Chapter CLV: Epilogue: Ep"i*logue, n. Etym: F. épilogue, L. epilogus, fr. Gr. Legend (2)

Defn: To be equal in weight; to weigh as much as another thing. Bp. Wilkins.

EQUIPONDERATE E`qui*pon"der*ate, v. t.

Defn: To make equal in weight; to counterbalance. "More than equiponderated the declension in that direction." De Quincey.

EQUIPONDEROUS E`qui*pon"der*ous, a. Etym: [Equi- + L. pondus, ponderis, weight.]

Defn: Having equal weight. Bailey.

EQUIPONDIOUS E`qui*pon"di*ous, a. Etym: [L. aequipondium an equal weight; aequus equal + pondus weight.]

Defn: Of equal weight on both sides; balanced. [Obs.] Glanvill.

EQUIPOTENTIAL E`qui*po*ten"tial, a. Etym: [Equi- + potential.] (Mech. & Physics)

Defn: Having the same potential. Equipotential surface, a surface for which the potential is for all points of the surface constant. Level surfaces on the earth are equipotential.

EQUIRADICAL E`qui*rad"i*cal a. Etym: [Equi- + radical.]

Defn: Equally radical. [R.] Coleridge.

EQUIROTAL E`qui*ro"tal, a. Etym: [Equi- + L. rota wheel.]

Defn: Having wheels of the same size or diameter; having equal rotation. [R.]

EQUISETACEOUS E`qui*se*ta"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Belonging to the Equisetaceæ, or Horsetail family.

EQUISETIFORM E`qui*set"i*form, a. Etym: [Equisetum- + -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the form of the equisetum.

EQUISETUM Eq`ui*se"tum, n.; pl. Equiseta. Etym: [L., the horsetail, fr. equus horse + seta a thick,, stiff hair, bristle.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of vascular, cryptogamic, herbaceous plants; -- also called horsetails.

Note: The Equiseta have hollow jointed stems and no true leaves. The cuticle often contains siliceous granules, so that one species (E. hyemale) is used for scouring and polishing, under the name of Dutch rush or scouring rush.

EQUISONANCE E*quis"o*nance, n. Etym: [Equi- + L. sonans, p. pr. of sonare to sound: cf. F. équisonnance. See Sonant.] (Mus.)

Defn: An equal sounding; the consonance of the unison and its octaves.

EQUISONANT E*quis"o*nant a.

Defn: Of the same or like sound.

EQUITABLE Eq"ui*ta*ble, a. Etym: [F. équitable, from équité. See Equity.]

1. Possessing or exhibiting equity; according to natural right or natural justice; marked by a due consideration for what is fair, unbiased, or impartial; just; as an equitable decision; an equitable distribution of an estate; equitable men. No two . . . had exactly the same notion of what was equitable. Macaulay.

2. (Law)

Defn: That can be sustained or made available or effective in a court of equity, or upon principles of equity jurisprudence; as, an equitable estate; equitable assets, assignment, mortgage, etc. Abbott.

Syn. -- Just; fair; reasonable; right; honest; impartial; candid; upright.

EQUITABLENESS Eq"ui*ta*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being equitable, just, or impartial; as, the equitableness of a judge, a decision, or distribution of property.

EQUITABLY Eq"ui*ta*bly, adv.

Defn: In an equitable manner; justly; as, the laws should be equitably administered.

EQUITANCY Eq"ui*tan*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. LL. equitantia. See Equitant.]

Defn: Horsemanship.

EQUITANT Eq"ui*tant, a. Etym: [L. equitans, -antis, p. pr. of equitare to ride, fr. eques horseman, fr. equus horse.]

1. Mounted on, or sitting upon, a horse; riding on horseback.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Overlapping each other; -- said of leaves whose bases are folded so as to overlap and bestride the leaves within or above them, as in the iris.

EQUITATION Eq`ui*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. equitatio, fr. equitare: cf. F. équitation.]

Defn: A riding, or the act of riding, on horseback; horsemanship. The pretender to equitation mounted. W. Irving.

EQUITEMPORANEOUS E`qui*tem`po*ra"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. aequus equal + tempus, temporis, time.]

Defn: Contemporaneous. [Obs.] Boyle.

EQUITES Eq"ui*tes n. pl Etym: [L., pl. of eques a horseman.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: An order of knights holding a middle place between the senate and the commonalty; members of the Roman equestrian order.

EQUITY Eq"ui*ty, n.; pl. Equities. Etym: [F. équité, L. aequitas, fr. aequus even, equal. See Equal.]

1. Equality of rights; natural justice or right; the giving, or desiring to give, to each man his due, according to reason, and the law of God to man; fairness in determination of conflicting claims; impartiality. Christianity secures both the private interests of men and the public peace, enforcing all justice and equity. Tillotson.

2. (Law)

Defn: An equitable claim; an equity of redemption; as, an equity to a settlement, or wife's equity, etc. I consider the wife's equity to be too well settled to be shaken. Kent.

3. (Law)

Defn: A system of jurisprudence, supplemental to law, properly so called, and complemental of it. Equity had been gradually shaping itself into a refined science which no human faculties could master without long and intense application. Macaulay.

Note: Equitable jurisprudence in England and in the United States grew up from the inadequacy of common-law forms to secure justice in all cases; and this led to distinct courts by which equity was applied in the way of injunctions, bills of discovery, bills for specified performance, and other processes by which the merits of a case could be reached more summarily or more effectively than by common-law suits. By the recent English Judicature Act (1873), however, the English judges are bound to give effect, in common-law suits, to all equitable rights and remedies; and when the rules of equity and of common law, in any particular case, conflict, the rules of equity are to prevail. In many jurisdictions in the United States, equity and common law are thus blended; in others distinct equity tribunals are still maintained. See Chancery. Equity of redemption (Law), the advantage, allowed to a mortgageor, of a certain or reasonable time to redeem lands mortgaged, after they have been forfeited at law by the nonpayment of the sum of money due on the mortgage at the appointed time. Blackstone.

Syn. -- Right; justice; impartiality; rectitude; fairness; honesty; uprightness. See Justice.

EQUIVALENCE E*quiv"a*lence, n. Etym: [Cf. F. équivalence, LL. aequivalentia.]

1. The condition of being equivalent or equal; equality of worth, value, signification, or force; as, an equivalence of definitions.

2. Equal power or force; equivalent amount.

3. (Chem.) (a) The quantity of the combining power of an atom, expressed in hydrogen units; the number of hydrogen atoms can combine with, or be exchanged for; valency. See Valence. (b) The degree of combining power as determined by relative weight. See Equivalent, n., 2. [R.]

EQUIVALENCE E*quiv"a*lence, v. t.

Defn: To be equivalent or equal to; to counterbalance. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

EQUIVALENCY E*quiv"a*len*cy, n.

Defn: Same as Equivalence.

EQUIVALENT E*quiv"a*lent, a. Etym: [L. aequivalens, -entis, p. pr. of aequivalere to have equal power; aequus equal + valere to be strong, be worth: cf. F. équivalent. See Equal, and Valiant.]

1. Equal in wortir or value, force, power, effect, import, and the like; alike in significance and value; of the same import or meaning. For now to serve and to minister, servile and ministerial, are terms equivalent. South.

