enough to make a grown man cry
Extremely frustrating or upsetting
Browse all entries 662
All languages English Tiếng Việt
enough to make the angels weep
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
ensign bearer
A drunken man, who looks red in the face, or hoists his colours in his drink.
enter on the boards
to start a career on the stage
entre nous
Between you and me, in confidence. Eolus. See Eon. See JEow. Epact (e'pakt) (Gr. epagein, to intercalate). The excess of the solar over the lunar year, the former consisting of 365 days, and the latter of 354, or eleven days fewer.
Episcopal Signatures
It is the custom of bishops of the Church of England to sign themselves with their Christian name and name of their see. In some of the older dioceses the Latin form is used, sometimes abbreviated * — Cantuar: Canterbury Roffen: Rochester. Winton: Winchester. Sarum: Salisbury. Cicestr: Chichester. Truron: Truro. Exon: Exeter. Ebor- York.
Epitaph on W
S. Gilbert by "Anthony Hope" Hawkins. Epoch (e' pok) (Gr., a stoppage, pause). A definite point of time; also the period that dates from such, the sequence of events that spring from it. The word is used with much the same sense as "era"; we speak of both the "Epoch" and the "Era'* of the Reformation, for instance.
Epsom Races
Horse races instituted in the early 17th century and held on Epsom Downs for four days m May. The second day (Wednes- day) is "Derby day" (<?.v.), and on the fourth the "Oaks" (q.v.) is run.
epsom salts
Magnesium sulphate; used medicinally as a purgative, etc., and so called because it was originally (from 1618) obtained by the evaporation of the water of a mineral spring m the vicinity of Epsom, Surrey.
Equation of Time
The difference between mean and apparent time — i.e. the difference between the time as shown by a perfect clock and that indicated by a sundial. The greatest difference is at the beginning of November, when the sun is somewhat more than sixteen minutes slow. There are days m December, April, June, and September when the sun and the clocks agree.
equipt
Rich; also, having new clothes. Well equipt; full of money, or well dressed. The cull equipped me with a brace of meggs; the gentleman furnished me with. a couple of guineas.
equity through counsel
At one time soli- citors belonged to Courts of Equity, and attorneys to the other courts.
Erandson of Linus
Tradition further adds that ucius wrote to Eleutherus, Bishop of Rome, to send missionaries to Britain to convert the people.
Ermine Street
One of the most ancient roads in Britain; originally running from Colchester by way of Godmanchester and Lincoln to York, but later connected by the Romans with London, in the south, and the Wall of Hadrian in the north. The origin of the name is obscure, but it is not Roman. It may be connected with Old Teutonic irmin, mighty, large. The most important of the other so-called "Roman roads" in Britain are Watling Street, Icknield Street?
err on the side of caution
Choose the safer option to avoid potential risks or problems
erth sith-noms
Three months,—a term of imprisonment unfortunately very familiar to the lower orders. Generally known as a "drag."
erth-pu
Three-up, a street game, played with three halfpence.
escape fire
to narrowly avoid a dangerous or difficult situation
esclop
Police, now used to signify a constable only. ESCLOP is pronounced "slop" simply, but the c was never sounded. A policeman is now and then called, by some purist or stickler for etiquette, an "esclopnam."
Esoteric Buddhism
See THEOSOPHY. Esprit de corps (es' pre de kor) (ft-.).
esprit de corps
A sense of unity and loyalty among members of a group
esqrs
OF CAMBRIDGE; AND WILLIAM SOAMES, ESQ. OF
Esquiline Hill
It is a single block of marble, and is attributed to Agesandrus, Athenodorus, and Polydorus of the School of Rhodes in the 2nd century B.C. It has been restored. .
essence peddler
A skunk.
essex stile
A ditch.
