Each (ech), a. or a. pron. [OE. eche, aelc, elk, ilk, AS. aelc; a always + gelic like; akin to OD. iegelik, OHG. eogilih, MHG. iegelich, G. jeglich. rad.209. See 3d Aye, Like, and cf. Either, Every, Ilk.]
1. Every one of the two or more individuals composing a number of objects, considered separately from the rest. It is used either with or without a following noun; as each of you or each one of you. "Each of the combatants." Fielding. To each corresponds other. "Let each esteem other better than himself." Each other, used elliptically for each the other. It is our duty to assist each other; that is, it is our duty, each to assist the other, each being in the nominative and other in the objective case.
"It is a bad thing that men should hate each other; but it is far worse that they should contract the habit of cutting one another’s throats without hatred." Macaulay.
"Let each
His adamantine coat gird well." Milton.
"In each cheek appears a pretty dimple." Shak.
"Then draw we nearer day by day, Each to his brethren, all to God." Keble.
"The oak and the elm have each a distinct character." Gilpin.
2. Every; — sometimes used interchangeably with every. Shak.
"I know each lane and every alley green." Milton.
"In short each man’s happiness depends upon himself." Sterne. This use of each for every, though common in Scotland and in America, is now un-English. Fitzed. Hall.
Syn. — See Every.
Eager
Ea´ger, a. [OE. egre sharp, sour, eager, OF. agre, aigre, F. aigre, fr. L. acer sharp, sour, spirited, zealous; akin to Gr. highest, extreme, Skr. ara point; fr. a root signifying to be sharp. Cf. Acrid, Edge.]
1. Sharp; sour; acid. [Obs.] "Like eager droppings into milk." Shak.
2. Sharp; keen; bitter; severe. [Obs.] "A nipping and an eager air." "Eager words." Shak.
3. Excited by desire in the pursuit of any object; ardent to pursue, perform, or obtain; keenly desirous; hotly longing; earnest; zealous; impetuous; vehement; as the hounds were eager in the chase.
"And gazed for tidings in my eager eyes." Shak.
"How eagerly ye follow my disgraces!" Shak.
"When to her eager lips is brought
Her infant’s thrilling kiss." Keble.
"A crowd of eager and curious schoolboys." Hawthorne.
"Conceit and grief an eager combat fight." Shak.
4. Brittle; inflexible; not ductile. [Obs.]
"Gold will be sometimes so eager, as artists call it, that it will as little endure the hammer as glass itself." Locke.
Syn. — Earnest; ardent; vehement; hot; impetuous; fervent; intense; impassioned; zealous; forward. See Earnest. — Eager, Earnest. Eager marks an excited state of desire or passion; thus, a child is eager for a plaything, a hungry man is eager for food, a covetous man is eager for gain. Eagerness is liable to frequent abuses, and is good or bad, as the case may be. It relates to what is praiseworthy or the contrary. Earnest denotes a permanent state of mind, feeling, or sentiment. It is always taken in a good sense; as a preacher is earnest in his appeals to the conscience; an agent is earnest in his solicitations.
Eagle
Ea´gle, n. [OE. egle, F. aigle, fr. L. aquila; prob. named from its color, fr. aquilus dark-colored, brown; cf. Lith. aklas blind. Cf. Aquiline.]
1. (Zoöl.) Any large, rapacious bird of the Falcon family, esp. of the genera Aquila and Haliaeetus. The eagle is remarkable for strength, size, graceful figure, keenness of vision, and extraordinary flight. The most noted species are the golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaëtus); the imperial eagle of Europe ( A. mogilnik or imperialis); the American bald eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus); the European sea eagle ( H. albicilla); and the great harpy eagle ( Thrasaetus harpyia). The figure of the eagle, as the king of birds, is commonly used as an heraldic emblem, and also for standards and emblematic devices. See Bald eagle, Harpy, and Golden eagle.
2. A gold coin of the United States, of the value of ten dollars.
3. (Astron.) A northern constellation, containing Altair, a star of the first magnitude. See Aquila.
4. The figure of an eagle borne as an emblem on the standard of the ancient Romans, or so used upon the seal or standard of any people.
"Though the Roman eagle shadow thee." Tennyson. Some modern nations, as the United States, and France under the Bonapartes, have adopted the eagle as their national emblem. Russia, Austria, and Prussia have for an emblem a double-headed eagle. Bald eagle. See Bald eagle. — Bold eagle. See under Bold. — Double eagle, a gold coin of the United States worth twenty dollars. — Eagle hawk (Zoöl.), a large, crested, South American hawk of the genus Morphnus. — Eagle owl (Zoöl.), any large owl of the genus Bubo, and allied genera; as the American great horned owl ( Bubo Virginianus), and the allied European species ( B. maximus). See Horned owl. — Eagle ray (Zoöl.), any large species of ray of the genus Myliobatis (esp. M. aquila). — Eagle vulture (Zoöl.), a large West African bid ( Gypohierax Angolensis), intermediate, in several respects, between the eagles and vultures.
