ELM, elm, _n._ a genus of trees of the natural order _Ulmaceæ_, with
serrated leaves unequal at the base, and small flowers growing in clusters
appearing before the leaves.--_adjs._ ELM'EN, made of elm; ELM'Y, abounding
with elms. [A.S. _elm_; Ger. _ulme_, L. _ulmus_.]
ELMO'S FIRE, el'm[=o]z f[=i]r, _n._ the popular name of an electric
appearance sometimes seen like a brush or star of light at the tops of
masts, spars, &c.--Also known as the Fire of St Elias, of St Clara, of St
Nicholas, and of Helena, as well as _composite_ or _composant_ (_corpus
sanctum_) on the Suffolk sea-board. [Explained as a corr. of _Helena_, name
of the sister of Castor and Pollux, or of St Erasmus, a 3d-cent. bishop,
Italianised as _Ermo_, _Elmo_.]
ELOCUTION, el-o-k[=u]'shun, _n._ the art of effective speaking, more esp.
of public speaking, regarding solely the utterance or delivery:
eloquence.--_adj._ ELOC[=U]'TIONARY.--_n._ ELOC[=U]'TIONIST, one versed in
elocution: a teacher of elocution. [Fr.,--L. _elocution-em_, _eloqui_,
_eloc[=u]tus_--_e_, out, _loqui_, to speak.]
ÉLOGE, [=a]-l[=o]zh', ELOGIUM, [=e]-l[=o]'ji-um, ELOGY, el'o-ji, _n._ a
funeral oration: a panegyric.--_n._ EL'OGIST, one who delivers an éloge.
[Fr. _éloge_--L. _elogium_, a short statement, an inscription on a tomb,
perh. confused with _eulogy_.]
ELOHIM, e-l[=o]'him, _n._ the Hebrew name for God.--_n._ EL[=O]'HIST, the
writer or writers of the Elohistic passages of the Old Testament.--_adj._
ELOHIST'IC, relating to Elohim--said of those passages in the Old Testament
in which Elohim is used as the name for the Supreme Being instead of
Jehovah. [Heb., pl. of _Eloah_--explained by Delitzsch as a plural of
intensity.]
ELOIN, ELOIGN, e-loin', _v.t._ to convey to a distance, to separate and
remove.--_ns._ ELOIN'MENT, ELOIGN'MENT. [O. Fr. _esloignier_ (Fr.
_éloigner_)--Low L. _elong[=a]re_. See ELONGATE.]
ELONGATE, e-long'g[=a]t, _v.t._ to make longer: to extend.--_p.adjs._
ELONG'ATE, -D.--_n._ ELONG[=A]'TION, act of lengthening out: distance. [Low
L. _elong[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_e_, out, _longus_, long.]
ELOPE, e-l[=o]p, _v.i._ to escape privately, said esp. of a woman, either
married or unmarried, who runs away with a lover: to run away, bolt.--_n._
ELOPE'MENT, a secret departure, esp. of a woman with a man. [Cf. Old Dut.
_ontl[=o]pen_, Ger. _entlaufen_, to run away.]
ELOQUENT, el'o-kwent, _adj._ having the power of speaking with fluency,
elegance, and force: containing eloquence: persuasive.--_n._ EL'OQUENCE,
the utterance of strong emotion in correct, appropriate, expressive, and
fluent language: the art which produces fine speaking: persuasive
speech.--_adv._ EL'OQUENTLY. [L. _eloquens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _eloqui_.]
ELSE, els, _pron._ other.--_adv._ otherwise: besides: except that
mentioned.--_advs._ ELSE'WHERE, in or to another place; ELSE'WISE, in a
different manner: otherwise. [A.S. _elles_, otherwise--orig. gen. of _el_,
other; cf. Old High Ger. _alles_ or _elles_.]
ELSIN, el'sin, _n._ (_Scot._) an awl. [From Old Dut. _elssene_ (mod.
_els_), from same root as _awl_.]
ELTCHI. Same as ELCHEE.
ELUCIDATE, e-l[=u]'si-d[=a]t, _v.t._ to make lucid or clear: to throw light
upon: to illustrate.--_n._ ELUCID[=A]'TION.--_adjs._ EL[=U]'CIDATIVE,
EL[=U]'CIDATORY, making clear: explanatory.--_n._ EL[=U]'CIDATOR. [Low L.
