WORDCRAFT DICTIONARY, D-E
Note:
clickable items link to Wordcraft Archives, which may have further notes
dab one skilled in something,
an expert, an adept
dabster 1. a person
skilled at something. 2. more often: a dabbler; or, a
clumsy, inept painter
dactylic see iambic
dactylion the tip of the middle finger
dactylomancy divination by rings [dictionary at mancy
lists 54 form of divination]
daedal; Daedal eponym: of
ingenious design; skillfully or cunningly made; artistic; artful; ingenious
daguerreotype eponym: an early type of photograph
dagwood; dagwood sandwich
(also capitalized) a multilayered sandwich with a variety of fillings [from
comics]
daks; underdaks Australian slang: pants,
underpants
dally noun: sudden lull or slackening of the wind. verb:
of the wind, to turn or shift in direction
damp squib a failed joke
Dandie Dinmont eponym: a certain breed of dog
dandiprat (in sport or
contempt) a little fellow
dark horse a competitor,
among many, who makes (or is tabbed as having the potential to make) an
unexpectedly good showing
dassie see hyrax
dative noun or adj. a
noun serving as the indirect object of a verb
dauphinois potatoes potatoes with cream and cheese
de facto existing in fact (implicitly meaning,
not by planned result or by lawful authority), as, a king de facto; distinguished from a king de jure, or by right
de gustibus a matter of
personal taste
deaconing the practice of putting the
best-looking food on top, as putting the most attractive berries on the top of
the basket
dead cat bounce a temporary recovery from a
major drop in a stock's price
dead man's switch a device that will take a specific action unless a human
operator overrides it
deadheadΉ horticulture: to remove the blooms after
flowering, so that the plant will devote its energy to developing of new
flowers, rather than to producing seeds
deadhead² railroads and other carriers: to move a
train without paying business, simply to get it to where it needs to be for
later work
deadjectival derived from adjectives (deadjectival
nouns; deadjectival verbs)
deadshit Australian slang: a person of low intelligence
debonair pleasant and
affable in outward manner or address [from medieval French falconry]
dιcalage aviation design: the difference in angle between any two distinct
airfoils on an airplane
decimation originally: the act of putting to death every tenth man
declamation
1. vehement oratory 2.
a speech marked by strong feeling; a tirade 3. a recitation delivered as an exercise in rhetoric (usually
referring to a students recitation). [The verb form is to declaim]
decoction concentrating a flavor by
boiling down (or the concentrate made, as a herbal decoction)
dιcolletage a low neckline
on a woman's dress
decubitus noun: the position of lying down, reclining
deduction reasoning from stated premises
to a conclusion (contrast induction)
defective lexical
item a noun that has no
singular form (furniture; happiness) or no singular form (police)
defenestrate to throw out of a window
dιgagι free and relaxed in manner;
casual
degust to taste, esp.
to do so attentively, so as to savor
degustation a comparative
tasting, in small portions, of a variety of similar foods or drinks; also
figurative
dehisce to burst open on a natural line (as a seedpod, or a surgical wound)
dehort to urge to abstain or refrain;
to dissuade
deictic 1. logic: proving directly 2. grammar:
(of a word) specifying identity, place or time by reference to the speaker or
hearer: we; here; there; then; the former
deipnosophist a person skilled
in the art of dinner-table conversation
delphic eponym: obscurely
prophetic; also, ambiguous; mysterious
deltiology the collection of
postcards
dιmarche 1. a course of action;
maneuver 2. a diplomatic initiative, representation or protest
demegoric of or pertaining to public
speaking (OED; others dictionaries say "pertaining to demagogues or
demagogic speech", which is quite different.)
