Apocrypha.Ee-clē'si-o-lōg'ĭ-cal, a. p. 426Belonging to ecclesiology.Ec-clē'si-ŏl'o-gĭst, n. p. 426One versed in ecclesiology.Ee-elē'si-ōl'o-gy, n. p. 426The science or theory of church building and decoration.Ĕc'co-pe, n. p. 426(Surg.) The act of cutting out; especially, a perpendicular division of the cranium with a cutting instrument. Dunglison.