_elucid[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_e_, inten., _lucidus_, clear.]
ELUCUBRATION. Same as LUCUBRATION.
ELUDE, e-l[=u]d', _v.t._ to escape by stratagem: to baffle.--_adj._
EL[=U]'DIBLE.--_n._ EL[=U]'SION, act of eluding: evasion.--_adj._
EL[=U]'SIVE, practising elusion: deceptive.--_adv._ EL[=U]'SIVELY.--_n._
EL[=U]'SORINESS.--_adj._ EL[=U]'SORY, tending to elude or cheat: evasive:
deceitful. [L. _elud[)e]re_, _elusum_--_e_, out, _lud[)e]re_, to play.]
ELUL, [=e]'lul, _n._ the 12th month of the Jewish civil year, and 6th of
the ecclesiastical. [Heb.,--_âlal_, to reap.]
ELUTRIATE, e-l[=u]'tri-[=a]t, _v.t._ to separate by means of water the
finer particles of earth and pigments from the heavier portions.--_ns._
EL[=U]'TION, washing from impurity; ELUTRI[=A]'TION. [L. _elutri[=a]re_,
_-[=a]tum_, to wash out, _elu[)e]re_--_e_, out, _lu[)e]re_, to wash.]
ELVAN, elv'an, _n._ the miner's name in the south-west of England for a
granular crystalline rock, composed of quartz and orthoclase, which forms
veins associated with granite.--Also ELV'ANITE. [Prob. Corn. _elven_,
spark.]
ELVAN, ELVES, ELVISH. See under ELF.
ELYSIUM, e-lizh'i-um, _n._ (_myth._) among the Greeks, the abode of the
blessed after death: any delightful place.--_adj._ ELYS'IAN, pertaining to
Elysium: delightful: glorious. [L.,--Gr. _[=e]lysion_ (_pedion_), the
Elysian (plain).]
ELYTRUM, el'it-rum, _n._ the fore-wing of beetles, modified to form more or
less hard coverings for the hind pair--also EL'YTRON:--_pl._
EL'YTRA.--_adjs._ EL'YTRAL; ELYT'RIFORM; ELYTRIG'EROUS. [Gr. _elytron_, a
sheath.]
ELZEVIR, el'ze-vir, _adj._ published by the _Elzevirs_, a celebrated family
of printers at Amsterdam, Leyden, and other places in Holland, whose small
neat editions were chiefly published between 1592 and 1681: pertaining to
the type used in their 12mo and 16mo editions of the Latin classics.--_n._
a special form of printing types.
EM, em, _n._ the name of the letter M: (_print._) the unit of measurement
in estimating how much is printed on a page.
'EM, [.e]m, _pron._ him: (_coll._) them. [Orig. the unstressed form of
_hem_, dat. and accus. pl. of _he_; but now used coll. as an abbreviation
of _them_.]
EMACIATE, e-m[=a]'shi-[=a]t, _v.t._ to make meagre or lean: to deprive of
flesh: to waste.--_v.i._ to become lean: to waste away.--_p.adjs._
EM[=A]'CIATE, -D.--_n._ EMACI[=A]'TION, the condition of becoming emaciated
or lean: leanness. [L. _emaci[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_e_, inten.,
_maci[=a]re_, to make lean--_macies_, leanness.]
EMANATE, em'a-n[=a]t, _v.i._ to flow out or from: to proceed from some
source: to arise.--_adj._ EM'ANANT, flowing from.--_ns._ EMAN[=A]'TION, a
flowing out from a source, as the universe considered as issuing from the
essence of God: the _generation_ of the Son and the _procession_ of the
Spirit, as distinct from the origination of created beings: that which
issues or proceeds from some source; EM'ANATIST.--_adjs._ EM'ANATIVE,
EM'ANATORY, EMAN[=A]'TIONAL. [L. _eman[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_e_, out from,
_man[=a]re_, to flow.]
EMANCIPATE, e-man'si-p[=a]t, _v.t._ to set free from servitude: to free
from restraint or bondage of any kind.--_ns._ EMANCIP[=A]'TION, the act of
setting free from bondage or disability of any kind: the state of being set
free; EMANCIP[=A]'TIONIST, an advocate of the emancipation of slaves;
EMAN'CIPATOR; EMAN'CIPIST, a convict who has served his time of punishment
in a penal colony. [L. _emancip[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_e_, away from,
_mancip[=a]re_, to transfer property--_manceps_, _-cipis_, one who gets
property, from _manus_, the hand, _cap[)e]re_, to take.]
