📖 E — The English dictionary · page 37

existential — Everyday, meaning 1: Existential means to do with existence, especially the big questions about why we exist and what life means.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An existential threat or danger is one that could end something completely, such as a species, a country or the world.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) An «existential crisis» is a time when someone worries deeply about the meaning of their life, often used jokingly.↗ Example: Asking «Why do we exist?» is an existential question.↗ · Some scientists call climate change an existential threat.↗ · My brother had an existential crisis when he turned eighteen.↗ · Losing its forest is an existential danger for the orangutan.↗ · Philosophers have argued about existential ideas for centuries.↗ · «I'm having an existential crisis about which cereal to choose,» joked Mum.↗

exit — Everyday, meaning 1: A door or way out of a building, room, vehicle or motorway.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The act of leaving.↗ e.g. "He made a quick exit."↗ Everyday, meaning 3: As a verb, to go out or leave, or to close a program on a computer.↗ Example: Use the fire exit in an emergency.↗ · Never block an exit.↗ · Follow the exit signs to leave.↗ · Take the next exit off the highway.↗ · Exit the game and save your work.↗ · The cinema has two exits.↗ · At the exit of the wood the lion stood still, and the Prince took leave of him, having first thanked him warmly for his kind protection.↗

exodus — Everyday, meaning 1: (Bible) Exodus is the second book of the Bible, telling how Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, through the Red Sea, to Mount Sinai where God gave the Ten Commandments.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An exodus is when a large number of people leave a place at the same time.↗ Example: Moses led the people out of Egypt in the Exodus.↗ · The book of Exodus tells about the ten plagues.↗ · There was an exodus from the beach when the rain started.↗ · At the final whistle, an exodus of fans filled the streets.↗ · The Ten Commandments are in Exodus.↗ · Jews remember the Exodus every Passover.↗ · It is just possible that there may have been a local legend to account for the depopulation by an exodus of the children.↗ · Kings vi.↗ 23 and Exodus xxv.↗ 18, and indeed Genesis iii.↗ 24.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · Another association between language, mouth, and genitals, though the connection (if any) with the SY is unclear, is found in the idiom עָרְלַת שְׂפָתַיִם ʽorlat sefatayim ‘uncircumcised of lips’, probably meaning one who is unskilled in speech, e.g. [Exodus 6:12].↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗

exonerated — Everyday, meaning 1: If someone is exonerated, they are officially shown or declared not guilty of something they were blamed or accused of.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: More generally, it means freed from blame.↗ Example: The man was exonerated after DNA proved he was innocent.↗ · The inquiry exonerated the nurse of any blame.↗ · When the real thief confessed, Sam was exonerated.↗ · She was fully exonerated by the court.↗ · The video exonerated the goalkeeper.↗ · In the story, the detective exonerated the butler.↗

exoplanet — Everyday, meaning 1: An exoplanet is a planet that goes around a star other than our Sun.↗ Example: Astronomers have found thousands of exoplanets.↗ · An exoplanet orbits a faraway star.↗ · Some exoplanets are giant balls of gas.↗ · Could an exoplanet have life?↗ · The telescope spotted an exoplanet by watching its star dim.↗ · The exoplanet is too far away to visit.↗

exoskeleton — Everyday, meaning 1: An exoskeleton is a hard outer covering that supports and protects the body of animals such as insects, spiders, crabs and lobsters, instead of bones inside.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A robotic exoskeleton is a machine suit worn on the outside of the body to help a person walk or lift heavy things.↗ Example: A beetle's exoskeleton is hard and shiny.↗ · Crabs moult their exoskeleton as they grow.↗ · We have an endoskeleton, but insects have an exoskeleton.↗ · The exoskeleton protects the spider's soft body.↗ · A robotic exoskeleton helped the man walk again.↗ · We found the empty exoskeleton of a cicada on a tree.↗

exotic — Everyday, meaning 1: Exotic means coming from or belonging to a faraway country, especially a hot one, and seeming unusual and exciting.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Exotic can mean very unusual and colourful, not ordinary.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (science) An exotic species is a plant or animal brought into a place where it does not naturally live.↗ Example: We tried exotic fruits like lychees and passion fruit.↗ · Parrots are exotic birds from warm countries.↗ · The holiday brochure showed exotic beaches.↗ · Keeping exotic pets like snakes needs special care.↗ · Rabbits were an exotic species in Australia and spread everywhere.↗ · Her costume was bright and exotic.↗