Eagle-eyed
Ea´gle-eyed, a. Sharp-sighted as an eagle. "Inwardly eagle-eyed." Howell.
Eagle-sighted
Ea´gle-sight•ed, a. Farsighted and strong-sighted; sharp-sighted. Shak.
Eagless
Ea´gless, n. [Cf. OF. aiglesse.] (Zoöl.) A female or hen eagle. [R.] Sherwood.
Eaglet
Ea´glet, n. [Cf. OF. aiglet.] (Zoöl.) A young eagle, or a diminutive eagle.
Eaglewood
Ea´gle•wood, n. [From Skr. aguru, through Pg. aguila; cf. F. bois d’ aigle.] A kind of fragrant wood. See Agallochum.
Eagrass
Ea´grass, n. See Eddish. [Obs.]
Eagre
Ea´gre, n. [AS. eágor, gor, in comp., water, sea, eágor-streám water stream, sea.] A wave, or two or three successive waves, of great height and violence, at flood tide moving up an estuary or river; — commonly called the bore. See Bore. { Eal´der•man, Eal´dor•man }, n. An alderman. [Obs.]
Eale, n. [See Ale.] Ale. [Obs.] Shak.
Eame, n. [AS. eám; akin to D. oom, G. ohm, oheim; cf. L. avunculus.] Uncle. [Obs.] Spenser.
Ean, v. t. & i. [AS. eánian. See Yean.] To bring forth, as young; to yean. "In eaning time." Shak.
Eanling
Ean´ling, n. [See Ean, Yeanling.] A lamb just brought forth; a yeanling. Shak.
Ear, n. [AS. eáre; akin to OFries. áre, ár, OS. ra, D. oor, OHG. ra, G. ohr, Icel. eyra, Sw. öra, Dan. öre, Goth. auso, L. auris, Lith. ausis, Russ. ukho, Gr. ; cf. L. audire to hear, Gr., Skr. a. to favor, protect. Cf. Auricle, Orillon.]
1. The organ of hearing; the external ear. In man and the higher vertebrates, the organ of hearing is very complicated, and is divisible into three parts: the external ear, which includes the pinna or auricle and meatus or external opening; the middle ear, drum, or tympanum; and the internal ear, or labyrinth. The middle ear is a cavity connected by the Eustachian tube with the pharynx, separated from the opening of the external ear by the tympanic membrane, and containing a chain of three small bones, or ossicles, named malleus, incus, and stapes, which connect this membrane with the internal ear. The essential part of the internal ear where the fibers of the auditory nerve terminate, is the membranous labyrinth, a complicated system of sacs and tubes filled with a fluid (the endolymph), and lodged in a cavity, called the bony labyrinth, in the periotic bone. The membranous labyrinth does not completely fill the bony labyrinth, but is partially suspended in it in a fluid (the perilymph). The bony labyrinth consists of a central cavity, the vestibule, into which three semicircular canals and the canal of the cochlea (spirally coiled in mammals) open. The vestibular portion of the membranous labyrinth consists of two sacs, the utriculus and sacculus, connected by a narrow tube, into the former of which three membranous semicircular canals open, while the latter is connected with a membranous tube in the cochlea containing the organ of Corti. By the help of the external ear the sonorous vibrations of the air are concentrated upon the tympanic membrane and set it vibrating, the chain of bones in the middle ear transmits these vibrations to the internal ear, where they cause certain delicate structures in the organ of Corti, and other parts of the membranous labyrinth, to stimulate the fibers of the auditory nerve to transmit sonorous impulses to the brain.
2. The sense of hearing; the perception of sounds; the power of discriminating between different tones; as a nice ear for music; — in the singular only.
"Songs … not all ungrateful to thine ear." Tennyson.
3. That which resembles in shape or position the ear of an animal; any prominence or projection on an object, — usually one for support or attachment; a lug; a handle; as the ears of a tub, a skillet, or dish. The ears of a boat are outside kneepieces near the bow. See Illust. of Bell.
4. (Arch.) (a) Same as Acroterium. (b) Same as Crossette.
5. Privilege of being kindly heard; favor; attention.
"Dionysius … would give no ear to his suit." Bacon.
