📖 E — The English dictionary · page 8

ejection — Everyday, meaning 1: Ejection is pushing or throwing something out with force.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Ejection is making someone leave a place, such as a sports player sent off.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: An ejection seat lets a pilot be shot out of a plane in an emergency.↗ Example: The ejection of ash from the volcano darkened the sky.↗ · The player's ejection from the game upset the fans.↗ · The pilot escaped using the ejection seat.↗ · Press the button for ejection of the disc.↗ · The bouncer's ejection of the rude man was quick.↗ · The ejection of the cork from the bottle made a pop.↗

el — Everyday, meaning 1: The name of the letter L.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (USA) the El or el: an elevated railway, a train on a raised track above the street, especially in Chicago.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (Spanish) «el» means «the» before a masculine noun, as in El Paso or El Niño; it is not an English word.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: El Niño: a change in the Pacific Ocean that makes the weather unusual around the world.↗ Example: In Chicago we rode the El over the city streets.↗ · El Paso is a city in Texas; the name is Spanish for «the pass».↗ · El Niño can bring heavy rain to Peru and droughts to Australia.↗ · «El» is the Spanish word for «the».↗ · El Salvador is a small country in Central America.↗ · Write a capital el at the start of «London».↗ · And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.↗ (Torah GEN.33.20, JPS 1917)↗ · and the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.↗ (Torah GEN.14.6, JPS 1917)↗ · And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Beth-el.↗ (Torah GEN.35.15, JPS 1917)↗ · and Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el; (Prophets JOS.18.22, JPS 1917)↗ · the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Beth-el, one; (Prophets JOS.12.16, JPS 1917)↗ · The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.↗ (Writings EZR.2.28, JPS 1917)↗

elaborate — Everyday, meaning 1: (adjective) Having many parts or details; carefully planned and complicated: «an elaborate costume».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb) To give more details or explain more: «Can you elaborate on your answer?».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb, formal) To develop a plan or idea in detail.↗ Example: The princess wore an elaborate gown with gold stitching.↗ · Can you elaborate on why you think the character is sad?↗ · The thieves made an elaborate plan to steal the jewels.↗ · Grandma baked an elaborate three-layer cake.↗ · The cathedral has elaborate carvings.↗ · "Please elaborate," said the teacher, "your answer is too short."↗ · The magician's trick was very elaborate.↗ · It is a trifle too elaborate.↗ · But the time of its composition and the name of its author have not yet been ascertained, despite of the most elaborate researches of renowned archaeologists.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗

eland — Everyday, meaning 1: A very large African antelope with spiral horns on both males and females, light brown colour and a hanging fold of skin on the throat; it is the largest antelope in the world.↗ Example: The eland is the biggest kind of antelope.↗ · Elands can jump very high for such large animals.↗ · The Eland and the Kudu ran into the forest.↗ · A herd of eland grazed on the veldt.↗ · Both male and female elands have twisted horns.↗ · The eland has a fold of skin hanging from its neck.↗ · By-and-by they met with a troop of great deer, called elands, and they stopped when they saw Thakane and sang:↗

elapse — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Of time: to pass by.↗ Example: Three hours elapsed before help arrived.↗ · Find the elapsed time from 10:20 to 11:05.↗ It is 45 minutes.↗ · A week elapsed and still no letter came.↗ · Ten minutes had elapsed when the bell rang.↗ · Use a clock to work out the elapsed time.↗ · Weeks elapsed before the plant flowered.↗

elapsed — Everyday, meaning 1: When time has elapsed, it has passed.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Elapsed time is the amount of time between a start and an end.↗ Example: Ten minutes elapsed before the bus came.↗ · Find the elapsed time from 9:15 to 10:40.↗ · The stopwatch shows the elapsed time of the race.↗ · Hours elapsed while we played the game.↗ · Not much time had elapsed before the ice melted.↗ · What is the elapsed time if a film starts at 6:30 and ends at 8:05?↗ · After some little time had elapsed the Queen spoke one night, and said:↗

