Erective - Erratic

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Erective (?), a. Making erect or upright; raising; tending to erect.
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Erectly, adv. In an erect manner or posture.
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Erectness, n. Uprightness of posture or form.
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Erecto-patent (?), a. 1. (Bot.) Having a position intermediate between erect and patent, or spreading.
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2. (Zoöl.) Standing partially spread and erect; -- said of the wings of certain insects.
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Erector (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, erects.
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2. (Anat.) A muscle which raises any part.
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3. (Physics) An attachment to a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument, for making the image erect instead of inverted.
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Erelong (?; 115), adv. Before the �apse of a long time; soon; -- usually separated, ere long.
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A man, . . . following the stag, erelong slew him. Spenser.
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The world, erelong, a world of tears must weep. Milton.
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Eremacausis (?), 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.
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Eremitage (?), n. See .
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Eremite (?), n. [See .] A hermit.
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Thou art my heaven, and I thy eremite. Keats.

{ Eremitic (?), Eremitical (?), } a. Of or pertaining to an eremite; hermitical; living in solitude. “An eremitical life in the woods.” Fuller. “The eremitic instinct.” Lowell.
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Eremitish (?), a. Eremitic. Bp. Hall.
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Eremitism (?), n. The state of a hermit; a living in seclusion from social life.
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Ereptation (?), n. [L. erepere to creep out; e out + repere to creep.] A creeping forth. [Obs.]
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Ereption (?), n. [L. ereptio, fr. eripere to snatch away; e out + rapere to snatch.] A snatching away. [Obs.] Cockeram.
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Erethism (?), n. [Gr. � irritation, fr. � to stir, rouse, fr. � to stir: cf. F. éréthisme.] (Med.) A morbid degree of excitement or irritation in an organ. Hoblyn.
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Erethistic (?), a. [Gr. � irritating.] Relating to erethism.

{ Erewhile (?), Erewhiles (?), } adv. Some time ago; a little while before; heretofore. [Archaic]
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I am as fair now as I was erewhile. Shak.
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Erewhon prop. n. [nowhere spelled backwards.] the fictitious land described in the novel Erewhon by Samuel Butler.
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Erf (?), n.; pl. Erven (#). [D.] A garden plot, usually about half an acre. [Cape Colony]
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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 (981 dynes exert the same force as a one gram mass in the earth's gravitational field). One foot pound is equal to 13,560,000 ergs. The absolute Joule is equivalent to 107 ergs, which are equivalent to 0.2389 gram-calories at 15° C. See also mechanical equivalent of heat under .
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Ergal (?), n. [G., fr. Gr. � work.] (Physics) Potential energy; negative value of the force function.
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Ergat (?), v. t. [L. ergo therefore.] To deduce logically, as conclusions. [Obs.] Hewyt.
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Ergmeter (?), n. [Erg + -meter.] (Physics) An instrument for measuring energy in ergs.
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Ergo (?), conj. or adv. [L.] Therefore; consequently; -- often used in a jocular way. Shak.
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ergocalciferol n. vitamin D2, one of the D vitamins, a group of related substances that prevent rickets.
Syn. -- vitamin D, calciferol, cholecarciferol, D.
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Ergograph (?), n. [Gr. � work + -graph.] An instrument for measuring and recording the work done by a single muscle or set of muscles, the rate of fatigue, etc. -- Ergographic (#), a.
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Ergometer (?), n. [Gr. � work + -meter.] (Physics) A device for measuring, or an instrument for indicating, energy expended or work done; a dynamometer. -- Ergometric (#), a.
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Ergon (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. � work.] (Physics) (a) Work, measured in terms of the quantity of heat to which it is equivalent. (b) same as .
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ergonomics n. biological science applied to study the relation between workers and their environments.
Syn. -- biotechnology, bioengineering.
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ergosterol n. a plant sterol that is converted into vitamin D by ultraviolet radiation.
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Ergot (?), 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.
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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.
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3. (Far.) A stub, like soft horn, about the size of a chestnut, situated behind and below the pastern joint.
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4. (Anat.) See 2d , 3 (b).
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Ergotic (?), a. Pertaining to, or derived from, ergot; as, ergotic acid.
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Ergotin (?), n. (Med.) An extract made from ergot.
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Ergotine (?). (Chem.) A powerful astringent alkaloid extracted from ergot as a brown, amorphous, bitter substance. It is used to produce contraction of the uterus.
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Ergotism (?), n. [F. ergotisme, fr. L. ergo.] A logical deduction. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
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Ergotism (?), n. [From , n.; cf. F. ergotisme.] (Med.) A diseased condition produced by eating rye affected with the ergot fungus.
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Ergotized (?), a. Affected with the ergot fungus; as, ergotized rye.

