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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. Es-chew′, v. t.p. 464To flee from; to shun; to seek to avoid; to keep one's self clear of. They must not only eschew evil, but do good in the world. Bp. Beveridge. 2. To escape from; to avoid. [Obs.] He who obeys…
  2. Es-chew’er, n.p. 464One who eschews.
  3. Es-chew'ment, n.p. 464The act of eschewing; avoidance. [Rare.]
  4. Esch-schöltz'i-ä, n.p. 464(Bot.) A genus of papaveraceous plants, found in California and upon the west coast of North America, some species of which produce beautiful yellow flowers.
  5. Es'chy-nite, n.p. 464(Min.) A mineral containing titanic acid and zirconia, and so called by Berzelius on account of the inability of chemical science, at the time of its discovery, to separate these two unlike…
  6. Es-eóch'eon, n.p. 464The shield of a family. [Obs.] See ESCUTCHEON. Warton.
  7. Es'co-pĕt', n.p. 464A carbine. [Mexico.]
  8. Es'cort, n.p. 464A person, or body of persons, giving attendance for the sake of affording safety; a guard; also, a person, or persons, attending as a mark of respect, honor, or attention; — especially applied to…
  9. Es-cōrt', v. t.p. 464To attend with a view to guard and protect; to accompany as safeguard; to give honorable or ceremonious attendance to;—used especially with reference to journeys or excursions on land; as, to escort…
  10. Es-cōt’, n.p. 464A reckoning. [Obs.] See SCOT.
  11. Es-cōt’, v. t.p. 464To pay the reckoning for; to support. [Obs.] Shak.
  12. Es'egu-āde', n.p. 464Same as SQUAD, q. v.
  13. Es-cout', n.p. 464Same as SCOUT, q. v.
  14. Es'cript or Es'cri-toire', n.p. 464A writing. [Obs.] Cockeram. Es'cri-toire' (ĕs'krĭ-twōr') (Synop., § 130), n. [O. Fr. escritoire, N. Fr. écritoire, Pr. escriptori, Sp. escriptorio, escritorio, Pg. escritorio, It. scrittorio…
  15. Ĕs'cri-tō'ri-al, a.p. 464Pertaining to an escritoire.
  16. Es-crōd', n.p. 464A small fresh cod broiled; a scrod. “That morsel for Monica, an escrod.” D. Webster.
  17. Es-crōll’, n.p. 464A scroll. [Obs.] 2. (Her.) An exterior ornament of an escutcheon, representing a slip of parchment or paper, on which is the motto. Wright.
  18. Ĕs'crōw, n.p. 464(Law.) A deed or bond delivered to a third person, to hold till some act is done or some condition is performed, and which is not to take effect till the condition is performed. Blackstone.
  19. Es'eu-a'ge, n.p. 464(Feud. Law.) Service of the shield; a species of tenure by knight service, by which a tenant was bound to follow his lord to war; afterward exchanged for a pecuniary satisfaction; — called also…
  20. Es'cu-de'ro, n.p. 464A shield-bearer; an esquire; hence, an attendant; a lady's page. B. Jonson.
  21. Es'eu-lā'pi-an, a.p. 464Pertaining to Esculapius; hence, also, to the healing art; medical; medicinal; curative. Young.
  22. Ĕs'cu-lā'pi-ŭs, n.p. 464(Myth.) The god of the healing art, fabled to have been the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis. He is usually represented as an old man with a flowing beard, accompanied by or grasping the head of a…
  23. Ĕs'cu-lent, a.p. 464Suitable to be used by man for food; eatable; edible; as, esculent plants; esculent fish. “Esculent grain for food.” Sir W. Jones.
  24. Ĕs'cu-lent, n.p. 464Any thing that is eatable; that which is or may be safely eaten by man. Or any esculent, as the learned call it. Massinger.
  25. Es-cū'lĭc, a.p. 464(Chem.) Pertaining to, or obtained from, the horse-chestnut; as, esculic acid. Wright.
  26. Es'eu-line, n.p. 464(Chem.) An alkaloid obtained from the Æsculus hippocastanum, or horse-chestnut.
  27. Es-eū'ri-al, n.p. 464A palace and mausoleum of the kings of Spain, about 25 miles north-west of Madrid. The ground plan is in the form of a gridiron, with bars and handle complete, the structure being designed in honor…
  28. Es-cūtch'eon, n.p. 464(Her.) The shield; the field or ground on which a coat of arms is represented; also, the shield of a family; the token of one's birth and rank. The duke's private band ... displaying on their breasts…
  29. Es-cūtch'eoned, a.p. 464Having an escutcheon; furnished with a coat of arms or ensign. Young.
  30. Ĕs'em-plăs'tic, a.p. 464Molded or formed into one; shaped or fashioned into one. [Rare.] Coleridge.