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." Shak. About the ears, in close proximity to; near at hand. — By the ears, in close contest; as to set by the ears; to fall together by the ears; to be by the ears. — Button ear (in dogs), an ear which falls forward and completely hides the inside. — Ear finger, the little finger. — Ear of Dionysius, a kind of ear trumpet with a flexible tube; — named from the Sicilian tyrant, who constructed a device to overhear the prisoners in his dungeons. — Ear sand (Anat.), otoliths. See Otolith. — Ear snail (Zoöl.), any snail of the genus Auricula and allied genera. — Ear stones (Anat.), otoliths. See Otolith. — Ear trumpet, an instrument to aid in hearing. It consists of a tube broad at the outer end, and narrowing to a slender extremity which enters the ear, thus collecting and intensifying sounds so as to assist the hearing of a partially deaf person. - - Ear vesicle (Zoöl.), a simple auditory organ, occurring in many worms, mollusks, etc. It consists of a small sac containing a fluid and one or more solid concretions or otocysts. — Rose ear (in dogs), an ear which folds backward and shows part of the inside. — To give ear to, to listen to; to heed, as advice or one advising. "Give ear unto my song." Goldsmith. — To have one’s ear, to be listened to with favor. — Up to the ears, deeply submerged; almost overwhelmed; as to be in trouble up to one’s ears. [Colloq.]
Ear, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Eared p. pr. & vb. n. Earing.] To take in with the ears; to hear. [Sportive] "I eared her language." Two Noble Kinsmen.
Ear, n. [AS. ear; akin to D. aar, OHG. ahir, G. ähre, Icel., Sw., & Dan. a. , Goth. ahs. . Cf. Awn, Edge.] The spike or head of any cereal (as wheat, rye, barley, Indian corn, etc.), containing the kernels.
"First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Mark iv. 28.
Ear, v. i. To put forth ears in growing; to form ears, as grain; as this corn ears well.
Ear, v. t. [OE. erien, AS. erian; akin to OFries. era, OHG. erran, MHG. eren, ern, Prov. G. aren, ären, Icel. erja, Goth. arjan, Lith. arti, OSlav. orati, L. arare, Gr. . Cf. Arable.] To plow or till; to cultivate. "To ear the land." Shak.
Earcap
Ear´cap, n. A cap or cover to protect the ear from cold.
Eardrop
Ear´drop, n.
1. A pendant for the ear; an earring; as a pair of eardrops.
2. (Bot.) A species of primrose. See Auricula.
Eardrum
Ear´drum, n. (Anat.) The tympanum. See Illust. of Ear.
Eared, a.
1. Having (such or so many) ears; — used in composition; as long- eared-eared; sharp- eared; full- eared; ten- eared.
2. (Zoöl.) Having external ears; having tufts of feathers resembling ears. Eared owl (Zoöl.), an owl having earlike tufts of feathers, as the long-eared owl, and short-eared owl. — Eared seal (Zoöl.), any seal of the family Otariidae, including the fur seals and hair seals. See Seal.
Earing
Ear´ing, n. Coming into ear, as corn.
Earing
Ear´ing, n. A plowing of land. [Archaic]
"Neither earing nor harvest." Gen. xlv. 6.
Earl, n. [OE. eorl, erl, AS. eorl man, noble; akin to OS. erl boy, man, Icel. jarl nobleman, count, and possibly to Gr. male, Zend arshan man. Cf. Jarl.] A nobleman of England ranking below a marquis, and above a viscount. The rank of an earl corresponds to that of a count ( comte) in France, and graf in Germany. Hence the wife of an earl is still called countess. See Count.
Earlduck
Earl´duck, n. (Zoöl.) The red-breasted merganser ( Merganser serrator).
Earles penny
Earles" pen•ny [Cf. Arles, 4th Earnest.] Earnest money. Same as Arles penny. [Obs.]
Earless
Ear´less, a. Without ears; hence, deaf or unwilling to hear. Pope.
Earliness
Ear´li•ness, n. The state of being early or forward; promptness.
Earlock
Ear´lock, n. [AS. eár- locca.] A lock or curl of hair near the ear; a lovelock. See Lovelock.
Early
Ear´ly (er"ly), adv. [OE. erli, erliche, AS. aerlice; aer sooner + lic like. See Ere, and Like.] Soon; in good season; seasonably; betimes; as come early.
"Those that me early shall find me." Prov. viii. 17.
"You must wake and call me early." Tennyson.
Early
Ear´ly, a. [ Compar. Earlier (er"li•er); superl. Earliest.] [OE. earlich. rad.204. See Early, adv. ]
1. In advance of the usual or appointed time; in good season; prior in time; among or near the first; — opposed to late; as the early bird; an early spring; early fruit.
"Early and provident fear is the mother of safety." Burke.
"The doorsteps and threshold with the early grass springing up about them." Hawthorne.
