Chapter 494

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. ops\'84 -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 (Zo\'94l.) . (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 <Xpage=467>

Eaves"drop` (?) , v. i. [ Eaves + drop .] To stand under the eaves, near a window or at the door, of a house, to listen and learn what is said within doors; hence, to listen secretly to what is said in private.

To eavesdrop in disguises. Milton.

Eavesdrop <Xpage=467>

Eaves"drop` , n. The water which falls in drops from the eaves of a house.

Eavesdropper <Xpage=467>

Eaves"drop`per (?) , n. One who stands under the eaves, or near the window or door of a house, to listen; hence, a secret listener.

Eavesdropping <Xpage=467>

Eaves"drop`ping (?) , n. (Law) The habit of lurking about dwelling houses, and other places where persons meet fro private intercourse, secretly listening to what is said, and then tattling it abroad. The offense is indictable at common law.

Wharton.

Ebb <Xpage=467>

Ebb (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The European bunting.

Ebb <Xpage=467>

Ebb , n. [AS. ebba ; akin to Fries. ebba , D. eb , ebbe , Dan. & G. ebbe , Sw. ebb , cf. Goth. ibuks backward; prob. akin to E. even. ]

1. The reflux or flowing back of the tide; the return of the tidal wave toward the sea; -- opposed to flood ; as, the boats will go out on the ebb .

Thou shoreless flood which in thy ebb and flow Claspest the limits of morality! Shelley.

2. The state or time of passing away; a falling from a better to a worse state; low state or condition; decline; decay. "Our ebb of life."

Roscommon.

Painting was then at its lowest ebb . Dryden.

Ebb and flow , the alternate ebb and flood of the tide; often used figuratively.

This alternation between unhealthy activity and depression, this ebb and flow of the industrial. A. T. Hadley.

Ebb <Xpage=467>

Ebb (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Ebbed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ebbing .] [AS. ebbian ; akin to D. & G. ebben , Dan. ebbe . See 2d Ebb .]

1. To flow back; to return, as the water of a tide toward the ocean; -- opposed to flow .

That Power who bids the ocean ebb and flow. Pope.

2. To return or fall back from a better to a worse state; to decline; to decay; to recede.

The hours of life ebb fast. Blackmore.

Syn. -- To recede; retire; withdraw; decay; decrease; wane; sink; lower.

Ebb <Xpage=467>

Ebb , v. t. To cause to flow back. [Obs.]

Ford.

Ebb <Xpage=467>

Ebb , a. Receding; going out; falling; shallow; low.

The water there is otherwise very low and ebb . Holland.

Ebb tide <Xpage=467>

Ebb" tide` (?) . The reflux of tide water; the retiring tide; -- opposed to flood tide .

Ebionite <Xpage=467>

E"bi*o*nite (?) , n. [Heb. ebyon\'c6m poor people.] (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of heretics, in the first centuries of the church, whose doctrine was a mixture of Judaism and Christianity. They denied the divinity of Christ, regarding him as an inspired messenger, and rejected much of the New Testament.

Ebionitism <Xpage=467>

E"bi*o*ni`tism (?) , n. (Eccl. Hist.) The system or doctrine of the Ebionites.

Eblanin <Xpage=467>

Eb"la*nin (?) , n. (Chem.) See Pyroxanthin .

Eblis <Xpage=467>

Eb"lis (?) , n. [Ar. iblis .] (Moham. Myth.) The prince of the evil spirits; Satan. [Written also Eblees .]

Ebon <Xpage=467>

Eb"on (?) , a. 1. Consisting of ebony.

2. Like ebony, especially in color; black; dark.

Night, sable goddess! from her ebon throne. Young.

Ebon <Xpage=467>

Eb"on , n. Ebony. [Poetic] "Framed of ebon and ivory."

Sir W. Scott.

Ebonist <Xpage=467>

Eb"on*ist (?) , n. One who works in ebony.

Ebonite <Xpage=467>

Eb"on*ite (?) , n. (Chem.) A hard, black variety of vulcanite. It may be cut and polished, and is used for many small articles, as combs and buttons, and for insulating material in electric apparatus.

Ebonize <Xpage=467>

Eb"on*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Ebonized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ebonizing .] To make black, or stain black, in imitation of ebony; as, to ebonize wood .