demerit its original Latin
form meant "merit"
demersal living in the deepest part of a body of water
demijohn
a large bottle
with bulging body and narrow neck (it typically holds 3 - 10 gallons and is
encased in wicker, with one or two handles for carrying)
demiquaver see quaver
demi-vierge 'a girl or woman
still undevirginated, yet far from innocent' scholar Eric Partridge. In other
words, a technical virgin
demonomancy divination by the aid of devils and evil spirits [dictionary at mancy lists 54 form of divination]
demos the common people; the populace
denim toponym: originally the cloth de
Nξmes, cloth from
deoch an doris see stirrup-cup
deracinate 1. to pull out by the
roots 2. to displace from one's native or accustomed environment
derogate to belittle; disparage
derringer eponym: a short-barreled pocket pistol
desiccate to remove the
moisture from
desinence a grammatical ending; an inflection
desmodromic mechanics: having different controls for
their actuation in different directions. desmodromic valve a valve closed by a cam and
leverage system, rather than the more conventional valve springs
desultory jumping from one subject to another, without order or rational connection; disconnected
deus ex machina [literally "god from a
machine"] an agent who appears unexpectedly to solve an apparently
insoluble difficulty
dewlap a fold of loose skin hanging
from the neck of a person, or of certain animals (like the wattle of a turkey,
for example)
diablerie 1. black
magic; sorcery 2. mischievous conduct; deviltry
diacritical mark a
mark added to a letter to indicate a special pronunciation (see macron,
breve)
diadem a jeweled crown or
headband
diagonal the / sign. (for
synonyms, see virgule)
dialectic 1. the tension between two interacting/conflicting forces 2.
the art or practice of reaching truth by the exchange of logical
arguments
diamerdis a man who is covered in feces
diapason (also here)
1. an organ stop sounding a main
register of flue pipes 2. a grand swelling burst of harmony
diaphanous so light and
delicate as to be see-through
diaresis (from Greek diairein
"to divide"): 1. modification of a syllable by distinctly
pronouncing two adjacent letters (typically vowels): naοve and Zoλ,
each having two syllables rather than one. 2. the symbol (diacritical mark) used
in English to represent this pronunciation, being two dots over a letter, as in
δ. (In German the mark is used for a different sound see umlaut so the symbol is also called an
umlaut.)
diaspora the dispersion of any people from their traditional homeland; esp.,
he dispersion of the Jews from
diddle
eponym: originally (1806), "to cheat, swindle," in a
small-time way. Note: dic. etymologies neglect this point.
dielectric a material that poorly conducts electricity; an insulator
diener an assistant in a
morgue, pathology lab, or other death-oriented facility [Creepy overtones. Think
of Frankensteins Igor? German Leichendiener, literally corpse
servant.]
dieresis the double-dot symbol when indicating a sound
repetition, as in coφperation
diet certain legislative assemblies (e.g.,
in Japan, in Holy Roman Empire)
digerati those who have or claim expertise in computers, the internet,
and the web
digital shoplifting in a store, using a cameraphone to copy selected pages (e.g.,
a recipe) from a book or magazine
digraph a pair of letters used to write one sound [ch and th
in English spelling]. If vowels, see diphthong.
dingo a wild dog, native
to
dinkum; fair dinkum; dinky-dye Australian slang: honest,
truthful, honorable
dint n. force or effort;
power: succeeded by dint of hard work; also, n. a dent; tr.v. to put a dent in
Dionysian eponym: of an
ecstatic, orgiastic, or irrational nature; frenzied or undisciplined
diphthong proper diphthong: two vowel sounds
pronounced in one syllable: noise. Also improper
diphthong: two vowels as one syllable, only one of them being sounded; rain; people
dirge (interesting etymology; see
Archives)
dirigisme state intervention and control of economic matters
discombobulate to throw confusion
disingenuous insincere or calculating; giving a false appearance of
frankness. (Sometimes misused as a synonym for naive, the opposite, as if
the dis- prefix intensified the remainder rather than negate it.)