2. Coming in the first part of a period of time, or among the first of successive acts, events, etc.
"Seen in life’s early morning sky." Keble.
"The forms of its earlier manhood." Longfellow.
"The earliest poem he composed was in his seventeenth summer." J. C. Shairp.Early English (Philol.) See the Note under English. — Early English architecture, the first of the pointed or Gothic styles used in England, succeeding the Norman style in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Syn. — Forward; timely; not late; seasonable.
Earmark
Ear´mark, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Earmarked p. pr. & vb. n. Earmarking.] To mark, as sheep, by cropping or slitting the ear.
Earn, n. (Zoöl.) See Ern, n. Sir W. Scott.
Earn, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Earned p. pr. & vb. n. Earning.] [AS. earnian; akin to OHG. arnn to reap, aran harvest, G. ernte, Goth. asans harvest, asneis hireling, AS. esne; cf. Icel. önn working season, work.]
1. To merit or deserve, as by labor or service; to do that which entitles one to (a reward, whether the reward is received or not).
"The high repute
Which he through hazard huge must earn." Milton.
2. To acquire by labor, service, or performance; to deserve and receive as compensation or wages; as to earn a good living; to earn honors or laurels.
"I earn that [what] I eat." Shak.
"The bread I have earned by the hazard of my life or the sweat of my brow." Burke. Earned run (Baseball), a run which is made without the assistance of errors on the opposing side.
Syn. — See Obtain.
Earn, v. t. & i. [See 1st Yearn.] To grieve. [Obs.]
Earn, v. i. [See 4th Yearn.] To long; to yearn. [Obs.]
"And ever as he rode, his heart did earn
To prove his puissance in battle brave." Spenser.
Earn, v. i. [AS. irnan to run. rad.11. See Rennet, and cf. Yearnings.] To curdle, as milk. [Prov. Eng.]
Earnest
Ear´nest, a.
1. Ardent in the pursuit of an object; eager to obtain or do; zealous with sincerity; with hearty endeavor; heartfelt; fervent; hearty; — used in a good sense; as earnest prayers.
"An earnest advocate to plead for him." Shak.
2. Intent; fixed closely; as earnest attention.
3. Serious; important. [Obs.]
"They whom earnest lets do often hinder." Hooker.
Syn. — Eager; warm; zealous; ardent; animated; importunate; fervent; sincere; serious; hearty; urgent. See Eager.
Earnest
Ear´nest, n. [Prob. corrupted fr. F. arrhes, L. arra, arrha, arrhabo, Gr. ’arrabw•n, of Semitic origin, cf. Heb. eravon; or perh. fr. W. ernes, akin to Gael. earlas, perh. fr. L. arra. Cf. Arles, Earles penny.]
1. Something given, or a part paid beforehand, as a pledge; pledge; handsel; a token of what is to come.
"Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." 2 Cor. i. 22.
"And from his coffers
Received the golden earnest of our death." Shak.
2. (Law) Something of value given by the buyer to the seller, by way of token or pledge, to bind the bargain and prove the sale. Kent. Ayliffe. Benjamin.Earnest money (Law), money paid as earnest, to bind a bargain or to ratify and prove a sale.
Syn. — Earnest, Pledge. These words are here compared as used in their figurative sense. Earnest is not so strong as pledge. An earnest, like first fruits, gives assurance, or at least a high probability, that more is coming of the same kind; a pledge, like money deposited, affords security and ground of reliance for the future. Washington gave earnest of his talent as commander by saving his troops after Braddock’s defeat; his fortitude and that of his soldiers during the winter at Valley Forge might rightly be considered a pledge of their ultimate triumph.
Earnful
Earn´ful, a. [From Earn to yearn.] Full of anxiety or yearning. [Obs.] P. Fletcher.
Earpick
Ear´pick, n. An instrument for removing wax from the ear.
Ear-shell
Ear´-shell, n. (Zoöl.) A flattened marine univalve shell of the genus Haliotis; — called also sea-ear. See Abalone.
Earshot
Ear´shot, n. Reach of the ear; distance at which words may be heard. Dryden.
Earshrift
Ear´shrift, n. A nickname for auricular confession; shrift. [Obs.] Cartwright.
Ear-splitting
Ear´-split•ting, a. Deafening; disagreeably loud or shrill; as ear-splitting strains.
Earst, adv. See Erst. [Obs.] Spenser.
Earth, n. [AS. eore; akin to OS. ertha, OFries. irthe, D. aarde, OHG. erda, G. erde, Icel. jör, Sw. & Dan. jord, Goth. airpa, OHG. ero, Gr., adv., to earth, and perh. to E. ear to plow.]
1. The globe or planet which we inhabit; the world, in distinction from the sun, moon, or stars. also this world as the dwelling place of mortals, in distinction from the dwelling place of spirits.
