Chapter 73

2. The uttering of a short, sudden exclamation or prayer, or the exclamation or prayer uttered.

In your dressing, let there be jaculations fitted to the several actions of dressing.

Jer. Taylor.

3. (Physiol.) The act of ejecting or suddenly throwing, as a fluid from a duct.

E*jac"u*la`tor (?), n. [NL. See Ejaculate.] (Anat.) A muscle which helps ejaculation.

E*jac"u*la*to*ry (?), a. 1. Casting or throwing out; fitted to eject; as, ejaculatory vessels.

2. Suddenly darted out; uttered in short sentences; as, an ejaculatory prayer or petition.

3. Sudden; hasty. [Obs.] "Ejaculatory repentances, that take us by fits and starts." L'Estrange.

E*ject" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ejected; p. pr. & vb. n. Ejecting.] [L. ejectus, p. p. of ejicere; e out + jacere to throw. See Jet a shooting forth.] 1. To expel; to dismiss; to cast forth; to thrust or drive out; to discharge; as, to eject a person from a room; to eject a traitor from the country; to eject words from the language. "Eyes ejecting flame." H. Brooke.

2. (Law) To cast out; to evict; to dispossess; as, to eject tenants from an estate.

Syn. -- To expel; banish; drive out; discharge; oust; evict; dislodge; extrude; void.

E*jec"tion (?), n. [L. ejectio: cf. F. éjection.] 1. The act of ejecting or casting out; discharge; expulsion; evacuation. "Vast ejection of ashes." Eustace. "The ejection of a word." Johnson.

2. (Physiol.) The act or process of discharging anything from the body, particularly the excretions.

3. The state of being ejected or cast out; dispossession; banishment.

E*ject"ment (?), n. 1. A casting out; a dispossession; an expulsion; ejection; as, the ejectment of tenants from their homes.

2. (Law) A species of mixed action, which lies for the recovery of possession of real property, and damages and costs for the wrongful withholding of it. Wharton.

E*ject"or (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, ejects or dispossesses.

2. (Mech.) A jet jump for lifting water or withdrawing air from a space.

Ejector condenser (Steam Engine), a condenser in which the vacuum is maintained by a jet pump.

||E"joo ("j), n. [Malay j or hj.] Gomuti fiber. See Gomuti.

Ej`u*la"tion (?), n. [L. ejulatio, fr. ejulare to wail, lament.] A wailing; lamentation. [Obs.] "Ejulation in the pangs of death." Philips.

{ Ek"a*bor` (k"*br`), Ek"a*bo"ron (-b"rn), } n. [G., fr. Skr. ka one + G. bor, boron, E. boron.] (Chem.) The name given by Mendelejeff in accordance with the periodic law, and by prediction, to a hypothetical element then unknown, but since discovered and named scandium; -- so called because it was a missing analogue of the boron group. See Scandium.

Ek*al`u*min"i*um (?), n. [Skr. ka one + E. aluminium.] (Chem.) The name given to a hypothetical element, -- later discovered and called gallium. See Gallium, and cf. Ekabor.

Ek`a*sil"i*con (?), n. [Skr. ka one + E. silicon.] (Chem.) The name of a hypothetical element predicted and afterwards discovered and named germanium; -- so called because it was a missing analogue of the silicon group. See Germanium, and cf. Ekabor.

Eke (k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Eked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Eking.] [AS. kan, kan; akin to OFries, ka, OS. &?;kian, OHG. ouhhn to add, Icel. auka to increase, Sw. öka, Dan. öge, Goth. aukan, L. augere, Skr. &?;jas strength, ugra mighty, and probably to English wax, v. i. Cf. Augment, Nickname.] To increase; to add to; to augment; -- now commonly used with out, the notion conveyed being to add to, or piece out by a laborious, inferior, or scanty addition; as, to eke out a scanty supply of one kind with some other. "To eke my pain." Spenser.

He eked out by his wits an income of barely fifty pounds.

Macaulay.

Eke, adv. [AS. eác; akin to OFries. ák, OS. &?;k, D. &?;ok, OHG. ouh, G. auch, Icel. auk, Sw. och and, Dan. og, Goth. auk for, but. Prob. from the preceding verb.] In addition; also; likewise. [Obs. or Archaic]

'T will be prodigious hard to prove That this is eke the throne of love.

