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television programmes including Blackadder. His novels include Gridlock (1991), Popcorn (1996), and Inconceivable (1999).
e·lu·ci·date /ɪˈluːsɪdeɪt/ v [T] fml to explain or make clear (a difficulty or mystery); CLARIFY: I don't understand; could you please elucidate? | Can anyone elucidate the reasons for this strange decision? —dation /ˌluːsɪˈdeɪʃən/ n [U] —datory /ɪˈluːsɪdeɪtərɪl-dətɔːrɪ/ adj: a few elucidatory comments
e·lude /ɪˈluːd/ v [T] 1 to escape from, especially by means of a trick: The fox succeeded in eluding the hunters by running back in the opposite direction. 2 (of a fact, answer etc) to be difficult for (someone) to find or remember: I remember his face, but his name eludes me for the moment. (=I can't remember it) | A cure for this disease has so far eluded scientists.
e·lu·sive /ɪˈluːsɪv/ adj difficult to catch, find, or remember: I've been trying to get her on the phone, but she seems to be rather elusive. | Despite all their efforts, success remained elusive. This word is used to describe the Scarlet Pimpernel, a character in the book of the same name who helped people escape from the French Revolution and whom the French government could not catch. → see also SCARLET PIMPERNEL, they seek him here, they seek him there (SEEK) —ly adv —ness n [U]
elves /elvz/ pl. of ELF
El·vis /ˈelvɪs/ also ,Elvis the 'Pelvis → see PRESLEY, ELVIS
Elvis sighting n an occasion when someone claims that they have seen the dead US singer Elvis PRESLEY. These sightings are usually mentioned as a joke, but a few people believe that he is still alive.
El·way, John /ˈelweɪ/ (1960–) a US football player who was a famous QUARTERBACK for the Denver Broncos team from 1983 to 1999, when he retired. He was known for his skill at throwing long PASSES to players on his team.
E·ly·sée Pal·ace, the /ˌelɪzeɪ ˈpælɪsˌelɪˌzeɪ-/ the official home of the President of France, in Paris. Its name is sometimes used to mean the President and his advisers: Rumours of a split in the government were swiftly denied by the Elysée Palace.
E·ly·si·um /ɪˈlɪziəmlɪiəm, zi-/ also the Elysian 'Fields lit a place of complete happiness; PARADISE. According to ancient Greek stories, Elysium is the place where good people go after their death.
'em /əm/ pron infml or dial for THEM: Tell 'em what to do.
em- → see WORD FORMATION TABLE
e·ma·ci·a·ted /ɪˈmeɪʃieɪtɪd/ adj extremely thin from hunger or illness: By the time the prisoners were set free, they were terribly emaciated and could hardly walk. → see THIN1 (USAGE) —ation /ˌmeɪsiˈeɪʃən/ n [U]
e·mail1, e-mail /ˈiː meɪl/ n 1 [U] abbrev. for electronic mail; a system that allows you to send and receive written messages, using a computer: He contacted her by email. | What's your email address? 2 [C,U] a message that is sent from one person to another, using email: Put your details in an email. | I still have to check my email.
email2, e-mail v [T] to send someone an email message, or to send them a document in an email: I'll email you with all the details. | Email the photos to me in a JPEG file.
em·a·nate /ˈeməneɪt/ v
emanate from sthg. phr v [T no pass.] fml (especially of something nonmaterial) to come (out) from; ISSUE from: Strange-smelling gases emanated from holes in the ground. | Do you know where these rumours emanated from? —nation /ˌeməneɪʃən/ n [C;U] strange-smelling emanations
e·man·ci·pate /ɪˈmænsɪpeɪt/ v [T(from)] to make free socially, politically, or legally: She's a very emancipated woman. (=not limited by old-fashioned ideas about the position of women) | (fig.) This new machine will emancipate us from all the hard work we once had to do. —pation /ˌmænsɪˈpeɪʃən/ n [U] the emancipation of slaves/women
E·man·ci·pation Proclamation, the an announcement made in the US by President Abraham Lincoln which ordered the end of SLAVERY (=the practice of owning people as property) in the Confederate States (=the southern states of the US) from January 1st 1863. The Proclamation was made during the Civil War, with the aim of weakening the
Confederate Sates. Soon after the war, slavery was completely ended by the '13th Amendment' to the US Constitution.