EMARGINATE, e-mär'jin-[=a]t, _v.t._ to take away the margin of.--_p.adj._
(_bot._) depressed and notched instead of pointed at the summit, as a leaf:
(_min._) having all the edges of the primitive form crossed by a face:
(_zool._) having the margin broken by a notch or segment of a circle.--_n._
EMARGIN[=A]'TION. [L. _emargin[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_e_, out,
_margin[=a]re_, to provide with a margin--_margo_, a margin.]
EMASCULATE, e-mas'k[=u]-l[=a]t, _v.t._ to deprive of the properties of a
male: to castrate: to deprive of masculine vigour: to render
effeminate.--_ns._ EMASCUL[=A]'TION; EMAS'CUL[=A]TOR.--_adj._
EMAS'CUL[=A]TORY. [Low L. _emascul[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_e_, neg.,
_masculus_, dim. of _mas_, a male.]
EMBACE, em-b[=a]s', _v.t._ (_Spens._). Same as EMBASE.
EMBALE, em-b[=a]l', _v.t._ to make up, as into a bale: to bind up: to
enclose. [Fr. _emballer_--_em_--L. _in_, _balle_, a bale.]
EMBALL, em-bawl', _v.t._ to encircle: ensphere.--_n._ EMBALL'ING.
EMBALM, em-bäm', _v.t._ to preserve from decay by aromatic drugs, as a dead
body: to perfume: to preserve with care and affection.--_ns._ EMBALM'ER;
EMBALM'ING; EMBALM'MENT. [Fr. _embaumer_, from _em_, in, and _baume_. See
BALM.]
EMBANK, em-bangk', _v.t._ to enclose or defend with a bank or dike.--_n._
EMBANK'MENT, the act of embanking: a bank or mound made to keep water
within certain limits: a mound constructed so as to carry a level road or
railway over a low-lying place. [Coined from _em_, in, and _bank_.]
EMBAR, em-bär', _v.t._ to shut in; to hinder or stop:--_pr.p._ embar'ring;
_pa.p._ embarred'.--_n._ EMBAR'RING.
EMBARCATION. Same as EMBARKATION.
EMBARGO, em-bär'g[=o], _n._ a temporary order from the Admiralty to prevent
the arrival or departure of ships: a stoppage of trade for a short time by
authority:--_pl._ EMBAR'GOES.--_v.t._ to lay an embargo on: to
seize.--_pr.p._ embar'g[=o]ing; _pa.p._ embar'g[=o]ed. [Sp.,--_embargar_,
to impede, to restrain--Sp. _em_, in, _barra_, a bar. See BARRICADE and
EMBARRASS.]
EMBARK, em-bärk', _v.t._ to put on board ship: to engage in any
affair.--_v.i._ to go on board ship: to engage in a business: to
enlist.--_n._ EMBARK[=A]'TION, a putting or going on board: that which is
embarked: (_obs._) a vessel.--_p.adjs._ EMBARKED'; EMBARK'ING.--_n._
EMBARK'MENT. [Fr. _embarquer_, from _em_, in, _barque_, a bark.]
EMBARRASS, em-bar'as, _v.t._ to encumber: to involve in difficulty, esp. in
money matters: to perplex.--_p.adj._ EMBARR'ASSED, perplexed:
constrained.--_n._ EMBARR'ASSMENT, perplexity or confusion: difficulties in
money matters.--EMBARRAS DES RICHESSES, a superabundance of materials, an
abundance so great that choice is difficult. [Fr. _embarrasser_--_em_, in,
_barre_, bar.]
EMBASE, em-b[=a]z', _v.t._ (_obs._) to bring down: to degrade.--_p.adj._
EMBASED'.--_n._ EMBASE'MENT. [_Em_ and _base_.]
EMBASSY, em'bas-i, _n._ the charge or function of an ambassador: the person
or persons sent on an undertaking.--_ns._ EM'BASSADE, EM'BASSAGE (same as
AMBASSAGE); EMBASS'ADOR (same as AMBASSADOR).
EMBATHE, em-b[=a]_th_' _v.t._ to bathe.
EMBATTLE, em-bat'l, _v.t._ to furnish with battlements.--_p.adj._
EMBATT'LED, furnished with battlements: (_her._) having the outline like a
battlement.--_n._ EMBATT'LEMENT (same as BATTLEMENT). [_Em_, and O. Fr.
