Elmo's fire, el′mōz fīr, n. the popular name of an electric appearance sometimes seen like a brush or star of light at the tops of masts, spars, &c.—Also known as the Fire of St Elias, of St Clara, of St Nicholas, and of Helena, as well as composite or composant (corpus sanctum) on the Suffolk sea-board. [Explained as a corr. of Helena, name of the sister of Castor and Pollux, or of St Erasmus, a 3d-cent. bishop, Italianised as Ermo, Elmo.]
Elocution, el-o-kū′shun, n. the art of effective speaking, more esp. of public speaking, regarding solely the utterance or delivery: eloquence.—adj. Elocū′tionary.—n. Elocū′tionist, one versed in elocution: a teacher of elocution. [Fr.,—L. elocution-em, eloqui, elocūtus—e, out, loqui, to speak.]
Éloge, ā-lōzh′, Elogium, ē-lō′ji-um, Elogy, el′o-ji, n. a funeral oration: a panegyric.—n. El′ogist, one who delivers an éloge. [Fr. éloge—L. elogium, a short statement, an inscription on a tomb, perh. confused with eulogy.]
Elohim, e-lō′him, n. the Hebrew name for God.—n. Elō′hist, the writer or writers of the Elohistic passages of the Old Testament.—adj. Elohist′ic, relating to Elohim—said of those passages in the Old Testament in which Elohim is used as the name for the Supreme Being instead of Jehovah. [Heb., pl. of Eloah—explained by Delitzsch as a plural of intensity.]
Eloin, Eloign, e-loin′, v.t. to convey to a distance, to separate and remove.—ns. Eloin′ment, Eloign′ment. [O. Fr. esloignier (Fr. éloigner)—Low L. elongāre. See Elongate.]
Elongate, e-long′gāt, v.t. to make longer: to extend.—p.adjs. Elong′ate, -d.—n. Elongā′tion, act of lengthening out: distance. [Low L. elongāre, -ātum—e, out, longus, long.]
Elope, e-lōp, v.i. to escape privately, said esp. of a woman, either married or unmarried, who runs away with a lover: to run away, bolt.—n. Elope′ment, a secret departure, esp. of a woman with a man. [Cf. Old Dut. ontlōpen, Ger. entlaufen, to run away.]
Eloquent, el′o-kwent, adj. having the power of speaking with fluency, elegance, and force: containing eloquence: persuasive.—n. El′oquence, the utterance of strong emotion in correct, appropriate, expressive, and fluent language: the art which produces fine speaking: persuasive speech.—adv. El′oquently. [L. eloquens, -entis, pr.p. of eloqui.]
Else, els, pron. other.—adv. otherwise: besides: except that mentioned.—advs. Else′where, in or to another place; Else′wise, in a different manner: otherwise. [A.S. elles, otherwise—orig. gen. of el, other; cf. Old High Ger. alles or elles.]
Elsin, el′sin, n. (Scot.) an awl. [From Old Dut. elssene (mod. els), from same root as awl.]