"That law preserves the earth a sphere
And guides the planets in their course." S. Rogers.
"In heaven, or earth, or under earth, in hell." Milton.
2. The solid materials which make up the globe, in distinction from the air or water; the dry land.
"God called the dry land earth." Gen. i. 10.
"He is pure air and fire, and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him." Shak.
3. The softer inorganic matter composing part of the surface of the globe, in distinction from the firm rock; soil of all kinds, including gravel, clay, loam, and the like; sometimes, soil favorable to the growth of plants; the visible surface of the globe; the ground; as loose earth; rich earth.
"Give him a little earth for charity." Shak.
4. A part of this globe; a region; a country; land.
"Would I had never trod this English earth." Shak.
5. Worldly things, as opposed to spiritual things; the pursuits, interests, and allurements of this life.
"Our weary souls by earth beguiled." Keble.
6. The people on the globe.
"The whole earth was of one language." Gen. xi. 1.
7. (Chem.) (a) Any earthy-looking metallic oxide, as alumina, glucina, zirconia, yttria, and thoria. (b) A similar oxide, having a slight alkaline reaction, as lime, magnesia, strontia, baryta.
8. A hole in the ground, where an animal hides himself; as the earth of a fox. Macaulay.
"They [ferrets] course the poor conies out of their earths." Holland. Earth is used either adjectively or in combination to form compound words; as earth apple or earth-apple; earth metal or earth-metal; earth closet or earth-closet. Adamic earth, Bitter earth, Bog earth, Chian earth, etc. See under Adamic, Bitter, etc. — Alkaline earths. See under Alkaline. — Earth apple. (Bot.) (a) A potato. (b) A cucumber. — Earth auger, a form of auger for boring into the ground; — called also earth borer. — Earth bath, a bath taken by immersing the naked body in earth for healing purposes. — Earth battery (Physics), a voltaic battery the elements of which are buried in the earth to be acted on by its moisture. — Earth chestnut, the pignut. — Earth closet, a privy or commode provided with dry earth or a similar substance for covering and deodorizing the faecal discharges. — Earth dog (Zoöl.), a dog that will dig in the earth, or enter holes of foxes, etc. — Earth hog, Earth pig (Zoöl.), the aard- vark. — Earth hunger, an intense desire to own land, or, in the case of nations, to extend their domain. — Earth light (Astron.), the light reflected by the earth, as upon the moon, and corresponding to moonlight; — called also earth shine. Sir J. Herschel. — Earth metal. See 1st Earth, 7. (Chem.) — Earth oil, petroleum. — Earth pillars or pyramids (Geol.), high pillars or pyramids of earth, sometimes capped with a single stone, found in Switzerland. Lyell. — Earth pitch (Min.), mineral tar, a kind of asphaltum. — Earth quadrant, a fourth of the earth’s circumference. — Earth table (Arch.), the lowest course of stones visible in a building; the ground table. — On earth, an intensive expression, oftenest used in questions and exclamations; as What on earth shall I do? Nothing on earth will satisfy him. [Colloq.]
Earth, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Earthed p. pr. & vb. n. Earthing.]
1. To hide, or cause to hide, in the earth; to chase into a burrow or den. "The fox is earthed." Dryden.
2. To cover with earth or mold; to inter; to bury; — sometimes with up.
"The miser earths his treasure, and the thief,
Watching the mole, half beggars him ere noon." Young.
"Why this in earthing up a carcass?" R. Blair.
Earth, v. i. To burrow. Tickell.
Earth, n. [From Ear to plow.] A plowing. [Obs.]
"Such land as ye break up for barley to sow,
Two earths at the least, ere ye sow it, bestow." Tusser.
Earth flax
Earth" flax (Min.) A variety of asbestus. See Amianthus.
Earthbag
Earth´bag, n. (Mil.) A bag filled with earth, used commonly to raise or repair a parapet.
Earthen-hearted
Earth´en-heart•ed, a. Hard- hearted; sordid; gross. [Poetic] Lowell.
Earthenware
Earth´en•ware, n. Vessels and other utensils, ornaments, or the like, made of baked clay. See Crockery, Pottery, Stoneware, and Porcelain.
Earthfork
Earth´fork, n. A pronged fork for turning up the earth.
Earthnut
Earth´nut, n. (Bot.) A name given to various roots, tubers, or pods grown under or on the ground; as to: (a) The esculent tubers of the umbelliferous plants Bunium flexuosum and Carum Bulbocastanum. (b) The peanut. See Peanut.
Earwig
Ear´wig, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Earwigged p. pr. & vb. n. Earwigging ] To influence, or attempt to influence, by whispered insinuations or private talk. "No longer was he earwigged by the Lord Cravens." Lord Campbell.
