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Not difficult; requiring little labor or effort; slight; inconsiderable; as, an easy task; an easy victory. It were an easy leap. Shak.

elf." Byron. -- To eat to windward (Naut.), to keep the course when closehauled with but little steering; -- said of a vessel.

iled across the rafters at the eaves of a building, to raise the lower course of slates a little, or to receive the lowest course of tiles; -- called also eaves catch and eaves lath. -- Eaves channel, Eaves gutter, Eaves trough. Same as Gutter,

Without bracteoles, or little bracts; -- said of a pedicel or flower stalk.

A little, perennial, white, woolly plant (Leontopodium alpinum), growing at high elevations in the Alps.

To move by little and little or cautiously, as by pressing forward edgewise; as, edging their chairs forwards. Locke.

o mutton fish, and, erroneously, congo eel, ling, and lamper eel. Both are edible, but of little value.

cies are the American egret (Ardea, or Herodias, egretta); the great egret (A. alba); the little egret (A. garzetta), of Europe; and the American snowy egret (A. candidissima). A bunch of egrets killed for their plumage. G. W. Cable.

or action; free scope. "My soul hath elbowroom." Shak. Then came a stretch of grass and a little more elbowroom. W. G. Norris.

ted; height; exaltation. "Degrees of elevation above us." Locke. His style . . . wanted a little elevation. Sir H. Wotton.

An imaginary supernatural being, commonly a little sprite, much like a fairy; a mythological diminutive spirit, supposed to haunt hills and wild places, and generally represented as delighting in mischievous tricks. Every elf, and fairy sprite, Hop as light as bird from brier. Shak.

A little elf or urchin. Shenstone.

A little elf.

, in an incipient or undeveloped state; in conception, but not yet executed. "The company little suspected what a noble work I had then in embryo." Swift.

ngerous exploits. I love thy courage yet and bolt emprise; But here thy sword can do thee little stead. Milton.

vor, countenance, reward, etc.; incentive; increase of confidence; as, the fine arts find little encouragement among a rude people. To think of his paternal care, Is a most sweet encouragement to prayer. Byron.

To harden; to toughen; to make hardy. [Obs.] Manly limbs endured with little ease. Spenser.

A little epistle. Lamb.

he means of preserving the equipoise and the tranquillity of the commonwealth. Burke. Our little lives are kept in equipoise By opposite attractions and desires. Longfellow.

Some time ago; a little while before; heretofore. [Archaic] I am as fair now as I was erewhile. Shak.