Part 619

{ Ech*on" (?), Ech*oon" (?) }, pron. Each one. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ech"o*scope (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, sound + -scope.] (Med.) An instrument for intensifying sounds produced by percussion of the thorax. Knight.

||É`clair" (?), n. [F.] (Cookery) A kind of frosted cake, containing flavored cream.

E*clair"cise (?), v. t. [F. éclaircir; pref. es- (L. ex) + clair clear, L. clarus.] To make clear; to clear up what is obscure or not understood; to explain.

||E*clair"cisse*ment (?), n. [F., fr. éclaircir. See Eclaircise, v. t.] The clearing up of anything which is obscure or not easily understood; an explanation.

The eclaircissement ended in the discovery of the informer.

Clarendon.

||Ec*lamp"si*a (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; a shining forth, fr. &?; to shine forth; &?; out + &?; to shine.] (Med.) A fancied perception of flashes of light, a symptom of epilepsy; hence, epilepsy itself; convulsions.

The term is generally restricted to a convulsive affection attending pregnancy and parturition, and to infantile convulsions.

||Ec*lamp"sy (?), n. (Med.) Same as Eclampsia.

E*clat" (?), n. [F. éclat a fragment, splinter, explosion, brilliancy, splendor, fr. éclater to splinter, burst, explode, shine brilliantly, prob. of German origin; cf. OHG. sleizan to slit, split, fr. slzan, G. schleissen; akin to E. slit.] 1. Brilliancy of success or effort; splendor; brilliant show; striking effect; glory; renown. "The eclat of Homer's battles." Pope.

2. Demonstration of admiration and approbation; applause. Prescott.

Ec*lec"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to pick out, choose out: cf. F. éclectique. See Eclogue, and cf. Elect.] 1. Selecting; choosing (what is true or excellent in doctrines, opinions, etc.) from various sources or systems; as, an eclectic philosopher.

2. Consisting, or made up, of what is chosen or selected; as, an eclectic method; an eclectic magazine.

Eclectic physician, one of a class of practitioners of medicine, who select their modes of practice and medicines from all schools; formerly, sometimes the same as botanic physician. [U.S.] -- Eclectic school. (Paint.) See Bolognese school, under Bolognese.

Ec*lec"tic (?), n. One who follows an eclectic method.

Ec*lec"tic*al*ly (?), adv. In an eclectic manner; by an eclectic method.

Ec*lec"ti*cism (?), n. [Cf. F. éclecticisme. Cf. Electicism.] Theory or practice of an eclectic.

Ec*legm" (?), n. [F. éclegme, L. ecligma, fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to lick up.] (Med.) A medicine made by mixing oils with sirups. John Quincy.

E*clipse" (*klps"), n. [F. éclipse, L. eclipsis, fr. Gr. 'e`kleipsis, prop., a forsaking, failing, fr. 'eklei`pein to leave out, forsake; 'ek out + lei`pein to leave. See Ex-, and Loan.] 1. (Astron.) An interception or obscuration of the light of the sun, moon, or other luminous body, by the intervention of some other body, either between it and the eye, or between the luminous body and that illuminated by it. A lunar eclipse is caused by the moon passing through the earth's shadow; a solar eclipse, by the moon coming between the sun and the observer. A satellite is eclipsed by entering the shadow of its primary. The obscuration of a planet or star by the moon or a planet, though of the nature of an eclipse, is called an occultation. The eclipse of a small portion of the sun by Mercury or Venus is called a transit of the planet.

In ancient times, eclipses were, and among unenlightened people they still are, superstitiously regarded as forerunners of evil fortune, a sentiment of which occasional use is made in literature.

That fatal and perfidious bark, Built in the eclipse, and rigged with curses dark.

Milton.

2. The loss, usually temporary or partial, of light, brilliancy, luster, honor, consciousness, etc.; obscuration; gloom; darkness.

All the posterity of our fist parents suffered a perpetual eclipse of spiritual life.

Sir W. Raleigh.

As in the soft and sweet eclipse, When soul meets soul on lovers' lips.

Shelley.