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's endeavor, to do one's duty; to put forth strenuous efforts to attain an object; -- a phrase derived from the Middle English phrase "to do one's dever" (duty). "Mr. Prynne proceeded to show he had done endeavor to prepare his answer." Fuller.

Used in entreaty; pleading. [R.] "Entreative phrase." A. Brewer.

The emphatic repetition of a word or phrase, at the end of several sentences or stanzas.

Term; expression; phrase. "Stiffed with epithets of war." Shak.

Capable of being erased.

Spirit. Esprit de corps (, a French phrase much used by English writers to denote the common spirit pervading the members of a body or association of persons. It implies sympathy, enthusiasm, devotion, and jealous regard for the honor of the body as a whole.

ethereal guest, Answered evasive of the sly request. Pope. Stammered out a few evasive phrases. Macaulay. -- E*va"sive*ly , adv. -- E*va"sive*ness, n.

malady or disease; especially in the phrase king's evil, the scrofula. [R.] Shak. He [Edward the Confessor] was the first that touched for the evil. Addison.

Containing, expressing, or using exclamation; as, an exclamatory phrase or speaker. South. -- Ex*clam"a*to*ti*ly, adv.

Of or pertaining to, or characterized by, exophthalmia. Exophthalmic golter. Same as Rasedow's disease.

rely for the purpose of filling up; superfluous. "Expletive imagery." Hallam. Expletive phrases to plump his speech. Barrow.

ent act; retrospective. Ex post facto law, a law which operates by after enactment. The phrase is popularly applied to any law, civil or criminal, which is enacted with a retrospective effect, and with intention to produce that effect; but in its true application, as employed in American law, it relates only to crimes,…

A form of words in which an idea or sentiment is conveyed; a mode of speech; a phrase; as, a common expression; an odd expression.

Of, or relating to, expression; phraseological; also, vividly representing or suggesting an idea sentiment. Fized. Hall. Ruskin.

Presence; sight; front; as in the phrases, before the face of, in the immediate presence of; in the face of, before, in, or against the front of; as, to fly in the face of danger; to the face of, directly to; from the face of, from the presenceof.

; failure; deficiency; fault; -- mostly superseded by failure or failing, except in the phrase without fail. "His highness' fail of issue." Shak.

An addition to, or a paraphrase of, some part of the Latin service in the vernacular; -- common in English before the Reformation.

liver. Thackeray. Fast and loose, now cohering, now disjoined; inconstant, esp. in the phrases to play at fast and loose, to play fast and loose, to act with giddy or reckless inconstancy or in a tricky manner; to say one thing and do another "Play fast and loose with faith." Shak. Fast and loose pulleys (Mach.), two…

Kind; nature; species; -- from the proverbial phrase, "Birds of a feather," that is, of the same species. [R.] I am not of that feather to shake off My friend when he must need me. Shak.

from the ground like feathered Mercury. Shak. Nonsense feathered with soft and delicate phrases and pointed with pathetic accent. Dr. J. Scott.