2. (Geom.)

Defn: Equal in measure but not admitting of superposition; -- applied to magnitudes; as, a square may be equivalent to a triangle.

3. (Geol.)

Defn: Contemporaneous in origin; as, the equivalent strata of different countries.

EQUIVALENT E*quiv"a*lent, n.

1. Something equivalent; that which is equal in value, worth, weight, or force; as, to offer an equivalent for damage done. He owned that, if the Test Act were repealed, the Protestants were entitled to some equivalent. . . . During some weeks the word equivalent, then lately imported from France, was in the mouths of all the coffeehouse. Macaulay.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: That comparative quantity by weight of an element which possesses the same chemical value as other elements, as determined by actual experiment and reference to the same standard. Specifically: (a) The comparative proportions by which one element replaces another in any particular compound; thus, as zinc replaces hydrogen in hydrochloric acid, their equivalents are 32.5 and 1. (b) The combining proportion by weight of a substance, or the number expressing this proportion, in any particular compound; as, the equivalents of hydrogen and oxygen in water are respectively 1 and 8, and in hydric dioxide 1 and 16.

Note: This term was adopted by Wollaston to avoid using the conjectural expression atomic weight, with which, however, for a time it was practically synonymous. The attempt to limit the term to the meaning of a universally comparative combining weight failed, because of the possibility of several compounds of the substances by reason of the variation in combining power which most elements exhibit. The equivalent was really identical with, or a multiple of submultiple of, the atomic weight.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: A combining unit, whether an atom, a radical, or a molecule; as, in acid salt two or more equivalents of acid unite with one or more equivalents of base. Mechanical equivalent of heat (Physics), the number of units of work which the unit of heat can perform; the mechanical energy which must be expended to raise the temperature of a unit weight of water from 0º C. to 1º C., or from 32º F. to 33º F. The term was introduced by Dr. Mayer of Heilbronn. Its value was found by Joule to be 1390 foot pounds upon the Centigrade, or 772 foot pounds upon the Fahrenheit, thermometric scale, whence it is often called Joule's equivalent, and represented by the symbol J. This is equal to 424 kilogram meters (Centigrade scale). A more recent determination by Professor Rowland gives the value 426.9 kilogram meters, for the latitude of Baltimore.

EQUIVALENT E*quiv"a*lent, v. t.

Defn: To make the equivalent to; to equal; equivalence. [R.]

EQUIVALENTLY E*quiv"a*lent*ly, adv.

Defn: In an equal manner.

EQUIVALUE E`qui*val"ue, v. t.

Defn: To put an equal value upon; to put (something) on a par with another thing. W. Taylor.

EQUIVALVE; EQUIVALVED E"qui*valve, E"qui*valved, a. Etym: [Equi- + valve.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the valves equal in size and from, as in most bivalve shells.

EQUIVALVULAR E`qui*val"vu*lar, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Equivalve or Equivalved.

EQUIVOCACY E*quiv"o*ca*cy, n.

Defn: Equivocalness.

EQUIVOCAL E*quiv"o*cal, a. Etym: [L. aequivocus: aequus equal + vox, vocis, word. See Equal, and Voice, and cf. Equivoque.]

1. (Literally, called equally one thing or the other; hence:) Having two significations equally applicable; capable of double interpretation; of doubtful meaning; ambiguous; uncertain; as, equivocal words; an equivocal sentence. For the beauties of Shakespeare are not of so dim or equivocal a nature as to be visible only to learned eyes. Jeffrey.

2. Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected; as, his actions are equivocal. "Equivocal repentances." Milton.

3. Uncertain, as an indication or sign; doubtful. "How equivocal a test." Burke. Equivocal chord (Mus.), a chord which can be resolved into several distinct keys; one whose intervals, being all minor thirds, do not clearly indicate its fundamental tone or root; the chord of the diminished triad, and the diminished seventh.

Syn. -- Ambiguous; doubtful; uncertain; indeterminate. -- Equivocal, Ambiguous. We call an expression ambiguous when it has one general meaning, and yet contains certain words which may be taken in two different senses; or certain clauses which can be so connected with other clauses as to divide the mind between different views of part of the meaning intended. We call an expression equivocal when, taken as a whole, it conveys a given thought with perfect clearness and propriety, and also another thought with equal propriety and clearness. Such were the responses often given by the Delphic oracle; as that to Crambiguous is a mere blunder of language; what is equivocal is usually intended to deceive, though it may occur at times from mere inadvertence. Equivocation is applied only to cases where there is a design to deceive.

EQUIVOCAL E*quiv"o*cal, n.

Defn: A word or expression capable of different meanings; an ambiguous term; an equivoque. In languages of great ductility, equivocals like that just referred to are rarely found. Fitzed. Hall.

EQUIVOCALLY E*quiv"o*cal*ly, adv.

Defn: In an equivocal manner.

EQUIVOCALNESS E*quiv"o*cal*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being equivocal.

EQUIVOCATE E*quiv"o*cate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Equivocated; p. pr. & vb. n. Equivocating.] Etym: [L. aequivocatus, p. p. of aequivocari to be called by the same name, fr. L. aequivocus: cf. F. équivoquer. See Equivocal, a.]

Defn: To use words of equivocal or doubtful signification; to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive; to use ambiguous expressions with a view to mislead; as, to equivocate is the work of duplicity. All that Garnet had to say for him was that he supposed he meant to equivocate. Bp. Stillingfleet.

Syn. -- To prevaricate; evade; shuffle; quibble. See Prevaricate.

EQUIVOCATE E*quiv"o*cate, v. t.

Defn: To render equivocal or ambiguous. He equivocated his vow by a mental reservation. Sir G. Buck.

EQUIVOCATION E*quiv`o*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The use of expressions susceptible of a double signification, with a purpose to mislead. There being no room for equivocations, there is no need of distinctions. Locke.

Syn. -- Prevarication; ambiguity; shuffling; evasion; guibbling. See Equivocal, a., and Prevaricate, v. i.

EQUIVOCATOR E*quiv"o*ca`tor, n.

Defn: One who equivocates. Here's an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, yet could not equivocate to heaven. Shak.

EQUIVOCATORY E*quiv"o*ca*to*ry, a.

Defn: Indicating, or characterized by, equivocation.

EQUIVOQUE; EQUIVOKE Eq"ui*voque, Eq"ui*voke, n. Etym: [F. équivoque. See Equivocal.]

1. An ambiguous term; a word susceptible of different significations. Coleridge.

2. An equivocation; a guibble. B. Jonson.

EQUIVOROUS E*quiv"o*rous, a. Etym: [L. equus horse + vorare to eat greedily.]

Defn: Feeding on horseflesh; as, equivorous Tartars.

EQUUS E"quus, n. Etym: [L., horse.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of mammals, including the horse, ass, etc.

-ER -er

Defn: .

1. Etym: [AS. -ere; akin to L. -arius.]

Defn: The termination of many English words, denoting the agent; -- applied either to men or things; as in hater, farmer, heater, grater. At the end of names of places, -er signifies a man of the place; as, Londoner, i. e., London man.

2. Etym: [AS. -ra; akin to G. -er, Icel. -are, -re, Goth. -iza, -, L. -ior, Gr. -iyas.]

Defn: A suffix used to form the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs; as, warmer, sooner, lat(e)er, earl(y)ier.

