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Ecuador
in part, of the sun's light when the moon passes between it
and the Earth, or of the moon's light when the Earth passes
between it and the sun: *There was a total/partial eclipse*
*(of the sun).* | a *lunar eclipse* (=of the moon) **2** [C;U(*oft*)] the
loss of fame, power, success etc; **DECLINE**: *During the seventies,*
*her acting career was in eclipse.*
**eclipse²** *v* [T *often pass.*] **1** (of the moon or Earth) to cause an
eclipse of (the sun or moon): *The moon is partially*
*eclipsed.* **2** to do or be much better than; cause to seem less
important, clever, famous etc, by comparison: *She is com-*
*pletely eclipsed by her sister, who is cleverer, prettier, and more*
*amusing.*
**e·clip·tic** /r'klɪptɪk/ *n* [*the S*] *tech* the path along which the
sun seems to move
**ECO, the** /ˌiː siː ˈəʊ/ *abbrev.* for the ENGLISH CHAMBER ORCHES-
TRA
**e·co·friend·ly** /'iːkəʊ ˌfrendli/ *adj* not harmful to the ENVI-
RONMENT: *the growing market for eco-friendly products such*
*as biodegradable detergents and fridges which do not use*
*CFCs* ➔ *compare* **GREEN¹**
**e·co·log·i·cal** /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, ˌiː-l-ˈlɑː-/ *adj* **1** of or concerning
ecology or the environment: *The destruction of these big*
*forests could have serious ecological consequences.* **2** *also* **eco-**
**logically** 'sound — not harming the ecology; **GREEN**; **ECO-**
**FRIENDLY**: *an ecological washing powder* —**gically** /-kli/ *adv*:
*Ecologically* (=from an ecological point of view), *the new*
*dam has been a disaster.* | *an ecologically sound forestry*
*management policy*
**e·col·o·gy** /ɪ'klədʒi‖'kaː-/ *n* [U] (the scientific study of)
the pattern of relations of plants, animals, and people to
each other and to their surroundings —**gist** *n*
**e·com·merce** /'iː kɒmɜːs, ˌiː-kɑːmɜːrs/ *n* [U] *abbrev.* for elec-
tronic commerce; the activity of buying and selling goods
and services and doing other business activities using a
computer and the Internet
**ec·o·nom·ic** /ˌekəˈnɒmɪk, ˌiː-l-ˈnɑː-/ *adj* **1** [A *no comp.*]
connected with trade, industry, and the management of
money; of economics: *The country is in a bad economic*
*state.* | *the government's economic policies* **2** profitable: *The*
*airline says this route is no longer economic, so they're going to*
*discontinue it.* | *to sell goods at an economic price* ➔ **opposite**
**UNECONOMIC**
**ec·o·nom·i·cal** /ˌekəˈnɒmɪkəl, ˌiː-l-ˈnɑː-/ *adj* **1** using
money, time, goods etc, carefully and without waste: *It's not*
*a very economical method of heating.* | *an economical little car*
*that doesn't use much fuel* | *If you've got a large family, it's*
*more economical to travel by car than by train.* **2** *be eco-*
**nomical with the truth** *humor* to lie indirectly or not to tell
the whole truth: *I think most politicians learn to be economi-*
*cal with the truth.* | *Officially, the hospital is not going to close.*
*But the NHS managers are being economical with the truth,*
*for no more patients are being admitted.*
**ec·o·nom·i·cal·ly** /ˌekəˈnɒmɪkli, ˌiː-l-ˈnɑː-/ *adv* **1** not
wastefully: *Mary dresses very economically because she makes*
*all her clothes herself.* **2** in a way connected with economics:
*Economically (speaking), the country is in a very healthy*
*state.* | *Is the company economically viable?*
**Economic and Monetary 'Union** *n* ➔ *see* **EMU**
**economic 'climate** *n* the national or international eco-
nomic situation: *We cannot afford to employ more staff in the*
*current economic climate.*
**economic 'growth** *n* [U] the growth and development of a
country's **ECONOMY** as shown in increased production and
**INVESTMENT**, a higher standard of living etc
**economic 'migrant** *n* a person who leaves the town or
country in which they lived, in order to find somewhere to
earn a living: *Hundreds of economic migrants are arriving in*
*the city every day.*
**economic 'miracle** *n* unexpected **RECOVERY** from a bad
economic situation: *Can the Chancellor bring about an eco-*
*nomic miracle?* | *the German post-war economic miracle*
**economic refu'gee** *n* a person who goes to live in another
country wealthier than his or her own not for political
reasons, but in the hope of achieving a better standard of
living. Most governments do not accept this type of refugee.
