Eserine - Essential

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Eserine (?; 104), n. [From native name of the Calabar bean: cf. F. ésérine.] (Chem.) An alkaloid found in the Calabar bean, and the seed of Physostigma venenosum; physostigmine. It is used in ophthalmic surgery for its effect in contracting the pupil.
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Esexual (?), a. [Pref. e- + sexual.] (Biol.) Sexless; asexual.
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Esguard (?), n. [Cf. OF. esgart regard, F. égard. See .] Guard. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

{ Eskar (?), or Esker }, n. (Geol.) See .
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Eskimo (?), n.; pl. Eskimos (#). [Originally applied by the Algonquins to the Northern Indians, and meaning eaters of raw flesh.] (Ethnol.) One of a peculiar race inhabiting Arctic America and Greenland. In many respects the Eskimos resemble the Mongolian race. [Written also Esquimau.]
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Coloq. Eskimo dog (Zoöl.), one of a breed of large and powerful dogs used by the Eskimos to draw sledges. It closely resembles the gray wolf, with which it is often crossed.

Eskimo dog
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Esloin (?), v. t. [See .] To remove; to banish; to withdraw; to avoid; to eloign. [Obs.]
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From worldly cares he did himself esloin. Spenser.
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Esnecy (?), n. [See .] (Eng. Law) A prerogative given to the eldest coparcener to choose first after an inheritance is divided. Mozley & W.
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Esodic (?), a. [Gr. � within + � way.] (Physiol.) Conveying impressions from the surface of the body to the spinal cord; -- said of certain nerves. Opposed to exodic.
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Esophagal (?), a. (Anat.) Esophageal.
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Esophageal (?), a. (Anat.) Pertaining to the esophagus. [Written also œsophageal.]
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Esophagean (?), a. (Anat.) Esophageal.
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Esophagotomy (?), n. [Gr. o'isofagos the esophagus + temnein to cut.] (Surg.) The operation of making an incision into the esophagus, for the purpose of removing any foreign substance that obstructs the passage. [Written also œsophagotomy.]
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Esophagus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. o'isofagos; root of o'isw which is used as future of ferein to bear, carry (cf. Skr. vī to go, drive) + fagei^n to eat.] (Anat.) That part of the alimentary canal between the pharynx and the stomach; the gullet. See Illust. of Digestive apparatus, under . [Written also œsophagus.]

{ Esopian (?), Esopic (?), } a. Same as , .
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Esoteric (ĕs�tĕĭk), a. [Gr. 'eswterikos, fr. 'eswteros inner, interior, comp. fr. 'esw in, within, fr. 'es, e'is, into, fr. 'en in. See .] 1. Designed for, and understood by, the specially initiated alone; not communicated, or not intelligible, to the general body of followers; private; interior; acroamatic; -- said of discussions of technical topics and of the private and more recondite instructions and doctrines of philosophers. Opposed to exoteric.
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Enough if every age produce two or three critics of this esoteric class, with here and there a reader to understand them. De Quincey.
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2. Marked by secrecy or privacy; private; select; confidential; as, an esoteric purpose; an esoteric meeting.
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Esoteric, n. (Philos.) (a) An esoteric doctrine or treatise; esoteric philosophy; esoterics. (b) One who believes, or is an initiate, in esoteric doctrines or rites.
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Esoterical (?), a. Esoteric.
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Esoterically, adv. In an esoteric manner.
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Esotericism (?), n. Esoteric doctrine or principles.
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Esoterics (?), n. Mysterious or hidden doctrines; secret science.
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Esotery (?), n. Mystery; esoterics; -- opposed to exotery. A. Tucker.
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Esox (?), prop. n. [L., a kind of pike.] (Zoöl.) A genus of fresh-water fishes, including pike and pickerel.
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Espace (?), n. Space. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Espadon (?), n. [F. espadon, fr. Sp. espadon, fr. espada sword; or fr. It. spadone an espadon, spada sword.] A long, heavy, two-handed and two-edged sword, formerly used by Spanish foot soldiers and by executioners. Wilhelm.
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espadrille n. a sandal with a sole made of rope or rubber and a cloth upper part.
