EL DORADO, el d[=o]-rä'd[=o], the golden land of imagination of the Spanish
conquerors of America: any place where wealth is easily to be made. [Sp.
_el_, the, _dorado_, pa.p. of _dorar_, to gild.]
ELDRITCH, el'drich, _adj._ (_Scot._) weird, hideous. [Der. obscure: perh.
conn. with _elf_.]
ELEATIC, el-e-at'ik, _adj._ noting a school of philosophers, specially
connected with _Elea_, a Greek city of Lower Italy, and including
Zenophanes, Parmenides, and Zeno.--_n._ one belonging to this school.
ELECAMPANE, el'e-kam-p[=a]n', _n._ a composite plant allied to Aster,
formerly much cultivated for its medicinal root. [Formed from Low L. _enula
campana_.]
ELECT, e-lekt', _v.t._ to choose out: to select for any office or purpose:
to select by vote.--_adj._ chosen: taken by preference from among others:
chosen for an office but not yet in it (almost always after the noun, as
'consul elect').--_n._ one chosen or set apart.--_n._ ELEC'TION, the act of
electing or choosing: the public choice of a person for office, usually by
the votes of a constituent body: freewill: (_theol._) the exercise of God's
sovereign will in the predetermination of certain persons to salvation:
(_B._) those who are elected.--_v.i._ ELECTIONEER', to labour to secure the
election of a candidate.--_n._ ELECTIONEER'ER.--_n._ and _adj._
ELECTIONEER'ING, the soliciting of votes and other business of an
election.--_adj._ ELECT'IVE, pertaining to, dependent on, or exerting the
power of choice.--_adv._ ELECT'IVELY.--_ns._ ELECTIV'ITY; ELECT'OR, one who
elects: one who has a vote at an election: the title formerly belonging to
those princes and archbishops of the German Empire who had the right to
elect the Emperor:--_fem._ ELECT'RESS, ELECT'ORESS.--_adjs._ ELECT'ORAL,
ELECT[=O]'RIAL, pertaining to elections or to electors: consisting of
electors.--_ns._ ELECT'ORATE, the dignity or the territory of an elector:
the body of electors; ELECT'ORSHIP.--THE ELECT (_theol._), those chosen by
God for salvation. [L. _e_, out, _leg[)e]re_, to choose.]
ELECTRIC, e-lek'trik, _adj._ pertaining to or produced by
electricity.--_n._ any electric substance: a non-conductor of electricity,
as amber, glass, &c.--_adj._ ELEC'TRICAL.--_adv._ ELEC'TRICALLY.--_ns._
ELEC'TRIC-EEL (see GYMNOTUS); ELECTRI'CIAN, one who studies, or is versed
in, the science of electricity; ELECTRIC'ITY, name of the cause of certain
phenomena of attraction and repulsion: the phenomena themselves: the
science which investigates the nature and laws of these phenomena.--_adj._
ELEC'TRIF[=I]ABLE.--_n._ ELECTRIFIC[=A]'TION.--_v.t._ ELEC'TRIFY, to
communicate electricity to: to excite suddenly: to astonish: to adapt to
electricity as the motive power:--_pa.p._ elec'trified.--_n._
ELEC'TRISATION.--_v.t._ ELEC'TR[=I]SE, to electrify.--_ns._ ELEC'TRODE,
either of the poles of a galvanic battery; ELEC'TROLIER, a device for
suspending a group of incandescent lamps; ELEC'TRUM, amber: an alloy of
gold and silver.--ELECTRIC RAILWAY, a railway on which electricity is the
motive-power; ELECTRIC SPARK, one of the forms in which accumulated
electricity discharges itself; ELECTRIC STORM, a violent disturbance in the
electrical condition of the earth. [L. _electrum_--Gr. _elektron_, amber,
in which electricity was first observed.]
