The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 536
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.) The state of a part which, from having been soft, has become hard and swollen by the accumulation of blood in the erectile tissue.
<-- p. 50- -->
Erective <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rect"ive (?) , a. Making erect or upright; raising; tending to erect.
Erectly <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rect"ly , adv. In an erect manner or posture.
Erectness <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rect"ness , n. Uprightness of posture or form.
Erecto-patent <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rec"to-pat"ent (?) , a.
1. (Bot.) Having a position intermediate between erect and patent, or spreading.
2. (Zo\'94l.) Standing partially spread and erect; -- said of the wings of certain insects.
Erector <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rec"tor (?) , n.
1. One who, or that which, erects.
2. (Anat.) A muscle which raises any part.
3. (Physics) An attachment to a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument, for making the image erect instead of inverted.
Erelong <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Ere`long" (?; 115) , adv. Before the <?/apse of a long time; soon; -- usually separated, ere long .
A man, . . . following the stag, erelong slew him. Spenser.
The world, erelong , a world of tears must weep. Milton.
Eremacausis <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`e*ma*cau"sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ quietly + <?/ burning, fr. <?/ to burn.] A gradual oxidation from exposure to air and moisture, as in the decay of old trees or of dead animals.
Eremitage <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"e*mit*age (?) , n. See Hermitage .
Eremite <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"e*mite (?) , n. [See Hermit .] A hermit.
Thou art my heaven, and I thy eremite . Keats.
Eremitic, Eremitical <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`e*mit"ic (?) , Er`e*mit"ic*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to an eremite; hermitical; living in solitude. "An eremitical life in the woods." Fuller . "The eremitic instinct."
Lowell.
Eremitish <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"e*mi`tish (?) , a. Eremitic.
Bp. Hall.
Eremitism <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"e*mit*ism (?) , n. The state of a hermit; a living in seclusion from social life.
Eretation <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E`re*ta"tion (?) , n. [L. erepere to creep out; e out + repere to creep.] A creeping forth. [Obs.]
Ereption <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rep"tion (?) , n. [L. ereptio , fr. eripere to snatch away; e out + rapere to snatch.] A snatching away. [Obs.]
Cockeram.
Erethism <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"e*thism (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ irritation, fr. <?/ to stir, rouse, fr. <?/ to stir: cf. F. \'82r\'82thisme .] (Med.) A morbid degree of excitement or irritation in an organ.
Hoblyn.
Erethistic <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`e*this"tic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ irritating.] Relating to erethism.
Erewhile, Erewhiles <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Ere`while" (?) , Ere`whiles" (?) , adv. Some time ago; a little while before; heretofore. [Archaic]
I am as fair now as I was erewhile . Shak.
Erf <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Erf (?) , n. ; pl. Erven (#) . [D.] A garden plot, usually about half an acre. [Cape Colony]
Erg <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Erg (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ work.] (Physics) 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.
Ergat <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"gat (?) , v. t. [L. ergo therefore.] To deduce logically, as conclusions. [Obs.]
Hewyt.
Ergo <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"go (?) , conj. ∨ adv. [L.] Therefore; consequently; -- often used in a jocular way.
Shak.
Ergot <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"got (?) , n. [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.) A stub, like soft horn, about the size of a chestnut, situated behind and below the pastern joint.
4. (Anat.) See 2d Calcar , 3 (b) .
Ergotic <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er*got"ic (?) , a. Pertaining to, or derived from, ergot; as, ergotic acid .
Ergotin <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"go*tin (?) , n. (Med.) An extract made from ergot.
Ergotine <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"go*tine (?) . (Chem.) A powerful astringent alkaloid extracted from ergot as a brown, amorphous, bitter substance. It is used to produce contraction of the uterus.
Ergotism <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"go*tism (?) , n. [F. ergotisme , fr. L. ergo .] A logical deduction. [Obs.]
Sir T. Browne.
Ergotism <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"got*ism (?) , n. [From Ergot , n. ; cf. F. ergotisme .] (Med.) A diseased condition produced by eating rye affected with the ergot fungus.
