The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (26 page)

eau de Cologne (o da kalon), eau-deCologne FRENCH [water of Cologne,
after Cologne, Germany] noun phrase
(plural eaux de Cologne, 6 da kalon,
oz da kalon) a scented perfume first
manufactured at Cologne, Germany:
"He doused himself liberally in eau de
Cologne and admired himself in the mirror."-shortened form cologne.

eau de Nil (o da neel), eau-de-Nil
FRENCH [water of the Nile] noun
phrase a pale green color: "Her face
had turned the same hue of eau-de-Nil as
her dress."

eau de toilette (o da twahlet) FRENCH
[toilet water] noun phrase a lightly
scented perfume: "The pure perfume
was too expensive, so I bought the eau de
toilette."

eau de vie (o da vee), eau-de-vie
FRENCH [water of life, after Latin aqua
vitae] noun phrase (plural eaux de vie,
6 da vee, oz da vee) a clear brandy
distilled from fermented fruit juice:
"He kindles this heap in a twinkling, and produces a jorum of hot brandy and water;
for that bottle of his keeps company with
the seasons, and now holds nothing but
the purest eau de vie." (Charles Dickens,
Pictures from Italy, 1846).

Ecce Agnus Dei (ekee agnas wee)
LATIN [behold the lamb of God]
interjection phrase (in Christianit),)
`Behold the Lamb of God!", the words
uttered by John the Baptist when he
saw Jesus approaching the river Jordan for his baptism.

ecce homo (echee, eksee homo) LATIN
[see the person] interjection behold
the man. 'noun phrase a depiction
of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns
(recalling the words spoken to the
crowd by Pontius Pilate when Jesus
was brought before him): "The party
took note of the sacred spot, and moved
on. We passed under the Bcce Homo Arch,'
and saw the very window from which
Pilate's wife warned her husband to have
nothing to do with the persecution of the
Just Man". (Mark Twain, The Innocents
Abroad, 1869).

ecce signum (Ace signam) LATIN [see
the sign] interjection behold the sign
(or proof).

echelon (cshalon(g), echalon(g)),
echelon FRENCH [rung of a ladder,
from echelle ladder] noun a military
formation in which units are staggered in a series of steps, or, more
generally, any step, level, or grade, or
the individuals who have attained that
grade: "After years in the junior post, she
eventually made her way into the upper
echelons of the organization."

echt (ekt) GERMAN [genuine] adjective
genuine, authentic, pure: "The old lady
was an echt Russian countess."

eclair (ayklair, cklair, iklair) FRENCH
[lightning] noun a pastry filled with
whipped cream or custard and topped
with icing: "He resolutely refused to
consider adopting any diet that precluded
consumption of chocolate eclairs."

eclat (aykla) FRENCH [splinter, burst,
from eclater to burst out] noun brilliant success, radiance, splendor, a
dazzling effect, acclaim, or an ostentatious or pompous display: "The distressing explanation she had to make to
Harriet, and all that poor Harriet would
be suffering, with the awkwardness of
future meetings, the difficulties of continuing or discontinuing the acquaintance, of
subduing feelings, concealing resentment,
and avoiding eclat, were enough to occupy

her in most unmirthful reflections some
time longer..." (Jane Austen, Emma,
1816).

eco- (eeko, eko) GREEK [from oikos
house] prefix ecology or the environment, e.g., eco friendly, ecowarrior.

ecru (aykroo, ekroo), ecru FRENCH
[raw, unbleached] noun a light
brown, unbleached color. adjective
unbleached, beige in color.

edelweiss (adalvis) GERMAN [from
edel noble and weiss white] noun a
mountain plant with small white flowers that is native to Europe.

editio princeps (ayditeco
1.rinkeps, idisheeo piinseps) LATIN [first edition]
noun phrase (plural editiones principes, ljrinUpas, idisheeoneez pjtnsapas) the first printed
edition of a literary work previously
known only in manuscript form: "He
had the scent of a slow-hound, sir, and the
snap of a bull-dog. He would detect you an
old black-letter ballad among the leaves of
a law-paper, and find an editio princeps
under the mask of a school Corderius."
(Walter Scott, The Antiquary, 1816).
'abbreviated form E.E, e.p.

effendi (efendee) TURKISH [master,
from Greek authentes lord, master]
noun a title of respect reserved for
men of authority, education, or property in Arab or eastern Mediterra nean cultures: "The shopkeeper eyed the
stranger suspiciously. Can I be of service,
effendi?' he inquired in a hostile tone."

effleurage (eflrahzh) FRENCH [from
effleurer to stroke lightly] noun a
stroking movement in massage, made
with the pads of the fingertips or the
palms of the hands.

effluvium (efiooveeam) LATIN [a flowing out] noun (plural effluviums or
effluvia, eflooveea) an outflowing
of some kind, especially of evil-smelling waste material.

e.g. See EXEMPLI GRATIA.

ego (eego, ego) LATIN [I] noun (plural egos) the self or self-respect,
self-esteem, egotism, arrogance: "His
father's ego had been bruised by the
encounter, and no words passed between
them all the way home."

