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electric guitar
El Cid /el 'sɪd/ (?1043–99) a Spanish soldier who fought for both Christians and MOORS and whose life is often seen as a perfect example of CHIVALRY, Christian values, and love of his country
el·der¹ /'eldər/ adj [A no comp.] (of a person, especially in a family) older, especially the older of two; it is sometimes used because it seems politer than saying somebody is older, which they might think means they are old: He is my elder brother. | Her elder daughter is married. | [after n] William Pitt the Elder was a British prime minister, and so was his son, William Pitt the Younger. ➔ compare YOUNGER
USAGE Compare elder and older. Older is used of people or things, but elder is used only of people, and can never be used in comparisons: Jane is Mary's elder sister. | Jane is older than (not elder than) Mary.
elder² n 1 the older one, especially of two people: Which is the elder (of the two sisters)? | You should have more respect for your elders. (=people who are older than you) 2 a person who holds a respected, often official position: The village elders are always consulted on important matters like this.
elder³ n a small tree with white flowers in large flat groups and black berries (elderberries). Elderberry wine and elderflower wine were once commonly made, especially by country people.
el·der·ly /'eldəli||-ər-/ adj (of a person) old: My father is rather elderly now and can't walk very fast. | [also n, the+P] We should provide better care for the elderly. | (fig.) Their national airline consists of three or four rather elderly planes.
USAGE Elderly is a polite way of saying old.
elder 'statesman n an old and respected person, usually no longer in a position of power, who is asked for advice because of his or her long experience, especially in politics
el·dest /'eldɪst/ n, adj (a person, especially in a family, who is) oldest of three or more: She has three children, and her eldest has just started school.
El Do·ra·do, Eldorado /ˌel də'rɑːdəʊ/ a place of very great wealth, especially a place that people travel a long way to find, or an imaginary place that does not really exist
CULTURAL NOTE Spanish travellers of the 16th century believed there was a place with very large amounts of gold and silver somewhere in South or Central America, which they called El Dorado, but they never found it: For some investment managers, Russia was seen as the next Eldorado.
e·lect¹ /ɪ'lekt/ v [T] 1 [(to)] to choose (someone) for an official position by voting: She has been elected to the committee. | They elected a President/elected him as President. | [+obj+n] They elected him President. | [+obj+to-v] They elected her to represent them on the committee. 2 [+to-v:ob] fml to decide (to do something), especially when choosing between possible courses of action: Employees may elect to take their pension in monthly payments or as a single lump sum.
elect² adj [after n] fml chosen for or elected to a position but not yet officially placed in it: The President elect will be installed next week.
elect³ n [the P] 1 people chosen by God to be saved 2 often humor a specially chosen and extremely important group of people: The directors always listen to him. He's one of the elect.
e·lec·tion /ɪ'lekʃən/ n [C,U] 1 (an example of) the choosing by vote of a representative to take an official (especially political) position: The Government has called a snap election. (=decided suddenly and unexpectedly to have an election) | The election results will be broadcast tonight. | Trade union representatives are chosen by election. | an election campaign 2 Election Day (in the US) the day legally chosen for national elections, which is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, in even years (2006, 2008 etc) ➔ see also BY-ELECTION, GENERAL ELECTION and see Feature on page A19
CULTURAL NOTE US presidents are elected every four years. In some states Election Day is a public holiday.
Bars and public places selling alcoholic drinks are closed on election day during the times when people can vote.
e·lec·tion·eer·ing /ˌɪlekʃə'nɪərɪŋ/ n [U] sometimes derog the work of persuading people to vote for a political party by visiting voters, making speeches etc
e·lec·tive /ɪ'lektɪv/ adj fml (of a position) for which the holder is chosen by election: The office of President of the US is an elective one, but the position of Queen of England is not.
e·lec·tor /ɪ'lektər||-tər, -tɔːr/ n 1 a person who has the right to vote in an election 2 (in the US) a member of the Electoral College
e·lec·to·ral /ɪ'lektərəl/ adj [A] concerning elections or electors: Many people say the electoral system in this country should be changed. | guilty of electoral malpractice | Have you got your name on the electoral roll/register? (=the official list of people who have the right to vote)
e|lectoral 'college n [C+sing./pl. v] (often cap.) a group of people who are given the right to elect a leader, especially (in the US) the national body elected by the voters of each state to choose the President according to the votes of the people
e|lectoral 'register also e|lectoral 'roll n the official list of people who have the right to vote: Have you got your name on the electoral register?
e·lec·to·rate /ɪ'lektərət/ n [C+sing./pl. v] all the people in a country or an area who have the right to vote
E·lec·tra com·plex /'ɪlektrə ˌkɒmpleks||ˌkɑːm-/ n according to the ideas of Sigmund FREUD, the unconscious sexual desire of a girl for her father, combined with hating her mother. In ancient Greek stories, Electra helped her brother ORESTES to kill their mother CLYTEMNESTRA, because Clytemnestra had murdered her father AGAMEMNON. ➔ compare OEDIPUS COMPLEX
e·lec·tric /ɪ'lektrɪk/ adj 1 [no comp.] worked by electricity: an electric clock/fire ➔ compare ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONIC 2 [A no comp.] produced by, producing, or carrying electricity: electric power | an electric generator (=that makes electricity) | an electric storm (=with thunder and lightning) 3 very exciting: The atmosphere at the concert was electric. | His speech had an electric effect on the crowd.
Electric is used for things that have a direct association with electricity such as things which are powered by electricity, especially when there are other types of the same thing that use different kinds of power: an electric cooker or things which are produced by electricity: an electric shock. Electrical is used of people and their work, or where the association with electric power is less direct: an electrical engineer / an electrical fault in the system.
e·lec·tri·cal /ɪ'lektrɪkəl/ adj [no comp.] concerned with or using electricity: electrical engineering | electrical apparatus | I think the fault is probably electrical. ➔ compare ELECTRONIC and see ELECTRIC (USAGE) —-ly /-kli/ adv
e|lectrical ap'pliance n a machine, usually for use in the house, which works by electricity: ovens, fridges, and other electrical appliances
e|lectrical engi'neer n a person trained in electrical engineering
e|lectrical engi'neering n [U] a branch of engineering which develops the use of electricity in practical ways
e|electric 'blanket n a double sheet of cotton, wool, or man-made material with electric wires passing through, used for making a bed warm
e|electric 'blue n [U] a very bright blue colour —electric blue adj
e|electric 'chair also chair infml — n [the] (punishment using) a chairlike apparatus with a supply of electricity which is used for killing certain criminals in some states of the US ➔ see CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
e|electric 'eye n infml for PHOTOELECTRIC CELL
e|electric 'fire n a heater which works by electricity, usually used to heat rooms in a house. The heat comes from wires made red-hot by the electricity.
e|electric gui'tar n a GUITAR which works by electricity and