Ease, n. [OE. ese, eise, F. aise; akin to Pr. ais, aise, OIt. asio, It. agio; of uncertain origin; cf. L. ansa handle, occasion, opportunity. Cf. Agio, Disease.]
1. Satisfaction; pleasure; hence, accommodation; entertainment. [Obs.]
"They him besought
Of harbor and or ease as for hire penny." Chaucer.
2. Freedom from anything that pains or troubles; as: (a) Relief from labor or effort; rest; quiet; relaxation; as ease of body.
"Usefulness comes by labor, wit by ease." Herbert.
"Give yourself ease from the fatigue of watching." Swift. (b) Freedom from care, solicitude, or anything that annoys or disquiets; tranquillity; peace; comfort; security; as ease of mind.
"Among these nations shalt thou find no ease." Deut. xxviii. 65.
"Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." Luke xii. 19. (c) Freedom from constraint, formality, difficulty, embarrassment, etc.; facility; liberty; naturalness; — said of manner, style, etc.; as ease of style, of behavior, of address.
"True ease in writing comes from art, not chance." Pope.
"Whate’er he did was done with so much ease,
In him alone ’t was natural to please." Dryden. At ease, free from pain, trouble, or anxiety. "His soul shall dwell at ease." Ps. xxv. 12. — Chapel of ease. See under Chapel. — Ill at ease, not at ease, disquieted; suffering; anxious. — To stand at ease (Mil.), to stand in a comfortable attitude in one’s place in the ranks. — With ease, easily; without much effort.
Syn. — Rest; quiet; repose; comfortableness; tranquillity; facility; easiness; readiness.
Ease (ez), v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Eased (ezd); p. pr. & vb. n. Easing.] [OE. esen, eisen, OF. aisier. See Ease, n. ]
1. To free from anything that pains, disquiets, or oppresses; to relieve from toil or care; to give rest, repose, or tranquillity to; — often with of; as to ease of pain; to ease the body or mind.
"Eased [from] the putting off
These troublesome disguises which we wear." Milton.
"Sing, and I ’ll ease thy shoulders of thy load." Dryden.
2. To render less painful or oppressive; to mitigate; to alleviate.
"My couch shall ease my complaint." Job vii. 13.
3. To release from pressure or restraint; to move gently; to lift slightly; to shift a little; as to ease a bar or nut in machinery.
4. To entertain; to furnish with accommodations. [Obs.] Chaucer. To ease off, To ease away (Naut.), to slacken a rope gradually. — To ease a ship (Naut.), to put the helm hard, or regulate the sail, to prevent pitching when closehauled. — To ease the helm (Naut.), to put the helm more nearly amidships, to lessen the effect on the ship, or the strain on the wheel rope. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Syn. — To relieve; disburden; quiet; calm; tranquilize; assuage; alleviate; allay; mitigate; appease; pacify.
Easel
Ea´sel, n. [D. ezel ass, donkey, hence, easel, or G. esel; akin to E. ass. See Ass.] A frame (commonly) of wood serving to hold a canvas upright, or nearly upright, for the painter’s convenience or for exhibition. Easel picture, Easel piece, a painting of moderate size such as is made while resting on an easel, as distinguished from a painting on a wall or ceiling.
Easement
Ease´ment, n. [OF. aisement. See Ease, n. ]
1. That which gives ease, relief, or assistance; convenience; accommodation.
"In need of every kind of relief and easement." Burke.
2. (Law) A liberty, privilege, or advantage, which one proprietor has in the estate of another proprietor, distinct from the ownership of the soil, as a way, water course, etc. It is a species of what the civil law calls servitude. Kent.
3. (Arch.) A curved member instead of an abrupt change of direction, as in a baseboard, hand rail, etc.
Easily
Eas´i•ly, adv. [From Easy.]
1. With ease; without difficulty or much effort; as this task may be easily performed; that event might have been easily foreseen.
2. Without pain, anxiety, or disturbance; as to pass life well and easily. Sir W. Temple.
3. Readily; without reluctance; willingly.
"Not soon provoked, she easily forgives." Prior.
4. Smoothly; quietly; gently; gracefully; without umult or discord.
5. Without shaking or jolting; commodiously; as a carriage moves easily.
East (est), n. [OE. est, east, AS. eást; akin to D. oost, oosten, OHG. ostan, G. ost, osten, Icel. austr, Sw. ost, Dan. öst, östen, Lith. auszra dawn, L. aurora (for ausosa), Gr. ’hw•s, "e•os, ’a•yws, Skr. ushas; cf. Skr. ush to burn, L. urere. rad.149, 288. Cf. Aurora, Easter, Sterling.]