{ Eriach (?), Eric (?), } n. [Ir. eiric.] (Old Irish Law) A recompense formerly given by a murderer to the relatives of the murdered person.
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Erianthus n. a genus of reedlike grasses having spikes crowded in a panicle covered with long silky hairs.
Syn. -- genus Erianthus.
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Erica (?), n. [NL., fr. L. erice heath, Gr. �.] (Bot.) A genus of shrubby plants, including the heaths, many of them producing beautiful flowers.
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Ericaceous (?), a. (Bot.) Belonging to the Heath family, or resembling plants of that family; consisting of heats.
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Ericales prop. n. an order including the Ericaceae; Clethraceae; Diapensiaceae; Epacridaceae; Lennoaceae; Pyrolaceae; and Monotropaceae.
Syn. -- order Ericales.
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Ericinol (�rĭsĭnōl), n. [NL. ericaceae the Heath family + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.) A colorless oil (quickly becoming brown), with a pleasant odor, obtained by the decomposition of ericolin.
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Ericius (?), n. [L., a hedgehog.] The Vulgate rendering of the Hebrew word qipōd, which in the “Authorized Version” is translated bittern, and in the Revised Version, porcupine.
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I will make it [Babylon] a possession for the ericius and pools of waters. Is. xiv. 23 (Douay version).
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Ericolin (?), n. (Chem.) A glucoside found in the bearberry (and others of the Ericaceæ), and extracted as a bitter, yellow, amorphous mass.
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Eridanus (?), 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.
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Erigeron n. a cosmopolitan genus of usually perennial herbs with asterlike flowers; the leaves were formerly used medicinally, but now are only occasionally so used.
Syn. -- genus Erigeron.
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Erigible (ĕrĭjĭb'l), a. [See .] Capable of being erected. [Obs.]
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Erignathus n. a genus including the bearded seal, Erignathus barbatus.
Syn. -- genus Erignathus.
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Erin (ērĭn), n. [Ir. Cf. .] An early, and now a poetic, name of Ireland.
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Erinaceidae n. a natural family including the true hedgehogs.
Syn. -- family Erinaceidae.
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Erinaceous (?), a. [L. erinaceus hedgehog.] (Zoöl.) Of the Hedgehog family; like, or characteristic of, a hedgehog.
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Erinaceus n. the type genus of the family Erinaceidae, composed of hedgehogs.
Syn. -- genus Erinaceus.
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Eringo (?), n. The sea holly. See .
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Erinite (?), n. (Min.) A hydrous arseniate of copper, of an emerald-green color; -- so called from Erin, or Ireland, where it occurs.
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Erinys (?), n.; pl. Erinyes (#). [L., fr. Gr. �.] (Class. Myth.) An avenging deity; one of the Furies; sometimes, conscience personified. [Written also Erinnys.]
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Eriometer (?), 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.
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Eriophyllum n. a genus of hairy herbs and shrubs of Western North America.
Syn. -- genus Eriophyllum.
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Eriosoma n. a genus of plant lice of the family Aphididae, consisting of one type of the wooly aphids.
Syn. -- genus Eriosoma.
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Eristalis (?), n. [NL.] (Zoöl.) 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 (?), } a. [Gr. �, fr. � to strive, wrangle, � strife.] Controversial. [Archaic]
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A specimen of admirable special pleading in the court of eristic logic. Coleridge.
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Erithacus n. a genus of songbirds, consisting of certain of the Old World thrushes.
Syn. -- genus Erithacus.
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Eritrea n. 1. a province of N Ethiopia on the Red Sea.
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Eritrean n. a native or inhabitant of Eritrea.
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Eritrean adj. 1. of or pertaining to Eritrea; as, Eritrean civil war.
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2. of or pertaining to the inhabitants of Eritrea; as, Eritrean story tellers.
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Erke (?), a. [Cf. .] Slothful. [Obs.] Rom. of R.
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Erlking (?), n. [G. erlkönig, fr. Dan. ellekonge elfking.] A personification, in German and Scandinavian mythology, of a spirit or natural power supposed to work mischief and ruin, esp. to children.
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Erme (?), v. i. [OE. ermen, AS. yrman. Cf. .] To grieve; to feel sad. [Obs.] Chaucer.