Ebony <Xpage=467>

Eb"on*y (?) , n. ; pl. Ebonies (#) . [F. \'82b\'8ane , L. ebenus , fr. Gr. <?/; prob. of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. hobn\'c6m , pl. Cf. Ebon .] A hard, heavy, and durable wood, which admits of a fine polish or gloss. The usual color is black, but it also occurs red or green.

&hand; The finest black ebony is the heartwood of Diospyros reticulata , of the Mauritius. Other species of the same genus ( D. Ebenum , Melanoxylon , etc.), furnish the ebony of the East Indies and Ceylon. The West Indian green ebony is from a leguminous tree ( Brya Ebenus ), and from the Exc\'91caria glandulosa .

Ebony <Xpage=467>

Eb"on*y , a. Made of ebony, or resembling ebony; black; as, an ebony countenance .

This ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling. Poe.

Ebracteate <Xpage=467>

E*brac"te*ate (?) , a. [Pref. e- + bracteate .] (Bot.) Without bracts.

Ebracteolate <Xpage=467>

E*brac"te*o*late (?) , a. [Pref. e- + bracteolate .] (Bot.) Without bracteoles, or little bracts; -- said of a pedicel or flower stalk.

Ebrauke <Xpage=467>

E*brau"ke (?) , a. [L. Hebraicus : cf. F. H\'82bra\'8bque .] Hebrew. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Ebriety <Xpage=467>

E*bri"e*ty (?) , n. ; pl. Ebrieties (#) . [L. ebrietas , from. ebrius intoxicated: cf. F. \'82bri\'82te . Cf. So<?/er .] Drunkenness; intoxication by spirituous liquors; inebriety. "Ruinous ebriety ."

Cowper.

<page="468"> Page 468

Ebrillade <Xpage=468>

E*bril"lade (?) , n. [F.] (Man.) A bridle check; a jerk of one rein, given to a horse when he refuses to turn.

Ebriosity <Xpage=468>

E`bri*os"i*ty (?) , n. [L. ebriositas , from ebriousus given to drinking, fr. ebrius . See Ebriety .] Addiction to drink; habitual drunkenness.

Ebrious <Xpage=468>

E"bri*ous (?) , a. [L. ebrius .] Inclined to drink to excess; intoxicated; tipsy. [R.]

M. Collins.

Ebulliate <Xpage=468>

E*bul"li*ate (?) , v. i. To boil or bubble up. [Obs.]

Prynne.

Ebullience; 106, Ebulliency <Xpage=468>

E*bul"lience (?; 106) , E*bul"lien*cy (?) , n. A boiling up or over; effervescence.

Cudworth.

Ebullient <Xpage=468>

E*bul"lient (?) , a. [L. ebulliens , -entis , p. pr. of ebullire to boil up, bubble up; e out, from + bullire to boil. See 1st Boil .] Boiling up or over; hence, manifesting exhilaration or excitement, as of feeling; effervescing. " Ebullient with subtlety."

De Quincey.

The ebullient enthusiasm of the French. Carlyle.

Ebullioscope <Xpage=468>

E*bul"li*o*scope (?) , n. [L. ebullire to boil up + -scope .] (Phys. Chem.) An instrument for observing the boiling point of liquids, especially for determining the alcoholic strength of a mixture by the temperature at which it boils.

Ebullition <Xpage=468>

Eb`ul*li"tion (?) , n. [F. \'82bullition , L. ebullitio , fr. ebullire . See Ebullient .]

1. A boiling or bubbling up of a liquid; the motion produced in a liquid by its rapid conversion into vapor.

2. Effervescence occasioned by fermentation or by any other process which causes the liberation of a gas or an a\'89riform fluid, as in the mixture of an acid with a carbonated alkali. [Formerly written bullition .]

3. A sudden burst or violent display; an outburst; as, an ebullition of anger or ill temper .

Eburin <Xpage=468>

Eb"ur*in (?) , n. A composition of dust of ivory or of bone with a cement; -- used for imitations of valuable stones and in making moldings, seals, etc.

Knight.

Eburnation <Xpage=468>

E`bur*na"tion (?) , n. [L. eburnus of ivory, fr. ebur ivory: cf. F. \'82burnation . See Ivory .] (Med.) A condition of bone cartilage occurring in certain diseases of these tissues, in which they acquire an unnatural density, and come to resemble ivory.

Eburnean <Xpage=468>

E*bur"ne*an (?) , a. [L. eburneus , fr. ebur ivory. See Ivory .] Made of or relating to ivory.

