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.
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…Ĕs'cri-tō'ri-al, a. p. 464Pertaining to an escritoire.Es-crōd', n. p. 464A small fresh cod broiled; a scrod. “That morsel for Monica, an escrod.” D. Webster.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.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.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…Es'cu-de'ro, n. p. 464A shield-bearer; an esquire; hence, an attendant; a lady's page. B. Jonson.Es'eu-lā'pi-an, a. p. 464Pertaining to Esculapius; hence, also, to the healing art; medical; medicinal; curative. Young.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…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.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.Es-cū'lĭc, a. p. 464(Chem.) Pertaining to, or obtained from, the horse-chestnut; as, esculic acid. Wright.Es'eu-line, n. p. 464(Chem.) An alkaloid obtained from the Æsculus hippocastanum, or horse-chestnut.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…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…Es-cūtch'eoned, a. p. 464Having an escutcheon; furnished with a coat of arms or ensign. Young.Ĕs'em-plăs'tic, a. p. 464Molded or formed into one; shaped or fashioned into one. [Rare.] Coleridge.Es-guärd’, n. p. 464Guard. [Obs.] “One of our esguard.” Beau. & Fl.Es-loin', v. t. p. 464To remove; to avoid; to eloin. [Obs.] From worldly cares he did himself esloin. Spenser.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.E-sŏd'ic, a. p. 464(Physiol.) Conducting influences to the spinal marrow;—said of certain nerves.Ē'so-phāg'e-an, a. p. 464Pertaining to the esophagus; œsophagean.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.]E-sōph'a-gŭs, n. p. 464(Anat.) The passage through which food and drink pass to the stomach; the gullet. [Written also œsophagus.]E-sō'pi-an, a. p. 464Pertaining to Æsop; composed by him, or in his manner. Warton.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…És'o-těr'ie-al-ly, adv. p. 464In an esoteric manner.Es'o-tēr'i-cĭsm, n. p. 464Esoteric doctrine or principles.Ēs'o-tĕr'ies, n. sing. p. 464Mysterious or hidden doctrine; secret science. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]Ĕs'o-tĕr'y, n. p. 464Mystery; secrecy; acroatics. [Rare.]Ē'sŏx, n. p. 464A genus of abdominal fishes, including the pike.És'pa-don, n. p. 464A long, heavy sword used by a powerful foot-soldier, or for decapitation of criminals. Fairholt.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…Es-pāl’ier, v. t. p. 464To form an espalier of, or to protect by an espalier.Es-pār'çet, n. p. 464A kind of sainfoin. Mortimer.Es-pār'to, n. p. 464A kind of rush in Spain, of which cordage, shoes, baskets, &c., are made. McCulloch.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.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.Es-pē'cial-ly, adv. p. 464In an especial manner; principally; chiefly; particularly; peculiarly; in an uncommon degree.Es-pĕ'cial-ness, n. p. 464The state of being especial.És'pe-rance, n. p. 464Hope. [Obs.] Shak.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.Es-pī'er, n. p. 464One who espies, or watches like a spy. Harmar.Ĕs'pi-nel, n. p. 464A kind of ruby. See SPINEL.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.Espiotte, n. p. 464A kind of rye. Simmonds.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.…Es-pleeś', n. pl. p. 464(Law.) (a.) The full profits or products which ground or land yields, as the hay of the meadows, the feed of the pasture, the corn and grain of the arable fields. (b.) Rents, services, and the like.…Es-pous'age, n. p. 464Espousal. [Obs.] Latimer.Es-pou'sal, n. p. 464[O. Fr. esponsailles, N. Fr. éponsailles, Pr. esposalthas, O. Sp. esponsalias, esposajas, Pg. esponsaes, Lat. sponsalia, from sponsalis, belonging to betrothal or espousal. See SPONSAL and infra. 1.…Es-pouse', v. t. p. 465To give as spouse; to bestow in marriage; to affiance; to unite by a promise of marriage or by marriage ceremony. If her sire approves. Let him espouse her to the peer she loves. Pope. 2. To take as…Es-pouse'ment, n. p. 465The act of espousing.Es-pous'er, n. p. 465One who espouses; one who embraces or makes his own the cause of another.Es'pres-sï'vo, n. p. 465(Mus.) With expression.Es-prĭn'gal, n. p. 465(Mil. Antiq.) An engine of war used for throwing large stones and other missiles.Es-pȳ', v. t. p. 465To catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; to discover, as a distant object partly concealed, or not obvious to notice; to discern unexpectedly; as, to espy land; to espy a man in a crowd. As one…Es-py', v. i. p. 465To look narrowly; to look about; to watch; to take notice; to observe. Stand by the way and espy. Jer. xlviii. 19.Es-py', n. p. 465A spy; a scout. [Obs.] Huloet.Ēs'qui-mau, n. p. 465(Geog.) An Indian of any of the tribes inhabiting arctic America and Greenland. It is . . . an error to suppose that where an Esquimau can live, a civilized man can live also. Captain McClintock. ☞…Es-quire', n. p. 465A shield-bearer or armor-bearer, an attendant on a knight; hence, in modern times, a title of dignity next in degree below a knight. ☞ In England, this title is given to the younger sons of noblemen…