When God created Adam and Eve, he gave them dominion over the things which he had made on the earth. the country under a particular government, as the British or Russian dominions. Doom, v. a. to fix upon the punishment, or the evil which one is to suffer. The judges of Charles I. king of England, one hundred and thirty-three in number, doomed him to death, and he was beheaded on the 30th of January, 1649, in the forty-ninth year of his age. Dōte, v. n. to become silly by having the mind weakened by old age, or in some other way. to be fond of, or love one in a foolish and excessive manner. She doated upon the little dog, and treated it almost as if it was her child. Dread, v. a. to fear very greatly. There was a violent shock of an earthquake, and the people dreaded another so much, that they fled from their houses. When Jacob awoke from his sleep, in which he had dreamed of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon it, he was afraid, and said; "How dreadful is this place. This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Drear y, a. lonely and gloomy. The traveller was lost in a thick and dark forest, and wandered for a long time without seeing a human being, or finding a path. His condition was a dreary one. Drift, n. a heap of any thing driven forcibly together; as a drift of snow or of sand. the principal design of what is said or done. He said some things on other subjects, but the drift of his address to the school was, to teach the children how to improve their mein ory. Due, a. that which a person may "Render to all their dues." He wished to have his daughter learn to play on the piano, but he thought he could not buy one with a due regard to his circumstances. "A word spoken in due season, how good is it." Dupe, n. a person who is easily cheated by being flattered into the belief of what is told him, or who is apt to believe without examination. Canute the great, a king of England, was told by some who wished to flatter him, that he was more than a man. To show them that he was not the dupe of their flattery, he went with them to the sea-shore and commanded the approaching waves to go back, and not wet his feet. The waves did not obey him, and his flatterers saw that it was useless to try to dupe him. Dū ra ble, a. that which lasts a long time without wearing out. No work of man is more durable than the Egyptian pyramids. Friendship between the wicked, is not apt to be durable. Dū ty, n. that which a person ought to do, because it is right that he should do it. The law of God, as contained in the Bible, is the rule of our duty to him, to our fellowmen, and to ourselves. We call him dutiful who loves and obeys his parents and those who have authority over him; as a dutiful son, a dutiful scholar, a dutiful subject. the money which the government of a country requires to be paid by those who bring certain goods into it from a foreign country; as the duty on silk, the duty on books. E. and to bring up a child or youth in such a way as to fit him for what he is to do in after life. Happy is that child whose parents are educating him to serve God, and do good in the world. Ef face, v. a. to rub or scratch out, or remove in some other way, letters, marks, or figures from the surface of a thing so that they can no longer be distinctly seen. Some wicked boy has effaced the figures on that mile-stone, and they cannot be read. Fa' ger, (e gur,) a. having a strong Effect, n. that which is caused, or and impatient desire to do or get something without delay. Frank was so eager to get the chesnuts which were roasting in the fire, that he burned his fingers. Richard III. was so eager to be king of England, that he caused his two nephews to be murdered. This happened in the year 1483. Ear nest, a. ardent, fixed, and persevering in the purpose to do or to get something. Mary was so earnest to get leave from her mother to go to the exhibition of another school, that she rose very early, for a week beforehand, to do her work and study her les made to be, by some other thing which it follows, and without which, so far as we can see, it would not be. A spark fell into a barrel of gunpowder, and the effect was to blow it up, and to kill the man who stood near it. His poverty is the effect of his idleness. We say a thing is of no effect, when its power to cause any thing is destroyed. Ef fect, v. a. to cause a thing to be, to bring to pass. The prisoner effected his escape by filing off two of the iron bars in his window. After many years of hard and persevering effort, Wilberforce and his friends effected the abolition of the slave trade in the British empire. The medicine which he took was effectual, and he soon got well. Ef fi ca cy, n. having power to effect. The cold was so severe, that the heat of the sun had no efficacy in melting the snow. Ěf fort, n. a trying hard to do or accomplish something. When Samson was in a great building, and the Philistines were making sport of him, he took hold of two pillars on which the building rested, and with a mighty effort threw them down, destroying himself and thousands of his enemies. E lāte, v. a. to puff up as with pride; -to lift up with success, as by the hearing of good news, or by a victory. Elect, v. a. to fix upon, and take out one or more from among others, for a particular purpose. The people in the United States elect the persons who make the laws, and govern the nation. e gant, a. not grand, splendid, nor strikingly beautiful, but neat, nice, polished, and delicately beautiful. The tall, white lily, on its slender stalk, is an elegant flower. It was an elegant book. The paper was white and smooth. The letters were clear; the margin wide; the engravings soft and highly finished; and the binding of rich and delicate morocco with gilt edges to the leaves. She had elegant manners-soft, gentle, polite, and graceful. El e vate, v. a. to raise up, to make higher. The garret was too low, and to make it higher, they elevated the roof. Wolsey, from being the son of a poor man, was elevated to the station of lord chancellor of England. He died in the year 1530. Astronomy is a study well fitted to give elevation to the mind. El o quent, a. speaking in an easy, feeling, forcible and pleasing manner, so as to convince and persuade the hearers. Chatham and Burke are among the most eloquent of English orators. E lūde, v. a. to get out of the way of danger or evil by artifice. Charles II. after his defeat at Worcester by Cromwell, in the year 1651, eluded his ene mies who were in pursuit of him by concealing himself among the branches of an oak. E măn ci pate, v. a. to set free from slavery. Terence, a distinguished Roman writer, was an African slave and emancipated by his master. He died 159 years before Christ. Em