ELECTRO-BIOLOGY, e-lek'tro-b[=i]-ol'o-ji, _n._ the science which treats of
the electricity developed in living organisms: that view of animal
magnetism according to which the actions, feelings, &c. of a person are
controlled by the will of the operator.--_adj._ ELEC'TRO-BALLIS'TIC, of an
apparatus for determining by electricity the velocity of a
projectile.--_ns._ ELEC'TRO-BIOL'OGIST; ELEC'TRO-CHEM'ISTRY, that branch of
chemical science which treats of the agency of electricity in effecting
chemical changes.--_v.t._ ELEC'TROCUTE, to inflict a death penalty by means
of electricity.--_ns._ ELECTROC[=U]'TION, capital punishment by
electricity; ELEC'TRO-DYNAM'ICS, the branch of physics which treats of the
action of electricity; ELEC'TRO-DYNAMOM'ETER, an instrument for measuring
the strength of electro-dynamic action; ELEC'TRO-ENGRAV'ING, an etching
process in which the etched plate is placed in an electro-bath to deepen
the 'bite;' ELEC'TRO-GILD'ING, electroplating with gold;
ELEC'TRO-KINET'ICS, that branch of science which treats of electricity in
motion; ELECTROL'OGY, the science of applied electricity.--_v.t._
ELEC'TROLYSE, to subject to electrolysis.--_ns._ ELECTROL'YSIS, the process
of chemical decomposition by electricity; ELEC'TROLYTE, a body which admits
of electrolysis.--_adj._ ELECTROLYT'IC.--_n._ ELEC'TRO-MAG'NET, a piece of
soft iron rendered magnetic by a current of electricity passing through a
coil of wire wound round it.--_adj._ ELEC'TRO-MAGNET'IC.--_ns._
ELEC'TRO-MAG'NETISM, a branch of science which treats of the relation of
electricity to magnetism; ELEC'TRO-MET'ALLURGY, a name given to certain
processes by which electricity is applied to the working of metals, as in
electroplating and electrotyping; ELECTROM'ETER, an instrument for
measuring the quantity of electricity.--_adjs._ ELECTROMET'RIC, -AL,
pertaining to the measurement of electricity.--_ns._ ELECTROM'ETRY, the
science of electrical measurements; ELEC'TRO-M[=O]'TION, the passage of an
electric current in a voltaic circuit: motion produced by electricity
employed as power.--_adjs._ ELEC'TRO-M[=O]'TIVE, pertaining to the motion
of electricity or the laws governing it.--_n._ ELEC'TRO-M[=O]'TOR, an
apparatus for applying electricity as a motive-power.--_adj._
ELEC'TRO-NEG'ATIVE, appearing, as an element in electrolysis, at the
positive electrode: having the property of becoming negatively electrified
by contact with a dissimilar substance.--_ns._ ELEC'TROPH[=O]NE, an
instrument for producing sounds resembling trumpet-tones by electric
currents of high tension; ELECTROPH'ORUS, an instrument for obtaining
statical electricity by means of induction; ELEC'TRO-PHYSIOL'OGY, the study
of the electric phenomena of living organisms.--_v.t._ ELEC'TROPLATE, to
plate or cover with silver by electrolysis.--_n._ ELEC'TROPLATING.--_adjs._
ELEC'TRO-P[=O]'LAR, having, as an electrical conductor, one end or surface
positive and the other negative; ELEC'TRO-POS'ITIVE, attracted by bodies
negatively electrified, or by the negative pole of a voltaic battery:
assuming positive potential when in contact with another substance.--_ns._
ELEC'TROSCOPE, an instrument for detecting the presence of electricity in a
body and the nature of it; ELEC'TRO-STAT'ICS, that branch of science which
treats of electricity at rest; ELEC'TRO-TINT, a style of etching by means
of galvanism; ELEC'TROTYPE, the art of copying an engraving or type on a
metal deposited by electricity.--_adj._ ELECTROTYP'IC.--_ns._
ELEC'TROTYPIST; ELEC'TROTYPY, the art of copying.--_adj._
ELEC'TRO-V[=I]'TAL, electrical and dependent upon vital processes.
ELECTUARY, e-lek't[=u]-ar-i, _n._ a composition of medicinal powders with
honey or sugar. [Low L. _electuarium_--Gr. _ekleikton_--_ekleichein_, to
lick up.]
ELECTRON. See page 1208.
ELEEMOSYNARY, el-e-mos'i-nar-i, _adj._ relating to charity or almsgiving:
dependent on charity: given in charity. [Gr. _ele[=e]mosyn[=e]_,
compassionateness, alms--_eleos_, pity. See ALMS.]
ELEGANT, el'e-gant, _adj._ pleasing to good taste: graceful: neat: refined:
nice: richly ornamental.--_ns._ EL'EGANCE, EL'EGANCY, the state or quality
of being elegant: the beauty of propriety: refinement: that which is
elegant; ELEGANTE (el-e-gangt'), a lady of fashion.--_adv._ EL'EGANTLY.
[Fr.,--L. _elegans_, _-antis_--_e_, out, and root of _leg[)e]re_, to
choose.]
ELEGY, el'e-ji, _n._ a song of mourning: a funeral-song: a poem written in
elegiac metre.--_adj._ ELEG[=I]'AC, belonging to elegy: mournful: used in
elegies, esp. noting the kind of metre, alternate hexameter and pentameter
lines.--_n._ elegiac verse.--_adj._ ELEG[=I]'ACAL.--_ns._ EL[=E]'GIAST,
EL'EGIST, a writer of elegies.--_v.i._ EL'EG[=I]SE, to write an
elegy.--_v.t._ to write an elegy on. [Fr.,--L.,--Gr. _elegos_, a lament.]