dismal etymology: eventually tracing back to the concept of "unlucky
days": Latin dies
"days" +
disposophobia compulsive hoarding; the fear of
throwing anything away
dissentient dissenting, especially the
majority's view (noun: a dissenter)
distaff of women
dithyramb a wildly enthusiastic speech or writing (also: 1. a
frenzied, impassioned choric hymn and dance of ancient Greece 2. an
irregular poetic expression)
dittany toponym: an aromatic woolly plant of
dittography a copyist's
unintentional repetition of letter(s) or word(s)
diurnal 1. recurring every day (diurnal
tasks; diurnal tides) 2. active chiefly in the daytime (diurnal
animals), as opposed to nocturnal (compare circadian; diurnal)
diva a principal female singer; also,
an extremely arrogant or temperamental woman
divagate (also here) 1. to wander or
drift about 2. to ramble; digress
Dives eponym: a rich man
divvy van Australian slang: police van, paddy wagon
docent a lecturer or tour guide in a
museum, cathedral, etc.; also, in some universities, a teacher or
lecturer who is not a regular faculty member
Dogberry eponym: an ignorant, self-important
official
doggo 'lie doggo' Brit.
informal, dated: remain motionless and quiet to escape detection
Dogpatch the prototype of
the low-class, rural hick
doh expressing frustration, realizing that things have turned out
badly, or that one has just done something foolish [Homer Simpson is using word
listed in OED]
dolce far niente
pleasant idleness [Ital: 'sweet doing nothing']
dolce vita a lifestyle of appreciating and
savoring the pleasures of life
Dolly
Varden eponym: a colorful California species of trout or char (also, 1.
cloth a large flower pattern, or a certain dress style made from that fabric 2.
a style of women's hat, large and abundantly trimmed with flowers)
Don Juan eponym: a seducer of women
dontopedalogy putting ones foot in ones mouth
doolally toponym;
doozy eponym: slang:
something extraordinary or bizarre (thus, either positive or negative)
doppelganger a ghostly double of a person, esp.
of a living person. from Ger: doppel = double + Gδnger = goer
dorgi coinage: a dog that is a
cross between a corgi and a dachshunds
dorma a long-necked Russian string instrument, like a lute, with a round body
and three or four metal strings
dormant heraldry: in a sleeping position.
See rampant, guardant, saliant for other heraldic terms.
dormition a falling asleep (and a euphemism for 'death')
dorp a hamlet or village
doss the price of a bed for a night
dotard an old person,
especially one who is weak or senile (in his dotage)
douane a customhouse
double comparative
a construction like Your cooking is more tastier than my mothers,
intensifying an adjective/adverb that is already comparative. Related: double superlative
double Dutch incomprehensible talk
doubting Thomas eponym: one who is habitually doubtful; one who insists on "seeing the evidence" (Note:
this is not a term for simple hardheaded skepticism. Rather, it implies
that the demand for evidence is uncalled-for or extreme.)
douceur a gift or service done or to be done; also, gentleness
and sweetness in manner
doughty brave and resolute, stouthearted
dowager a widow of high social
rank who has a title and property because of her marriage
doxy 1. a female lover; a mistress 2.
a sexually promiscuous woman [perhaps from obsolete Dutch docke, doll]
doyenne a woman who is the eldest or
senior member of a group. doyen 1. the masc.
equivalent of doyenne 2. the oldest example of a category
Dr. Fell eponym: a senior person one dislikes, esp. a pedant
[not in dictionaries]
drab (noun) 1.
a slattern (a dirty and untidy woman); or, a harlot; 2. later:
a small or petty sum (of money)
Drachenfutter German: peace
offering to one's wife (chocolate, flowers, etc.) when one has behaved badly.
