1. The fifth letter of the English alphabet. It derives its form, name, and value from the Latin, the form and value being further derived from the Greek, into which it came from the Phœnician, and ultimately, probably, from the Egyptian. Its etymological relations are closest with the vowels i, a, and o, as illustrated by to fall, to fell; man, pl. men; drink, drank, drench; dint, dent; doom, deem; goose, pl. geese; beef, OF. boef, L. bos; and E. cheer, OF. chiere, LL. cara. [ 1913 Webster ]

The letter e has in English several vowel sounds, the two principal being its long or name sound, as in eve, me, and the short, as in end, best. Usually at the end of words it is silent, but serves to indicate that the preceding vowel has its long sound, where otherwise it would be short, as in māne, cāne, mēte, which without the final e would be pronounced măn, căn, m&ebreve_;t. After c and g, the final e indicates that these letters are to be pronounced as s and j; respectively, as in lace, rage.

See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 74-97. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) E is the third tone of the model diatonic scale. E♭ (E flat) is a tone which is intermediate between D and E. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A Latin prefix meaning out, out of, from; also, without. See Ex-. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. 1. the Akkadian god of wisdom; son of Apsu and father of Marduk; counterpart of the Sumerian Enki. [ PJC ]

2. the Babylonian god of waters and one of the supreme triad including Anu and Bel. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. or a. pron. [ OE. eche, ælc, elk, ilk, AS. ælc; ā always + gelīc like; akin to OD. iegelik, OHG. ēogilīh, MHG. iegelīch, G. jeglich. √209. See 3d Aye, Like, and cf. Either, Every, Ilk. ] 1. Every one of the two or more individuals composing a number of objects, considered separately from the rest. It is used either with or without a following noun; as, each of you or each one of you. “Each of the combatants.” Fielding. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ To each corresponds other. “Let each esteem other better than himself.” Each other, used elliptically for each the other. It is our duty to assist each other; that is, it is our duty, each to assist the other, each being in the nominative and other in the objective case. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is a bad thing that men should hate each other; but it is far worse that they should contract the habit of cutting one another's throats without hatred. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let each
His adamantine coat gird well. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

In each cheek appears a pretty dimple. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then draw we nearer day by day,
Each to his brethren, all to God. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

The oak and the elm have each a distinct character. Gilpin. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Every; -- sometimes used interchangeably with every. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I know each lane and every alley green. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

In short each man's happiness depends upon himself. Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This use of each for every, though common in Scotland and in America, is now un-English. Fitzed. Hall.

Syn. -- See Every. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Everywhere. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The sky eachwhere did show full bright and fair. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a genus of moths including the imperial moth (Eacles imperialis).
Syn. -- genus Eacles. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. See Eddish. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. egre sharp, sour, eager, OF. agre, aigre, F. aigre, fr. L. acer sharp, sour, spirited, zealous; akin to Gr. &unr_; highest, extreme, Skr. a&unr_;ra point; fr. a root signifying to be sharp. Cf. Acrid, Edge. ] 1. Sharp; sour; acid. [ Obs. ] “Like eager droppings into milk.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Sharp; keen; bitter; severe. [ Obs. ] “A nipping and an eager air.” “Eager words.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Excited by desire in the pursuit of any object; ardent to pursue, perform, or obtain; keenly desirous; hotly longing; earnest; zealous; impetuous; vehement; as, the hounds were eager in the chase. [ 1913 Webster ]

And gazed for tidings in my eager eyes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

How eagerly ye follow my disgraces! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

When to her eager lips is brought
Her infant's thrilling kiss. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

A crowd of eager and curious schoolboys. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Conceit and grief an eager combat fight. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Brittle; inflexible; not ductile. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Gold will be sometimes so eager, as artists call it, that it will as little endure the hammer as glass itself. Locke.

Syn. -- Earnest; ardent; vehement; hot; impetuous; fervent; intense; impassioned; zealous; forward. See Earnest. -- Eager, Earnest. Eager marks an excited state of desire or passion; thus, a child is eager for a plaything, a hungry man is eager for food, a covetous man is eager for gain. Eagerness is liable to frequent abuses, and is good or bad, as the case may be. It relates to what is praiseworthy or the contrary. Earnest denotes a permanent state of mind, feeling, or sentiment. It is always taken in a good sense; as, a preacher is earnest in his appeals to the conscience; an agent is earnest in his solicitations. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Eagre. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an eager manner. [ 1913 Webster ]