elastic — Everyday, meaning 1: Elastic is a material that stretches and then goes back to its shape, often sewn into clothes.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Elastic describes anything that can stretch and spring back.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: An elastic band is a rubber band.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Elastic can also describe thoughts or plans that change easily to suit a situation.↗ Example: My trousers have elastic at the waist.↗ · Put an elastic band round the cards.↗ · Rubber is an elastic material.↗ · We stretched the elastic band and measured how long it got.↗ · The elastic in my sock has gone loose.↗ · She tied her hair back with an elastic.↗ · Don't flick elastic bands at people; they can hurt eyes.↗ · His thoughts were so elastic, his heart so tender; and involuntarily he picked one of the nearest flowers.↗

elasticity — Everyday, meaning 1: The ability of a material to stretch or bend and then go back to its original shape.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (money) How much the amount people buy changes when the price changes.↗ Example: Rubber bands have great elasticity.↗ · The old elastic in my trousers has lost its elasticity.↗ · We tested the elasticity of different materials.↗ · Skin loses some elasticity as people get older.↗ · A trampoline works because of the elasticity of its mat.↗ · Springs have elasticity until you stretch them too far.↗

elbow — Everyday, meaning 1: Your elbow is the joint in the middle of your arm where it bends.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To elbow someone means to push them with your elbow.↗ Example: Sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.↗ · I fell off my bike and grazed my elbow.↗ · Your elbow is a hinge joint.↗ · Please keep your elbows off the table.↗ · He elbowed me in the queue!↗ · She leaned her elbows on the desk.↗ · There's no elbow room on this crowded bus.↗ · Hardly had he spoken these words, when the Swede raised himself on his elbow.↗ · and say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the women that sew cushions upon all elbows, and make pads for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls!↗ (Prophets EZK.13.18, JPS 1917)↗

elder — Everyday, meaning 1: Elder means older, often said of a brother or sister: «my elder sister».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An elder is an older person, often one who is respected and wise in a family or group.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: An elder is a small tree with white flowers and dark berries (elderberries).↗ Example: Her elder brother is 12.↗ · His elder sister is 4 years older than him.↗ · The elder sister is twice as old as the younger.↗ · How old is the elder child?↗ · The village elders met to decide.↗ · Be polite to your elders.↗ · She is the eldest of four children.↗ · We made jam from elderberries.↗ · The elder brother was very angry.↗ · And Moses withdrew into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.↗ (Torah NUM.11.30, JPS 1917)↗ · And the elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him.↗ (Torah DEU.22.18, JPS 1917)↗ · And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.↗ (Torah EXO.4.29, JPS 1917)↗ · And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.↗ (Prophets 2SA.17.4, JPS 1917)↗ · Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.↗ (Writings 1CH.21.16, JPS 1917)↗ · To bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom.↗ (Writings PSA.105.22, JPS 1917)↗

elderly — Everyday, meaning 1: Elderly is a polite word for old, used about people.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «The elderly» means old people in general.↗ Example: An elderly man sat on the bench feeding the ducks.↗ · We visited our elderly neighbour with a cake.↗ · Give your seat to elderly people on the bus.↗ · My great-grandmother is elderly but still walks every day.↗ · The care home looks after elderly residents.↗ · Scammers sometimes target the elderly.↗ · The elderly lady thanked us for helping.↗ · Heatwaves can be dangerous for elderly people.↗ · An elderly man looked after it all.↗

