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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

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  1. E-rĕp'tion, n.p. 461A taking or snatching away by force. [Obs.] Cockeram.
  2. Er'e-thĭsm, n.p. 461(Med.) A morbid degree of excitement or irritation in an organ. Hoblyn.
  3. Er'e-this'tic, a.p. 461Relating to erethism.
  4. E're-while' or E're-whiles', adv.p. 461Some time ago; a little while before. [Obs.] I am as fair now as I was erewhile. Shak.
  5. Erf, n.p. 461A garden plot, usually containing about half an acre of land. [Cape Colony.]
  6. Er'gat, v. i.p. 461To draw conclusions. [Obs.] Hewyt.
  7. Er'ga-tā, n.p. 461A capstan; a windlass.
  8. Er'go, adv.p. 461Therefore; consequently.
  9. Er'got, n.p. 461A parasitic fungus, having a spur-like form, of narcotic and poisonous qualities, found in some grains, especially rye; — called also spurred rye. It is sometimes used as a means of hastening…
  10. Er'got-ine, n.p. 461(Chem.) A narcotic poison obtained from ergot.
  11. Er'go-tism, n.p. 461A logical inference; a conclusion; a deduction. [Obs.] Browne.
  12. Er'got-ism, n.p. 461The poisonous effect of ergot, as eaten in bread made from spurred rye. 2. The spur of rye; ergot.
  13. Ē'ri-ă, n.p. 461(Bot.) A genus of epiphytes, so called from their producing flowers covered with a substance resembling wool.
  14. Er'i-āch or Er'ie, n.p. 461(Irish Law.) A pecuniary fine or satisfaction paid by one guilty of murder to the friends or relatives of the murdered person. [Obs.] Hume.
  15. E-rī'çēa, n.p. 461(Bot.) A genus of plants, including the heaths, many of them producing beautiful flowers.
  16. Ĕr'i-ceā'ceous, a.p. 461(Bot.) Belonging to, or resembling, plants of the heath family; consisting of heaths.
  17. E-rĭch'thi-an or E-rĭch'thus, n.p. 461(Zoöl.) A genus of long-tailed decapod crustaceans, inhabiting tropical seas.
  18. E-rĭd/a-nŭs, n.p. 461(Astron.) A winding southern constellation, containing the bright star Achemar.
  19. E-rĭg'e-rōn, n.p. 461(Bot.) A genus of plants, including the flea-bane, or flea-wort; — so called from the hoary appearance of some of the vernal species. Gray.
  20. Er'i-gi-ble, a.p. 462Capable of being erected. [Obs.]
  21. Er'i-nā'ceōus, a.p. 462(Zool.) Of the hedgehog tribe; like a hedgehog. Dana.
  22. E-rin'go, n.p. 462See ERYNGO.
  23. Er'i-nite, n.p. 462(Min.) A native arseniate of copper, of an emerald-green color; — so called from Erin, or Ireland, where it occurs.
  24. E-rĭn'nys, n.p. 462A Fury; the goddess of discord; and hence, discord. Shak.
  25. Er'i-ōm'e-ter, n.p. 462An optical instrument for measuring the diameters of minute particles or fibers, from the size of the colored rings produced by the diffraction of the light in which the objects are viewed.
  26. Ēr'i-ōph'o-rŭm, n.p. 462(Bot.) A genus of plants, the seeds of some species of which are surrounded with delicate, hair-like bristles, forming a white, cotton-like tuft. Gray.
  27. E-rĭph'i-ă, n.p. 462(Zoöl.) A genus of short-tailed crustaceans.
  28. E-ris'tie or E-ris'tie-al, a.p. 462Pertaining to disputes; controversial. [Obs. or rare.] A specimen of admirable special pleading in the court of eristic logic. Coleridge.
  29. Ē'rix, n.p. 462See ERYX.
  30. Ẽrke, n.p. 462Idle; slothful; lazy; indolent. [Obs.] Chaucer.