Literally "dragon fodder"
draconian eponym: exceedingly harsh; very severe: a draconian legal
code; draconian budget cuts. From Draco, politician who codified the laws
of Athens (c. 621). Lauded for its impartiality, his code was unpopular for its
severity.
draculin the anticoagulant factor in vampire
bat saliva. (Someone had a sense of humor in naming this!)
dragoon 1. to
subjugate or persecute by imposition of troops 2. to compel by violent
measures or threats; coerce
draisine eponym: the earliest kind of bicycle
dramatis personae
the characters in a drama or play
dramaturg; dramaturge a kind of theater
consultant; a person knowledgeable in theatrical history, theory, and practice,
who helps a director, designer,
playwright or actor realize their intentions in a production
Drawcansir eponym: one source: "one who kills or
injures both friend and foe". Another: "a blustering, bullying
fellow; a pot-valiant braggart".
dray a cart used to carry barrels
drib (verb) to
fall in drops; to dribble; later, noun: a drop, a petty or
inconsiderable quantity
dribs and drabs (in d~ and d~)
in small and intermittent sums or amounts, but you rarely hear separately of a
drib or a drab.
drogulus something the presence of which cannot be verified, usually a
disembodied being, because it has no physical effects [coined by A.J.Ayer]
droke a valley with steep sides, sometimes wooded and with a stream
drongo Australian slang: a
really dumb dude
drop catching snagging domain names that owners have
let expire, either accidentally or because no longer wanted
drumlin an elongated
hill, often tear-shaped, formed by moving glacier-ice
dryasdust eponym: a dull, pedantic speaker or writer
dual-use technology technology that can be used for both peaceful and military
purposes (usually, production of nuclear weapons)
ductile of a metal: capable of being stretched
out into thin wire; contrast malleable
duende a performer's
fiery intensity that sweeps away the audience
duff, up the Australian slang: pregnant
dumbbell (for exercise): bizarre
etymology, from a pun by Joseph Addison in 1711?
dumbledore 1. a bumblebee 2.
the name of the headmaster of Hogwarts School in the Harry Potter series of
novels
dump see holey dollar
dun dull grayish brown (also, a
horse of this color)
dundrearies eponym: long, flowing
sideburns
dungavenhooter a mythical, comical monster,
common to the
dunghill cock a man who is not game; a coward or
spiritless fellow
dunny Australian slang: toilet
dupe to deceive or swindle; a person who is easily
duped [bizarre etymology: from a bird!]
duplex an apartment of two floors
connected by a staircase; or, a house with two units sharing a common
wall
dura mater the outermost
membrane (of three) enveloping the brain and spinal cord
Dutch auction an auction in which an item is
initially offered at a high price that is progressively lowered until a bid is
made and the item sold
Dutch comfort cold comfort (as in the
'comforting' reflection, "After all, it could be worse")
Dutch courage courage acquired from drinking
liquor
Dutch defense surrender
Dutch reckoning a bill given as a flat amount
due, without details or breakdown [that is, no reckoning at all]
Dutch treat an outing, as for dinner or a
movie, in which each person pays his or her own expenses
Dutch uncle a counselor who admonishes frankly
and sternly
Dutch widow a prostitute [per dictionaries;
but may have changed to mean "Dutch wife"]
Dutch wife dictionary politely says "a
firm bolster used in bed to support the upper knee while somebody is sleeping
on his or her side." [Why called a "wife"? Note that a pillow
"to support the upper knee" would be placed between the legs.]
dwy an eddy, flurry; squall
dyspeptic having a bad digestion; also,
irritable, morose, gloomy. contrast eupeptic
dyspnea difficulty in breathing
dystopia an imagined world in which life
is extremely bad (an anti-utopia); also, a work describing such a place
or state: dystopias such as "Brave New World"
dystrophy a condition caused by faulty nutrition
e pluribus unum from many, one. This, the
official motto of the United States of America, comes from a prosaic source.