e·mas·cu·late /ɪˈmæskjʊleɪt/ v [T often pass.] 1 to take away all the strength and effectiveness from; weaken: The proposed reform has been emasculated by changes made to it by parliament. 2 med to take away the power of becoming a father from; CASTRATE; (fig.) There are still some men who feel emasculated if they work for a woman. —lation /ˌmæskjʊˈleɪʃən/ n [U]
em·balm /ɪmˈbɑːmɪl-ˈbɑːm, -ˈbɑːlm/ v [T] to treat (a dead body) with special chemicals, oils etc, in order to prevent it from decaying —er n
CULTURAL NOTE Dead bodies are almost always buried or CREMATED in Western society. In the US a body must by law be embalmed before it is buried.
em·bank·ment /ɪmˈbæŋkmənt/ n 1 a wide wall of stones or earth built to keep a river from overflowing its banks or to carry a road or railway over low ground 2 a slope of earth, stone etc that rises from either side of a railway or road
Embankment, the also the Thames Embankment a road along the north bank of the River Thames in London
em·bar·go1 /ɪmˈbɑːgəʊl-ɑːr-/ n pl. -goes ([on]) an official order forbidding trade, especially with another country: They've put an embargo on the supply of oil to the enemy. | All imports are now under an embargo. | They're accused of trying to break the oil embargo. → compare BLOCKADE1, MORATORIUM
embargo2 v -goes, -going, -goed [T] to put an embargo on
em·bark /ɪmˈbɑːkl-ɑːrk/ v [I;T] to go, put, or take on a ship: We embarked at Southampton and disembarked in New York a week later. | The ship embarked passengers and wool at an Australian port. → see TRANSPORT1 (USAGE) —ation /ˌembɑːˈkeɪʃənl-bɑːr-/ n [C;U]
embark on/upon sthg. phr v [T] to start (especially something new): It's late in life to embark on a new career. | The railways are about to embark on a major programme of modernization.
em·bar·ras de ri·chesse /ˌɒmˌbærə də riːˈʃeslˌɑːmbɑː-/ n too much of something good, e.g. wealth or many nice things to choose from, so that it is difficult to decide what to do
em·bar·rass /ɪmˈbærəs/ v [T often pass.] 1 to cause to feel anxious and uncomfortable, especially in a social situation; make SELF-CONSCIOUS: She was embarrassed when they kept telling her how clever she was. | It was so embarrassing when the children started laughing in the middle of the service. | a series of revelations that has embarrassed the government 2 fml to cause to have difficulties with money: financially embarrassed (=having no money, or having debts) —ingly adv —ment n [C;U] He could not hide his embarrassment. | That rude child is an embarrassment to her parents. (=she embarrasses them) | Owing to my current financial embarrassment, I cannot pay the bill.
em·bas·sy /ˈembəsi/ n (often cap.) (the official building used by) a group of officials, usually led by an AMBASSADOR, who are sent by a government to live in a foreign country for the purpose of keeping good relations with its government: the American Embassy in Moscow → compare LEGATION
em·bat·tled /ɪmˈbætld/ adj 1 surrounded by enemies: Their embattled army finally surrendered. 2 (of a person, company etc) continually troubled by annoying or harmful influences: embattled companies fighting off takeover bids
em·bed /ɪmˈbed/ v -dd- [T(in)] to fix (something) firmly and deeply in a mass of surrounding matter: He couldn't move the sword; it was firmly embedded (in the rock). | The arrow embedded itself in the door.
em·bel·lish /ɪmˈbelɪʃ/ v [T(with)] 1 to make more beautiful by adding decorations; ADORN: a white hat embellished with pink roses → see DECORATE (USAGE) 2 to make (a statement or story) more interesting by adding untrue details —ment n [C,U]
em·ber /ˈembər/ n [usually pl.] a red-hot piece of wood or coal from or in a fire that is no longer burning with flames
em·bez·zle /ɪmˈbezəl/ v [I;T] to steal (money that is placed