eldest — Everyday, meaning 1: Eldest means oldest, used for people in the same family: «my eldest brother».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The eldest is the oldest child in a family.↗ Example: Tom is the eldest of four children.↗ · My eldest sister is at university.↗ · The eldest daughter looked after the little ones.↗ · Sara is 12, Ben 9, Mo 7; who is the eldest?↗ · In fairy tales the eldest brother often fails first.↗ · She's my eldest.↗ (her oldest child)↗ · Well, the eldest son undertook the task.↗ · And he searched, beginning at the eldest, and leaving off at the youngest; and the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack.↗ (Torah GEN.44.12, JPS 1917)↗ · And David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul. — (Prophets 1SA.17.14, JPS 1917)↗ · Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall.↗ (Prophets 2KI.3.27, JPS 1917)↗ · And it fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, (Writings JOB.1.13, JPS 1917)↗

elect — Everyday, meaning 1: To choose someone for a job or position by voting.↗ e.g. The class elected Sam as captain.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) To choose or decide to do something.↗ e.g. She elected to stay at home.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (adjective) Chosen but not yet started in the job: the president-elect.↗ Example: Our class elected two school council members.↗ · She was elected mayor with 2,000 votes.↗ · People elect a government by voting.↗ · He elected to walk rather than take the bus.↗ · The newly elected captain made a speech.↗ · If Ana got 14 votes and Ben got 9, Ana was elected by 5 votes.↗ · At a great meeting of the Animals, who had gathered to elect a new ruler, the Monkey was asked to dance.↗ · These were the elect of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.↗ (Torah NUM.1.16, JPS 1917)↗ · These are that Dathan and Abiram, the elect of the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD; (Torah NUM.26.9, JPS 1917)↗ · and they rose up in face of Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty men; they were princes of the congregation, the elect men of the assembly, men of renown; (Torah NUM.16.2, JPS 1917)↗ · For the sake of Jacob My servant, and Israel Mine elect, I have called thee by thy name, I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me.↗ (Prophets ISA.45.4, JPS 1917)↗ · And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto Mine elect: 'So may the Lord GOD slay thee'; but He shall call His servants by another name; (Prophets ISA.65.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Behold My servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My spirit upon him, he shall make the right to go forth to the nations.↗ (Prophets ISA.42.1, JPS 1917)↗

elected — Everyday, meaning 1: Elected means chosen by people voting.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: As an adjective, elected describes a person who got their job by a vote, like an elected leader.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal) Elected to do something means chose to do it.↗ Example: Sam was elected class captain.↗ · The mayor was elected by the people of the town.↗ · Our school council is elected every term.↗ · She was elected with 120 votes.↗ · The newly elected leader gave a speech.↗ · He elected to stay at home rather than go to the party.↗ · George has been elected Professor of the Fifth Class, number Eight."↗

election — Everyday, meaning 1: An election is when people vote to choose someone, like a leader, a government or a class representative.↗ Example: Our class held an election for school council.↗ · The country votes in a general election.↗ · She won the election by 5 votes.↗ · Who will win the election?↗ · People who are 18 or older can vote in the election.↗ · The election results were shown on a bar chart.↗ · He stood in the election but lost.↗ · Out of 28 votes, Ana got 15, so she won the election.↗ · Shortly after that, another election among the Animals was held.↗

elector — Everyday, meaning 1: An elector is a person who has the right to vote in an election.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (USA) An elector is a member of the Electoral College, who formally chooses the President.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (history) An Elector was one of the princes who chose the Holy Roman Emperor.↗ Example: Every elector gets one vote.↗ · The electors queued at the polling station.↗ · Candidates try to win the support of electors.↗ · In the USA, electors from each state choose the President.↗ · The Elector of Saxony was a powerful prince.↗ · Only adults can be electors in a general election.↗

electoral — Everyday, meaning 1: Electoral means to do with elections, where people vote to choose leaders or representatives.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: It is used in phrases such as «electoral roll» (the list of people allowed to vote) and «Electoral College» (the US system for choosing a president).↗ Example: Mum checked she was on the electoral roll.↗ · The USA uses the Electoral College to pick the president.↗ · Australia has an electoral commission that runs elections.↗ · Electoral fraud means cheating in an election.↗ · Each state gets a number of electoral votes.↗ · Our class made its own electoral rules for choosing a class rep.↗