Virgil's early poem 'Moretum', is essentially a recipe for making a salad; the
protagonist mashes herbs together until their the many colors have blended into
one: "color est e pluribus usus." I cannot say whether our
founding fathers took this from Virgil, or from a previous borrowing.
earmarks (earmarking)
special spending projects that members of Congress procure for their home
districts, often with little or no oversight (Reuters, Apr. 30, 2008)
earwig (verb) 1. to pester with private importunities
or admonitions 2. to insinuate oneself into the confidence of 3.
to evesdrop. earwigged having a
maggot or craze in one's brain
easel from the Dutch ezel =
"ass," the comparison being of loading a burden on a donkey and
propping up a painting or canvas on a wooden stand. The easel served the artist
as an ass, dumbly bearing the load.
easy street a state of financial comfort or
security
eau de nil light green; literally,
"water of the
Ebonics African-American English, esp. when considered as a distinct
language or dialect related to certain West African languages, rather than as a
non-standard variety of English
ebullient zestfully enthusiastic
("the ebullient enthusiasm of the French" Carlyle) (also a
lesser-known meaning: boiling; bubbling. The latter, literal meaning was
the earlier.)
ecdysiast coinage: a stripper-tease artist; a
stripper [ecdysis zoology: the process of shedding the old skin
(in snakes, etc.)] Coined
by Mencken, who had also considered "moltician".
echoic (of a word) imitating a sound of
nature, such as crack, buzz, click, snap, splash. (see onomatopoeia)
eclipse to surpass; outshine
ecphore; ecphorize to evoke or revive
(an emotion, a memory, or the like) by means of a stimulus. [typically in the
context of echocrizing an emgram;
which see]
ectopic in an abnormal place or position. [Greek ektopos out of place]
edacious devouring food in
great quantities; voracious
Eden toponym: a paradise of innocence and
unspoiled, idyllic peace (adj. edenic)
edenic of or like a paradise
edentate (also here) without teeth
effigy a likeness of a person, esp. in
the form of sculpture
effluvium 1. an emanation or
exhalation (usu. invisible, e.g., vapor or gas) 2. a
byproduct or residue; waste; or, the smelly fumes of by waste or decaying
matter 3. an impalpable emanation; an aura
effulgent shining brilliantly;
resplendent; or as if shining
eftsoons soon afterward;
presently
Egeria eponym: a woman advisor
or companion
egg corn the error of substituting, for the correct word, a homonym or
near-homonym (egg corn for acorn; baited breath for bated
breath)
Eggs Benedict eponym: concocted by the Waldorf-Astoria hotel (as in the Waldorf
salad) as a hangover cure for a Mr. Samuel Benedict
egoism over-concern for oneself;
self-importance (see egotism)
egotism talking too much about oneself;
self-exaltation; self-praise (see egoism)
egregious eminently bad or reprehensible
eighty-six (orig. restaurant/bar slang)
to refuse to serve (the item is out, or the customer is unwelcome). by
extension: to throw out; to eject or discard; to get rid of
eke verb: to add to, with the sense of making something go
further by supplying what is missing
elaterium a cathartic obtained from the dried juice of the spitting cucumber
eldritch strange; unearthly; weird; eerie
electronic ink a coated substance, of
paper-like thickness and flexibility, whose colors at each point can be changed
(by electric stimulus) to produce changing text and images
electuary a medicinal conserve or paste, consisting of a powder
mixed with honey, preserve, or syrup
eleλmosynary relating to charity; also, supported by
charity. From Greek eleemon,
pitiful; eleos, pity. The same root
generated "alms".
elegiac wistfully mournful for something
past and gone. [elegy
a funeral poem; a poem of lamentation]
elision the omission of a sound, in a
word, making it easier to pronounce. [Examples: pronouncing laboratory
as four syllables, or temperature and vegetable as three
syllables.]
ellipse an oval-shaped curve; a circle
that has been 'stretched'. elliptical (rhetoric)
1. of extreme economy in speech or writing; hence, 2.