1. The point in the heavens where the sun is seen to rise at the equinox, or the corresponding point on the earth; that one of the four cardinal points of the compass which is in a direction at right angles to that of north and south, and which is toward the right hand of one who faces the north; the point directly opposite to the west.
"The east began kindle." E. Everett.
2. The eastern parts of the earth; the regions or countries which lie east of Europe; the orient. In this indefinite sense, the word is applied to Asia Minor, Syria, Chaldea, Persia, India, China, etc.; as the riches of the East; the diamonds and pearls of the East; the kings of the East.
"The gorgeous East, with richest hand,
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold." Milton.
3. (U. S. Hist. and Geog.) Formerly, the part of the United States east of the Alleghany Mountains, esp. the Eastern, or New England, States; now, commonly, the whole region east of the Mississippi River, esp. that which is north of Maryland and the Ohio River; — usually with the definite article; as the commerce of the East is not independent of the agriculture of the West. East by north, East by south, according to the notation of the mariner’s compass, that point which lies 11¼° to the north or south, respectively, of the point due east. — East-northeast, East-southeast, that which lies 22½° to the north or south of east, or half way between east and northeast or southeast, respectively. See Illust. of Compass.
East, v. i. To move toward the east; to veer from the north or south toward the east; to orientate.
East Indian
East" In"di•an ( see Indian). Belonging to, or relating to, the East Indies. — n. A native of, or a dweller in, the East Indies.
Easter
Eas´ter, n. [AS. eáster, eástran, paschal feast, Easter; akin to G. ostern; fr. AS. Eástre, a goddess of light or spring, in honor of whom a festival was celebrated in April; whence this month was called in AS. Eástermonað. From the root of E. east. See East.]
1. An annual church festival commemorating Christ’s resurrection, and occurring on Sunday, the second day after Good Friday. It corresponds to the pascha or passover of the Jews, and most nations still give it this name under the various forms of pascha, pasque, pâque, or pask.
2. The day on which the festival is observed; Easter day. Easter is used either adjectively or as the first element of a compound; as Easter day or Easter-day, Easter Sunday, Easter week, Easter gifts.
"Sundays by thee more glorious break,
An Easter day in every week." Keble. Easter day, on which the rest of the movable feasts depend, is always the first Sunday after the fourteenth day of the calendar moon which (fourteenth day) falls on, or next after, the 21st of March, according to the rules laid down for the construction of the calendar; so that if the fourteenth day happen on a Sunday, Easter day is the Sunday after. Eng. Cyc.Easter dues (Ch. of Eng.), money due to the clergy at Easter, formerly paid in communication of the tithe for personal labor and subject to exaction. For Easter dues, Easter offerings, voluntary gifts, have been substituted. — Easter egg. (a) A painted or colored egg used as a present at Easter. (b) An imitation of an egg, in sugar or some fine material, sometimes made to serve as a box for jewelry or the like, used as an Easter present.
Easter
East´er, v. i. (Naut.) To veer to the east; — said of the wind. Russell.
Easterling
East´er•ling, n. [Cf. Sterling.]
1. A native of a country eastward of another; — used, by the English, of traders or others from the coasts of the Baltic.
"Merchants of Norway, Denmark, … called … Easterlings because they lie east in respect of us." Holinshed.
2. A piece of money coined in the east by Richard II. of England. Crabb.
3. (Zoöl.) The smew.
Easterling
East´er•ling, a. Relating to the money of the Easterlings, or Baltic traders. See Sterling.
Easterly
East´er•ly, adv. Toward, or in the direction of, the east.
Eastern
East´ern, a. [AS. eástern.]
1. Situated or dwelling in the east; oriental; as an eastern gate; Eastern countries.
"Eastern churches first did Christ embrace." Stirling.
2. Going toward the east, or in the direction of east; as an eastern voyage. Eastern Church. See Greek Church, under Greek.
Easy
Eas´y (ez"y), a. [ Compar. Easier (-i•er); superl. Easiest.] [OF. aisie, F. aise, prop. p. p. of OF. aisier. See Ease, v. t.]
1. At ease; free from pain, trouble, or constraint; as: (a) Free from pain, distress, toil, exertion, and the like; quiet; as the patient is easy. (b) Free from care, responsibility, discontent, and the like; not anxious; tranquil; as an easy mind. (c) Free from constraint, harshness, or formality; unconstrained; smooth; as easy manners; an easy style. "The easy vigor of a line." Pope.
2. Not causing, or attended with, pain or disquiet, or much exertion; affording ease or rest; as an easy carriage; a ship having an easy motion; easy movements, as in dancing. "Easy ways to die." Shak.
