Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ĕr'o-tēme, n. p. 462(Rhet.) A mark indicating a question; a note of interrogation.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…E-rŏt'ic or E-rŏt'ic-al, a. p. 462Pertaining to, or prompted by, love; treating of love; amatory.E-rōt'ic, n. p. 462An amorous composition or poem.Er'o-to-mā'ni-a or Er'o-tōm'a-ny, n. p. 462Melancholy caused by love.Ĕr'pe-tōl'o-gĭst, n. p. 462One who writes on, or is versed in the natural history of, reptiles; an herpetologist.Er′pe-tōl′o-g’y, n. p. 462That part of natural history which treats of reptiles; herpetology.Ĕr'pe-ton, n. p. 462(Zoöl.) A genus of serpents. See HERPETON.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…Ĕr'ra-ble, a. p. 462Liable to error; fallible. [R.] Bailey.Er'ra-ble-ness, n. p. 462Liability to error. Mountagu.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…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…Ĕr'rant, n. p. 462One who wanders about. [Obs.] “Lady errants.” Fuller.Ĕr'rant-ry, n. p. 462A wandering; a roving or rambling about. Addison. 2. The employment of a knight-errant. Johnson.Er-rā'tā, n. pl. p. 462See ERRATUM.Er-răt'ic or Er-răt'ic-al, a. p. 462Having no certain course; roving about without a fixed destination; deviating from a wise or the common course in opinion or conduct; eccentric; as, erratic conduct. 2. Moving; not fixed or…Er-rāt'ic, n. p. 462One who wanders, especially from rectitude; a rogue. [Obs.] Cockeram. 2. (Geol.) Any stone or material that has been borne away by natural agencies from its original site; a bowlder. In the plural…Er-răt'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 462Without rule, order, or established method; irregularly.Er-rāt'ic-al-ness, n. p. 462The state or quality of being erratic.Er-rā'tion, n. p. 462A wandering. [Obs.] Cockerm.Er-rā'tum, n. p. 462An error or mistake in writing or printing. A single erratum may knock out the brains of a whole passage. Cooper.Ĕr'rhine, a. p. 462(Med.) Affecting the nose, or designed to be snuffed into the nose; occasioning discharges from the nose.Er'rhine, n. p. 462(Med.) A medicine designed to be snuffed up the nose, to promote discharges of mucus; a sternutatory.Er-rō'ne-oŭs, a. p. 462Deviating from a right course; wandering; roving; not conformed to truth or justice; erring; wrong; as, an erroneous view. 2. Deviating from the right way; irregular. “Erroneous circulation of…Er-rō'ne-ōus-ly, adv. p. 462By mistake; not rightly; falsely.Er-rō'ne-ōus-ness, n. p. 462The state of being erroneous, wrong, or false; deviation from right; as, the erroneousness of a judgment.Er'ror, n. p. 462A wandering or deviation from the right course or standard; misapprehension; perversion; mistake; blunder. His judgment was often in error, though his candor remained unimpeached. Bancroft. 2. Want…Ĕr'ror, v. t. p. 462To determine or decide to be erroneous, as a decision of a court.Ĕr'ror-ist, n. p. 462One who errs, or who encourages and propagates error.Ẽrs, n. p. 462(Bot.) A plant; bitter vetch. Johnson.Ẽrse, n. p. 462The language of the descendants of the Gaels or Celts in the Highlands of Scotland.Ẽrse, a. p. 462Pertaining to the ancient inhabitants of Scotland.Ẽrsh, n. p. 462Stubble of grain. [Written also earsh.] [Prov. Eng.]Erst, adv. p. 462First; at first; at the beginning. 2. In early times; once; formerly; long ago.Erst-while', adv. p. 462Till then or now; formerly. [Obs.]Ēr'/u-bēs'cence or Ēr'/u-bēs'cen-cy, n. p. 462The act of becoming red; redness of the skin or surface of any thing; a blushing.Ĕr/ū-bēs'cent, a. p. 462Red, or reddish; blushing. Johnson.E-rŭ'ēă, n. p. 462(Entom.) An insect in the larval state; a worm; a caterpillar; a larve. 2. (Bot.) A genus of plants, including the rocket. 3. (Conch.) A genus of univalve mollusks. Swainson.E-rŭct’ or E-rŭc’tāte, v. t. p. 462To eject, as wind, from the stomach; to belch. [Rare.] Howell.Er/uc-tā'tion, n. p. 462The act of belching wind from the stomach; a belch. 2. A violent bursting forth or ejection, as of wind or other matter from the earth.E-rŭ'di-ate, v. t. p. 463To instruct; to educate; to teach. [Obs.] The skillful goddess there erudiates these In all she did. Fanshaw.Ĕr’u-dite, a. p. 463Characterized by extensive reading or knowledge; well instructed; learned. “Erudite and metaphysical theology.” I. Taylor.Ĕr'u-dīte'ly, adv. p. 463With erudition or learning.Er'ū-dite'ness, n. p. 463The state or quality of being erudite or learned.Er'u-di'tion, n. p. 463The state of being erudite or learned; the acquisitions gained by extensive reading or study; particularly, learning in literature, as distinct from the sciences, as in history, antiquity, and…Er'u-gate, a. p. 463Freed from wrinkles; smooth.E-rūʹgi·noŭs, a. p. 463Partaking of the substance or nature of copper, or the rust of copper; resembling rust.E-rūn'dă, n. p. 463The seed of the castor-oil plant;— so called in the East. Simmonds.E-rŭpt', v. i. p. 463To burst forth. [Obs.]E-rŭp'tion, n. p. 463The act of breaking or bursting forth, as from inclosure or confinement; that which bursts forth in a sudden or violent manner; as, an eruption of lava from a volcano; an eruption of armed men. All…E-rŭp'tive, a. p. 463Breaking or bursting forth. The sudden glance Appears far south eruptive through the cloud. Thomson. 2. Attended with eruption or efflorescence, or producing it; as, an eruptive fever. 3. (Geol.)…Er'vum, n. p. 463(Bot.) A genus of leguminous plants, one species of which is the lentil (E. lens), the fruit of which is highly valued in Eastern countries as an article of food.E-ryn'gĭ-um, n. p. 463[Lat. eryngium, erynge, Gr.E-rўn'go p. 463ἠρύγγιον, dim. of ἤρυγγος. (Bot.) A genus of plants somewhat like thistles in appearance. E. maritimum, or sea-holly, has been highly esteemed as an aphrodisiac, the roots being formerly candied.E-rȳs'i-mum, n. p. 463(Bot.) A genus of cruciferous plants, including the hedge-mustard.Ĕr'y-sĭp'e-las, n. p. 463(Med.) St. Anthony's fire; a febrile disease accompanied with a diffused inflammation of the skin, which, starting usually from a single point, spreads gradually over its surface.Ĕr'y-si-pĕl'a-toid, a. p. 463Resembling erysipelas.Er'y-si-pĕl'a-tōus or Er'y-sip'e-lous, a. p. 463Eruptive; resembling erysipelas, or partaking of its nature.Er'y-thē'mā, n. p. 463(Med.) A disease of the skin, in which a diffused inflammation forms rose-colored patches of variable size.