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Espalier (?), n. [F. espalier, fr. It. spalliera, fr. spalla shoulder, the same word as F. épaule. See .] (Hort.) A railing or trellis upon which fruit trees or shrubs are trained, as upon a wall; a tree or row of trees so trained.
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And figs from standard and espalier join. Pope.
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Espalier, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Espaliered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Espaliering.] To form an espalier of, or to protect by an espalier.
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espanole n. a rich beef stock with tomatoes and madeira and minced carrots and onions and celery.
Syn. -- sauce espanole.
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Esparcet (?), n. [F. esparcet, esparcette, éparcet, fr. Sp. esparceta, esparcilla.] (Bot.) The common sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa), an Old World leguminous forage plant.
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Esparto (?), n. [Sp.; cf. L. spartum Spanish broom, Gr. �.] (Bot.) A species of Spanish grass (Macrochloa tenacissima), of which cordage, shoes, baskets, etc., are made. It is also used for making paper.
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Espauliere (?), n. [OF. & F. épaulière. See .] A defense for the shoulder, composed of flexible overlapping plates of metal, used in the 15th century; -- the origin of the modern epaulette. Fairholt.
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Especial (?), a. [OF. especial, F. spécial, L. specialis, fr. species a particular sort, kind, or quality. See , and cf. .] Distinguished among others of the same class or kind; special; concerning a species or a single object; principal; particular; as, in an especial manner or degree.

Syn. -- Peculiar; special; particular; uncommon; chief. See .
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Especially, adv. In an especial manner; chiefly; particularly; peculiarly; in an uncommon degree.
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Especialness (?), n. The state of being especial.
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Esperance (?), n. [F. espérance, fr. L. sperans, p. pr. of sperare to hope.] Hope. [Obs.] Shak.
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Esperanto (?), n. An artificial language, intended to be universal, devised by Dr. Zamenhof, a Russian, who adopted the pseudonym “Dr. Esperanto” in publishing his first pamphlet regarding it in 1887. The vocabulary is very largely based upon words common to the chief European languages, and sounds peculiar to any one language are eliminated. The spelling is phonetic, and the accent (stress) is always on the penult. A revised and simplified form, called was developed in 1907, but Esperanto remained at the end of the 20th century the most popular aritficial language designed for normal human linguistic communication. -- Esperantist (#), n.
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Espiaille (?), n. Espial. [Obs.]
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Espial (?), n. [OE. & Norm. F. espiaille. See .] 1. The act of espying; notice; discovery.
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Screened from espial by the jutting cape. Byron.
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2. One who espies; a spy; a scout. [Obs.] “Their espials . . . brought word.” Holland.
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Espier (?), n. One who espies. Harmar.
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Espinel (?), n. A kind of ruby. See .
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Espionage (?; 277), n. [F. espionnage, fr. espionner to spy, fr. espion spy, OF. espie. See .] The practice or employment of spies; the practice of watching the words and conduct of others, to make discoveries, as spies or secret emissaries; secret watching.
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Esplanade (?), n. [F. esplanade, Sp. esplanada, explanada, cf. It. spianata; fr. Sp. explanar to level, L. explanare to flatten or spread out. See .] 1. (Fort.) (a) A clear space between a citadel and the nearest houses of the town. Campbell (Mil. Dict. ). (b) The glacis of the counterscarp, or the slope of the parapet of the covered way toward the country.
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2. (Hort.) A grass plat; a lawn. Simmonds.
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3. Any clear, level space used for public walks or drives; esp., a terrace by the seaside.
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Esplees (?), n. pl. [LL. expletia, OF. espleit. Cf. .] (Old Eng. Law) The full profits or products which ground or land yields, as the hay of the meadows, the feed of the pasture, the grain of arable fields, the rents, services, and the like. Cowell.
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Espousage (?), n. Espousal. [Obs.] Latimer.
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Espousal (?), n. [OF. espousailles, pl., F. épousailles, L. sponsalia, fr. sponsalis belonging to betrothal or espousal. See , and cf. , .] 1. The act of espousing or betrothing; especially, in the plural, betrothal; plighting of the troths; a contract of marriage; sometimes, the marriage ceremony.