Prior.

A trainband captain eke was he Of famous London town.

Cowper.

Eke serves less to unite than to render prominent a subjoined more important sentence or notion. Mätzner.

Eke, n. An addition. [R.]

Clumsy ekes that may well be spared.

Geddes.

Ek"e*berg`ite (?), n. [From Ekeberg, a German.] (Min.) A variety of scapolite.

Eke"name` (?), n. [See Nickname.] An additional or epithet name; a nickname. [Obs.]

Ek"ing (?), n. [From Eke, v. t.] (Shipbuilding) (a) A lengthening or filling piece to make good a deficiency in length. (b) The carved work under the quarter piece at the aft part of the quarter gallery. [Written also eiking.]

E"-la` (?), n. Originally, the highest note in the scale of Guido; hence, proverbially, any extravagant saying. "Why, this is above E-la!" Beau. & Fl.

E*lab"o*rate (?), a. [L. elaboratus, p. p. of elaborare to work out; e out + laborare to labor, labor labor. See Labor.] Wrought with labor; finished with great care; studied; executed with exactness or painstaking; as, an elaborate discourse; an elaborate performance; elaborate research.

Drawn to the life in each elaborate page.

Waller.

Syn. -- Labored; complicated; studied; perfected; high- wrought.

-- E*lab"o*rate*ly, adv. -- E*lab"o*rate*ness, n.

E*lab"o*rate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Elaborated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Elaborating (?).] 1. To produce with labor

They in full joy elaborate a sigh,

Young.

2. To perfect with painstaking; to improve or refine with labor and study, or by successive operations; as, to elaborate a painting or a literary work.

The sap is . . . still more elaborated and exalted as it circulates through the vessels of the plant.

Arbuthnot.

elaborated adj. developed or executed with care and in minute detail; as, the carefully elaborated theme. Syn. -- detailed, elaborate. [WordNet 1.5]

E*lab`o*ra"tion (?), n. [L. elaboratio: cf. F. élaboration.] 1. The act or process of producing or refining with labor; improvement by successive operations; refinement.

2. (Physiol.) The natural process of formation or assimilation, performed by the living organs in animals and vegetables, by which a crude substance is changed into something of a higher order; as, the elaboration of food into chyme; the elaboration of chyle, or sap, or tissues.

E*lab"o*ra*tive (?), a. Serving or tending to elaborate; constructing with labor and minute attention to details.

Elaborative faculty (Metaph.), the intellectual power of discerning relations and of viewing objects by means of, or in, relations; the discursive faculty; thought.

E*lab"o*ra`tor (?), n. One who, or that which, elaborates.

E*lab"o*ra*to*ry (?), a. Tending to elaborate.

E*lab"o*ra*to*ry, n. A laboratory. [Obs.]

||E`læ*ag"nus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a Bœotian marsh plant; &?; olive + &?; sacred, pure.] (Bot.) A genus of shrubs or small trees, having the foliage covered with small silvery scales; oleaster.

||E*læ"is (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; olive tree.] (Bot.) A genus of palms.

Elæis Guineensis, the African oil palm, is a tree twenty or thirty feet high, with immense pinnate leaves and large masses of fruit. The berries are rather larger than olives, and when boiled in water yield the orange-red palm oil.

E*læ"o*lite (?), n. [Gr. &?; olive oil, oil + -lite.] (Min.) A variety of hephelite, usually massive, of greasy luster, and gray to reddish color.

Elæolite syenite, a kind of syenite characterized by the presence of elæolite.

E`læ*op"tene (?), n. [Gr. &?; olive oil, oil + &?; winged, fleeting.] (Chem.) The more liquid or volatile portion of certain oily substance, as distinguished from stearoptene, the more solid parts. [Written also elaoptene.]

E*la"i*date (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of elaidic acid.

E`la*id"ic (?), a. [Cf. F. élaïdique. See Elaine.] Relating to oleic acid, or elaine.

Elaidic acid (Chem.), a fatty acid isomeric with oleic acid, and obtained from it by the action of nitrous acid.