_bastiller_, from the same root as _battlement_, _bastille_, and _baste_,
to sew. The form of this word is due to a confusion with Eng. _battle_.]
EMBATTLE, em-bat'l, _v.t._ to range in order of battle: to arm--_p.adj._
EMBATT'LED, arranged for battle. [O. Fr. _embataillier_--_en_, in,
_bataille_, battle.]
EMBAY, em-b[=a]', _v.t._ to enclose in a bay: to land-lock.--_n._
EMBAY'MENT, a bay. [_Em_, in, into, and _bay_.]
EMBAY, em-b[=a]', _v.t._ (_Spens._) to bathe. [_Em_, in, and Fr. _baigner_.
See BAGNIO.]
EMBED, em-bed', IMBED, im-, _v.t._ to place in a mass of matter: to lay, as
in a bed.--_n._ EMBED'MENT, the act of embedding: state of being embedded.
EMBELLISH, em-bel'ish, _v.t._ to make beautiful with ornaments: to
decorate: to make graceful: to illustrate pictorially, as a book.--_n._
EMBELL'ISHER.--_adv._ EMBELL'ISHINGLY.--_n._ EMBELL'ISHMENT, act of
embellishing or adorning: decoration: ornament. [Fr. _embellir_,
_embellissant_--_em_, in, _bel_, _beau_, beautiful.]
EMBER, em'b[.e]r, _n._ a live piece of coal or wood: chiefly in _pl._
red-hot ashes: smouldering remains of a fire. [A.S. _['æ]merge_; Ice.
_eimyrja_. The _b_ is simply euphonic.]
EMBER-DAYS, em'b[.e]r-d[=a]z, _n.pl._ the three Fast-days in each quarter
(Wednesday, Friday, Saturday)--following the first Sunday in Lent,
Whitsunday, Holy Cross Day (Sept. 14th), and St Lucia's Day (Dec.
13th).--_n._ EM'BER-WEEK, the week in which the ember-days occur. [A.S.
_ymbryne_, a circuit--_ymb_, round (Ger. _um_, L. _ambi-_), and _ryne_, a
running, from _rinnan_, to run.]
EMBER-GOOSE, em'b[.e]r-g[=oo]s, _n._ a kind of sea-fowl, the Great Northern
Diver. [Norw. _emmer_; Ger. _imber_.]
EMBEZZLE, em-bez'l, _v.t._ to appropriate fraudulently what has been
entrusted.--_ns._ EMBEZZ'LEMENT, fraudulent appropriation of another's
property by the person to whom it was entrusted; EMBEZZ'LER. [Perh. from
root of _imbecile_, the primary sense being to weaken: (_obs._) BEZZ'LE, to
squander, from O. Fr. _besiler_, to destroy, is the same word.]
EMBITTER, em-bit'[.e]r, _Imbitter_, im-, _v.t._ to make bitter: to increase
(ill-feeling).--_p.adj._ EMBITT'ERED, soured.--_n._ EMBITT'ERER.--_p.adj._
EMBITT'ERING.--_n._ EMBITT'ERMENT.
EMBLAZON, em-bl[=a]'zn, _v.t._ to deck in blazing colours: (_her._) to
blazon or adorn with figures: to depict heraldically.--_v.t._ EMBLAZE', to
illuminate.--_ns._ EMBL[=A]'ZONER; EMBL[=A]'ZONMENT, an emblazoning;
EMBL[=A]'ZONRY, the art of emblazoning or adorning: devices on shields.
[_Em_, and _blaze_, _blazon_.]
EMBLEM, em'blem, _n._ a picture representing to the mind something
different from itself: a type or symbol: (_Milton_) an inlaid
ornament.--_v.t._ to symbolise.--_n._ EMBL[=E]'MA, an inlaid
ornament:--_pl._ EMBL[=E]'MATA.--_adjs._ EMBLEMAT'IC, -AL, pertaining to or
containing emblems: symbolical: representing.--_adv._
EMBLEMAT'ICALLY.--_v.t._ EMBLEM'ATISE, EM'BLEMISE, to represent by an
emblem:--_pr.p._ emblem'at[=i]sing; _pa.p._ emblem'at[=i]sed.--_n._
EMBLEM'ATIST, a writer or inventor of emblems. [L. _embl[=e]ma_--Gr. _em_
(=_en_), in, _ballein_, to cast.]