Eburnification <Xpage=468>

E*bur`ni*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [L. eburnus of ivory (fr. ebur ivory) + facere to make.] The conversion of certain substances into others which have the appearance or characteristics of ivory.

Eburnine <Xpage=468>

Eb"ur*nine (?) , a. Of or pertaining to ivory. "[She] read from tablet eburnine ."

Sir W. Scott.

Ecardines <Xpage=468>

E*car"di*nes (?) , n. pl. [NL., fr. L. e out, without + cardo a hinge.] (Zo\'94l.) An order of Brachiopoda; the Lyopomata. See Brachiopoda .

\'90cart\'82 <Xpage=468>

\'90`car`t\'82" (?) , n. [F., prop. fr. \'82carter to reject, discard.] A game at cards, played usually by two persons, in which the players may discard any or all of the cards dealt and receive others from the pack.

Ecaudate <Xpage=468>

E*cau"date (?) , a. [Pref. e- + caudate .]

1. (Bot.) Without a tail or spur.

2. (Zo\'94l.) Tailless.

Ecballium <Xpage=468>

Ec*bal"li*um (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/. See Ecbole .] (Bot.) A genus of cucurbitaceous plants consisting of the single species Ecballium agreste (or Elaterium ), the squirting cucumber. Its fruit, when ripe, bursts and violently ejects its seeds, together with a mucilaginous juice, from which elaterium, a powerful cathartic medicine, is prepared.

Ecbasis <Xpage=468>

Ec"ba*sis (?) , n. [L., fr. Gr. <?/ a going out, issue, or event; <?/ out + <?/ to go.] (Rhet.) A figure in which the orator treats of things according to their events consequences.

Ecbatic <Xpage=468>

Ec*bat"ic (?) , a. [See Ecbasis .] (Gram.) Denoting a mere result or consequence, as distinguished from telic , which denotes intention or purpose; thus the phrase <?/ <?/, if rendered " so that it was fulfilled," is ecbatic; if rendered " in order that it might be." etc., is telic.

Ecbole <Xpage=468>

Ec"bo*le (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ a throwing out, a digression, fr. <?/ to throw out; <?/ out of + <?/ to throw.] (Rhet.) A digression in which a person is introduced speaking his own words.

Ecbolic <Xpage=468>

Ec*bol"ic (?) , n. [See Ecbole .] (Med.) A drug, as ergot, which by exciting uterine contractions promotes the expulsion of the contents of the uterus.

Ecboline <Xpage=468>

Ec"bo*line (?; 104) , n. [Gr. <?/ a throwing out; <?/ out + <?/ to throw.] (Chem.) An alkaloid constituting the active principle of ergot; -- so named from its power of producing abortion.

Eccaleobion <Xpage=468>

Ec`ca*le*o"bi*on (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ to call out (<?/ out of + <?/ to call) + <?/ life.] A contrivance for hatching eggs by artificial heat.

Ecce homo <Xpage=468>

Ec"ce ho"mo (?) . [L., behold the man. See John xix. 5.] (Paint.) A picture which represents the Savior as given up to the people by Pilate, and wearing a crown of thorns.

Eccentric <Xpage=468>

Ec*cen"tric (?) , a. [F. excentrique , formerly also spelled eccentrique , fr. LL. eccentros out of the center, eccentric, Gr. <?/; <?/ out of + <?/ center. See Ex- , and Center , and cf. Excentral .]

1. Deviating or departing from the center, or from the line of a circle; as, an eccentric or elliptical orbit ; pertaining to deviation from the center or from true circular motion.

2. Not having the same center; -- said of circles, ellipses, spheres, etc., which, though coinciding, either in whole or in part, as to area or volume, have not the same center; -- opposed to concentric .

3. (Mach.) Pertaining to an eccentric; as, the eccentric rod in a steam engine .

4. Not coincident as to motive or end.

His own ends, which must needs be often eccentric to those of his master. Bacon.

5. Deviating from stated methods, usual practice, or established forms or laws; deviating from an appointed sphere or way; departing from the usual course; irregular; anomalous; odd; as, eccentric conduct . "This brave and eccentric young man."

Macaulay.

He shines eccentric , like a comet's blaze. Savage.

