Search the Dictionary

Coming in the first part of a period of time, or among the first of successive acts, events, etc. Seen in life's early morning sky. Keble. The forms of its earlier manhood. Longfellow. The earliest poem he composed was in his seventeenth summer. J. C. Shairp. Early English (Philol.) See the Note under English. -- Earl…

The name given by Mendelejeff in accordance with the periodic law, and by prediction, to a hypothetical element then unknown, but since discovered and named scandium; -- so called because it was a missing analogue of the boron group. See Scandium.

An aged person; one who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor. Carry your head as your elders have done. L'Estrange.

tinct and legible characters; as, to engross a deed or like instrument on parchment. Some period long past, when clerks engrossed their stiff and formal chirography on more substantial materials. Hawthorne. Laws that may be engrossed on a finger nail. De Quincey.

A collective name for reviews, magazines, and all kinds of periodical literature. Brande & C.

The period of violence in a fever or disease; paroxysm. Dunglison.

A period of time, longer or shorter, remarkable for events of great subsequent influence; a memorable period; as, the epoch of maritime discovery, or of the Reformation. "So vast an epoch of time." F. Harrison. The influence of Chaucer continued to live even during the dreary interval which separates from one another t…

A period of time reckoned from some particular date or epoch; a succession of years dating from some important event; as, the era of Alexander; the era of Christ, or the Christian era (see under Christian). The first century of our era. M. Arnold.

Periodical; annual; -- applied to winds which annually blow from the north over the Mediterranean, esp. the eastern part, for an irregular period during July and August.

at sunset. not at midnight; as, Christians eve is the evening before Christmas; also, the period immediately preceding some important event. "On the eve of death." Keble. Eve churr (Zoöl), the European goatsucker or nightjar; -- called also night churr, and churr owl.

The latter portion, as of life; the declining period, as of strength or glory.

Full of, or rich in, events or incidents; as, an eventful journey; an eventful period of history; an eventful period of life.

At any time; at any period or point of time. No man ever yet hated his own flesh. Eph. v. 29.

Continuing indefinitely, or during a long period; perpetual; sometimes used, colloquially, as a strong intensive; as, this everlasting nonsence. I will give to thee, and to thy seed after thee . . . the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. Gen xvii. 8. And heard thy everlasting yawn confess The pains and pena…

During eternity; always; forever; for an indefinite period; at all times; -- often used substantively with for. Seek the Lord . . . Seek his face evermore. Ps. cv. 4. And, behold, I am alive for evermore. Rev. i. 18. Which flow from the presence of God for evermore. Tillotson. I evermore did love you, Hermia. Shak.…

A periodical increase of violence in a disease, as in remittent or continious fever; an increased energy of diseased and painful action.

An editor who inspects, and culls from, periodicals, or exchanges, for his own publication.

utgrowth. [Obs.] "Ornamental excrements." Fuller. Living creatures put forth (after their period of growth) nothing that is young but hair and nails, which are excrements and no parts. Bacon.

Capability of shedding the skin periodically. Craig.

Passing belief; exceedingly great; as, a fabulous price. Macaulay. Fabulous age, that period in the history of a nation of which the only accounts are myths and unverified legends; as, the fabulous age of Greek and Rome. -- Fab"u*lous*ly, adv. -- Fab"u*lous*ness, n.