ERA E"ra, n.; pl. Eras. Etym: [LL. aera an era, in earlier usage, the items of an account, counters, pl. of aes, aeris, brass, money. See Ore.]

1. A fixed point of time, usually an epoch, from which a series of years is reckoned. The foundation of Solomon's temple is conjectured by Ideler to have been an era. R. S. Poole.

2. A period of time reckoned from some particular date or epoch; a succession of years dating from some important event; as, the era of Alexander; the era of Christ, or the Christian era (see under Christian). The first century of our era. M. Arnold.

3. A period of time in which a new order of things prevails; a signal stage of history; an epoch. Painting may truly be said to have opened the new era of culture. J. A. Symonds.

Syn. -- Epoch; time; date; period; age; dispensation. See Epoch.

ERADIATE E*ra"di*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Eradiated; p. pr. & vb. n. Eradiating.] Etym: [Pref. e- + radiate.]

Defn: To shoot forth, as rays of light; to beam; to radiate. Dr. H. More.

ERADIATION E*ra`di*a"tion, n.

Defn: Emission of radiance.

ERADICABLE E*rad"i*ca*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being eradicated.

ERADICATE E*rad"i*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Eradicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Eradicating.] Etym: [L. eradicatus, p. p. of eradicare to eradicate; e out + radix, radicis, root. See Radical.]

1. To pluck up by the roots; to root up; as, an oak tree eradicated.

2. To root out; to destroy utterly; to extirpate; as, to eradicate diseases, or errors. This, although now an old an inveterate evil, might be eradicated by vigorous treatment. Southey.

Syn. -- To extirpate; root out; exterminate; destroy; annihilate.

ERADICATION E*rad`i*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. eradicatio: cf. F. éradication.]

1. The act of plucking up by the roots; a rooting out; extirpation; utter destruction.

2. The state of being plucked up by the roots.

ERADICATIVE E*rad"i*ca*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. éradicatif.]

Defn: Tending or serving to eradicate; curing or destroying thoroughly, as a disease or any evil.

ERADICATIVE E*rad"i*ca*tive, n. (Med.)

Defn: A medicine that effects a radical cure. Whitlock.

ERASABLE E*ras"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being erased.

ERASE E*rase", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Erased; p. pr. & vb. n.. Erasing.] Etym: [L. erasus, p. p. of eradere to erase; e out + radere to scrape, scratch, shave. See Rase.]

1. To rub or scrape out, as letters or characters written, engraved, or painted; to efface; to expunge; to cross out; as, to erase a word or a name.

2. Fig.: To obliterate; to expunge; to blot out; -- used of ideas in the mind or memory. Burke.

ERASED E*rased", p. pr. & a.

1. Rubbed or scraped out; effaced; obliterated.

2. (Her.)

Defn: Represented with jagged and uneven edges, as is torn off; -- used esp. of the head or limb of a beast. Cf. Couped.

ERASEMENT E*rase"ment, n.

Defn: The act of erasing; a rubbing out; expunction; obliteration. Johnson.

ERASER E*ras"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, erases; esp., a sharp instrument or a piece of rubber used to erase writings, drawings, etc.

ERASION E*ra"sion, n.

Defn: The act of erasing; a rubbing out; obliteration.

ERASTIAN E*ras"tian, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of the followers of Thomas Erastus, a German physician and theologian of the 16th century. He held that the punishment of all offenses should be referred to the civil power, and that holy communion was open to all. In the present day, an Erastian is one who would see the church placed entirely under the control of the State. Shipley.

ERASTIANISM E*ras"tian*ism, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: The principles of the Erastains.

ERASURE E*ra"sure, n. Etym: [From Erase.]

Defn: The act of erasing; a scratching out; obliteration.

ERATIVE Er"a*tive, a.

Defn: Pertaining to the Muse Erato who presided over amatory poetry. Stormonth.

ERATO Er"a*to, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The Muse who presided over lyric and amatory poetry.

ERBIUM Er"bi*um, n. Etym: [NL. from Ytterby, in Sweden, where gadolinite is found. Cf. Terbium, Yttrium, Ytterbium.] (Chem.)

Defn: A rare metallic element associated with several other rare elements in the mineral gadolinite from Ytterby in Sweden. Symbol Er. Atomic weight 165.9. Its salts are rose-colored and give characteristic spectra. Its sesquioxide is called erbia.

ERCEDEKEN Er`ce*de"ken, n. Etym: [OE., fr. pref. erce- = archi- + deken a deacon.]

Defn: An archdeacon. [Obs.]

ERD Erd, n. Etym: [OE. erd, eard, earth, land, country, AS. eard; akin to OS. ard dwelling place, OHG. art plowing, tillage, Icel. öredh crop, and to L. arare to plow, E. ear to plow.]

Defn: The earth. [Prov. Eng.] Wright. Erd shrew (Zoöl.), the common European shrew (Sorex vulgaris); the shrewmouse.

ERE Ere, prep. & adv. Etym: [AS. , prep., adv., & conj.; akin to OS., OFries., & OHG. , G. eher, D. eer, Icel. ar, Goth. air. sq. root204. Cf. Early, Erst, Or, adv.]

1. Before; sooner than. [Archaic or Poetic] Myself was stirring ere the break of day. Shak. Ere sails were spread new oceans to explore. Dryden. Sir, come down ere my child die. John iv. 49.

2. Rather than. I will be thrown into Etna, . . . ere I will leave her. Shak. Ere long, before, shortly. Shak. -- Ere now, formerly, heretofore. Shak. -- Ere that, and Or are. Same as Ere. Shak.

ERE Ere, v. t.

Defn: To plow. [Obs.] See Ear, v. t. Chaucer.

EREBUS Er"e*bus, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Greek Myth.)

Defn: A place of nether darkness, being the gloomy space through which the souls passed to Hades. See Milton's "Paradise Lost," Book II., line 883.

2. (Greek Myth.)

Defn: The son of Chaos and brother of Nox, who dwelt in Erebus. To the infernal deep, with Erebus and tortures vile. Shak.

ERECT E*rect", a. Etym: [L. erectus, p. p. of erigere to erect; e out + regere to lead straight. See Right, and cf. Alert.]

1. Upright, or having a vertical position; not inverted; not leaning or bent; not prone; as, to stand erect. Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall. Milton. Among the Greek colonies and churches of Asia, Philadelphia is still erect -- a column of ruins. Gibbon.

2. Directed upward; raised; uplifted. His piercing eyes, erect, appear to view Superior worlds, and look all nature through. Pope.

3. Bold; confident; free from depression; undismayed. But who is he, by years Bowed, but erect in heart Keble.

4. Watchful; alert. Vigilant and erect attention of mind. Hooker.

5. (Bot.)

Defn: Standing upright, with reference to the earth's surface, or to the surface to which it is attached.

6. (Her.)

Defn: Elevated, as the tips of wings, heads of serpents, etc.

ERECT E*rect", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Erected; p. pr. & vb. n. Erecting.]

1. To raise and place in an upright or perpendicular position; to set upright; to raise; as, to erect a pole, a flagstaff, a monument, etc.