Eid (eed), id ARABIC [id feast] noun
the Muslim festival that marks the end
of Ramadan, the month of fasting (full
form Eid ul-Fitr); also the festival that
marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca (full form Eid ul-Adha),
remembering the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son.

eidolon (idolan) GREEK [phantom,
idea] noun (plural eidolons or eidola,
idola) an insubstantial image, or
ideal.

eisteddfod (istedfod) WELSH [session,
from eistedd to sit and bad being] noun
(plural eisteddfods or eisteddfodau,
istedfodz) a competitive Welsh festival of the arts: "This year's eisteddfod
includes appearances by many performers
from beyond Welsh borders."

than (aylahn, elan) FRENCH [outburst, impetus, from elancer to hurl,
rush forth] noun enthusiasm, spirit,
vivacity, zest.

than vital (aylahn veetahl) FRENCH
[vital spirit] noun phrase the life
force, the creative principle, motivating power.

El Dorado (el darahdo), Eldorado
SPANISH [the gilded one, after the
fabled city of gold sought by 16thcentury Spanish conquistadores in
South America] noun a place where
fabulous wealth or opportunity is
reputed to be found: "The town has
become a real El Dorado for those seeking
peace and quiet in an exotic setting."

elite (ayleet, eleet), elite FRENCH
[choice, pick, past participle of lire to
choose] noun the choice, the cream,
or the best part of something, often
referring to the most select persons in
society: "Many people still think that England is run by a small, privileged elite."

elixir (eliksar) ARABIC [al-iksir, probably from Greek xerion drying powder] noun a medicinal preparation, formerly one alleged to have the power
to cure all ills, to bestow the gift of
everlasting life, or to have the power
of turning base metal into gold: "As,
put the case, / That some great Man, in
state, he have the Gout, /Whyyou but send
three droppes of your Elixir, /You help him
straight: There you have made a Friend"
(Ben Jonson, The Alchemist, 1610).

ellipsis (ilpsis) GREEK [omission, from
elleipsis ellipse, from elleipein to leave
out] noun (plural ellipses, ilseez) a
series of dots, asterisks, or other
marks indicating the omission of one
or more words in a piece of writing,
a pause, or a sudden change in topic;
such an omission.

Elohim (elohim, eloheem) HEBREW
[plural Eloah gods] noun (in the
Hebrew Bible) a Hebrew term for
God.

El Nino (el neenyo), el Nino SPANISH
[the Christ child, referring to the
coincidence of the phenomenon with
the Christmas period] noun phrase
(plural El Ninos, el neen),oz) a
southward flow of warm surface
water that occurs periodically in
the east Pacific, exerting a profound
influence upon world weather patterns and ecology. Also, La Nina, a
climactic fluctuation in the equatorial pacific that results in cooler
water than usual off of coastal Peru

and Ecuador: "Scientists have tentatively
blamed the rise in rainfall upon the climactic changes resulting from El Nino."

Elysium (ilizeeam) GREEK [from Elysion pedion plain, field] noun (plural
Elysiums or Elysia, ilizeea) the paradise where the dead dwell according to Greek and Roman mythology;
by extension, any place or state of
contentment: "I suppose this Halifax
would have appeared an Elysium, though
it had been a curiosity of ugly dullness" (Charles Dickens, American Notes,
1842). adjective Elysian (ilizeean)
of or relating to Elysium, or anything
blissful or delightful.

embarcadero (embahrkadairo) SPANISH
[from embarcar to embark] noun a
landing place where ships may load
and unload.

embargo (embahrgo, imbahrgo) SPANIsH [attachment, arrest, from embargar
to bar, to restrain] noun (plural embargoes, embahrgoz, imbahrgoz) aprohibition or impediment to something,
especially an official order preventing
commercial contacts with a particular
state: "The company is accused of trying to
break the oil embargo." -verb to impose
an embargo, thus preventing commercial activity or transportation.