  31. Ẽr'me-lĭn or Ẽr'mi-lĭn, n.p. 462Ermine. See ERMINE.
  32. Ẽr'mĭne, n.p. 462(Zoöl.) An animal of the genus Mustela (M. erminea), allied to the weasel; an inhabitant of northern climates, in Europe and America. In winter, the fur is white, but the tip of the tail is of the…
  33. Er'mined, a.p. 462Clothed or adorned with the fur of the ermine. Pope.
  34. Er'mine-moth, n.p. 462(Entom.) A kind of moth;— so called on account of the resemblance of its covering to the fur of the ermine.
  35. Er'mit, n.p. 462A hermit. [Obs.] Bp. Taylor.
  36. Ĕrn or Erne, n.p. 462The sea-eagle or osprey; — so called in Scotland. ☞ The name is also applied to other eagles, particularly the common golden eagle.
  37. Ērne, n.p. 462A place or receptacle. [Obs.]
  38. E-rōde', v. t.p. 462To eat into or away; to corrode; as, canker erodes the flesh. The blood, being too sharp or thin, erodes the vessels. Wiseman.
  39. E-rōd'ed, p. a.p. 462Eaten away; gnawed. 2. (Bot.) Having the edge irregularly jagged, as if gnawed or eaten. London.
  40. E-rōd'ent, n.p. 462(Med.) A medicine which eats away extraneous growths; a caustic.
  41. E-rō'di-um, n.p. 462(Bot.) A genus of plants including the heron's-bill.
  42. Ēr'o-gāte, v. t.p. 462To lay out, as money; to give; to bestow upon. [Obs.]
  43. Ēr'o-gā'tion, n.p. 462The act of giving or bestowing. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.
  44. E-rōse′, a.p. 462(Bot.) Having sinuses in the margin, as if gnawed; eroded. Martyn.
  45. E-rō'ṣion, n.p. 462The act or operation of eating away. 2. The state of being eaten away; corrosion; canker.
  46. E-rō'sive, a.p. 462Having the property of eating away, or corroding; corrosive. Humble.
  47. E-rŏs'trate, a.p. 462(Bot.) Without a beak. Gray.
  48. Ĕr'o-tēme, n.p. 462(Rhet.) A mark indicating a question; a note of interrogation.
  49. Ēr'o-tē'sis, n.p. 462(Rhet.) A figure of speech by which a strong affirmation, often a strong affirmation of the contrary, is implied under the form of an earnest interrogation, as in the following lines:— Must I give…
  50. E-rŏt'ic or E-rŏt'ic-al, a.p. 462Pertaining to, or prompted by, love; treating of love; amatory.
  51. E-rōt'ic, n.p. 462An amorous composition or poem.
  52. Er'o-to-mā'ni-a or Er'o-tōm'a-ny, n.p. 462Melancholy caused by love.
  53. Ĕr'pe-tōl'o-gĭst, n.p. 462One who writes on, or is versed in the natural history of, reptiles; an herpetologist.
  54. Er′pe-tōl′o-g’y, n.p. 462That part of natural history which treats of reptiles; herpetology.
  55. Ĕr'pe-ton, n.p. 462(Zoöl.) A genus of serpents. See HERPETON.
  56. Err, v. i.p. 462To wander from the right way; to deviate from the true or appointed path; to wander; to ramble. But errs not Nature from this gracious end, From burning suns when livid deaths descend? Pope. 2. To…
  57. Ĕr'ra-ble, a.p. 462Liable to error; fallible. [R.] Bailey.
  58. Er'ra-ble-ness, n.p. 462Liability to error. Mountagu.
  59. Er'rand, n.p. 462A special business intrusted to a messenger; a mandate; an order; a message; a commission; as, the servant was sent on an errand; he told his errand; he has done the errand; also, one's purpose in…
  60. Er'rant, a.p. 462Deviating from an appointed course, or from a direct path; wandering; roving; rambling. To be revealed by errant sprights. Shak. 2. Wild; extravagant; notorious; arrant; as, an errant fool. Sir…