2. To raise, as a building; to build; to construct; as, to erect a house or a fort; to set up; to put together the component parts of, as of a machine.

3. To lift up; to elevate; to exalt; to magnify. That didst his state above his hopes erect. Daniel. I, who am a party, am not to erect myself into a judge. Dryden.

4. To animate; to encourage; to cheer. It raiseth the dropping spirit, erecting it to a loving complaisance. Barrow.

5. To set up as an assertion or consequence from premises, or the like. "To erect conclusions." Sir T. Browne. "Malebranche erects this proposition." Locke.

6. To set up or establish; to found; to form; to institute. "To erect a new commonwealth." Hooker. Erecting shop (Mach.), a place where large machines, as engines, are put together and adjusted.

Syn. -- To set up; raise; elevate; construct; build; institute; establish; found.

ERECT E*rect", v. i.

Defn: To rise upright. [Obs.] By wet, stalks do erect. Bacon.

ERECTABLE E*rect"a*ble a.

Defn: Capable of being erected; as, an erectable feather. Col. G. Montagu.

ERECTER E*rect"er, n.

Defn: An erector; one who raises or builds.

ERECTILE E*rect"ile, a. Etym: [Cf. F. érectile.]

Defn: Capable of being erected; susceptible of being erected of dilated. Erectile tissue (Anat.), a tissue which is capable of being greatly dilated and made rigid by the distension of the numerous blood vessels which it contains.

ERECTILITY E`rec*til"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being erectile.

ERECTION E*rec"tion, n. Etym: [L. erectio: cf. F. érection.]

1. The act of erecting, or raising upright; the act of constructing, as a building or a wall, or of fitting together the parts of, as a machine; the act of founding or establishing, as a commonwealth or an office; also, the act of rousing to excitement or courage.

2. The state of being erected, lifted up, built, established, or founded; exaltation of feelings or purposes. Her peerless height my mind to high erection draws up. Sidney

3. State of being stretched to stiffness; tension.

4. Anything erected; a building of any kind.

5. (Physiol.)

Defn: The state of a part which, from having been soft, has become hard and swollen by the accumulation of blood in the erectile tissue.

ERECTIVE E*rect"ive, a.

Defn: Making erect or upright; raising; tending to erect.

ERECTLY E*rect"ly, adv.

Defn: In an erect manner or posture.

ERECTNESS E*rect"ness, n.

Defn: Uprightness of posture or form.

ERECTO-PATENT E*rec"to-pat"ent, a.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a position intermediate between erect and patent, or spreading.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Standing partially spread and erect; -- said of the wings of certain insects.

ERECTOR E*rec"tor, n.

1. One who, or that which, erects.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: A muscle which raises any part.

3. (Physics)

Defn: An attachment to a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument, for making the image erect instead of inverted.

ERELONG Ere`long", adv.

Defn: Before the ere long. A man, . . . following the stag, erelong slew him. Spenser. The world, erelong, a world of tears must weep. Milton.

EREMACAUSIS Er`e*ma*cau"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: A gradual oxidation from exposure to air and moisture, as in the decay of old trees or of dead animals.

EREMITAGE Er"e*mit*age, n.

Defn: See Hermitage.

EREMITE Er"e*mite, n. Etym: [See Hermit.]

Defn: A hermit. Thou art my heaven, and I thy eremite. Keats.

EREMITIC; EREMITICAL Er`e*mit"ic, Er`e*mit"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an eremite; hermitical; living in solitude. "An eremitical life in the woods." Fuller. "The eremitic instinct." Lowell.

EREMITISH Er"e*mi`tish, a.

Defn: Eremitic. Bp. Hall.

EREMITISM Er"e*mit*ism, n.

Defn: The state of a hermit; a living in seclusion from social life.

EREPTATION E`rep*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. erepere to creep out; e out + repere to creep.]

Defn: A creeping forth. [Obs.]

EREPTION E*rep"tion, n. Etym: [L. ereptio, fr. eripere to snatch away; e out + rapere to snatch.]

Defn: A snatching away. [Obs.] Cockeram.

ERETHISM Er"e*thism, n. Etym: [Gr. éréthisme.] (Med.)

Defn: A morbid degree of excitement or irritation in an organ. Hoblyn.

ERETHISTIC Er`e*this"tic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Relating to erethism.

EREWHILE; EREWHILES Ere`while", Ere`whiles", adv.

Defn: Some time ago; a little while before; heretofore. [Archaic] I am as fair now as I was erewhile. Shak.

ERF Erf, n.; pl. Erven. Etym: [D.]

Defn: A garden plot, usually about half an acre. [Cape Colony]

ERG Erg, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physics)

Defn: The unit of work or energy in the C. G. S. system, being the amount of work done by a dyne working through a distance of one centimeter; the amount of energy expended in moving a body one centimeter against a force of one dyne. One foot pound is equal to 13,560,000 ergs.

ERGAL Er"gal, n. [G., fr. Gr. work.] (Physics)

Defn: Potential energy; negative value of the force function.

ERGAT Er"gat, v. t. Etym: [L. ergo therefore.]

Defn: To deduce logically, as conclusions. [Obs.] Hewyt.

ERGMETER Erg"me`ter, n. [Erg + -meter.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument for measuring energy in ergs.

ERGO Er"go, conj. or adv. Etym: [L.]

Defn: Therefore; consequently; -- often used in a jocular way. Shak.

ERGOGRAPH Er"go*graph, n. [Gr. work + -graph.]

Defn: An instrument for measuring and recording the work done by a single muscle or set of muscles, the rate of fatigue, etc. -- Er`go*graph"ic (#), a.

ERGOMETER Er*gom"e*ter, n. [Gr. work + -meter.] (Physics)

Defn: A device for measuring, or an instrument for indicating, energy expended or work done; a dynamometer. -- Er`go*met"ric (#), a.

ERGON Er"gon, n. [NL., fr. Gr. work.] (Physics) (a) Work, measured in terms of the quantity of heat to which it is equivalent. (b) = Erg.

ERGOT Er"got, n. Etym: [F. ergot, argot, lit., a spur.]

1. A diseased condition of rye and other cereals, in which the grains become black, and often spur-shaped. It is caused by a parasitic fungus, Claviceps purpurea.

2. The mycelium or spawn of this fungus infecting grains of rye and wheat. It is a powerful remedial agent, and also a dangerous poison, and is used as a means of hastening childbirth, and to arrest bleeding.

3. (Far.)

Defn: A stub, like soft horn, about the size of a chestnut, situated behind and below the pastern joint.

4. (Anat.)

Defn: See 2d Calcar, 3 (b).

ERGOTIC Er*got"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, ergot; as, ergotic acid.

ERGOTIN Er"go*tin, n. (Med.)

Defn: An extract made from ergot.

ERGOTINE Er"go*tine. (Chem.)

Defn: A powerful astringent alkaloid extracted from ergot as a brown, amorphous, bitter substance. It is used to produce contraction of the uterus.

ERGOTISM Er"go*tism, n. Etym: [F. ergotisme, fr. L. ergo.]

Defn: A logical deduction. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

ERGOTISM Er"got*ism, n. Etym: [From Ergot, n.; cf. F. ergotisme.] (Med.)

Defn: A diseased condition produced by eating rye affected with the ergot fungus.