embarras de choix (ombara da shwa)
FRENCH [embarrassment of choice]
noun phrase a bewildering variety of options, too much to choose from:
"At the market there was an embarras de
choix a huge variety of fruit and vegetables from every corner of the globe."

embarras de richesse (ombara da
reeshes) FRENCH [embarrassment of
wealth] noun phrase (plural embarras de richesses) an embarrassment of riches, an overabundance of
wealth, information, opportunities,
or resources.

embolus (embalas) LATIN [piston,
from Greek embolus stopper] noun
(plural emboli, embalee) a substance, such as a blood clot or a
foreign body, that travels through the
bloodstream until it causes an obstruction by blocking a blood vessel: "Postsurgery, moving about will reduce the risk
of pulmonary embolus."

embonpoint (om(g)bon(g)
wan) FRENCH [from en bon point in good
condition] noun plumpness, stoutness (often referring to a woman).
-adjective plump, stout.

embouchure (ombooshoor) FRENCH
[from s'emboucher to put into the
mouth, discharge by mouth] noun the
position of a musician's mouth and lips
and tongue in playing a wind instrument; also refers to the mouthpiece of
a wind instrument: "The child needs to
practice her embouchure if she is to progress
further on the clarinet."

embourgeoisement (emboorzhwahzmint) FRENCH [from embourgeoiser
to make bourgeois] noun the adoption of bourgeois values, interests, or
opinions: "The old man shook his head
sadly, regretting the embourgeoisement of
his children's generation."

embrasure (imbzha, embzha)
FRENCH [from embraser to widen an
opening] noun an opening in a wall
or parapet for the firing of cannon, or
more generally a recess for a door or
window: "She sat with him in the adjoining room, in the embrasure of the window,
for the rest of the evening" (Henry James,
Daisy Miller, 1879).

embroglio See IMBROGLIO.

emeritus (imeritas) LATIN [welldeserved, past participle of emereri
to deserve] adjective of or relating
to an honorary title retained after
retirement: "Unlike most of his contemporaries, he refused to use the honorary
title of professor emeritus except when
undertaking public speaking engagements."'"noun (plural emeriti, imeritee, imeritl) a person who after
retirement retains an honorary title
equivalent to that held during his
or her working life. "noun, feminine
emerita (emerita).

emigre (emigray), emigre FRENCH
[past participle of emigrer to emigrate] noun an emigrant, a person obliged to live in exile: "The emigres
gather in the same bar most evenings to
exchange nostalgic memories of the old
country." -noun, feminine emigree,
emigree. -adjective of or relating to
an emigre or a life in exile.

eminence grise (emanons greet)
FRENCH [gray eminence, after the
nickname of Cardinal Richelieu's
confederate Pcre Joseph Francois du
Tremblay (1577-1638)] noun (plural
eminences grises) a confidential
agent who exerts enormous influence behind the scenes without holding any official position: "Foryears the
wily old man had acted as a sort of eminence grise, pulling strings and bending
ears on beha f of the president."

emir (cmccr, aymeer) ARABIC [amir
commander] noun a ruler, lord, or
commander in an Islamic country.

emporium (impsreeam, emporeeam)
GREEK [emporion place of trade, market] noun (plural emporiums or
emporia, imoreea, emgoreea) a
commercial center or store, a retail
outlet: "San Francisco was no longer
the legendary city of 1849 a city of
banditti, assassins, and incendiaries, who
had, flocked hither in crowds in pursuit of
plunder; a paradise of outlaws, where they
gambled with gold-dust, a revolver in one
hand and a bowie-knife in the other: it
was now a great commercial emporium"
(Jules Verne, Around the World in 80
Days, 1873).

en avant (on avon ) FRENCH [in
advance] interjection phrase forward,
onward: "The officers ordered the company forward with shouts of `en avant!'
and much brandishing of swords."

en banc (on bon ) FRENCH [on the
bench] adverb phrase in full court.
'adjective phrase in full court.

en bloc (on blok) FRENCH [in a block]
adverb phrase all together, collectively,
as a body: "The estate of Silas Deemer being
in the hands of an administrator who had
thought it best to dispose of the 'business,'the
store had been closed ever since the owner's
death, the goods having been removed by
another merchant' who had purchased them
en bloc" (Ambrose Bierce, Can Such
Things Be?). 'adjective phrase made or
done as one, all together.

en brochette (on broshet) FRENCH
[on a skewer] adjective phrase cooked
on a skewer: "Oysters en brochette is a
popular Creole dish."