EMBLEMENTS, em'bl-ments, _n.pl._ crops raised by the labour of the
cultivator, but not fruits nor grass. [O. Fr. _emblaer_, to sow with
corn--Low L. _imblad[=a]re_--_in_, in, _bladum_, wheat.]
EMBLOOM, em-bl[=oo]m', _v.t._ to cover with bloom.
EMBLOSSOM, em-blos'om, _v.t._ to cover with blossom.
EMBODY, em-bod'i, IMBODY, im-, _v.t._ to form into a body: to make
corporeal: to make tangible: to express (an idea in words): to
organise.--_v.i._ to unite in a body or mass.--_p.adj._ EMBOD'IED.--_n._
EMBOD'IMENT, act of embodying: state of being embodied: that in which
something is embodied. [_Em_, in, and _body_.]
EMBOGUE, em-b[=o]g', _v.i._ to discharge itself.
EMBOIL, em-boil', _v.i._ (_Spens._) to burn with anger.--_v.t._ to cause to
burn with anger: to irritate.
EMBOLDEN, em-b[=o]ld'n, IMBOLDEN, im-, _v.t._ to make bold or courageous.
[_Em_, to make, and _bold_.]
EMBOLISM, em'bo-lizm, _n._ the insertion of days in an account of time to
produce regularity: an intercalated prayer for deliverance from evil coming
after the Lord's Prayer: (_med._) the presence of obstructing clots in the
blood-vessels.--_adjs._ EMBOLIS'MAL, EMBOLIS'MIC.--_n._ EM'BOLUS, the clot
of fibrin obstructing a blood-vessel, causing embolism. [Fr.,--Gr.
_embolismos_--_emballein_, to cast in.]
EMBONPOINT, ang-bong-pwang', _adj._ stout, plump, full in figure, mostly of
women: well-fed.--_n._ stoutness, plumpness, well-fed condition. [Fr.,--_en
bon point_, in good form.]
EMBORDER, em-bord'[.e]r, _v.t._ (_Milton_) to border.
EMBOSCATA, em-bos-k[=a]'ta, _n._ an erroneous form of It. _imboscáta_, an
ambuscade.
EMBOSOM, em-booz'um, IMBOSOM, im-, _v.t._ to take into the bosom: to
receive into the affections: to enclose or surround. [_Em_, in, into, and
_bosom_.]
EMBOSS, em-bos', _v.t._ to produce (a raised pattern) by pressure upon
sheet-metal, leather, cloth, &c.: to ornament with raised-work: (_Spens._)
to cover with armour: to be wrapped in.--_p.adj._ EMBOSSED', formed or
covered with bosses: raised, standing out in relief: (_bot._) having a
protuberance in the centre.--_ns._ EMBOSS'ER; EMBOSS'MENT, a prominence
like a boss: raised-work. [_Em_, in, into, and _boss_.]
EMBOSS, em-bos', _v.i._ (_Milton_) to plunge into the depths of a
wood.--_v.t._ to make to foam at the mouth. [O. Fr. _embosquer_, _em_--L.
_in_, in, _bosc_, a wood. See AMBUSH.]
EMBOUCHURE, ang-boo-shür', _n._ the mouth of a river: the mouth-hole of a
wind musical instrument. [Fr.,--_em-boucher_, to put to the mouth--_en_,
in, _bouche_, a mouth.]
EMBOUND, em-bownd', _v.t._ (_Shak._) to bound, enclose.
EMBOW, em-b[=o]', _v.t._ and _v.i._ to bow or arch.--_p.adj._ EMBOWED',
arched, vaulted: bent like a bow: the heraldic term noting anything bent
like a bow--as, e.g., the arm of a man. [_Em_ and _bow_.]
EMBOWEL, em-bow'el, _v.t._ properly, to enclose in something else; but also
used for disembowel, to remove the entrails from:--_pr.p._ embow'elling;
_pa.p._ embow'elled.--_n._ EMBOW'ELMENT. [_Em_, in, into, and _bowel_.]
EMBOWER, em-bow'er, IMBOWER, im-, _v.t._ to place in a bower: to shelter,
as with trees.--_p.adjs._ EMBOW'ERED; EMBOW'ERING.--_n._ EMBOW'ERMENT.
[_Em_, in, and _bower_.]