E*la"i*din (?), n. [Cf. F. élaïdine.] (Chem.) A solid isomeric modification of olein.

{ E*la"ine (?), or E*la"in }, n. [Gr. &?; olive oil, oil, from &?; the olive tree: cf. F. élaïne.] (Chem.) Same as Olein.

E`lai*od"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; olive oil, oil + &?; form.] (Chem.) Derived from castor oil; ricinoleic; as, elaiodic acid. [R.]

E`lai*om"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?; olive oil, oil + -meter.] (Chem.) An apparatus for determining the amount of oil contained in any substance, or for ascertaining the degree of purity of oil.

E"lam*ite (?), n. A dweller in Flam (or Susiana), an ancient kingdom of Southwestern Asia, afterwards a province of Persia.

E*lamp"ing (?), a. [See Lamp.] Shining. [Obs.] G. Fletcher.

||É`lan" (?), n. [F., fr. élancer to dart.] Ardor inspired by passion or enthusiasm.

E*lance" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Elanced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Elancing (?).] [F. élancer, OF. eslancier; pref. es- (L. ex) + F. lancer to dart, throw, fr. lance.] To throw as a lance; to hurl; to dart. [R.]

While thy unerring hand elanced . . . a dart.

Prior.

E"land (?), n. [D. eland elk, of Slav. origin; cf. Pol. jelen stag, Russ. oléne, Lith. elnis; perh. akin to E. elk.] 1. (Zoöl.) A species of large South African antelope (Oreas canna). It is valued both for its hide and flesh, and is rapidly disappearing in the settled districts; -- called also Cape elk.

2. (Zoöl.) The elk or moose.

E*la"net (?), n. (Zoöl.) A kite of the genus Elanus.

E*la"o*lite (?), n. (Min.) See Elæolite.

E`la*op"tene (?), n. (Chem.) See Elæoptene.

El"a*phine (?), a. [Gr. &?; stag.] (Zoöl.) Pertaining to, resembling, or characteristic of, the stag, or Cervus elaphus.

El"a*phure (?), n. (Zoöl.) A species of deer (Elaphurus Davidianus) found in china. It is about four feet high at the shoulder and has peculiar antlers.

E*lap`i*da"tion (?), n. [L. elapidatus cleared from stones; e out + lapis stone.] A clearing away of stones. [R.]

El"a*pine (?), a. [See Elaps.] (Zoöl.) Like or pertaining to the Elapidæ, a family of poisonous serpents, including the cobras. See Ophidia.

||E"laps (?), n. [NL., of uncertain origin.] (Zoöl.) A genus of venomous snakes found both in America and the Old World. Many species are known. See Coral snake, under Coral.

E*lapse" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Elapsed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Elapsing.] [L. elapsus, p. p. of elabi to glide away; e out + labi to fall, slide. See Lapse.] To slip or glide away; to pass away silently, as time; -- used chiefly in reference to time.

Eight days elapsed; at length a pilgrim came.

Hoole.

E*lap"sion (?), n. The act of elapsing. [R.]

E*la"que*ate (?), v. t. [L. elaqueatus, p. p. of elaqueare to unfetter.] To disentangle. [R.]

||El`a*sip"o*da (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; metal beaten out, metal plate + -poda.] (Zoöl.) An order of holothurians mostly found in the deep sea. They are remarkable for their bilateral symmetry and curious forms. [Written also Elasmopoda.]

E*las"mo*branch (?), a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Elasmobranchii. -- n. One of the Elasmobranchii.

E*las`mo*bran"chi*ate (?), a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to Elasmobranchii. -- n. One of the Elasmobranchii.

||E*las`mo*bran"chi*i (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a metal plate + L. branchia a gill.] (Zoöl.) A subclass of fishes, comprising the sharks, the rays, and the Chimæra. The skeleton is mainly cartilaginous.

||E*las`mo*sau"rus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a metal plate + &?; a lizard.] (Paleon.) An extinct, long-necked, marine, cretaceous reptile from Kansas, allied to Plesiosaurus.

