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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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ĕld’er, a. p. 433Older; having lived a longer time; more advanced in age; senior; prior, as in origin;—opposed to younger. The elder shall serve the younger. Gen. xxv. 23.Ĕld'er, n. p. 433One who is older; a superior in age; a senior. 1 Tim. v. 1. 2. An ancestor; a predecessor. Carry your head as your elders have done before you. L'Estrange. 3. A person who, on account of his age…Eld'er, n. p. 433(Bot.) A genus of plants (Sambucus) having broad umbels of white flowers, and dark-red berries. The common North American species is S. Canadensis.Ĕld'er-ly, a. p. 433Somewhat old; advanced beyond middle age; bordering on old age; as, elderly people.Eld'ern, a. p. 433Made of elder. [Obs.] He would discharge us as boys do eldern guns. Marston.Eld'er-ship, n. p. 433The state of being older; seniority. “Paternity and eldership.” Raleigh. 2. The office of an elder;—used also, collectively, for a body of elders.Ĕl'der-wort, n. p. 433(Bot.) A plant; dane-wort or wall-wort.Ēld'est, a. p. 433Oldest; most advanced in age; having many years;—usually applied to persons; as, the eldest son.Eld'ing, n. p. 433Fuel. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.El Do-rā'do p. 433A fabulous region in the interior of South America, supposed to surpass all others in the richness of its productions, especially gold, gems, &c.; hence, any country, especially an imaginary one…El'dritch, a. p. 433Hideous; ghastly; wild; demoniacal; as, an eldritch shriek; an eldritch laugh. — [Obs.] [Written also eldritch.]E'le-āt'ic, a. p. 433Belonging to a certain sect of philosophers, so called from Elea, or Velia, a town on the western coast of Lower Italy; as, the Eleatic sect of philosophy.Ē/le-ăt'ic, n. p. 433One holding to the Eleatic philosophy.El'e-cam-pāne', n. p. 433(Bot.) A plant, the Inula Helenium, whose root has a pungent taste, and was formerly of much repute as a stomachic. 2. A sweetmeat made from the root of the plant. Hill.E-lĕct’, v. t. p. 433To pick out; to select from among a number; to make choice of; to fix upon by preference; to choose; to prefer. “The deputy elected by the Lord.” Shak. 2. To select or take for an office or…E-lĕct', a. p. 433Chosen; taken by preference from among two or more. “Colors quaint elect.” Spenser. 2. (Theol.) Chosen as the object of mercy or divine favor; set apart to eternal life. 3. Chosen, but not…E-lĕct', n. p. 433One chosen or set apart. Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. Isa. xlii. 1. 2. (pl.) Those who are chosen or separated for salvation. Shall not God avenge his own…E-lēct'ant, n. p. 433One who has the power of choosing; an elector. “Free electant.” Tucker.E-lēc'ta-ry, n. p. 433A kind of medicine; — the same as ELECTUARY. [Rare.] Walker.E-clĕc'ti-cĭsm, n. p. 433The system of selecting doctrines and opinions from other systems; eclecticism.E-lĕc'tion, n. p. 433The act of choosing; choice; the act of selecting one or more from others. 2. The act of choosing a person to fill an office or employment, by any manifestation of preference, as by ballot, uplifted…E-lĕc'tion-eer', v. i. p. 433To make interest for a candidate at an election; to use arts for securing the election of a candidate. “A master of the whole art of electioneering.” Macaulay.E-lĕc'tion-eer'er, n. p. 433One who electioneers.E-lĕct′ive, a. p. 433Exerting the power of choice; making selection; as, an elective act. 2. Pertaining to, or consisting in, choice, or right of choosing. “The independent use of their elective franchise.” Bancroft. 3.…E-lĕc'tive-ly, adv. p. 433By choice; with preference of one to another.E-lĕc'tor, n. p. 433One who elects, or has the right of choice; a person who is entitled to take part in an election, or to give his vote in favor of a candidate for office. 