ERGOTIZED Er"got*ized, a.

Defn: Affected with the ergot fungus; as, ergotized rye.

ERIACH; ERIC Er"i*ach, Er"ic, n. Etym: [Ir. eiric.] (Old Irish Law)

Defn: A recompense formerly given by a murderer to the relatives of the murdered person.

ERICA E*ri"ca, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. erice heath, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of shrubby plants, including the heaths, many of them producing beautiful flowers.

ERICACEOUS Er`i*ca"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Belonging to the Heath family, or resembling plants of that family; consisting of heats.

ERICINOL E*ric"i*nol, n. Etym: [NL. ericaceae the Heath family + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless oil (quickly becoming brown), with a pleasant odor, obtained by the decomposition of ericolin.

ERICIUS E*ri"ci*us, n. Etym: [L., a hedgehog.]

Defn: The Vulgate rendering of the Hebrew word qipod, which in the "Authorized Version" is translated bittern, and in the Revised Version, porcupine. I will make it [Babylon] a possession for the ericius and pools of waters. Is. xiv. 23 (Douay version).

ERICOLIN E*ric"o*lin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A glucoside found in the bearberry (and others of the Ericaceæ), and extracted as a bitter, yellow, amorphous mass.

ERIDANUS E*rid"a*nus, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: A long, winding constellation extending southward from Taurus and containing the bright star Achernar.

ERIGIBLE Er"i*gi*ble, a. Etym: [See Erect.]

Defn: Capable of being erected. [Obs.]

ERIN E"rin, n. Etym: [Ir. Cf. Aryan.]

Defn: An early, and now a poetic, name of Ireland.

ERINACEOUS Er`i*na"ceous, a. Etym: [L. erinaceus hedgehog.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of the Hedgehog family; like, or characteristic of, a hedgehog.

ERINGO E*rin"go, n.

Defn: The sea holly. See Eryngo.

ERINITE Er"i*nite, n. (Min.)

Defn: A hydrous arseniate of copper, of an emerald-green color; -- so called from Erin, or Ireland, where it occurs.

ERINYS E*rin"ys, n.; pl. Erinyes. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: An avenging deity; one of the Furies; sometimes, conscience personified. [Written also Erinnys.]

ERIOMETER E`ri*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.] (Opt.)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the diameters of minute particles or fibers, from the size of the colored rings produced by the diffraction of the light in which the objects are viewed.

ERISTALIS E*ris"ta*lis, n. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of dipterous insects whose young (called rat-tailed larvæ) are remarkable for their long tapering tail, which spiracles at the tip, and for their ability to live in very impure and salt waters; -- also called drone fly.

ERISTIC; ERISTICAL E*ris"tic, E*ris"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Controversial. [Archaic] A specimen of admirable special pleading in the court of eristic logic. Coleridge.

ERKE Erke, a. Etym: [Cf. Irk.]

Defn: ASlothful. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

ERLKING Erl"king`, n. Etym: [G. erlkönig, fr. Dan. ellekonge elfking.]

Defn: A personification, in German and Scandinavian mythology, of a spirit natural power supposed to work mischief and ruin, esp. to children.

ERME Erme, v. i. Etym: [OE. ermen, AS. yrman. Cf. Yearn.]

Defn: To grieve; to feel sad. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ERMELIN; ERMILIN Er"me*lin, Er"mi*lin, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Ermine. Shenstone.

ERMIN Er"min, n. Etym: [OF. Ermin, L. Armenius.]

Defn: An Armenian. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ERMINE Er"mine, n. Etym: [OF. ermine, F. hermine, prob. of German origin; cf. OHG. harmo, G. hermelin, akin to Lith. szarm, szarmonys, weasel, cf. AS. hearma; but cf. also LL. armelinus, armellina, hermellina, and pellis Armenia, the fur of the Armenian rat, mus Armenius, the animal being found also in Armenia.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A valuable fur-bearing animal of the genus Mustela (M. erminea), allied to the weasel; the stoat. It is found in the northern parts of Asia, Europe, and America. In summer it is brown, but in winter it becomes white, except the tip of the tail, which is always black.

2. The fur of the ermine, as prepared for ornamenting garments of royalty, etc., by having the tips of the tails, which are black, arranged at regular intervals throughout the white.

3. By metonymy, the office or functions of a judge, whose state robe, lined with ermine, is emblematical of purity and honor without stain. Chatham.

4. (Her.)

Defn: One of the furs. See Fur (Her.)

Note: Ermine is represented by an argent field, tufted with black. Ermines is the reverse of ermine, being black, spotted or timbered with argent. Erminois is the same as ermine, except that or is substituted for argent. Ermine moth (Zoöl.), a white moth with black spots (esp. Yponomeuta padella of Europe); -- so called on account of the resemblance of its covering to the fur of the ermine; also applied to certain white bombycid moths of America.

ERMINE Er"mine, v. t.

Defn: To clothe with, or as with, ermine. The snows that have ermined it in the winter. Lowell.

ERMINED Er"mined, a.

Defn: Clothed or adorned with the fur of the ermine. Pope.

ERMINES; ERMINOIS Er"mines, n., Er"min*ois (, n. (Her.)

Defn: See Note under Ermine, n., 4.

ERMIT Er"mit, n. Etym: [See Hermit.]

Defn: A hermit. [Obs.]

ERN; ERNE Ern, Erne, n. Etym: [AS. earn eagle; akin to D. arend, OHG. aro, G. aar, Icel., Sw., & Dan. örn, Goth. ara, and to Gr. Ornithology.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A sea eagle, esp. the European white-tailed sea eagle (Haliæetus albicilla).

ERN Ern, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Erme.]

Defn: To stir with strong emotion; to grieve; to mourn.

Note: [Corrupted into yearn in modern editions of Shakespeare.] [Obs.]

ERNEST Er"nest, n.

Defn: See Earnest. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ERNESTFUL Er"nest*ful, a. Etym: [See Earnest, a.]

Defn: Serious. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ERODE E*rode", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Eroded; p. pr. & vb. n. Eroding.] Etym: [L. erodere, erosum; e out + rodere to gnaw. See Rodent.]

Defn: To eat into or away; to corrode; as, canker erodes the flesh. "The blood . . . erodes the vessels." Wiseman. The smaller charge is more apt to . . . erode the gun. Am. Cyc.

ERODED E*rod"ed, p. p. & a.

1. Eaten away; gnawed; irregular, as if eaten or worn away.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the edge worn away so as to be jagged or irregularly toothed.

ERODENT E*rod"ent, n. Etym: [L. erodens, -entis, p. pr. of erodere. See Erode.] (Med.)

Defn: A medicine which eats away extraneous growths; a caustic.

EROGATE Er"o*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Erogated; p. pr. & vb. n. Erogating.] Etym: [L. erogatus, p. p. of erogare; e out + rogare to ask.]

Defn: To lay out, as money; to deal out; to expend. [Obs.]

EROGATION Er`o*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. erogatio.]

Defn: The act of giving out or bestowing. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.

EROS E"ros, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Greek Myth.)

Defn: Love; the god of love; -- by earlier writers represented as one of the first and creative gods, by later writers as the son of Aphrodite, equivalent to the Latin god Cupid.