E*las"tic (?), a. [Formed fr. Gr. &?; to drive; prob. akin to L. alacer lively, brisk, and E. alacrity: cf. F. élastique.] 1. Springing back; having a power or inherent property of returning to the form from which a substance is bent, drawn, pressed, or twisted; springy; having the power of rebounding; as, a bow is elastic; the air is elastic; India rubber is elastic.

Capable of being drawn out by force like a piece of elastic gum, and by its own elasticity returning, when the force is removed, to its former position.

Paley.

2. Able to return quickly to a former state or condition, after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to recover easily from shocks and trials; as, elastic spirits; an elastic constitution.

Elastic bitumen. (Min.) See Elaterite. -- Elastic curve. (a) (Geom.) The curve made by a thin elastic rod fixed horizontally at one end and loaded at the other. (b) (Mech.) The figure assumed by the longitudinal axis of an originally straight bar under any system of bending forces. Rankine. -- Elastic fluids, those which have the property of expanding in all directions on the removal of external pressure, as the air, steam, and other gases and vapors. -- Elastic limit (Mech.), the limit of distortion, by bending, stretching, etc., that a body can undergo and yet return to its original form when relieved from stress; also, the unit force or stress required to produce this distortion. Within the elastic limit the distortion is directly proportional to the stress producing it. -- Elastic tissue (Anat.), a variety of connective tissue consisting of a network of slender and very elastic fibers which are but slightly affected by acids or alkalies. -- Gum elastic, caoutchouc.

E*las"tic, n. An elastic woven fabric, as a belt, braces or suspenders, etc., made in part of India rubber. [Colloq.]

E*las"tic*al (?), a. Elastic. [R.] Bentley.

E*las"tic*al*ly, adv. In an elastic manner; by an elastic power; with a spring.

E`las*tic"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. élasticité.] 1. The quality of being elastic; the inherent property in bodies by which they recover their former figure or dimensions, after the removal of external pressure or altering force; springiness; tendency to rebound; as, the elasticity of caoutchouc; the elasticity of the air.

2. Power of resistance to, or recovery from, depression or overwork.

Coefficient of elasticity, the quotient of a stress (of a given kind), by the strain (of a given kind) which it produces; -- called also coefficient of resistance. -- Surface of elasticity (Geom.), the pedal surface of an ellipsoid (see Pedal); a surface used in explaining the phenomena of double refraction and their relation to the elastic force of the luminous ether in crystalline media.

E*las"tic*ness (?), n. The quality of being elastic; elasticity.

E*las"tin (?), n. [Elastic + -in.] (Physiol. Chem.) A nitrogenous substance, somewhat resembling albumin, which forms the chemical basis of elastic tissue. It is very insoluble in most fluids, but is gradually dissolved when digested with either pepsin or trypsin.

E*late" (?), a. [L. elatus elevated, fig., elated, proud (the figure, perh., being borrowed from a prancing horse); e out + latus (used as p. p. of ferre to bear), for tlatus, and akin to E. tolerate. See Tolerate, and cf. Extol.]

<! p. 476 !> 1. Lifted up; raised; elevated.

With upper lip elate.

Fenton.

And sovereign law, that State's collected will, O'er thrones and globes, elate, Sits empress, crowning good, repressing ill.

Sir W. Jones.

2. Having the spirits raised by success, or by hope; flushed or exalted with confidence; elated; exultant.

O, thoughtless mortals! ever blind to fate, Too soon dejected, and dejected, and too soon elate.

Pope.

Our nineteenth century is wonderfully set up in its own esteem, wonderfully elate at its progress.

Mrs. H. H. Jackson.

Syn. -- Puffed up; lofty; proud; haughty; exalted; inspirited; transported; delighted; overjoyed.

E*late" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Elated; p. pr. & vb. n. Elating.] 1. To raise; to exalt. [R.]

By the potent sun elated high.

Thomson.

2. To exalt the spirit of; to fill with confidence or exultation; to elevate or flush with success; to puff up; to make proud.

Foolishly elated by spiritual pride.

Warburton.

You ought not be elated at the chance mishaps of your enemies.

Jowett (Thucyd. ).

E*lat"ed*ly (?), adv. With elation.

E*lat"ed*ness, n. The state of being elated.