bar rass, v. a. to throw into confusion, so as very much to hinder. He was a fine scholar, but had been so little in company, that when invited to dine at a gentleman's house, on entering the room he was much embarrassed, and for some time could not utter a word. His affairs were greatly embarrassed by the failure of his friend, so that he found it very difficult to carry on his business. Em bellish, v. a. to make pleasing by ornament. The book was embellished by many fine engravings. Em blem, n. something which we can see, and which, on account of its likeness to something else of which we can only think, is used to represent it; as, the ant is an emblem of industry; the lamb, of meekness; the balance, of justice. Em brace, v. a. to hold fondly in the arms. When the little boy, who had been long absent, returned home, his mother embraced and kissed him. to seize eagerly, or to take very wil lingly; as to embrace an opportunity, to embrace the christian religion. to take together so as to include or contain. Herodotus, a distinguished Greek writer, who lived 444 years before Christ, wrote in nine books a history which embraces an ac count of the wars of Persia against Greece till the reign of Xerxes. He is called the father of history. Em i grate, v. a. to go from one's own state or country, in order to live in another. Thousands of persons emigrate every year from Europe to the United States. Em i nent, a. rising above others, so as to be easily seen, or well known. Moses was eminent for his meekness. The city of Tyre was eminent in ancient times for its commerce and wealth. E mit, v. a. to send forth. The British empire comprises England, Scotland, and Ireland, with certain small islands near them, and numerous colonies in almost all parts of the world. Em ploy', v. a. to make use of. He employed the best kind of stone and wood in building his house. He employed six workmen to get in his wheat during harvest. Ask yourself, every evening, how you have employed your time during the day. Em u la tion, n. a striving to be superior to others. Frank's emulation led him to study very hard, that he might be at the head of the class. En ǎct, v. a. for the legislature of a country to make a law. After a long discussion, a law for the im provement of the common schools was en acted. En coun' ter, v. a. to meet force with force, to rush upon danger or difficulty, and strive to overcome it. The forces of Richard III. and of Henry VII. encountered each other in Bosworth field in the year 1485. Richard's troops were defeated and himself slain, and Henry became king of England. to meet and endeavor to overcome. He who expects to accomplish any thing great and good, must expect to encounter difficulties. En coŭr age, v. a. to give courage to, to keep up hope and resolution. Two men had saved themselves from a burning steam-boat on a bale of cotton, and were floating in the water. One of them encouraged the other, who was becoming feeble and disheartened, by telling him to hold on a little longer, and they would soon reach the shore. En croach, v. a. to go beyond what one has a right to, and to get possession, by little and little, of what belongs to another. A farmer moved his fence, several times, farther and farther into the high-way, and had encroached upon it six feet before the wrong was discovered. to pass over a customary line. The land has encroached upon the sea so much, that the harbor, which was once a very good one, is now almost filled up. En cùm ber, v. a. to connect with a thing that which is inconvenient or useless, and which hinders it from acting and moving freely. The road was very muddy, and the stagecoach so much encumbered with baggage that we advanced only three miles an hour. End, n. the last condition of a person or thing. The end of the good man is peace. conclusion, result. He was often told, that the end of his wicked conduct would be certain ruin. the great object for which things are done. His end in remaining at the academy another year, was the better to qualify himself to become a teacher. En děav or, v. a. to try, to use strength or means of any kind in order to do a thing. A good child will constantly endeavor to improve. En dūre, v. a. to bear up under something without giving way. The pillars of the temple were of marble and able to endure the weight of the heavy roof. The poor little infant could not endure the severe cold, and died in its mother's arms. to be strong and patient under suffering. Regulus, a Roman general, was taken prisoner by the Carthaginians, and sent to Rome to bring about a peace. He promised to return if he did not succeed. He advised his countrymen not to make the peace on the conditions which were proposed. He went back, knowing that he should be put to death in a very cruel manner, and he died enduring the most barbarous tortures without a word or groan,-251 years before Christ. a v. n. to continue or fast. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." En er gy, n. a very strong ability to think, to feel, or to act. Henry V. of England, in his youth, was very wild and vicious; but when he became king, he showed great energy of character in breaking off entirely from his wicked companions. En gage, v. a. to bring one under an agreement or promise to do a thing. He engaged a man for one year, to take care of his business while he was gone. When we say that a person is engaged in something, we mean that he gives his time and attention very much to it. When we say that a thing engages our attention, we mean that it draws and fixes our attention upon it. v. n. to meet in battle or combat. The combined fleets of France and Spain engaged in battle with the English fleet under Lord Nelson, off Cape Trafalgar, in the year 1805. The English were victorious, but Nelson was slain. to agree or promise to do a thing. He engaged to keep the school during the winter for thirty dollars a month. En join', v. a. to tell a person with earnestness and authority what to do. The mother on her dying bed gave her son a Bible, and enjoined upon him to read it daily. En joy', v. a. to take pleasure in. We rode quite to the top of the mountain, and enjoyed the pure air and the fine prospect, very much. to have that from which we derive, or might derive, pleasure or advantage. Eliza went several years to an excellent school, where she enjoyed the best opportunities for improvement. En mi ty, n. a feeling of very strong and fixed dislike to another, which shows itself in attempts to injure him, and in being glad when evil happens to him. There was so much enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans, that they had no dealings with each other. E nor mous, a. very much greater than things of the same kind usually are. |