**ec·o·nom·ics** /ˌekəˈnɒmɪks, ˌiː-l-nɑː-/ *n* **1** [U] the scien-
tific study of the way in which wealth is produced and used:
*She's studying economics at college.* **2** [P] the way in which
something, such as a plan or course of action, is influenced
by economic considerations: *The economics of the scheme*
*need to be looked at very carefully.* ➔ *see also* **MACROECO-**
**NOMICS, MICROECONOMICS, HOME ECONOMICS**
**e·con·o·mist** /ɪ'kɒnəmɪst‖'kaː-/ *n* a person who studies
and is skilled in economics
**Economist, The** *trademark* a British weekly magazine which
reports business news and has articles about the economic
situation in the UK and other countries, about large com-
panies etc. It is read especially by business people.
**e·con·o·mize** *also* **~mise** *BrE* /ɪ'knəmaɪz'kaː-/ *v* [I(*on*)] to
avoid waste: *We have to economize on water during the dry*
*season.*
**e·con·o·my¹** /ɪ'kɒnəmi‖'kaː-/ *n* **1** [C] the system by which
a country's wealth is produced and used: *The new oil that we*
*have found will improve the/our economy.* | *Most of the*
*countries in the region have unstable economies.* | *a capitalist*
*economy* ➔ *see also* **BLACK ECONOMY, MIXED ECONOMY,**
**MARKET ECONOMY, COMMAND ECONOMY** **2** [C;U] (an example
of) the careful use of money, time, effort etc, in order to
avoid waste: *to practise economy* | *We're trying to make a few*
*economies.* | *economy of effort* | *We had an economy drive*
(=we all tried to spend less) in order to save money for our
holiday. | *Buying cheap tyres is a false economy – they may*
*cost a bit less, but they will wear out much more quickly.* ➔
*see also* **ECONOMICAL**
**economy²** *adj* [A *no comp.*] cheap; less expensive: *Buy the*
*large economy packet and you'll save money.*
**e'conomy class** *n* [U] (on an aircraft) the cheapest travel-
ling conditions: *The seats are very close together in economy*
*class.* ➔ *compare* **FIRST CLASS** —**economy class** *adv*: *We're*
*going to travel economy class.*
**economy of 'scale** *n* a reduction in costs because of an
increase in the scale of production: *Large companies often*
*benefit from economies of scale.*
**e·co·sys·tem** /'iːkəʊˌsɪstəm/ *n* all the plants, animals, and
people in an area together with their surroundings, consid-
ered from the point of view of their relationship to each
other
**e·co·ter·ror·ism** /'iːkəʊ ˌterərɪzəm/ *n* [U] the act of trying
to stop or harm organizations that do things that are bad for
the environment
**e·co·ter·ror·ist** /'iːkəʊˌterərɪst/ *n* someone who tries to
stop or harm organizations or companies that do things that
are bad for the environment
**e·co·tour·ism** /'iːkəʊˌtʊərɪzəm/ *n* [U] the business of
organizing holidays to natural areas, especially areas that are
far away such as the **RAIN FOREST**, where people can visit and
learn about the area in a way that will not hurt the environ-
ment —**ecotourist** *n*
**ec·sta·sy** /'ekstəsi/ *n* **1** [C;U] (a state of) very strong feeling,
especially of joy and happiness: *A look of ecstasy spread over*
*his face as he swallowed the delicious oysters.* | *She was in a*
*trancelike state of religious ecstasy.* | *The children were in*
*ecstasies/went into ecstasies when he told them about the*
*holiday.* **2** [U] an **ILLEGAL** drug used especially by young
people to give a feeling of **HAPPINESS** and **ENERGY**, particu-
larly at **NIGHTCLUBS** and parties ➔ *see also* **RAVE**
**ec·stat·ic** /ɪk'stætɪk, ek-/ *adj* experiencing or causing great
joy: *She was absolutely ecstatic when I told her the news.*
—**~ally** /-kli/ *adv*
**ECT** /ˌiː siː ˈtiː/ *n* [U] *abbrev.* for electro-convulsive therapy;
another word for **ELECTRIC SHOCK THERAPY**
**ec·top·ic preg·nan·cy** /ˌektɒpɪk 'preɡnənsi‖-ˌtɑː-/ *n med*
**TUBAL PREGNANCY**
**Ecu, ECU** /'ekjuː‖er'kuː/ *n abbrev.* for European Currency
Unit; the official unit of money of the EU (=European Union)
before the introduction of the Euro in 1999
**Ec·ua·dor** /'ekwədɔːr/ *a* country in northern South America,
between Peru and Colombia, and next to the Pacific Ocean.
Population: 13,000,000 (1998). Capital: Quito. Away from the
flat, developed area on the coast, there are high mountains