E*lat"er (?), n. One who, or that which, elates.

||El"a*ter (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; driver, fr. &?; to drive.] 1. (Bot.) An elastic spiral filament for dispersing the spores, as in some liverworts.

2. (Zoöl.) Any beetle of the family Elateridæ, having the habit, when laid on the back, of giving a sudden upward spring, by a quick movement of the articulation between the abdomen and thorax; -- called also click beetle, spring beetle, and snapping beetle.

3. (Zoöl.) The caudal spring used by Podura and related insects for leaping. See Collembola.

El"a*ter (?), n. (Chem.) The active principle of elaterium, being found in the juice of the wild or squirting cucumber (Ecballium agreste, formerly Motordica Elaterium) and other related species. It is extracted as a bitter, white, crystalline substance, which is a violent purgative.

El"a*ter*ite (?), n. (Min.) A mineral resin, of a blackish brown color, occurring in soft, flexible masses; -- called also mineral caoutchouc, and elastic bitumen.

El`a*te"ri*um (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;, neut. of &?; driving. See 2d Elater.] A cathartic substance obtained, in the form of yellowish or greenish cakes, as the dried residue of the juice of the wild or squirting cucumber (Ecballium agreste, formerly called Momordica Elaterium).

El`a*ter*om"e*ter (?), n. Same as Elatrometer.

El"a*ter*y (?), n. [See 2d Elater.] Acting force; elasticity. [Obs.] Ray.

E*la"tion (?), n. [L. elatio. See Elate.] A lifting up by success; exaltation; inriation with pride of prosperity. "Felt the elation of triumph." Sir W. Scott.

E*la"tive (?), a. (Gram.) Raised; lifted up; -- a term applied to what is also called the absolute superlative, denoting a high or intense degree of a quality, but not excluding the idea that an equal degree may exist in other cases.

El`a*trom"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?; a driver + -meter.] (Physics) An instrument for measuring the degree of rarefaction of air contained in the receiver of an air pump. [Spelt also elaterometer.]

E*la"yl (?), n. [Gr. &?; olive oil, oil + yl.] (Chem.) Olefiant gas or ethylene; -- so called by Berzelius from its forming an oil combining with chlorine. [Written also elayle.] See Ethylene.

El"bow (?), n. [AS. elboga, elnboga (akin to D. elleboga, OHG. elinbogo, G. ellbogen, ellenbogen, Icel. &?;lnbogi; prop.; arm-bend); eln ell (orig., forearm) + boga a bending. See 1st Ell, and 4th Bow.] 1. The joint or bend of the arm; the outer curve in the middle of the arm when bent.

Her arms to the elbows naked.

R. of Gloucester.

2. Any turn or bend like that of the elbow, in a wall, building, and the like; a sudden turn in a line of coast or course of a river; also, an angular or jointed part of any structure, as the raised arm of a chair or sofa, or a short pipe fitting, turning at an angle or bent.

3. (Arch.) A sharp angle in any surface of wainscoting or other woodwork; the upright sides which flank any paneled work, as the sides of windows, where the jamb makes an elbow with the window back. Gwilt.

Elbow is used adjectively or as part of a compound, to denote something shaped like, or acting like, an elbow; as, elbow joint; elbow tongs or elbow-tongs; elbowroom, elbow-room, or elbow room.

At the elbow, very near; at hand. -- Elbow grease, energetic application of force in manual labor. [Low] -- Elbow in the hawse (Naut.), the twisting together of two cables by which a vessel rides at anchor, caused by swinging completely round once. Totten. -- Elbow scissors (Surg.), scissors bent in the blade or shank for convenience in cutting. Knight. -- Out at elbow, with coat worn through at the elbows; shabby; in needy circumstances.

El"bow, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Elbowed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Elbowing.] To push or hit with the elbow, as when one pushes by another.

They [the Dutch] would elbow our own aldermen off the Royal Exchange.

Macaulay.

To elbow one's way, to force one's way by pushing with the elbows; as, to elbow one's way through a crowd.

El"bow (?), v. i. 1. To jut into an angle; to project or to bend after the manner of an elbow.