ELEMENT, el'e-ment, _n._ a first principle: one of the essential parts of
anything: an ingredient: the proper state or sphere of any thing or being:
(_pl._) the rudiments of learning: the bread and wine used in the
Eucharist: fire, air, earth, and water, supposed by the ancients to be the
foundation of everything: (_chem._) the simplest known constituents of all
compound substances: (_astron._) those numerical quantities, and those
principles deduced from astronomical observations and calculations, which
are employed in the construction of tables exhibiting the planetary
motions.--_adj._ ELEMENT'AL, pertaining to elements or first principles:
fundamental: belonging to or produced by elements.--_n._ ELEMENT'ALISM, the
theory which resolves the divinities of antiquity into the elemental
powers.--_adv._ ELEMENT'ALLY.--_adj._ ELEMENT'ARY, of a single element:
primary: uncompounded: pertaining to the elements: treating of first
principles.--ELEMENTAL SPIRITS, beings in medieval belief who presided over
the four 'elements,' living in and ruling them. [Fr.,--L. _elementum_, pl.
_elementà_, first principles.]
ELEMI, el'em-i, _n._ a fragrant resinous substance, obtained from the
Manila pitch-tree, Arbol de la Brea.--_n._ EL'EMIN, the crystallisable
portion of elemi. [Cf. Fr. _élémi_, Sp. _elemi_; perh. Ar.]
ELENCH, e-lengk', ELENCHUS, e-lengk'us, _n._ refutation: a
sophism.--_adjs._ ELENCH'IC, -AL, ELENC'TIC. [L.,--Gr.
_elengchos_--_elengchein_, to refute.]
ELEPHANT, el'e-fant, _n._ the largest quadruped, having a very thick skin,
a trunk, and two ivory tusks: a special size of paper.--_ns._ ELEPHAN'TIAC,
one affected with elephantiasis; ELEPHANT[=I]'ASIS, a disease chiefly of
tropical climates, consisting of an overgrowth of the skin and connective
tissue of the parts affected, with occasional attacks of inflammation
resembling erysipelas.--_adjs._ ELEPHANT'INE, pertaining to an elephant:
like an elephant: very large or ungainly; ELEPHANT'OID,
elephant-like.--_ns._ EL'EPHANT-SEAL, the largest of the seals, the male
measuring about 20 feet in length; EL'EPHANT'S-FOOT, a plant of which the
root-stock forms a large fleshy mass resembling an elephant's foot, used as
food by the Hottentots; EL'EPHANT-SHREW, name applied to a number of
long-nosed, long-legged Insectivora, natives of Africa, and notable for
their agile jumping over loose sand.--A WHITE ELEPHANT, a gift which
occasions the recipient more trouble than it is worth--a white elephant
being a common gift of the kings of Siam to a courtier they wished to ruin.
[M. E. _olifaunt_--O. Fr. _olifant_--L. _elephantum_, _elephas_,
_-antis_--Gr. _elephas_, acc. to some from Heb. _eleph_, _aleph_, an ox.]
ELEUSINIAN, el-[=u]-sin'i-an, _adj._ relating to _Eleusis_ in
Attica.--ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES, the mysteries of Demeter celebrated at
Eleusis.
ELEUTHERIAN, el-[=u]-th[=e]'ri-an, _adj._ bountiful.
ELEUTHEROMANIA, el-[=u]th-er-o-m[=a]'ni-a, _n._ mad zeal for freedom.--_n._
ELEUTHEROM[=A]'NIAC (_Carlyle_), one possessed with such. [Formed from Gr.
_eleutheros_, free, and _mania_.]
ELEVATE, el'e-v[=a]t, _v.t._ to raise to a higher position: to raise in
mind and feelings: to improve: to cheer: to exhilarate: to
intoxicate.--_p.adjs._ EL'EVATE, -D, raised: dignified: exhilarated.--_ns._
ELEV[=A]'TION, the act of elevating or raising, or the state of being
raised: exaltation: an elevated place or station: a rising ground: height:
(_archit._) a representation of the flat side of a building, drawn with
mathematical accuracy, but without any attention to effect: (_astron._,
_geog._) the height above the horizon of an object on the sphere, measured
by the arc of a vertical circle through it and the zenith: (_gun._) the
angle made by the line of direction of a gun with the plane of the horizon;
EL'EVATOR, the person or thing that lifts up: a lift or machine for raising
grain, &c., to a higher floor: a muscle raising a part of the body.--_adj._
EL'EVATORY, able or tending to raise. [L. _elev[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_e_,
out, up, _lev[=a]re_, to raise--_levis_, light. See LIGHT (2).]