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An instrument, having stretched metallic wires which are beaten with two light hammers held in the hands of the performer.

Furnishing little delight, spirit, or variety; uninteresting; tedious; cheerless; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; as, a dull story or sermon; a dull occupation or period; hence, cloudy; overcast; as, a dull day. Along life's dullest, dreariest walk. Keble.

Imperfect obscurity; a middle degree between light and darkness; twilight; as, the dusk of the evening.

A light over-garment, worn in traveling to protect the clothing from dust. [U.S.]

clouded with dust; as, a dusty table; also, reducing to dust. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Shak.

An instrument for measuring the intensity of the photogenic (light-producing) rays, and computing the power of object glasses.

is remarkable for strength, size, graceful figure, keenness of vision, and extraordinary flight. The most noted species are the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaëtus); the imperial eagle of Europe (A. mogilnik or imperialis); the American bald eagle (Haliæetus leucocephalus); the European sea eagle (H. albicilla); and the gr…

pecially of something supernatural. [Written also eiryness.] The sense of eariness, as twilight came on. De Quincey.

A similar oxide, having a slight alkaline reaction, as lime, magnesia, strontia, baryta.

See Earth light, under Earth.

To release from pressure or restraint; to move gently; to lift slightly; to shift a little; as, to ease a bar or nut in machinery.

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

r layers, extending in a succession of annular rings beyond the central lens; - - used in lighthouses.

A fancied perception of flashes of light, a symptom of epilepsy; hence, epilepsy itself; convulsions.

An interception or obscuration of the light of the sun, moon, or other luminous body, by the intervention of some other body, either between it and the eye, or between the luminous body and that illuminated by it. A lunar eclipse is caused by the moon passing through the earth's shadow; a solar eclipse, by the moon com…

A rock consisting of granular red garnet, light green smaragdite, and common hornblende; -- so called in reference to its beauty.

Excessive and overmastering joy or enthusiasm; rapture; enthusiastic delight. He on the tender grass Would sit, and hearken even to ecstasy. Milton.

Delightful beyond measure; rapturous; ravishing; as, ecstatic bliss or joy.

The garden where Adam and Eve first dwelt; hence, a delightful region or residence.

ch. It does not appear probable that our dispute [about miracles] would either edify or enlighten the public. Gibbon.