Ergotized <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"got*ized (?) , a. Affected with the ergot fungus; as, ergotized rye .
Eriach, Eric <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"i*ach (?) , Er"ic (?) , n. [Ir. eiric .] (Old Irish Law) A recompense formerly given by a murderer to the relatives of the murdered person.
Erica <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ri"ca (?) , n. [NL., fr. L. erice heath, Gr. <?/.] (Bot.) A genus of shrubby plants, including the heaths, many of them producing beautiful flowers.
Ericaceous <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`i*ca"ceous (?) , a. (Bot.) Belonging to the Heath family, or resembling plants of that family; consisting of heats.
Ericinol <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ric"i*nol (?) , n. [NL. eric aceae the Heath family + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.) A colorless oil (quickly becoming brown), with a pleasant odor, obtained by the decomposition of ericolin.
Ericius <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ri"ci*us (?) , n. [L., a hedgehog.] The Vulgate rendering of the Hebrew word qip&omac;d , 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 <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ric"o*lin (?) , n. (Chem.) A glucoside found in the bearberry (and others of the Ericace\'91 ), and extracted as a bitter, yellow, amorphous mass.
Eridanus <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rid"a*nus (?) , n. [L., fr. Gr. <?/, the Greek name of the River Po.] (Anat.) A long, winding constellation extending southward from Taurus and containing the bright star Achernar.
Erigible <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"i*gi*ble (?) , a. [See Erect .] Capable of being erected. [Obs.]
Erin <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E"rin (?) , n. [Ir. Cf. Aryan .] An early, and now a poetic, name of Ireland.
Erinaceous <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`i*na"ceous (?) , a. [L. erinaceus hedgehog.] (Zo\'94l.) Of the Hedgehog family; like, or characteristic of, a hedgehog.
Eringo <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rin"go (?) , n. The sea holly. See Eryngo .
Erinite <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"i*nite (?) , n. (Min.) A hydrous arseniate of copper, of an emerald-green color; -- so called from Erin , or Ireland, where it occurs.
Erinys <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rin"ys (?) , n. ; pl. Erinyes (#) . [L., fr. Gr. <?/.] (Class. Myth.) An avenging deity; one of the Furies; sometimes, conscience personified. [Written also Erinnys .]
Eriometer <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E`ri*om"e*ter (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ wool + -meter .] (Opt.) 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 <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ris"ta*lis (?) , n. [NL.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of dipterous insects whose young (called rat-tailed larv\'91 ) 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 <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ris"tic (?) , E*ris"tic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to strive, wrangle, <?/ strife.] Controversial. [Archaic]
A specimen of admirable special pleading in the court of eristic logic. Coleridge.
Erke <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Erke (?) , a. [Cf. Irk .] ASlothful. [Obs.]
Rom. of R.
Erlking <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Erl"king` (?) , n. [G. erlk\'94nig , fr. Dan. ellekonge elfking.] A personification, in German and Scandinavian mythology, of a spirit natural power supposed to work mischief and ruin, esp. to children.
Erme <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Erme (?) , v. i. [OE. ermen , AS. yrman . Cf. Yearn .] To grieve; to feel sad. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Ermelin, Ermilin <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"me*lin (?) , Er"mi*lin (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Ermine .
Shenstone.
Ermin <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"min (?) , n. [OF. Ermin , L. Armenius .] An Armenian. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Ermine <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"mine (?) , n. [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. (Zo\'94l.) 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.) One of the furs. See Fur (Her.)
&hand; 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 (Zo\'94l.) , 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 <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"mine , v. t. To clothe with, or as with, ermine.
The snows that have ermined it in the winter. Lowell.
Ermined <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"mined (?) , a. Clothed or adorned with the fur of the ermine.
Pope.
Ermines, n., Erminois <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"mines (?) , n. , Er"min*ois (<?/) , n. (Her.) See Note under Ermine , n. , 4.
Ermit <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"mit (?) , n. [See Hermit .] A hermit. [Obs.]