having a part omitted (see ellipsis) 3. deliberately obscure
ellipsis the omission of words not necessary for understanding (for example,
to shorten a quotation). The symbol ... used to show that omission
elute to extract one material from
another, esp. by a solvent
elutriate 1. to separate, or remove
(ore, for example) by washing, decanting, and settling 2. to wash away
the finer particles of
eluvium residual deposits of soil, dust,
and rock particles produced by the action of the wind
Elysium a paradise; a
place or condition of ideal happiness (adj. elysian pertaining to the abode of the blessed dead; hence, of
highest pleasure and delight)
embonpoint condition of stoutness, plumpness
embrangle to confuse, perplex, or entangle somebody or something
(archaic)
ιminence grisι eponym: 1. an adviser or decision-maker (often secret) with great
power beyond any official status; one who wields real though not titular
control; a "power behind the throne" 2. (technically, a misuse) a respected elder statesman
empennage the tail assembly of an aircraft
empyrean the highest reaches of heaven, the abode of God and angels;
paradise; also the sky. adj: of or relating to the empyrean of
ancient belief
empyreumatic smelling like
burnt flesh
enceinte 1. pregnant
2. a fortification encircling a castle or town; also, the area
protected [different senses, each from the concept of to gird; to encircle
closely]
enclave an enclosed territory foreign from the
territory that surrounds it
encomium an expression of praise; implies enthusiasm and
warmth
end run from
endemic peculiar to a place or to a class of persons: endemic to the
tropics (contrast epidemic, pandemic)
endgame the final stage of an extended
process or course of events [from the game of chess: the final stage of a game,
when most pieces have been removed from the board; requires different strategy]
endomorphic having a heavy
rounded body build, with a marked tendency to become fat
endonym the local name for a geographic
place (e.g., what we call Rome is Roma in Italian); contrast exonym
endue; indue to endow with a quality or ability
enervate to weaken
physically, mentally or morally (can also be used as an adjective) Not to be
confused with energize
enfant terrible one who is
strikingly, shockingly unconventional (often, one who embarrasses or
compromises his associates by being so; see last two quotes)
enfeoff to invest with a feudal estate or fee
engram a memory-trace; a permanent and heritable physical change in the
brains nerve tissue, posited to account for the existence of memory
engross 1. to occupy exclusively; absorb 2. to monopolize (a market). 3. to write or transcribe in a large, clear hand; or to write or print the final draft of (an official document)
enmity deep-seated hatred
enormity extreme wickedness; an outrage. Note: often misused in lieu of
"enormousness", to mean immensity.
ensiform sword-shaped (see gladiate,
xiphoid)
ensorcellment an enchantment or spell
entablature the part of a classical building resting atop the columns.
consists of architrave (bottommost), frieze (middle) and cornice (top)
entelechy a vital force that directs an organism toward self-fulfillment
enthusiasm (interesting etymology; see
Archives)
enthymeme a "truncated
syllogism" where one premises is left implicit, rather than stated
explicitly
entomology study of insects (bugology;
insectology)
[sometimes confused with etymology]
entresol a mezzanine floor
entwicklungsroman
synonymous with bildungsroman: a novel about the moral and psychological
growth of the main character
eolian; aeolian relating to, caused by, or
carried by the wind
epenthesis the addition of extra sounds in
the middle of a word, (as) in thunder from prior thunor (more examples
empty and nimble; "nukular" for nuclear;
"athalete" for athlete)
epeolatry worship of words
ephemera items of
short-lived interest or usefulness, especially printed matter that that
later acquires value to collectors (also: plural of emphemeron a short-lived thing)
ephemeris (pl. ephemerides) a table giving the coordinates of a
celestial body at a number of specific times during a given period
epicaricacy a malicious satisfaction at the
misfortunes of others
Not in OED, but found in reputable prior dictionaries. Wordcraft is pleased to
have been the first on-line source to uncover this; see Discussion Board.
English later borrowed the German word schadenfreude, of like meaning.
epicene having characteristics of both
the male and the female, as an epicene angel
Also, in linguistics, a word having the same form for both male and female
(inventing epicene pronouns, such as s/he
and hisser)
epicenter the focal point, esp. of
a crisis (originally, the point of the earth's surface directly above the focus
of an earthquake)
epicrisis one of those unusual words which
has two different pronunciations, with two different meanings.