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2. The uniting or allying one's self with anything; maintenance; adoption; as, the espousal of a quarrel.
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The open espousal of his cause. Lord Orford.
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Espouse (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Espoused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Espousing.] [OF. espouser, esposer, F. épouser, L. sponsare to betroth, espouse, fr. sponsus betrothed, p. p. of spondere to promise solemnly or sacredly. Cf. .] 1. To betroth; to promise in marriage; to give as spouse.
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A virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph. Luke i. 27.
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2. To take as spouse; to take to wife; to marry.
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Lavinia will I make my empress, . . .
And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse. Shak.
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3. To take to one's self with a view to maintain; to make one's own; to take up the cause of; to adopt; to embrace. “He espoused that quarrel.” Bacon.
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Promised faithfully to espouse his cause as soon as he got out of the war. Bp. Burnet.
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Espousement (?), n. [Cf. OF. espousement.] The act of espousing, or the state of being espoused.
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Espouser (?), n. One who espouses; one who embraces the cause of another or makes it his own.
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Espressivo (?), a. [It.] (Mus.) With expression.
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Espringal (?), n. [See .] (Mil. Antiq.) An engine of war used for throwing viretons, large stones, and other missiles; a springal.
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Esprit (?), n. [F. See .] Spirit.
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Coloq. Esprit de corps (�), a French phrase much used by English writers to denote the common spirit pervading the members of a body or association of persons. It implies sympathy, enthusiasm, devotion, and jealous regard for the honor of the body as a whole.
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Espy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Espied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Espying.] [OF. espier, F. épier, from OHG. speh�n to watch, spy, G. spähen; akin to L. specere to look, species sight, shape, appearance, kind. See , , and cf. .] 1. To catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; to discover, as a distant object partly concealed, or not obvious to notice; to see at a glance; to discern unexpectedly; to spy; as, to espy land; to espy a man in a crowd.
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As one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, . . . he espied his money. Gen. xlii. 27.
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A goodly vessel did I then espy
Come like a giant from a haven broad. Wordsworth.
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2. To inspect narrowly; to examine and keep watch upon; to watch; to observe.
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He sends angels to espy us in all our ways. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. -- To discern; discover; detect; descry; spy.
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Espy, v. i. To look or search narrowly; to look about; to watch; to take notice; to spy.
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Stand by the way, and espy. Jer. xlviii. 19.
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Espy, n.; pl. Espies (#). [OF. espie. See , v., .] A spy; a scout. [Obs.] Huloet.
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-esque (?). [F., fr. It. -isco. Cf. .] A suffix of certain words from the French, Italian, and Spanish. It denotes manner or style; like; as, arabesque, after the manner of the Arabs.
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Esquimau (?), n.; pl. Esquimaux (#). [F.] Same as .
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It is . . . an error to suppose that where an Esquimau can live, a civilized man can live also. McClintock.
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Esquire (?), n. [OF. escuyer, escuier, properly, a shield-bearer, F. écuyer shield-bearer, armor-bearer, squire of a knight, esquire, equerry, rider, horseman, LL. scutarius shield-bearer, fr. L. scutum shield, akin to Gr. � skin, hide, from a root meaning to cover; prob. akin to E. hide to cover. See to cover, and cf. , .] Originally, a shield-bearer or armor-bearer, an attendant on a knight; in modern times, a title of dignity next in degree below knight and above gentleman; also, a title of office and courtesy; -- often shortened to squire.
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☞ In England, the title of esquire belongs by right of birth to the eldest sons of knights and their eldest sons in perpetual succession; to the eldest sons of younger sons of peers and their eldest sons in perpetual succession. It is also given to sheriffs, to justices of the peace while in commission, to those who bear special office in the royal household, to counselors at law, bachelors of divinity, law, or physic, and to others. In the United States the title is commonly given in courtesy to lawyers and justices of the peace, and is often used in the superscription of letters instead of Mr.
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Esquire (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Esquired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Esquiring.] To wait on as an esquire or attendant in public; to attend. [Colloq.]
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Esquisse (?), n. [F. See .] (Fine Arts) The first sketch of a picture or model of a statue.
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-ess (?). [OF. -esse, LL. -issa, Gr. �.] A suffix used to form feminine nouns; as, actress, deaconess, songstress.