Ern, Erne <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Ern , Erne (?) , n. [AS. earn eagle; akin to D. arend , OHG. aro , G. aar , Icel., Sw., & Dan. \'94rn , Goth. ara , and to Gr. <?/ bird. <?/<?/<?/. Cf. Ornithology .] (Zo\'94l.) A sea eagle, esp. the European white-tailed sea eagle ( Hali\'91etus albicilla ).
Ern <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Ern (?) , v. i. [Cf. Erme .] To stir with strong emotion; to grieve; to mourn. [Corrupted into yearn in modern editions of Shakespeare.] [Obs.]
Ernest <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"nest (?) , n. See Earnest . [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Ernestful <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"nest*ful (?) , a. [See Earnest , a. ] Serious. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Erode <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rode" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Eroded ; p. pr. & vb. n. Eroding .] [L. erodere , erosum ; e out + rodere to gnaw. See Rodent .] 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 <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rod"ed , p. p. & a.
1. Eaten away; gnawed; irregular, as if eaten or worn away.
2. (Bot.) Having the edge worn away so as to be jagged or irregularly toothed.
Erodent <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rod"ent (?) , n. [L. erodens , -entis , p. pr. of erodere . See Erode .] (Med.) A medicine which eats away extraneous growths; a caustic.
Erogate <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"o*gate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Erogated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Erogating (?) .] [L. erogatus , p. p. of erogare ; e out + rogare to ask.] To lay out, as money; to deal out; to expend. [Obs.]
Erogation <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`o*ga"tion (?) , n. [L. erogatio .] The act of giving out or bestowing. [Obs.]
Sir T. Elyot.
Eros <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E"ros (?) , n. [L., fr. Gr. <?/ love, <?/ (personified) Eros, fr. <?/ to love.] (Greek Myth.) 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 <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rose" (?) , a. [L. erosus , p. p. See Erode .]
1. Irregular or uneven as if eaten or worn away.
2. (Bot.) Jagged or irregularly toothed, as if nibbled out or gnawed. -- E*rose"ly , adv.
Erosion <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ro"sion (?) , n. [L. erosio . See Erode .]
1. The act or operation of eroding or eating away.
2. The state of being eaten away; corrosion; canker.
Erosive <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ro"sive (?) , a. That erodes or gradually eats away; tending to erode; corrosive.
Humble.
Erostrate <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*ros"trate (?) , a. [Pref. e- out + rostrate .] (Bot.) Without a beak.
Eroteme <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"o*teme (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ question.] A mark indicating a question; a note of interrogation.
Erotesis <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`o*te"sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ a questioning, fr. <?/ to ask.] (Rhet.) A figure o<?/ speech by which a strong affirmation of the contrary, is implied under the form o<?/ an earnest interrogation, as in the following lines; -
Must I give way and room to your rash choler? Shall I be frighted when a madman stares? Shak.
Erotic, Erotical <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rot"ic (?) , E*rot"ic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/: cf. F. \'82rotique . See Eros .] Of or pertaining to the passion of love; treating of love; amatory.
Erotic <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rot"ic , n. An amorous composition or poem.
Eroticism <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
E*rot"i*cism (?) , n. Erotic quality.
Erpetologist <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`pe*tol"o*gist (?) , n. Herpetologist.
Erpetology <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er`pe*tol"o*gy (?) , n. [Cf. F. erp\'82tologie .] (Zo\'94l.) Herpetology.
Err <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Err (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Erred (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Erring (?; 277, 85) .] [F. errer , L. errare ; akin to G. irren , OHG. irran , v. t., irr<?/n , v. i., OS. irrien , Sw. irra , Dan. irre , Goth, a\'a1rzjan 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 <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"ra*ble (?) , a. Liable to error; fallible.
Errableness <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"ra*ble*ness , n. Liability to error.
Dr. H. More.
Errabund <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"ra*bund (?) , a. [L. errabundus .] Erratic. " Errabund guesses."
Southey.
Errancy <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>
Er"ran*cy (?) , n. [L. errantia .] A wandering; state of being in error.
Errand <Xpage=<-- p. 50- -->>