{ Ermelin (?), Ermilin (?) }, n. (Zoöl.) See . Shenstone.
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Ermin (?), n. [OF. Ermin, L. Armenius.] An Armenian. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Ermine (?), 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. (Zoöl.) 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.
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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.
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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.
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4. (Her.) One of the furs. See (Her.)
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☞ 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.
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Coloq. 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.
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Ermine, v. t. To clothe with, or as with, ermine.
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The snows that have ermined it in the winter. Lowell.
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Ermined (?), a. Clothed or adorned with the fur of the ermine. Pope.

Ermines (?), n., Erminois (�), n. (Her.) See Note under , n., 4.
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Ermit (?), n. [See .] A hermit. [Obs.]

{ Ern, Erne } (?), n. [AS. earn eagle; akin to D. arend, OHG. aro, G. aar, Icel., Sw., & Dan. örn, Goth. ara, and to Gr. � bird. √11. Cf. .] (Zoöl.) A sea eagle, esp. the European white-tailed sea eagle (Haliæetus albicilla).
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Ern (?), v. i. [Cf. .] To stir with strong emotion; to grieve; to mourn. [Corrupted into yearn in modern editions of Shakespeare.] [Obs.]
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Ernest (?), n. See . [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Ernestful (?), a. [See , a.] Serious. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Erode (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Eroded; p. pr. & vb. n. Eroding.] [L. erodere, erosum; e out + rodere to gnaw. See .] 1. To eat into or away; to corrode; as, canker erodes the flesh. “The blood . . . erodes the vessels.” Wiseman.
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The smaller charge is more apt to . . . erode the gun. Am. Cyc.
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2. (Geol. & Phys. Geog.) (a) To wear away; as, streams and glaciers erode the land. (b) To produce by erosion, or wearing away; as, glaciers erode U-shaped valleys.
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3. to reduce or lessen as if by eroding; as, a politician's base of support is eroded by evidence of corruption; the buying power of the dollar is eroded by inflation. [fig.]
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Eroded, p. p. & a. 1. Eaten away; gnawed; irregular, as if eaten or worn away.
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2. (Bot.) Having the edge worn away so as to be jagged or irregularly toothed.
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Erodent (?), n. [L. erodens, -entis, p. pr. of erodere. See .] (Med.) A medicine which eats away extraneous growths; a caustic.
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Erogate (?), 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.]
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Erogation (?), n. [L. erogatio.] The act of giving out or bestowing. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.
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erogenous adj. 1. causing sexual excitement when stimulated.
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2. relating to or arousing sexual excitement.
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Eros (?), 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.
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Erose (?), a. [L. erosus, p. p. See .] 1. Irregular or uneven as if eaten or worn away.
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2. (Bot.) Jagged or irregularly toothed, as if nibbled out or gnawed. -- Erosely, adv.
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Erosion (?), n. [L. erosio. See .] 1. The act or operation of eroding or eating away.
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2. The state of being eaten away; corrosion; canker.
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3. The wearing away of the earth's surface by any natural process. The chief agent of erosion is running water; minor agents are glaciers, the wind, and waves breaking against the coast.
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4. a gradual reduction or lessening as if by an erosive force; as, erosion of political support due to scandal; erosion of buying power by inflation. [fig.]
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Erosive (?), a. That erodes or gradually eats away; tending to erode; corrosive. Humble.
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Erostrate (?), a. [Pref. e- out + rostrate.] (Bot.) Without a beak.
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Eroteme (?), n. [Gr. � question.] A mark indicating a question; a note of interrogation.
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Erotesis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. � a questioning, fr. � to ask.] (Rhet.) A figure of speech by which a strong affirmation of the contrary, is implied under the form of an earnest interrogation, as in the following lines; -
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Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares? Shak.