  31. Es-guärd’, n.p. 464Guard. [Obs.] “One of our esguard.” Beau. & Fl.
  32. Es-loin', v. t.p. 464To remove; to avoid; to eloin. [Obs.] From worldly cares he did himself esloin. Spenser.
  33. Ēs'ne-cy, n.p. 464(Eng. Law.) The right which the eldest coparcener of lands has to make the first choice in dividing a joint inheritance, on the ground of age. Bouvier.
  34. E-sŏd'ic, a.p. 464(Physiol.) Conducting influences to the spinal marrow;—said of certain nerves.
  35. Ē'so-phāg'e-an, a.p. 464Pertaining to the esophagus; œsophagean.
  36. E-sŏph/a-gŏt'o-my, n.p. 464(Surg.) The operation of making an incision into the esophagus, for the purpose of removing any foreign substance that obstructs the passage. [Written also œsophagotomy.]
  37. E-sōph'a-gŭs, n.p. 464(Anat.) The passage through which food and drink pass to the stomach; the gullet. [Written also œsophagus.]
  38. E-sō'pi-an, a.p. 464Pertaining to Æsop; composed by him, or in his manner. Warton.
  39. Es'o-tĕr'ic, a.p. 464Designed for, and understood by, the specially initiated alone; not communicated, or not intelligible, to the general body of followers; private; interior; acroatic — said of the private instruction…
  40. És'o-těr'ie-al-ly, adv.p. 464In an esoteric manner.
  41. Es'o-tēr'i-cĭsm, n.p. 464Esoteric doctrine or principles.
  42. Ēs'o-tĕr'ies, n. sing.p. 464Mysterious or hidden doctrine; secret science. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]
  43. Ĕs'o-tĕr'y, n.p. 464Mystery; secrecy; acroatics. [Rare.]
  44. Ē'sŏx, n.p. 464A genus of abdominal fishes, including the pike.
  45. És'pa-don, n.p. 464A long, heavy sword used by a powerful foot-soldier, or for decapitation of criminals. Fairholt.
  46. Es-pāl'ier, n.p. 464A row of trees planted about a garden, or in hedges, and trained up to a lattice of wood-work or stakes, forming a shelter for plants. 2. A lattice-work on which to train fruit-trees and ornamental…
  47. Es-pāl’ier, v. t.p. 464To form an espalier of, or to protect by an espalier.
  48. Es-pār'çet, n.p. 464A kind of sainfoin. Mortimer.
  49. Es-pār'to, n.p. 464A kind of rush in Spain, of which cordage, shoes, baskets, &c., are made. McCulloch.
  50. Espauliere, n.p. 464A defense for the shoulder, composed of flexible, overlapping plates of metal, used in the 15th century; — the origin of the modern epaulette. Fairholt.
  51. Es-pĕ'cial, a.p. 464Distinguished among others of the same class or kind; principal; chief; particular; as, in an especial manner or degree. Syn.—Peculiar; special; particular. See PECULIAR.
  52. Es-pē'cial-ly, adv.p. 464In an especial manner; principally; chiefly; particularly; peculiarly; in an uncommon degree.
  53. Es-pĕ'cial-ness, n.p. 464The state of being especial.
  54. És'pe-rance, n.p. 464Hope. [Obs.] Shak.
  55. Es-pī'al, n.p. 464The act of espying; notice; observation; discovery. Screened from espial by the jutting cape. Byron. 2. One who espies; a spy; a scout. [Obs.] “Their espials brought word.” Holland.
  56. Es-pī'er, n.p. 464One who espies, or watches like a spy. Harmar.
  57. Ĕs'pi-nel, n.p. 464A kind of ruby. See SPINEL.
  58. Ĕs'pi-on-age, n.p. 464The practice or employment of spies; the practice of watching the words and conduct of others, and attempting to make discoveries, as spies or secret emissaries.
  59. Espiotte, n.p. 464A kind of rye. Simmonds.
  60. És'pla-nāde', n.p. 464(Fort.) (a.) The glacis of the counterscarp, or the sloping of the parapet of the covered way toward the country. (b.) A clear space between a citadel and the first houses of the town. Campbell. 2.…