expand — Everyday, meaning 1: To expand is to become bigger, or to make something bigger.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To expand something like a business or town is to make it grow and cover more.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To expand on an idea is to say or write more about it.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: In maths, to expand is to write something out in a longer form.↗ Example: Metals expand when they get hot.↗ · Water expands when it freezes, so a full bottle in the freezer can crack.↗ · The balloon expanded as I blew into it.↗ · Write 4,206 in expanded form: 4,000 + 200 + 6.↗ · Please expand on your idea with an example.↗ · The town expanded into the fields.↗ · Your lungs expand when you breathe in.↗ · The bakery expanded and opened a second shop.↗ · "Travelling expands the mind very much," said the beetle.↗

expanse — Everyday, meaning 1: An expanse is a very wide, open area of land, sea, sky or something else.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: It suggests something large and empty or smooth stretching out far.↗ Example: A vast expanse of sand stretched in front of us.↗ · We looked out over the blue expanse of the ocean.↗ · The plane flew over a white expanse of snow.↗ · An expanse of green fields surrounded the farm.↗ · Stars filled the dark expanse of the sky.↗ · The prairie was a huge, flat expanse.↗ · Tartarus was a vast and gloomy expanse, as far below Hades as the earth is distant from the skies.↗

expansion — Everyday, meaning 1: Getting bigger in size, amount or space.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (science) The way a material takes up more space when it gets warmer.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: The growth of a business, a town or an empire into new places.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (maths) Writing a number or an expression out in a longer form, such as 345 = 300 + 40 + 5.↗ Example: The expansion of the balloon showed that the air inside was getting warmer.↗ · Bridges have small gaps to allow for expansion on hot days.↗ · The expansion of the school means we will get a new library.↗ · Write 4,562 in expanded form: 4,000 + 500 + 60 + 2.↗ · The company's expansion brought new jobs to the town.↗ · The Roman Empire's expansion covered many lands.↗ · Water's expansion when it freezes can crack a pipe.↗

expect — Everyday, meaning 1: To think or believe that something will happen.↗ e.g. I expect it will rain.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To wait for someone or something that should arrive: we are expecting visitors.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To think someone should do something because it is right or their duty: teachers expect us to listen.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: "Expecting (a baby)" means pregnant.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: In British speech, "I expect" can mean "I suppose".↗ e.g. I expect you're hungry.↗ Example: I expect it will be sunny tomorrow.↗ · We are expecting Grandma at six o'clock.↗ · What do you expect will happen when we add the vinegar?↗ · The results were just as we expected.↗ · My teacher expects us to hand homework in on time.↗ · I didn't expect so many people to come!↗ · Roll a dice 60 times and you'd expect about 10 sixes.↗ · Aunt Sue is expecting a baby in spring.↗ · It is just what I expected.↗

expectancy — Everyday, meaning 1: Expectancy is the feeling that something exciting or important is about to happen.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «Life expectancy» is the number of years a person or animal is likely to live, on average.↗ Example: Life expectancy in the UK is about eighty years.↗ · There was an air of expectancy as the curtain rose.↗ · Long ago, life expectancy was much lower because many babies died young.↗ · The life expectancy of a pet hamster is about two years.↗ · The children waited in silent expectancy for the results.↗ · Clean water has raised life expectancy around the world.↗ · A dog's life expectancy depends on its breed.↗

expectation — Everyday, meaning 1: An expectation is a belief that something will happen.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Expectations are what people hope or require someone to do or be: «high expectations».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (maths) Expectation is the average result you expect over many tries, as in probability.↗ Example: The team did better than expectations.↗ · The film didn't live up to my expectations.↗ · Our teacher has high expectations.↗ · Against all expectations, the little horse won.↗ · If you flip a coin 100 times, the expectation is 50 heads.↗ · There is an expectation that everyone helps tidy up.↗ · While they were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible calamity, out came a Mouse.↗ · And I said: 'My strength is perished, and mine expectation from the LORD.'↗ (Writings LAM.3.18, JPS 1917)↗ · The hope of the righteous is gladness; but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.↗ (Writings PRO.10.28, JPS 1917)↗ · When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of strength perisheth.↗ (Writings PRO.11.7, JPS 1917)↗