EROSE E*rose", a. Etym: [L. erosus, p. p. See Erode.]

1. Irregular or uneven as if eaten or worn away.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Jagged or irregularly toothed, as if nibbled out or gnawed. -- E*rose"ly, adv.

EROSION E*ro"sion, n. Etym: [L. erosio. See Erode.]

1. The act or operation of eroding or eating away.

2. The state of being eaten away; corrosion; canker.

EROSIVE E*ro"sive, a.

Defn: That erodes or gradually eats away; tending to erode; corrosive. Humble.

EROSTRATE E*ros"trate, a. Etym: [Pref. e- out + rostrate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Without a beak.

EROTEME Er"o*teme, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A mark indicating a question; a note of interrogation.

EROTESIS Er`o*te"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure o Must I give way and room to your rash choler Shall I be frighted when a madman stares Shak.

EROTIC; EROTICAL E*rot"ic, E*rot"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. érotique. See Eros.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the passion of love; treating of love; amatory.

EROTIC E*rot"ic, n.

Defn: An amorous composition or poem.

EROTICISM E*rot"i*cism, n.

Defn: Erotic quality.

ERPETOLOGIST Er`pe*tol"o*gist, n.

Defn: Herpetologist.

ERPETOLOGY Er`pe*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. erpétologie.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Herpetology.

ERR Err, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Erred; p. pr. & vb. n. Erring (; 277, 85).] Etym: [F. errer, L. errare; akin to G. irren, OHG. irran, v. t., irr, v. i., OS. irrien, Sw. irra, Dan. irre, Goth, aírzjan to lead astray, airzise astray.]

1. To wander; to roam; to stray. [Archaic] "Why wilt thou err from me" Keble. What seemeth to you, if there were to a man an hundred sheep and one of them hath erred. Wyclif (Matt. xviii. 12).

2. To deviate from the true course; to miss the thing aimed at. "My jealous aim might err." Shak.

3. To miss intellectual truth; to fall into error; to mistake in judgment or opinion; to be mistaken. The man may err in his judgment of circumstances. Tillotson.

4. To deviate morally from the right way; to go astray, in a figurative sense; to do wrong; to sin. Do they not err that devise evil Prov. xiv. 22.

5. To offend, as by erring.

ERRABLE Er"ra*ble, a.

Defn: Liable to error; fallible.

ERRABLENESS Er"ra*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Liability to error. Dr. H. More.

ERRABUND Er"ra*bund, a. Etym: [L. errabundus.]

Defn: Erratic. "Errabund guesses." Southey.

ERRANCY Er"ran*cy, n. Etym: [L. errantia.]

Defn: A wandering; state of being in error.

ERRAND Er"rand, n. Etym: [OE. erende, erande, message, business, AS. ærende, ærend; akin to OS. arundi, OHG. arunti, Icel. eyrendi, örendi, erendi, Sw. ärende, Dan. ærende; perh. akin to AS. earu swift, Icel. örr, and to L. oriri to rise, E. orient.]

Defn: A special business intrusted to a messenger; something to be told or done by one sent somewhere for the purpose; often, a verbal message; a commission; as, the servant was sent on an errand; to do an errand. Also, one's purpose in going anywhere. I have a secret errand to thee, O king. Judg. iii. 19. I will not eat till I have told mine errand. Gen. xxiv. 33. mission.

ERRANT Er"rant, a. Etym: [F. errant, p. pr. fr. OF. errer to travel, LL. iterare, fr. L. iter journey; confused somewhat with L. errare to err. See Eyre, and cf. Arrant, Itinerant.]

1. Wandering; deviating from an appointed course, or from a direct path; roving. Seven planets or errant stars in the lower orbs of heaven. Sir T. Browne.

2. Notorious; notoriously bad; downright; arrant. Would make me an errant fool. B. Jonson.

3. (Eng. Law)

Defn: Journeying; itinerant; -- formerly applied to judges who went on circuit and to bailiffs at large. Mozley & W.

ERRANT Er"rant, n.

Defn: One who wanders about. [Obs.] Fuller.

ERRANTIA Er*ran"ti*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. errare to wander. See Err.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of chætopod annelids, including those that are not confined to tubes. See Chætopoda. [Written also Errantes.]

ERRANTRY Er"rant*ry, n.

1. A wandering; a roving; esp., a roving in quest of adventures. Addison.

2. The employment of a knight-errant. Johnson.

ERRATA Er*ra"ta, n. pl. Etym: [L.]

Defn: See Erratum.

ERRATIC Er*rat"ic, a. Etym: [L. erraticus, fr. errare to wander: cf. F. erratique. See Err.]

1. Having no certain course; roving about without a fixed destination; wandering; moving; -- hence, applied to the planets as distinguished from the fixed stars. The earth and each erratic world. Blackmore.

2. Deviating from a wise of the common course in opinion or conduct; eccentric; strange; queer; as, erratic conduct.

3. Irregular; changeable. "Erratic fever." Harvey. Erratic blocks, gravel, etc. (Geol.), masses of stone which have been transported from their original resting places by the agency of water, ice, or other causes. -- Erratic phenomena, the phenomena which relate to transported materials on the earth's surface.

ERRATIC Er*rat"ic, n.

1. One who deviates from common and accepted opinions; one who is eccentric or preserve in his intellectual character.

2. A rogue. [Obs.] Cockeram.

3. (Geol.)

Defn: Any stone or material that has been borne away from its original site by natural agencies; esp., a large block or fragment of rock; a bowlder.

Note: In the plural the term is applied especially to the loose gravel and stones on the earth's surface, including what is called drift.

ERRATICAL Er*rat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Erratic. -- Er*rat"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Er*rat"ic*al*ness, n.

ERRATION Er*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. erratio. See Err.]

Defn: A wandering; a roving about. [Obs.] Cockeram.

ERRATUM Er*ra"tum, n.; pl. Errata. Etym: [L., fr. errare, erratum, to wander, err. See Err.]

Defn: An error or mistake in writing or printing. A single erratum may knock out the brains of a whole passage. Cowper.

ERRHINE Er"rhine, n. Etym: [Gr. errhin.] (Med.)

Defn: A medicine designed to be snuffed up the nose, to promote discharges of mucus; a sternutatory. Coxe. -- a.

Defn: Causing or increasing secretion of nasal mucus.

ERRONEOUS Er*ro"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. erroneus, fr. errare to err. See Err.]

1. Wandering; straying; deviating from the right course; -- hence, irregular; unnatural. [Obs.] "Erroneous circulation." Arbuthnot. Stopped much of the erroneous light, which otherwise would have disturbed the vision. Sir I. Newman.

2. Misleading; misled; mistaking. [Obs.] An erroneous conscience commands us to do what we ought to omit. Jer. Taylor.

3. Containing error; not conformed to truth or justice; incorrect; false; mistaken; as, an erroneous doctrine; erroneous opinion, observation, deduction, view, etc. -- Er*ro"ne*ous*ly, adv. -- Er*ro"ne*ous*ness, n.

ERROR Er"ror, n. Etym: [OF. error, errur, F. erreur, L. error, fr. errare to err. See Err.]

1. A wandering; a roving or irregular course. [Obs.] The rest of his journey, his error by sea. B. Jonson.

2. A wandering or deviation from the right course or standard; irregularity; mistake; inaccuracy; something made wrong or left wrong; as, an error in writing or in printing; a clerical error.