{ Erotic (?), Erotical (?), } a. [Gr. �: cf. F. érotique. See .] Of or pertaining to the passion of love; treating of love; amatory.
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Erotic, n. An amorous composition or poem.
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Eroticism (?), n. Erotic quality.
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Erpetologist (?), n. Herpetologist.
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Erpetology (?), n. [Cf. F. erpétologie.] (Zoöl.) Herpetology.
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Err (ẽr), 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., irrōn, 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.
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What seemeth to you, if there were to a man an hundred sheep and one of them hath erred. Wyclif (Matt. xviii. 12).
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2. To deviate from the true course; to miss the thing aimed at. “My jealous aim might err.” Shak.
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3. To miss intellectual truth; to fall into error; to mistake in judgment or opinion; to be mistaken.
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The man may err in his judgment of circumstances. Tillotson.
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4. To deviate morally from the right way; to go astray, in a figurative sense; to do wrong; to sin.
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Do they not err that devise evil? Prov. xiv. 22.
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5. To offend, as by erring.
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Errable (?), a. Liable to error; fallible.
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Errableness, n. Liability to error. Dr. H. More.
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Errabund (?), a. [L. errabundus.] Erratic. “Errabund guesses.” Southey.
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Errancy (?), n. [L. errantia.] A wandering; state of being in error.
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Errand (?), n. [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.] 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.
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I have a secret errand to thee, O king. Judg. iii. 19.
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I will not eat till I have told mine errand. Gen. xxiv. 33.
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2. Any specific task, usually of a routine nature, requiring some form of travel, usually locally. An errand is often on behalf of someone else, but sometimes for one's own purposes.
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3. A .
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Coloq. To run an errand , To perform an errand{2}.
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Errant (?), a. [F. errant, p. pr. fr. OF. errer to travel, LL. iterare, fr. L. iter journey; confused somewhat with L. errare to err. See , and cf. , .] 1. Wandering; deviating from an appointed course, or from a direct path; roving.
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Seven planets or errant stars in the lower orbs of heaven. Sir T. Browne.
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2. Notorious; notoriously bad; downright; arrant.
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Would make me an errant fool. B. Jonson.
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3. (Eng. Law) Journeying; itinerant; -- formerly applied to judges who went on circuit and to bailiffs at large. Mozley & W.
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Errant, n. One who wanders about. [Obs.] Fuller.
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Errantia (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. errare to wander. See .] (Zoöl.) A group of chætopod annelids, including those that are not confined to tubes. See . [Written also Errantes.]
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Errantry (?), n. 1. A wandering; a roving; esp., a roving in quest of adventures. Addison.
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2. The employment of a knight-errant. Johnson.
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Errata (?), n. pl. [L.] See .
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Erratic (?), a. [L. erraticus, fr. errare to wander: cf. F. erratique. See .] 1. Having no certain course; roving about without a fixed destination; wandering; moving; -- hence, applied to the planets as distinguished from the fixed stars.
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The earth and each erratic world. Blackmore.
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2. Deviating from a wise of the common course in opinion or conduct; eccentric; strange; queer; as, erratic conduct.
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3. Irregular; changeable. “Erratic fever.” Harvey.
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Coloq. Erratic blocks , Coloq. gravel, etc. (Geol.), masses of stone which have been transported from their original resting places by the agency of water, ice, or other causes. -- Coloq. Erratic phenomena , the phenomena which relate to transported materials on the earth's surface.
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Erratic, n. 1. One who deviates from common and accepted opinions; one who is eccentric or preserve in his intellectual character.
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