Part 659

Electoral college, the body of princes formerly entitled to elect the Emperor of Germany; also, a name sometimes given, in the United States, to the body of electors chosen by the people to elect the President and Vice President.

E*lect`or*al"i*ty (?), n. The territory or dignity of an elector; electorate. [R.] Sir H. Wotton.

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E*lect"or*ate (?), n. [Cf. F. électorat.] 1. The territory, jurisdiction, or dignity of an elector, as in the old German empire.

2. The whole body of persons in a nation or state who are entitled to vote in an election, or any distinct class or division of them.

The middle-class electorate of Great Britain.

M. Arnold.

E*lect"or*ess (?), n. [Fem. of Elector.] An electress. Bp. Burnet.

E`lec*to"ri*al (?), a. Electoral. Burke.

E*lect"or*ship (?), n. The office or status of an elector.

{ E*lec"tre, E*lec"ter } (?), n. [L. electrum: cf. F. électre mixture of gold and silver. See Electrum.] 1. Amber. See Electrum. [Obs.]

2. A metallic substance compounded of gold and silver; an alloy. [Obs.] Wyclif.

E`lec*trep"e*ter (`lk*trp"*tr), n. [Electro + Gr. tre`pein to turn.] An instrument used to change the direction of electric currents; a commutator. [R.]

E*lect"ress (*lk"trs), n. [Cf. F. électrice. Cf. Electoress.] The wife or widow of an elector in the old German empire. Burke.

{ E*lec"tric (*lk"trk), E*lec"tric*al (-tr*kal), } a. [L. electrum amber, a mixed metal, Gr. 'h`lektron; akin to 'hle`ktwr the beaming sun, cf. Skr. arc to beam, shine: cf. F. électrique. The name came from the production of electricity by the friction of amber.] 1. Pertaining to electricity; consisting of, containing, derived from, or produced by, electricity; as, electric power or virtue; an electric jar; electric effects; an electric spark.

2. Capable of occasioning the phenomena of electricity; as, an electric or electrical machine or substance.

3. Electrifying; thrilling; magnetic. "Electric Pindar." Mrs. Browning.

Electric atmosphere, or Electric aura. See under Aura. -- Electrical battery. See Battery. -- Electrical brush. See under Brush. -- Electric cable. See Telegraph cable, under Telegraph. -- Electric candle. See under Candle. -- Electric cat (Zoöl.), one of three or more large species of African catfish of the genus Malapterurus (esp. M. electricus of the Nile). They have a large electrical organ and are able to give powerful shocks; -- called also sheathfish. -- Electric clock. See under Clock, and see Electro-chronograph. -- Electric current, a current or stream of electricity traversing a closed circuit formed of conducting substances, or passing by means of conductors from one body to another which is in a different electrical state. -- Electric, or Electrical, eel, (Zoöl.), a South American eel-like fresh-water fish of the genus Gymnotus (G. electricus), from two to five feet in length, capable of giving a violent electric shock. See Gymnotus. -- Electrical fish (Zoöl.), any fish which has an electrical organ by means of which it can give an electrical shock. The best known kinds are the torpedo, the gymnotus, or electrical eel, and the electric cat. See Torpedo, and Gymnotus. -- Electric fluid, the supposed matter of electricity; lightning. -- Electrical image (Elec.), a collection of electrical points regarded as forming, by an analogy with optical phenomena, an image of certain other electrical points, and used in the solution of electrical problems. Sir W. Thomson. -- Electrical light, the light produced by a current of electricity which in passing through a resisting medium heats it to incandescence or burns it. See under Carbon. -- Electric, or Electrical, machine, an apparatus for generating, collecting, or exciting, electricity, as by friction. -- Electric motor. See Electro-motor, 2. -- Electric osmose. (Physics) See under Osmose. -- Electric pen, a hand pen for making perforated stencils for multiplying writings. It has a puncturing needle driven at great speed by a very small magneto-electric engine on the penhandle. -- Electric railway, a railway in which the machinery for moving the cars is driven by an electric current. -- Electric ray (Zoöl.), the torpedo. -- Electric telegraph. See Telegraph.

E*lec"tric (?), n. (Physics) A nonconductor of electricity, as amber, glass, resin, etc., employed to excite or accumulate electricity.

E*lec"tric*al*ly (?), adv. In the manner of electricity, or by means of it; thrillingly.

E*lec"tric*al*ness, a. The state or quality of being electrical.

E`lec*tri"cian (`lk*trsh"an), n. An investigator of electricity; one versed in the science of electricity.

E`lec*tric"i*ty (-trs"*t), n.; pl. Electricities (- tz). [Cf. F. électricité. See Electric.] 1. A power in nature, a manifestation of energy, exhibiting itself when in disturbed equilibrium or in activity by a circuit movement, the fact of direction in which involves polarity, or opposition of properties in opposite directions; also, by attraction for many substances, by a law involving attraction between surfaces of unlike polarity, and repulsion between those of like; by exhibiting accumulated polar tension when the circuit is broken; and by producing heat, light, concussion, and often chemical changes when the circuit passes between the poles or through any imperfectly conducting substance or space. It is generally brought into action by any disturbance of molecular equilibrium, whether from a chemical, physical, or mechanical, cause. [1913 Webster]

Electricity is manifested under following different forms: (a) Statical electricity, called also Frictional or Common, electricity, electricity in the condition of a stationary charge, which may be produced by friction, as of glass, amber, etc., or by induction. (b) Dynamical electricity, called also Voltaic electricity, electricity in motion, or as a current produced by chemical decomposition, as by means of a voltaic battery, or by mechanical action, as by dynamo-electric machines. (c) Thermoelectricity, in which the disturbing cause is heat (attended possibly with some chemical action). It is developed by uniting two pieces of unlike metals in a bar, and then heating the bar unequally. (d) Atmospheric electricity, any condition of electrical disturbance in the atmosphere or clouds, due to some or all of the above mentioned causes. (e) Magnetic electricity, electricity developed by the action of magnets. (f) Positive electricity, the electricity that appears at the positive pole or anode of a battery, or that is produced by friction of glass; -- called also vitreous electricity. (g) Negative electricity, the electricity that appears at the negative pole or cathode, or is produced by the friction of resinous substance; -- called also resinous electricity. (h) Organic electricity, that which is developed in organic structures, either animal or vegetable, the phrase animal electricity being much more common.

2. The science which unfolds the phenomena and laws of electricity; electrical science.

3. Fig.: Electrifying energy or characteristic. [1913 Webster]

E*lec"tri*fi`a*ble (?), a. Capable of receiving electricity, or of being charged with it.

E*lec`tri*fi*ca"tion (?), n. (Physics) The act of electrifying, or the state of being charged with electricity.