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Essay (?), n.; pl. Essays (#). [F. essai, fr. L. exagium a weighing, weight, balance; ex out + agere to drive, do; cf. examen, exagmen, a means of weighing, a weighing, the tongue of a balance, exigere to drive out, examine, weigh, Gr. 'exagion a weight, 'exagiazein to examine, 'exagein to drive out, export. See , and cf. , , .] 1. An effort made, or exertion of body or mind, for the performance of anything; a trial; attempt; as, to make an essay to benefit a friend. “The essay at organization.” M. Arnold.
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2. (Lit.) A composition treating of any particular subject; -- usually shorter and less methodical than a formal, finished treatise; as, an essay on the life and writings of Homer; an essay on fossils, or on commerce.
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3. An assay. See , n. [Obs.]

Syn. -- Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise; dissertation; disquisition.
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Essay (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Essayed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Essaying.] [F. essayer. See , n.] 1. To exert one's power or faculties upon; to make an effort to perform; to attempt; to endeavor; to make experiment or trial of; to try.
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What marvel if I thus essay to sing? Byron.
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Essaying nothing she can not perform. Emerson.
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A danger lest the young enthusiast . . . should essay the impossible. J. C. Shairp.
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2. To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See . [Obs.] Locke.
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Essayer (?), n. One who essays. Addison.
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Essayist (?; 277), n. A writer of an essay, or of essays. B. Jonson.
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Essence (?), n. [F. essence, L. essentia, formed as if fr. a p. pr. of esse to be. See , and cf. .] 1. The constituent elementary notions which constitute a complex notion, and must be enumerated to define it; sometimes called the nominal essence.
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2. The constituent quality or qualities which belong to any object, or class of objects, or on which they depend for being what they are (distinguished as real essence); the real being, divested of all logical accidents; that quality which constitutes or marks the true nature of anything; distinctive character; hence, virtue or quality of a thing, separated from its grosser parts.
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The laws are at present, both in form and essence, the greatest curse that society labors under. Landor.
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Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence of this virtue [charity]. Addison.
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The essence of Addison's humor is irony. Courthope.
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3. Constituent substance.
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And uncompounded is their essence pure. Milton.
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4. A being; esp., a purely spiritual being.
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As far as gods and heavenly essences
Can perish. Milton.
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He had been indulging in fanciful speculations on spiritual essences, until . . . he had and ideal world of his own around him. W. Irving.
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5. The predominant qualities or virtues of a plant or drug, extracted and refined from grosser matter; or, more strictly, the solution in spirits of wine of a volatile or essential oil; as, the essence of mint, and the like.
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The . . . word essence . . . scarcely underwent a more complete transformation when from being the abstract of the verb “to be,” it came to denote something sufficiently concrete to be inclosed in a glass bottle. J. S. Mill.
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6. Perfume; odor; scent; or the volatile matter constituting perfume.
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Nor let the essences exhale. Pope.
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Essence, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Essenced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Essencing (?).] To perfume; to scent. “Essenced fops.” Addison.
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Essene (?), n.; pl. Essenes (#). [Gr. �, lit., physicians, because they practiced medicine, fr. Chald āsayā to heal, cf. Heb. asā.] One of a sect among the Jews in the time of our Savior, remarkable for their strictness and abstinence.
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Essenism (?), n. The doctrine or the practices of the Essenes. De Quincey.
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Essential (ĕssĕnsj�l), a. [Cf. F. essentiel. See .] 1. Belonging to the essence, or that which makes an object, or class of objects, what it is.
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Majestic as the voice sometimes became, there was forever in it an essential character of plaintiveness. Hawthorne.
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2. Hence, really existing; existent.
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Is it true, that thou art but a name,
And no essential thing? Webster (1623).
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3. Important in the highest degree; indispensable to the attainment of an object; indispensably necessary.
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Judgment's more essential to a general
Than courage. Denham.
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How to live? -- that is the essential question for us. H. Spencer.
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4. Containing the essence or characteristic portion of a substance, as of a plant; highly rectified; pure; hence, unmixed; as, an essential oil. “Mine own essential horror.” Ford.
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