Eteatic Philosophy
Founded by Xenophanes of Elea (about 530 B.C.), who, in opposition to the current Greek system founded on poly- theism and anthropomorphism, taught the unity and unchangeableness of the Divine. Through Parmenides and Zeno in the 5th century the school exercised great influence on Phxto.
eternal sleep
Death or a permanent state of unconsciousness
eternal triangle
A relationship between three people, where two are romantically involved with the third.
Eternity is in love with the productions of time. (William Blake)
The timeless and eternal are inspired by mortal creations
Etesian Wind
A Mediterranean wind which rises annually (Gr. etos, a year) about the dog-days, and blows forty days together in the same direction. It is gentle and mild.
etna over him
The poets say that the flames of the volcano arise from the breath of this giant.
Ettrick Shepherd
The name given to James Hogg (1770-1835), the Scottish poet who was born at Ettrick, Selkirkshire, the son of a shepherd, and himself a shepherd at Willans- lee. He obtained his first success in 1807 with a volume of verse entitled The Mountain Bard; his principal work is, however, The Queen's Wake, 1813. Hogg figures largely in Wilson's Noctes Ambrosianae.
eucharist after consecration
In the Church of England "real" implies that — The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. — (Thirty-nine Articles; No. xxviii.
eureka moment
A moment of sudden, exciting discovery
Europe by Dr
Linacre, physican to Henry VIII, about 1540. Damiens' Bed of Steel (dam' i enz). Robert Francois Damiens, in 1757, atternpted the life of Louis XV.
european languages
The plan was immediately adopted and it soon became the most ambitious propaganda campaign of World War II, The Morse Code V (• • • — ) was featured in every B.B.C. broadcast to Europe; this was followed by the use of the opening bar of Beethoven's 5th Symphony which has the same rhythm. "Colonel Britton" (Douglas E. Ritchie, director of the B.B.C.
european peoples sprang
Anthropologists have devoted to the subject much study as yet inconclusive; philologists have classified the Indo-European languages in such broad groups as Greek; Latin; Celtic; Teutonic; Sanskrit and Iranian; Armenian; Slavonic; Albanian.
Euxine Sea
The Greek name for the Black Sea (#.v.), meaning the "hospitable." It was originally called by that people Axeinos, inhospitable, on account of its stormy charac- ter and rocky shores; but this name was changed euphemistically, as it was never thought wise to give a derogatory (even though true) name to any force of nature. Cp. ERINYES and EUMENIDES.
Evel Knievel
Someone who takes bold risks
even a worm will turn
An oppressed person will eventually rebel against their oppressor.
even from a foe a man may learn wisdom
One can learn from anyone, regardless of their intentions
even if
despite a possibility that
even keel
In a stable or balanced state
even money
Odds that are equal for both sides of a bet
even more difficult
Common English phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
even more exciting
Increasingly thrilling or interesting
even the score
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
even then
even at that time or under those circumstances
even though
Despite something being true
ever after
from now on, for all time
Ever and Anon
From time to time. See ANON. Ever-Victorious Army, The. A force of Chinese, officered by Europeans and Ameri- cans, raised in 1 861, and placed under the command of Gordon. See CHINESE GORDON. By 1864 it had stamped out the Taeping re- bellion, which had broken out in 1851.
ever since(…)
from a particular time in the past until now
everlasting shoes
The feet. The barefooted children about the Seven Dials, and other low quarters of London, are said to wear EVERLASTING SHOES and stockings. Another expression in connexion with this want is, "the shoes and stockings their mothers gave them."
everlasting staircase
A never-ending or constantly repetitive task
every bit
completely or entirely
every cloud has a silver lining
Bad situations have some good aspects
every day
daily, or on each day
every dog has his day
Everyone will have a moment of success or triumph
every dog has his day
You may crow over me to-day, but my turn will come by and by. In Latin Hodie mihi, eras tibi, "To-day to me, tomorrow to thee." "Nunc mihi^ nunc tibi, bemgna" (fortuna), fortune visits every man once; she favours me now, but she will favour you in your turn.
every fool is pleased with his own folly
People are often satisfied with their own foolish decisions or actions