expecting — Everyday, meaning 1: (euphemism) pregnant, going to have a baby.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: waiting for something you think will come or happen: «I'm expecting a parcel».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: thinking something will probably happen: «we're expecting rain».↗ Example: My aunt is expecting, so I'm going to be a cousin!↗ · They announced they were expecting their second child.↗ · Is she expecting?↗ She's been looking a bit tired.↗ · We're expecting twins in the autumn.↗ · I'm expecting a call from the dentist.↗ · The weather forecasters are expecting heavy snow tonight.↗ · The teacher was expecting the answer to be 24.↗ · "Expecting what?" asked Tom, who didn't understand the grown-ups.↗ · We're expecting a bridegroom, but the confounded fellow has disappeared."↗

expectoration — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal, medical) Expectoration is coughing up and spitting out mucus (phlegm) from the chest and throat.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: More generally, it is a formal word for spitting.↗ Example: The doctor asked about his cough and expectoration.↗ · Some cough syrups help with expectoration.↗ · An old tram sign said «Expectoration forbidden».↗ · Expectoration in public spreads germs.↗ · Catch coughs in a tissue to avoid spreading what comes up with expectoration.↗ · Expectoration is a fancy word for spitting.↗

expedient — Everyday, meaning 1: (adjective) Useful and suitable for getting a result quickly, even if it is not the best or fairest way.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A quick, clever way of solving a problem, often a makeshift trick.↗ Example: Using the rope was an expedient way to climb down.↗ · Her expedient got her out of the trap.↗ · He found a clever expedient to win the race.↗

expedite — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) To make something happen faster; to speed up a process.↗ Example: Paying extra will expedite the delivery.↗ · The school wants to expedite the repair of the roof.↗ · Please expedite your reply.↗ · Filling in the form now will expedite the process.↗ · We chose expedited shipping so the parcel arrives sooner.↗ · The manager expedited the order for the party.↗

expedition — Everyday, meaning 1: An expedition is a long, organised journey to a far place, especially to explore, study or climb.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The expedition is also the group of people making the journey.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal, humorous) A short trip with a purpose, like a shopping expedition.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A military expedition is an organised journey by an army to attack or conquer a place.↗ Example: The explorers set off on an expedition to the South Pole.↗ · The expedition took six months and twenty men.↗ · Scientists went on an expedition to study rainforest frogs.↗ · Our class went on a fossil-hunting expedition to the beach.↗ · Mum called the trip to the supermarket «a shopping expedition».↗ · The mountain-climbing expedition reached the top at dawn.↗ · The leader of the expedition kept a diary.↗ · It happened that the men of Lochlann came on an expedition against Ireland.↗

expeditious — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Quick and efficient; done fast and without wasting time.↗ Example: We thank you for your expeditious reply.↗ · The council promised an expeditious repair of the road.↗ · The most expeditious way to the station is by train.↗ · The judge asked for an expeditious end to the case.↗ · The nurse dealt with the queue in an expeditious way.↗ · An expeditious tidy-up meant we could go out to play sooner.↗

expel — Everyday, meaning 1: To expel a pupil is to make them leave a school for good because they behaved very badly.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To expel someone is to force them to leave a country, club or group.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (science) To expel something is to push it out with force, like air from your lungs.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To expel someone from an office or job is to remove them from it.↗ Example: The boy was expelled from school for fighting.↗ · Breathing out expels air from your lungs.↗ · He was expelled from the club for cheating.↗ · The volcano expelled ash and gas.↗ · Squeeze the bottle to expel the water.↗ · The king expelled the traitor from the land.↗ · Being expelled is more serious than being suspended.↗ · The pump expels 2 litres of water each minute.↗ · He expelled Menesthius from office, rigorously punished the ringleaders of the revolt, and placed himself once more upon the throne.↗