1. epic΄risis (accent on
second syllable) a detailed critical study or evaluation (some sources add
'of a literary work')
2. ep΄icri΄sis medical: a
secondary crisis; one following the primary of a disease (accent on first
syllable; secondary accent on the penultimate [= next to last])
epicure one with refined taste, esp. in
food and wine. (With a sense of "over-refined'; contrast gourmet)
epidemic simultaneously afflicting a
large proportion of a community. (contrast endemic, pandemic)
epigamic (of a trait or
behavior) tending to attract a mate, such as large antlers or bright colors
epigone a second-rate imitator or
follower, esp. of a writer, artist or musician (pronounced with three
syllables; the 'e' at the end is silent.)
epilogue a speech at the end of a play,
addressed to the audience [also: a
short addition at the end of a book, often dealing with the future of its
characters]
epiphany a usually sudden manifestation
or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something
episteme a body of ideas which give
shape to the knowledge of that time
epistrophe rhetoric: repeating at the end of successive parallel phrases:
"government of the people, by the people, for the people". (contrast anaphora)
epithalamion a lyric ode in honor of a bride and
bridegroom
epithet a smear-name: racial epithets.
more generally, a characterizing adjective or substitute-name, positive or
negative: Catherine the Great. Also: an adjective naming
some particularly appropriate quality: a just man; a verdant lawn.
epitome 1. an example [compare apotheosis] 2.
a prιcis or summary of a book or article
epizoic growing on the external surface
of an animal; as, an epizoic parasite
epizootic of a disease which attacks many
animals at the same time. (The equivalent of epidemic; strictly speaking, that
term is limited to a disease widespread among people.)
epolose feasting to excess
eponym a person whose name is used as a
word (often used to mean the word named after the person)
eponymous relating to an eponym; giving
one's name to a tribe, people, country, and the like. Often used to mean
'eponymic*'.
epynomic named after a person (contrast eponymous)
equerry one who cares for the royal horses
equine like a horse
equipoise 1. a counterbalance 2.
equality of weight or force; hence, equilibrium said of moral, political, or social
interests or forces
equivocation the ambiguity which occurs when
a single word or phrase is ambiguous; this ambiguity is not grammatical but
lexical. [Obviously, the term has other and more familiar meanings.]
erg coinage: a unit of work or energy
ergative language one where a noun has a special form when
used as the subject of a transitive verb
ergomaniac a workaholic
ergophile one who loves work
eristic given to disputatious, often specious argument (noun: the
practice of same; a person given to or expert in same)
ermine toponym: see stoat
erotic acid vitamin B13 (not an aphrodisiac!). Its correct name is orotic acid, but it has been misspelled so often in the
chemical literature that it is also known as erotic acid. Apparently, if you
add another carbon to it, it becomes homo-erotic
acid.
erotomania melancholy or madness caused by imaginative love
erstwhile former; at a previous time
eruct to belch
(literally, or metaphorically, as to eject in large quantities)
eructation a belch (by a
person, or by a volcano)
erythrism unusual redness of plumage or
hair (in humans, often accompanied by a ruddy complexion). Coined 1864 from
Greek eruthros red; caused by excessive red pigmentation
escarpment a long, steep
slope at the edge of a plateau or separating areas of land at different heights
escritoire a writing table; a
desk, particularly, a desk with a top section for books
esculent suitable for eating; edible
escutcheon a thin metal decorative plate to
ornament or protect wood (e.g., the shield around a doorknob, keyhole or
drawer-pull)
also: escutcheon a shield or emblem bearing a coat of arms (blot on
ones escutcheon a stain on ones reputation or character)
esker a long winding
ridge of sediment (often resembles a railroad embankment) deposited by
meltwater streams under a retreating glacier
espalier a tree or shrub
that is trained to grow in a flat plane against a wall, often in a symmetrical
pattern; also, a trellis or other framework on which an ornamental shrub
or fruit tree is trained to grow flat
esquamulose lacking minute scales
esquivalience a fake word
created by the New Oxford American Dictionary
estaminet a small cafι
estivate; aestivate to pass the summer in a torpid state; also, to
spend the summer, as at a special place
estuarial relating to an estuary,
the area near the mouth of a river where river flow mixes with tidal flow,
fresh water with salt water
ether 1.