2. Hence, specifically, a person legally…E-lĕct'or-al, a. p. 434Pertaining to, or consisting of, electors; as, an electoral college.E-lēct’or-āl’i-ty, n. p. 434Electorate. [Rare.] Wotton.E-lĕc'tor-ate, n. p. 434The dignity of an elector; electorship. 2. The territory of an elector in the German empire.E-lĕc'tor-ess, n. p. 434Electress. “The electoress of Brunswick.” Burnet.Ē/lec-tō'ri-al, a. p. 434Pertaining to an elector or an election; electoral; as, an electoral college. Burke.E-lēct'or-shĭp, n. p. 434The office of an elector.E-lēc'tre or E-lēc'ter, n. p. 434Amber. See ELECTRUM. 2. A compound or mixed metal of an amber color.Ē/lec-trēp'/e-ter, n. p. 434An instrument used for the purpose of changing the direction of electric currents.E-lĕc'tress, n. p. 434The wife or widow of an elector in the German empire.E-lēc'trie or E-lēc'trie-al, a. p. 434Pertaining to electricity; as, electric power or virtue. 2. Occasioned by, or derived from, electricity; as, electric effects; an electric spark. 3. Containing electricity; as, an electric jar. 4.…E-lĕc'tric, n. p. 434A non-conductor of electricity employed to excite or accumulate the electric fluid, as amber, glass, resin, &c.E-lĕc'tri-cal-ly, adv. p. 434In the manner of electricity, or by means of it.E-lĕc'tri-cal-ness, n. p. 434The state or quality of being electrical. [Rare.]Ē/lec-trī'cian, n. p. 434A person who studies electricity; one versed in the science of electricity.Ē/lec-trĭc'i-ty, n. p. 434A power in nature, often styled the electric fluid, exhibiting itself when in disturbed equilibrium or in activity by a circuit movement, the fact of direction in which involves polarity, or…E-lĕc'tri-fi'a-ble, a. p. 434Capable of receiving electricity, or of being charged with it.E-lēc'tri-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 434The act of electrifying, or state of being charged with electricity.E-lĕc'tri-fy, v. t. p. 434To communicate electricity to; to charge with electricity; as, to electrify a jar. 2. To cause electricity to pass through; to affect by electricity; to give an electric shock to; as, to electrify a…E-lēc'tri-fy, v. i. p. 434To become electric.E-lē'c-trine, a. p. 434Belonging to, or made of, amber. 2. Made of electrum, an alloy used by the ancients.E-lēc'tri-zā'tion, n. p. 434The act of electrizing.E-lēc'trize, v. t. p. 434To electrify. Eng. Cyc.E-lēe'trīz-er, n. p. 434One who, or that which, electrizes; especially, a form of electrical apparatus used for the application of electricity in medicine.E-lēe'tro-bi-ŏl'o-gĭst, n. p. 434One versed in electrobiology.E-lēc'tro-bi-ŏl'o-gy, n. p. 434That phase of mesmerism or animal magnetism in which the actions, feelings, &c., of a person in the mesmeric condition are controlled, or supposed to be controlled, by the will of the operator.…E-lēe'tro-chēm'ie-al, a. p. 434Pertaining to electrochemistry. Ure.E-lĕc'tro-chēm'is-try, n. p. 434That science which treats of the agency of electricity in effecting chemical changes.E-lēe'tro-ehŕŏn'o-grāph, n. p. 434An instrument for accurately noting time, consisting of an electro-magnetic register connected with a clock, by means of which the seconds of the clock are spaced off in a series of marks on the…E-lēc'tro-chrŏn'o-grāph'ic, a. p. 434Belonging to the electro-chronograph, or recorded by the aid of it.E-lē'trōde, n. p. 434Either of the so-called poles of the voltaic circle.E-lēc'tro-dy-năm'ic, a. p. 434Pertaining to the movements or force of electric or galvanic currents; dependent on electric force.E-lēc'tro-dy-năm'ics, n. sing. p. 434The phenomena of electricity in motion. 2. The branch of science which treats of the properties of electric currents. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]E-lĕc'tro-en-grāv'ing, n. p. 434The act or process of engraving by means of electricity.E-lĕc'tro-gīld'ing, n. p. 434The process of gilding copper, &c., by means of voltaic electricity.