3. Not difficult; requiring little labor or effort; slight; inconsiderable; as an easy task; an easy victory.
"It were an easy leap." Shak.
4. Causing ease; giving freedom from care or labor; furnishing comfort; commodious; as easy circumstances; an easy chair or cushion.
5. Not making resistance or showing unwillingness; tractable; yielding; complying; ready.
"He gained their easy hearts." Dryden.
"He is too tyrannical to be an easy monarch." Sir W. Scott.
6. Moderate; sparing; frugal. [Obs.] Chaucer.
7. (Com.) Not straitened as to money matters; as the market is easy; — opposed to tight. Honors are easy (Card Playing), said when each side has an equal number of honors, in which case they are not counted as points.
Syn. — Quiet; comfortable; manageable; tranquil; calm; facile; unconcerned.
Easy-going
Eas´y-go•ing (-go•ing), a. Moving easily; hence, mild-tempered; ease-loving; inactive.
Eat (et), v. t. [ imp. Ate (at; 277), Obsolescent & Colloq. Eat (et); p. p. Eaten (et"’n), Obs. or Colloq. Eat (et); p. pr. & vb. n. Eating.] [OE. eten, AS. etan; akin to OS. etan, OFries. eta, D. eten, OHG. ezzan, G. essen, Icel. eta, Sw. äta, Dan. aede, Goth. itan, Ir. & Gael. ith, W. ysu, L. edere, Gr. ’e•dein, Skr. a. . rad.6. Cf. Etch, Fret to rub, Edible.]
1. To chew and swallow as food; to devour; — said especially of food not liquid; as to eat bread. "To eat grass as oxen." Dan. iv. 25.
"They … ate the sacrifices of the dead." Ps. cvi. 28.
"The lean … did eat up the first seven fat kine." Gen. xli. 20.
"The lion had not eaten the carcass." 1 Kings xiii. 28.
"With stories told of many a feat,
How fairy Mab the junkets eat." Milton.
"The island princes overbold
Have eat our substance." Tennyson.
"His wretched estate is eaten up with mortgages." Thackeray.
2. To corrode, as metal, by rust; to consume the flesh, as a cancer; to waste or wear away; to destroy gradually; to cause to disappear. To eat humble pie. See under Humble. — To eat of (partitive use). "Eat of the bread that can not waste." Keble. — To eat one’s words, to retract what one has said. (See the Citation under Blurt.) — To eat out, to consume completely. "Eat out the heart and comfort of it." Tillotson. — To eat the wind out of a vessel (Naut.), to gain slowly to windward of her.
Syn. — To consume; devour; gnaw; corrode.
Eatage
Eat´age (-aj; 48), n. Eatable growth of grass for horses and cattle, esp. that of aftermath.
Eath (eth), a. & adv. [AS. eáðe.] Easy or easily. [Obs.] "Eath to move with plaints." Fairfax.
Eau de Cologne
Eau• de Co•logne" [F. eau water (L. aqua) + de of + Cologne.] Same as Cologne.
Eau de vie
Eau• de vie" [F., water of life; eau (L. aqua) water + de of + vie (L. vita) life.] French name for brandy. Cf. Aqua vitae, under Aqua. Bescherelle.
Eavedrop
Eave´drop, n. A drop from the eaves; eavesdrop. [R.] Tennyson.
Eaves, n. pl. [OE. evese, pl. eveses, AS. efese eaves, brim, brink; akin to OHG. obisa, opasa, porch, hall, MHG. obse eaves, Icel. ups, Goth. ubizwa porch; cf. Icel. upsar- dropi, OSw. opsä-drup water dropping from the eaves. Probably from the root of E. over. The s of eaves is in English regarded as a plural ending, though not so in Saxon. See Over, and cf. Eavesdrop.]
1. (Arch.) The edges or lower borders of the roof of a building, which overhang the walls, and cast off the water that falls on the roof.
2. Brow; ridge. [Obs.] "Eaves of the hill." Wyclif.
3. Eyelids or eyelashes.
"And closing eaves of wearied eyes." Tennyson. Eaves board (Arch.), an arris fillet, or a thick board with a feather edge, nailed across the rafters at the eaves of a building, to raise the lower course of slates a little, or to receive the lowest course of tiles; — called also eaves catch and eaves lath. — Eaves channel, Eaves gutter, Eaves trough. Same as Gutter, 1. — Eaves molding (Arch.), a molding immediately below the eaves, acting as a cornice or part of a cornice. — Eaves swallow (Zoöl.). (a) The cliff swallow; — so called from its habit of building retort-shaped nests of mud under the eaves of buildings. See Cliff swallow, under Cliff. (b) The European swallow.
Eavesdrop
Eaves´drop, n. The water which falls in drops from the eaves of a house.