literary: the clear sky; the upper regions of air (adj. etheric)
2. the internet [not in dictionaries, but see quote]
Derivative: Ethernet the dominant system for
connecting computers into a local area network (trademark, but sometimes used
generically)
ethnonym the name of an ethnic group
etiolate to cause to appear
pale and sickly; also, to make weak by stunting the development of.
etiology the study of causation (philosophy); also, the cause
of a disease
ettle to plan, try, aim, design, prepare,
suppose (The Word Lover's Dictionary)
ιtui (or etwee;
accent on second syllable) a small case, usually ornamental, for small
articles such as needles, toothpicks, etc.
etymology the origin of a word (ultimately from Greek etymon,
"the true sense of a word based upon its origin")
eucatastrophe coined by J.R. Tolkien, meaning
very roughly "happy ending" [Not an accepted 'word'.]
eudaemonic of or producing a contented
state of happiness and well-being (eudaemonism
a theory that the highest ethical goal is happiness and personal well-being
euhemerism eponym: interpretation of myths as traditional accounts of historical
persons and events
eulogium a formal eulogy
eulogy a prepared speech or writing expressing praise of a
person
eumoirous happy because innocent and good.
(This word, though not in OED, can be found in other commercial word-sources.)
eupeptic having good digestion; also,
of cheerful disposition
euphonious pleasing or sweet in sound; smooth-sounding
euphuism eponym: affected elegance of language
Eurosclerosis the 'disease' of rigid, slow-moving labor markets in
Europe
euterpean eponym: pertaining to music
eutrapely pleasantness in conversation,
one of the seven moral virtues that Aristotle enumerated. In the New Testament
this word was used to mean 'reprehensible levity of speech'.
eutrophy state of being well nourished. (A eutropic
body of water is over-rich in organic and mineral nutrients which promote plant
life at the expense of animal life, esp. as due to pollution.)
evitable avoidable (contrast the familiar
word inevitable)
evolution a pattern of movements
[among other meanings, of course. from Latin unrolling]
ex cathedra spoken with authority; may be
used ironically to describe dogmatic, self-certain statements. (literally
"from the chair; in Roman Catholic doctrine, refers to the Pope speaking
with infallibility)
excelsior 1. more lofty; still higher; ever upward 2. slender,
curved wood shavings used especially for packing
excerebrose brainless; having
no brain
excipient a usually inert substance that forms a vehicle, as for a drug
exclave a part of a country which is separate
from the main body
excruciating [from cruce, cross, referring to the pain of
crucifixion] intensely painful; agonizing; also very intense or extreme:
excruciating precision
exigent requiring immediate attention;
demanding; exacting (see exiguous)
exiguous scanty; sparse; meager (see exigent)
exonumia items, as tokens
or medals, that resemble money but are not intended to circulate as money
exonym the name for place in a foreign language
(e.g., Roma is called Rome in English); contrast endonym
exorable capable of being moved by
entreaty (contrast the familiar word inexorable)
expeditious quick and efficient
exponential with very large increase or
other change, esp. a very rapid one [Note: In precise scientific usage,
'exponential' need not be large or rapid; it is simply "the bigger it is,
the faster it grows."]
expurgate to purge of anything offensive; as, to expurgate a book
extemporanea casual and spontaneous acts or
remarks [not in the dictionaries, not even in OED, but used in print
occasionally]
extirpate 1. to pull up, as by the roots 2. to destroy
completely 3. to remove surgically 4. to render locally extinct
extirpated locally extinct
eye rhyme a "rhyme" of words that do not rhyme, but whose spellings
look like they rhyme. (example: pint
and lint)