3. A departing or deviation from the truth; falsity; false notion; wrong opinion; mistake; misapprehension. Herror, though his candor remained unimpaired. Bancroft.

4. A moral offense; violation of duty; a sin or transgression; iniquity; fault. Ps. xix. 12.

5. (Math.)

Defn: The difference between the approximate result and the true result; -- used particularly in the rule of double position.

6. (Mensuration) (a) The difference between an observed value and the true value of a quantity. (b) The difference between the observed value of a quantity and that which is taken or computed to be the true value; -- sometimes called residual error.

7. (Law.)

Defn: A mistake in the proceedings of a court of record in matters of law or of fact.

8. (Baseball)

Defn: A fault of a player of the side in the field which results in failure to put out a player on the other side, or gives him an unearned base. Law of error, or Law of frequency of error (Mensuration), the law which expresses the relation between the magnitude of an error and the frequency with which that error will be committed in making a large number of careful measurements of a quantity. -- Probable error. (Mensuration) See under Probable. -- Writ of error (Law), an original writ, which lies after judgment in an action at law, in a court of record, to correct some alleged error in the proceedings, or in the judgment of the court. Bouvier. Burrill.

Syn. -- Mistake; fault; blunder; failure; fallacy; delusion; hallucination; sin. See Blunder.

ERRORFUL Er"ror*ful, a.

Defn: Full of error; wrong. Foxe.

ERRORIST Er"ror*ist, n.

Defn: One who encourages and propagates error; one who holds to error.

ERS Ers, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. ervum a kind of pulse, bitter vetch.] (Bot.)

Defn: The bitter vetch (Ervum Ervilia).

ERSE Erse, n. Etym: [A modification of Irish, OE. Irishe.]

Defn: A name sometimes given to that dialect of the Celtic which is spoken in the Highlands of Scotland; -- called, by the Highlanders, Gaelic.

ERSE Erse, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Celtic race in the Highlands of Scotland, or to their language.

ERSH Ersh, n.

Defn: See Arrish.

ERST Erst, adv. Etym: [Orig. superlative of ere; AS. . See Ere.] [Archaic]

1. First. Chaucer.

2. Previously; before; formerly; heretofore. Chaucer. Tityrus, with whose style he had erst disclaimed all ambition to match his pastoral pipe. A. W. Ward. At erst, at first; at the beginning. -- Now at erst, at this present time. Chaucer.

ERSTWHILE Erst`while", adv.

Defn: Till then or now; heretofore; formerly. [Archaic]

ERUBESCENCE; ERUBESCENCY Er`u*bes"cence, Er`u*bes"cen*cy, n. Etym: [L. erubescentia: cf. F. érubescence.]

Defn: The act of becoming red; redness of the skin or surface of anything; a blushing.

ERUBESCENT Er`u*bes"cent, a. Etym: [L. erubescens, p. pr. erubescere to grow red; e out + rubescere. See Rubescent.]

Defn: Red, or reddish; blushing. Johnson.

ERUBESCITE Er`u*bes"cite, n. (Min.)

Defn: See Bornite.

ERUCA E*ru"ca, n.; pl. Erucæ. Etym: [L., a caterpillar, also, a sort of colewort.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An insect in the larval state; a caterpillar; a larva.

ERUCIC E*ru"cic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, a genus of cruciferous Mediterranean herbs (Eruca or Brassica); as, erucic acid, a fatty acid resembling oleic acid, and found in colza oil, mustard oil, etc.

ERUCIFROM E*ru"ci*from, a. Etym: [Eruca + -form.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the form of a caterpillar; -- said of insect larvæ.

ERUCT; ERUCTATE E*ruct", E*ruc"tate, v. t. Etym: [L. eructare; e out + ructare to belch: cf. F. éructer.]

Defn: To eject, as wind, from the stomach; to belch. [R.] Howell.

ERUCTATION Er`uc*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. eructatio: cf. F. éructation.]

1. The act of belching wind from the stomach; a belch.

2. A violent belching out or emitting, as of gaseous or other matter from the crater of a volcano, geyser, etc.

ERUDIATE E*ru"di*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. erudire.]

Defn: To instruct; to educate; to teach. [Obs.] The skillful goddess there erudiates these In all she did. Fanshawe.

ERUDITE Er"u*dite, a. Etym: [L. eruditus, p. p. of erudire to free from rudeness, to polish, instruct; e out + rudis rude: cf. F. érudit. See Rude.]

Defn: Characterized by extensive reading or knowledge; well instructed; learned. "A most erudite prince." Sir T. More. "Erudite . . . theology." I. Taylor. -- Er"u*dite`ly, adv. -- Er"u*dite`ness, n.

ERUDITION Er`u*di"tion, n. Etym: [L. eruditio: cf. F. érudition.]

Defn: The act of instructing; the result of thorough instruction; the state of being erudite or learned; the acquisitions gained by extensive reading or study; particularly, learning in literature or criticism, as distinct from the sciences; scholarship. The management of a young lady's person is not be overlooked, but the erudition of her mind is much more to be regarded. Steele. The gay young gentleman whose erudition sat so easily upon him. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Literature; learning. See Literature.

ERUGATE Er"u*gate, a. Etym: [L. erugatus, p. p. of erugare to smooth; e out + ruga wrinkle.]

Defn: Freed from wrinkles; smooth.

ERUGINOUS E*ru"gi*nous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. érugineux. See Æruginous.]

Defn: Partaking of the substance or nature of copper, or of the rust copper; resembling the trust of copper or verdigris; æruginous.

ERUMPENT E*rum"pent, a. Etym: [L. erumpens, -entis, p. pr. of erumpere.] (Bot.)

Defn: Breaking out; -- said of certain fungi which burst through the texture of leaves.

ERUPT E*rupt", v. t. Etym: [See Eruption.]

Defn: To cause to burst forth; to eject; as, to erupt lava. Huxley.

ERUPTION E*rup"tion, n. Etym: [L. eruptio, fr. erumpere, eruptum, to break out; e out + rumpere, to break: cf. F. éruption. See Rupture.]

1. The act of breaking out or bursting forth; as: (a) A violent throwing out of flames, lava, etc., as from a volcano of a fissure in the earth's crust. (b) A sudden and overwhelming hostile movement of armed men from one country to another. Milton. (c) A violent commotion. All Paris was quiet . . . to gather fresh strength for the next day's eruption. W. Irving.

2. That which bursts forth.

3. A violent exclamation; ejaculation. He would . . . break out into bitter and passionate eruditions. Sir H. Wotton.

4. (Med.)

Defn: The breaking out of pimples, or an efflorescence, as in measles, scarlatina, etc.

ERUPTIONAL E*rup"tion*al, a.

Defn: Eruptive. [R.] R. A. Proctor.

ERUPTIVE E*rup"tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. éruptif.]

1. Breaking out or bursting forth. The sudden glance Appears far south eruptive through the cloud. Thomson.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Attended with eruption or efflorescence, or producing it; as, an eruptive fever.

3. (Geol.)

Defn: Produced by eruption; as, eruptive rocks, such as the igneous or volcanic.

