A tough old cowboy told his grandson that if he wanted to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a little gunpowder on his oatmeal every morning. The grandson did this religiously, and lived to the age of 93.
When he died he left 14 children, 28 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren… and a 15-foot hole in the wall of the crematorium.
eye n. Gaze that is superstitiously believed to cause harm.
- —adj. - morally bad; wicked.
- harmful.
- disagreeable (evil temper). —n. - evil thing.
- wickedness. evilly adv. [old english]
EWER
n. Water-jug with a wide mouth. [latin aqua water]
EXAM
n. = *examination 3.
EXIT
poll n. Poll of people leaving a polling-station, asking how they voted.
- —n. - passage or door by which to leave a room etc.
- act or right of going out.
- place where vehicles can leave a motorway etc.
- actor's departure from the stage. —v. (-t-) 1 go out of a room etc.
- leave the stage (also as a direction: exit macbeth). [latin exeo exit- go out]
EXPO
n. (also expo) (pl. -s) large international exhibition. [abbreviation of *exposition 4]
EAGER
adj. Keen, enthusiastic (eager to learn; eager for news). eagerly adv. Eagerness n. [latin acer keen]
- beaver n. Colloq. Very diligent person.
EAGLE
eye n. Keen sight, watchfulness. eagle-eyed adj.
- n. - a large bird of prey with keen vision and powerful flight. B this as a symbol, esp. Of the us.
- score of two strokes under par at any hole in golf. [latin aquila]
EARLY
bird n. Colloq. Person who arrives, gets up, etc. Early.
- days n.pl. Too soon to expect results etc.
- on adv. At an early stage.
- —adj. & adv. (-ier, -iest) 1 before the due, usual, or expected time.
- a not far on in the day or night, or in time (early evening; at the earliest opportunity). B prompt (early payment appreciated).
- not far on in a period, development, or process of evolution; being the first stage (early english architecture; early spring).
- forward in flowering, ripening, etc. (early peaches). —n. (pl. -ies) (usu. In pl.) Early fruit or vegetable. earliness n. [old english: related to *ere]
EARTH
mother n. Sensual and maternal woman.
- sciences n.pl. Those concerned with the earth or part of it.
- —n. - a (also earth) the planet on which we live. B land and sea, as distinct from sky.
- a the ground (fell to earth). B soil, mould.
- relig. This world, as distinct from heaven or hell.
- connection to the earth as the completion of an electrical circuit.
- hole of a fox etc.
- (prec. By the) colloq. Huge sum; everything (cost the earth; want the earth). —v. - cover (plant-roots) with earth.
- connect (an electrical circuit) to the earth. come back (or down) to earth return to realities. Gone to earth in hiding. On earth colloq. Existing anywhere; emphatically (the happiest man on earth; looked like nothing on earth; what on earth have you done?). Run to earth find after a long search. earthward adj. & adv. Earthwards adv. [old english]
EASEL
n. Stand for an artist's work, a blackboard, etc. [dutch ezel ass]
