Two factory workers are talking.
The woman says, "I can make the boss give me the day off."
The man replies, "And how would you do that?"
The woman says, "Just wait and see." She then hangs upside-down from the ceiling.
The boss comes in and says, "What are you doing?"
The woman replies, "I"m a light bulb."
The boss then says, "You"ve been working so much that you"ve gone crazy. I think you need to take the day off."
The man starts to follow her and the boss says, "Where are you going?"
The man says, "I"m going home, too. I can"t work in the dark."
- principles of justice used to correct or supplement the law.
- a value of the shares issued by a company. B (in pl.) Stocks and shares not bearing fixed interest. [latin aequitas: related to *equal]
ERASER
n. Thing that erases, esp. A piece of rubber etc. For removing pencil etc. Marks.
ERBIUM
n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [ytterby in sweden]
ERMINE
n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 stoat, esp. When white in winter.
- its white fur, used to trim robes etc. [french]
EROTIC
adj. Of or causing sexual love, esp. Tending to arouse sexual desire or excitement. erotically adv. [greek eros sexual love]
ERRAND
n. - short journey, esp. On another's behalf, to take a message, collect goods, etc.
- object of such a journey. [old english]
- of mercy n. Journey to relieve suffering etc.
ERRANT
adj. - erring.
- literary or archaic travelling in search of adventure (knight errant). errantry n. (in sense 2). [from *err: sense 2 ultimately from latin iter journey]
ERSATZ
adj. & n. Substitute, imitation. [german]
ESCAPE
clause n. Law clause specifying conditions under which a contracting party is free from an obligation.
- velocity n. Minimum velocity needed to escape from the gravitational field of a body.
- —v. (-ping) 1 (often foll. By from) get free of restriction or control.
- (of gas etc.) Leak.
- succeed in avoiding punishment etc.
- get free of (a person, grasp, etc.).
- avoid (a commitment, danger, etc.).
- elude the notice or memory of (nothing escapes you; name escaped me).
- (of words etc.) Issue unawares from (a person etc.). —n. - act or instance of escaping.
- means of escaping (often attrib.: escape hatch).
- leakage of gas etc.
- temporary relief from unpleasant reality. [latin cappa cloak]
ESCHEW
v. Formal avoid; abstain from. eschewal n. [germanic: related to *shy1]
Every night, wasps bite into the stem of a plant, lock their mandibles (jaws) into position, stretch out at right angles to the stem, and, with legs dangling, fall asleep.