ERUPTIVE E*rup"tive, n. (Geol.)

Defn: An eruptive rock.

ERYNGIUM E*ryn"gi*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. eryngion, erynge.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of umbelliferous plants somewhat like thistles in appearance. Eryngium maritimum, or sea holly, has been highly esteemed as an aphrodisiac, the roots being formerly candied.

ERYNGO E*ryn"go, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Eryngium.

ERYSIPELAS Er`y*sip"e*las, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Red, and Pell, n.] (Med.)

Defn: St. Anthony's fire; a febrile disease accompanied with a diffused inflammation of the skin, which, starting usually from a single point, spreads gradually over its surface. It is usually regarded as contagious, and often occurs epidemically.

ERYSIPELATOID Er`y*si*pel"a*toid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.]

Defn: Resembling erysipelas.

ERYSIPELATOUS Er`y*si*pel"a*tous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. érysipélateux.]

Defn: Resembling erysipelas, or partaking of its nature.

ERYSIPELOUS Er`y*sip"e*lous, a.

Defn: Erysipelatous.

ERYTHEMA Er`y*the"ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A disease of the skin, in which a diffused inflammation forms rose-colored patches of variable size.

ERYTHEMATIC Er`y*the*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. érythématique.] (Med.)

Defn: Characterized by, or causing, a morbid redness of the skin; relating to erythema.

ERYTHEMATOUS Er`y*them"a*tous, a. (Med.)

Defn: Relating to, or causing, erythema.

ERYTHREAN; ERYTHRAEAN Er`y*thre"an, Er`y*thræ"an, a. Etym: [L. erythraeus; Gr.

Defn: Red in color. "The erythrean main." Milton.

ERYTHRIC E*ryth"ric, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or resembling, erythrin.

ERYTHRIN; ERYTHRINE E*ryth"rin, E*ryth"rine, n. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless crystalline substance, C20H22O10, extracted from certain lichens, as the various species of Rocella. It is a derivative of orsellinic acid. So called because of certain red compounds derived from it. Called also erythric acid.

2. (Min.)

Defn: See Erythrite, 2.

ERYTHRINA Er`y*thri"na, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of leguminous plants growing in the tropics; coral tree; -- so called from its red flowers.

ERYTHRISM E*ryth"rism, n. Etym: [Gr. érythrisme.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A condition of excessive redness. See Erythrochroism.

ERYTHRITE E*ryth"rite, n. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless crystalline substance, C4H6.(OH)4, of a sweet, cooling taste, extracted from certain lichens, and obtained by the decomposition of erythrin; -- called also erythrol, erythroglucin, erythromannite, pseudorcin, cobalt bloom, and under the name phycite obtained from the alga Protococcus vulgaris. It is a tetrabasic alcohol, corresponding to glycol and glycerin.

2. (Min.)

Defn: A rose-red mineral, crystallized and earthy, a hydrous arseniate of cobalt, known also as cobalt bloom; -- called also erythrin or erythrine.

ERYTHROCHROIC E*ryth`ro*chro"ic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having, or subject to, erythrochroism.

ERYTHROCHROISM E*ryth"ro*chro*ism, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An unusual redness, esp. in the plumage of birds, or hair of mammals, independently of age, sex, or season.

ERYTHRODEXTRIN E*ryth`ro*dex"trin, n. Etym: [Gr. dextrin.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A dextrin which gives a red color with iodine. See Dextrin.

ERYTHROGEN E*ryth"ro*gen, n. Etym: [Gr. -gen.] (Chem.) (a) Carbon disulphide; -- so called from certain red compounds which it produces in combination with other substances. (b) A substance reddened by acids, which is supposed to be contained in flowers. (c) A crystalline substance obtained from diseased bile, which becomes blood-red when acted on by nitric acid or ammonia.

ERYTHROGRANULOSE E*ryth`ro*gran"u*lose, n. Etym: [Gr. granulose.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A term applied by Brücke to a substance present in small amount in starch granules, colored red by iodine.

ERYTHROID Er"y*throid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid: cf. Gr.

Defn: Of a red color; reddish; as, the erythroid tunic (the cremaster muscle).

ERYTHROLEIC Er`y*thro"le*ic, a. Etym: [Gr. oleum oil.] (Chem.)

Defn: Having a red color and oily appearance; -- applied to a purple semifluid substance said to be obtained from archil.

ERYTHROLEIN Er`y*thro"le*in, n. Etym: [See Erythroleic.] (Chem.)

Defn: A red substance obtained from litmus.

ERYTHROLITMIN E*ryth`ro*lit"min, n. Etym: [Gr. litmus.] (Chem.)

Defn: Erythrolein.

ERYTHRONIUM Er`y*thro"ni*um, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: A name originally given (from its red acid) to the metal vanadium. [R.]

ERYTHROPHLEINE E*ryth`ro*phle"ine (; 104), n. (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline alkaloid, extracted from sassy bark (Erythrophleum Guineense).

ERYTHROPHYLL; ERYTHROPHYLLIN E*ryth"ro*phyll, Er`y*throph"yl*lin, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol. Bot.)

Defn: The red coloring matter of leaves, fruits, flowers, etc., in distinction from chlorophyll.

ERYTHROSIN E*ryth"ro*sin, n. Etym: [Gr. (Chem.) (a) A red substance formed by the oxidation of tyrosin. (b) A red dyestuff obtained from fluoresceïn by the action of iodine.

ERYTHROXYLON Er`y*throx"y*lon, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of shrubs or small trees of the Flax family, growing in tropical countries. E. Coca is the source of cocaine. See Coca.

ERYTHROZYME E*ryth"ro*zyme, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A ferment extracted from madder root, possessing the power of inducing alcoholic fermentation in solutions of sugar.

ESCALADE Es`ca*lade", n. Etym: [F., Sp. escalada (cf. It. scalata), fr. Sp. escalar to scale, LL. scalare, fr. L. scala ladder. See Scale, v. t.] (Mil.)

Defn: A furious attack made by troops on a fortified place, in which ladders are used to pass a ditch or mount a rampart. Sin enters, not by escalade, but by cunning or treachery. Buckminster.

ESCALADE Es`ca*lade", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Escaladed; p. pr. & vb. n. Escalading.] (Mil.)

Defn: To mount and pass or enter by means of ladders; to scale; as, to escalate a wall.

ESCALATOR Es"ca*la`tor, n. [NL. Cf. Escalade.]

Defn: A stairway or incline arranged like an endless belt so that the steps or treads ascend or descend continuously, and one stepping upon it is carried up or down; -- a trade term.

ESCALLOP Es*cal"lop, n.

Defn: See Escalop.

ESCALLOPED Es*cal"loped, a.

Defn: See Escaloped.

ESCALOP Es*cal"op, n. Etym: [OF. escalope shell, F. escalope a sort of cut of meat. See Scallop.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bivalve shell of the genus Pecten. See Scallop.

2. A regular, curving indenture in the margin of anything. See Scallop. "So many jags or escalops." Ray.

3. (a) The figure or shell of an escalop, considered as a sign that the bearer had been on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Hence: (b) (Her.) A bearing or a charge consisting of an escalop shell.

ESCALOPED Es*cal"oped, a.

1. Cut or marked in the form of an escalop; scalloped.

2. (Her.)