2. To push rudely along; to elbow one's way. "Purseproud, elbowing Insolence." Grainger.

El"bow*board` (?), n. The base of a window casing, on which the elbows may rest.

El"bow*chair` (?), n. A chair with arms to support the elbows; an armchair. Addison.

El"bow*room` (?), n. Room to extend the elbows on each side; ample room for motion or action; free scope. "My soul hath elbowroom." Shak.

Then came a stretch of grass and a little more elbowroom.

W. G. Norris.

El*ca"ja (?), n. [Ar.] (Bot.) An Arabian tree (Trichilia emetica). The fruit, which is emetic, is sometimes employed in the composition of an ointment for the cure of the itch.

El*ce"sa*ite (?), n. [From Elcesai, the leader of the sect.] (Eccl.) One of a sect of Asiatic Gnostics of the time of the Emperor Trajan.

Eld (?), a. [AS. eald.] Old. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Eld, n. [AS. yldu, yldo, eldo, old age, fr. ald, eald, old. See Old.] 1. Age; esp., old age. [Obs. or Archaic]

As sooth is said, eelde hath great avantage.

Chaucer.

Great Nature, ever young, yet full of eld.

Spenser.

2. Old times; former days; antiquity. [Poetic]

Astrologers and men of eld.

Longfellow.

Eld, v. i. To age; to grow old. [Obs.]

Eld, v. t. To make old or ancient. [Obs.]

Time, that eldeth all things.

Rom. of R.

Eld"er (?), a. [AS. yldra, compar. of eald old. See Old.] 1. Older; more aged, or existing longer.

Let the elder men among us emulate their own earlier deeds.

Jowett (Thucyd. )

2. Born before another; prior in years; senior; earlier; older; as, his elder brother died in infancy; -- opposed to younger, and now commonly applied to a son, daughter, child, brother, etc.

The elder shall serve the younger.

Gen. xxv. 23.

But ask of elder days, earth's vernal hour.

Keble.

Elder hand (Card Playing), the hand playing, or having the right to play, first. Hoyle.

Eld"er, n. [AS. ealdor an elder, prince, fr. eald old. See Old, and cf. Elder, a., Alderman.] 1. One who is older; a superior in age; a senior. 1 Tim. v. 1.

2. An aged person; one who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor.

Carry your head as your elders have done.

L'Estrange.

3. A person who, on account of his age, occupies the office of ruler or judge; hence, a person occupying any office appropriate to such as have the experience and dignity which age confers; as, the elders of Israel; the elders of the synagogue; the elders in the apostolic church.

In the modern Presbyterian churches, elders are lay officers who, with the minister, compose the church session, with authority to inspect and regulate matters of religion and discipline. In some churches, pastors or clergymen are called elders, or presbyters.

4. (M. E. Ch.) A clergyman authorized to administer all the sacraments; as, a traveling elder.

Presiding elder (Meth. Ch.), an elder commissioned by a bishop to have the oversight of the churches and preachers in a certain district. -- Ruling elder, a lay presbyter or member of a Presbyterian church session. Schaff.

El"der (?), n. [OE. ellern, eller, AS. ellen, cf. LG. elloorn; perh. akin to OHG. holantar, holuntar, G. holunder; or perh. to E. alder, n.] (Bot.) A genus of shrubs (Sambucus) having broad umbels of white flowers, and small black or red berries.

The common North American species is Sambucus Canadensis; the common European species (S. nigra) forms a small tree. The red-berried elder is S. pubens. The berries are diaphoretic and aperient.

Box elder. See under 1st Box. -- Dwarf elder. See Danewort. -- Elder tree. (Bot.) Same as Elder. Shak. -- Marsh elder, the cranberry tree Viburnum Opulus).

Eld"er*ish (?), a. Somewhat old; elderly. [R.]

Eld"er*ly, a. Somewhat old; advanced beyond middle age; bordering on old age; as, elderly people.

El"dern (?), a. Made of elder. [Obs.]

He would discharge us as boys do eldern guns.

Marston.

Eld"er*ship (?), n. 1. The state of being older; seniority. "Paternity an eldership." Sir W. Raleigh.

2. Office of an elder; collectively, a body of elders.