Part 812

Er`ce*de"ken (?), n. [OE., fr. pref. erce- = archi- + deken a deacon.] An archdeacon. [Obs.]

Erd (?), n. [OE. erd, eard, earth, land, country, AS. eard; akin to OS. ard dwelling place, OHG. art plowing, tillage, Icel. örð crop, and to L. arare to plow, E. ear to plow.] The earth. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.

Erd shrew (Zoöl.), the common European shrew (Sorex vulgaris); the shrewmouse.

Ere (r or âr; 277), prep. & adv. [AS. r, prep., adv., & conj.; akin to OS., OFries., & OHG. r, G. eher, D. eer, Icel. r, Goth. air. √204. Cf. Early, Erst, Or, adv.] 1. Before; sooner than. [Archaic or Poetic]

Myself was stirring ere the break of day.

Shak.

Ere sails were spread new oceans to explore.

Dryden.

Sir, come down ere my child die.

John iv. 49.

2. Rather than.

I will be thrown into Etna, . . . ere I will leave her.

Shak.

Ere long, before, shortly. Shak. -- Ere now, formerly, heretofore. Shak. -- Ere that, ∧ Or are. Same as Ere. Shak.

Ere (?), v. t. To plow. [Obs.] See Ear, v. t. Chaucer.

Er"e*bus (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;.] 1. (Greek Myth.) A place of nether darkness, being the gloomy space through which the souls passed to Hades. See Milton's "Paradise Lost," Book II., line 883.

2. (Greek Myth.) The son of Chaos and brother of Nox, who dwelt in Erebus.

To the infernal deep, with Erebus and tortures vile.

Shak.

E*rect" (?), a. [L. erectus, p. p. of erigere to erect; e out + regere to lead straight. See Right, and cf. Alert.] 1. Upright, or having a vertical position; not inverted; not leaning or bent; not prone; as, to stand erect.

Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall.

Milton.

Among the Greek colonies and churches of Asia, Philadelphia is still erect -- a column of ruins.

Gibbon.

2. Directed upward; raised; uplifted.

His piercing eyes, erect, appear to view Superior worlds, and look all nature through.

Pope.

3. Bold; confident; free from depression; undismayed.