Eccentric anomaly . (Astron.) See Anomaly . -- Eccentric chuck (Mach.) , a lathe chuck so constructed that the work held by it may be altered as to its center of motion, so as to produce combinations of eccentric combinations of eccentric circles. -- Eccentric gear . (Mach.) (a) The whole apparatus, strap, and other parts, by which the motion of an eccentric is transmitted, as in the steam engine. (b) A cogwheel set to turn about an eccentric axis used to give variable rotation. -- Eccentric hook &or; gab , a hook-shaped journal box on the end of an eccentric rod, opposite the strap. -- Eccentric rod , the rod that connects as eccentric strap with any part to be acted upon by the eccentric. -- Eccentric sheave , &or; Eccentric pulley , an eccentric. -- Eccentric strap , the ring, operating as a journal box, that encircles and receives motion from an eccentric; -- called also eccentric hoop .

Syn. -- Irregular; anomalous; singular; odd; peculiar; erratic; idiosyncratic; strange; whimsical.

Eccentric <Xpage=468>

Ec*cen"tric (?) , n. 1. A circle not having the same center as another contained in some measure within the first.

2. One who, or that which, deviates from regularity; an anomalous or irregular person or thing.

3. (Astron.) (a) In the Ptolemaic system, the supposed circular orbit of a planet about the earth, but with the earth not in its center. (b) A circle described about the center of an elliptical orbit, with half the major axis for radius.

Hutton.

4. (Mach.) A disk or wheel so arranged upon a shaft that the center of the wheel and that of the shaft do not coincide. It is used for operating valves in steam engines, and for other purposes. The motion derived is precisely that of a crank having the same throw.

Back eccentric , the eccentric that reverses or backs the valve gear and the engine. -- Fore eccentric , the eccentric that imparts a forward motion to the valve gear and the engine.

Eccentrical <Xpage=468>

Ec*cen"tric*al (?) , a. See Eccentric .

Eccentrically <Xpage=468>

Ec*cen"tric*al*ly , adv. In an eccentric manner.

Drove eccentrically here and there. Lew Wallace.

Eccentricity <Xpage=468>

Ec`cen*tric"i*ty (?) , n. ; pl. Eccentricities (#) . [Cf. F. excentricit\'82 .]

1. The state of being eccentric; deviation from the customary line of conduct; oddity.

2. (Math.) The ratio of the distance between the center and the focus of an ellipse or hyperbola to its semi-transverse axis.

3. (Astron.) The ratio of the distance of the center of the orbit of a heavenly body from the center of the body round which it revolves to the semi-transverse axis of the orbit.

4. (Mech.) The distance of the center of figure of a body, as of an eccentric, from an axis about which it turns; the throw.

Ecchymose <Xpage=468>

Ec"chy*mose (?) , v. t. (Med.) To discolor by the production of an ecchymosis, or effusion of blood, beneath the skin; -- chiefly used in the passive form; as, the parts were much ecchymosed .

Ecchymosis <Xpage=468>

Ec`chy*mo"sis (?) , n. ; pl. Ecchymoses (<?/) . [NL., fr. Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to extravasate; <?/ out of + <?/ to pour.] (Med.) A livid or black and blue spot, produced by the extravasation or effusion of blood into the areolar tissue from a contusion.

Ecchymotic <Xpage=468>

Ec`chy*mot"ic (?) , a. Pertaining to ecchymosis.

Eccle <Xpage=468>

Ec"cle (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The European green woodpecker; -- also called ecall , eaquall , yaffle . [Prov. Eng.]

Ecclesia <Xpage=468>

Ec*cle"si*a (?) , n. ; pl. Ecclesi\'91 (<?/) . [L., fr. Gr. <?/.]

1. (Gr. Antiq.) The public legislative assembly of the Athenians.

2. (Eccl.) A church, either as a body or as a building.

Ecclesial <Xpage=468>

Ec*cle"si*al (?) , a. Ecclesiastical. [Obs.]

Milton.

Ecclesiarch <Xpage=468>

Ec*cle"si*arch (?) , n. [LL. ecclesiarcha , fr. Gr. <?/ church + <?/ to rule: cf. F. eccl\'82siarque .] An official of the Eastern Church, resembling a sacrist in the Western Church.

Ecclesiast <Xpage=468>

Ec*cle"si*ast (?) , n. 1. An ecclesiastic.

Chaucer.

2. The Apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus. [Obs.]

Ecclesiastes <Xpage=468>