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company she'd invested all her money in went bankrupt, she wished she hadn't put all her eggs in one basket. $\rightarrow$ see also NEST EGG, SCOTCH EGG, bad egg (BAD$^{1}$)
**egg$^{2}$** *v*
**egg sbdy. on** *phr v $[T]$* to encourage strongly, especially to do something wrong: *He wouldn't have thrown that stone if the other boys hadn't egged him on.* | $[+obj+to\text{-}v]$ *They egged the crowd on to riot.*
**egg and 'spoon race** *n* a race between people running while balancing an egg on a spoon. The winner is the first person to complete the distance without the egg falling off the spoon. Egg and spoon races are often held at children's school SPORTS DAYS.
**egg.cup** /'eg-k$\text{\textLambda}$p/ *n* a small container without a handle that holds a boiled egg so that it can be eaten
**egg.head** /'eghed/ *n usually derog* a clever, highly educated person, especially one who is impractical
**egg.nog** /'eg\textipa{n}og||'egna:g/ *n $[C;U]$* (a cupful of) a drink made from eggs, milk or cream, sugar, and usually alcohol, especially RUM, and drunk at Christmas and New Year in the US
**Eg.go waf.fles** /'eg$\text{ \textipa{\textschwa} }$ \textipa{u} ,w\textipa{p}f\textipa{\textschwa}lz||-,wa:t-/ *trademark* a type of frozen WAFFLE (=sweet breakfast cake) that can be heated in a TOASTER, sold in the US
**egg.plant** /'egpl\textipa{a:}nt||'egpl\textipa{\ae}nt/ *n especially AmE* for AUBERGINE
**egg 'roll** *n AmE* for SPRING ROLL
**egg.shell** /'eg\textipa{\textesh}el/ *n* **1** the usually hard outside part of an egg **2** a type of paint with a smooth, dull finish **3 walk on eggshells/eggs** also **tread on eggshells/eggs** *BrE* to be very careful to try not to say or do the wrong thing, because someone gets upset easily or because a situation could easily become worse: *For the last eight months of the marriage, he couldn't control his temper. I started to walk on eggshells for fear of upsetting him.* | *Everyone at the record company who worked closely with the group was walking on eggshells before the Grammy performance last February.*
**egg, timer** *n* a small two-part glass container with sand in it that runs from one part to the other in about three minutes, which is used for measuring the time when boiling eggs
**e.go** /'i:g$\textipa{\textschwa}\textipa{u}$ , 'eg$\textipa{\textschwa}\textipa{u}$/ *n pl.* **egos 1** one's opinion of oneself; SELF-ESTEEM: *He has an enormous ego. (=thinks he is a very fine person)* | *Is success good for one's ego?* | *to boost someone's ego by praising them* **2** *tech* (in Freudian PSYCHOLOGY) the one of the three parts of the mind that connects a person to the outside world, because it can think and act; conscious self $\rightarrow$ compare ID, SUPEREGO and see also ALTER EGO
**e.go.cen.tric** /$\textipa{,}$i:g$\textipa{\textschwa}\textipa{u}$'sentr$\textipa{I}$k$\textipa{,}$ ,e-/ *adj derog* thinking only about oneself rather than about other people; selfish ---**ally** /-kli/ *adv* ---**ity** /$\textipa{,}$i:g$\textipa{\textschwa}\textipa{u}$sen'tr$\textipa{I}$s$\textipa{\textschwa}$ti$\textipa{,}$ ,e-/ *n $[U]$*
**e.go.is.m** /'i:g$\textipa{\textschwa}\textipa{u}\textipa{I}$z$\textipa{\textschwa}$m, 'e-/ *n $[U]$* **1** *derog* the quality of always thinking about oneself and about what will be best for oneself; selfishness $\rightarrow$ compare ALTRUISM, EGOTISM **2** the belief that people's moral behaviour should be based on what is most advantageous to themselves ---**ist** *n* ---**istic** /$\textipa{,}$i:g$\textipa{\textschwa}\textipa{u}$'$\textipa{I}$st$\textipa{I}$k$\textipa{,}$ ,e-/ *adj* ---**istically** /-kli/ *adv*
**e.go.ma.ni.a** /$\textipa{,}$i:g$\textipa{\textschwa}\textipa{u}$'me$\textipa{I}$ni\textipa{\textschwa}, ,e-/ *n especially AmE, infml* extreme EGOISM: *Dictators often display egomania.* ---**maniac** /'ni\textipa{\ae}k/ *n*
**e.go.tis.m** /'i:g$\textipa{\textschwa}$t$\textipa{I}$z$\textipa{\textschwa}$m, 'e-/ *n $[U]$ derog* the act of or tendency towards talking too much about oneself and believing that one is better and more important than other people $\rightarrow$ compare EGOISM ---**tist** *n* ---**tistic** /$\textipa{,}$i:g$\textipa{\textschwa}$'t$\textipa{I}$st$\textipa{I}$k$\textipa{,}$ ,e-/ ---**tistical** *adj* ---**tistically** /-kli/ *adv*
**ego trip** *n slang derog* an act or set of acts done mainly because it makes one feel proud of oneself: *When he's lecturing he's not really bothered about the students learning. It's just an ego trip.* | *He's on a real ego trip at the moment.*
**e.gre.gious** /\textipa{I}'gri:d\textipa{Z}$\textipa{\textschwa}$s/ *adj $[A]$ fml derog* (of something bad, such as a mistake) especially and noticeably bad; BLATANT: *It was an egregious error to address the Queen as 'dear'.* ---**ly** *adv*
**e.gress** /'i:gres/ *n $[U] fml$* or *law* the act, power, or right of going out, especially from a building or enclosed place $\rightarrow$ opposite INGRESS
**e.gret** /'i:gr$\textipa{\textschwa}$t, -et/ *n* a fairly large long-legged water bird with long white feathers
**E.gypt** /'i:d\textipa{Z}$\textipa{I}$pt/ *a country in northeast Africa, next to the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Population: 74,718,797 (2003). Capital: Cairo. Ancient Egypt was a powerful and wealthy country, with advanced farming methods and a highly developed religion, political organization, and writing system. The ancient Egyptians built the PYRAMIDS, and large decorated graves under the ground for important people.*
**E.gyp.tian$^{1}$** /$\textipa{I}$'d\textipa{Z}$\textipa{I}$p\textipa{\textesh}$\textipa{\textschwa}$n/ *n $[C]$* someone from Egypt
**Egyptian$^{2}$** *adj* from or connected with Egypt
**E.gyp.tol.og.y** /$\textipa{,}$i:d\textipa{Z}$\textipa{I}$p't\textipa{p}l\textipa{\textschwa}d\textipa{Z}i||-'t\textipa{a:}$l-/ *n $[U]$* the study of the language, history, and ARCHAEOLOGY of ancient Egypt: *the Egyptology Department at the British Museum*
**eh** /e$\textipa{I}$/ *interj BrE infml* (used for showing surprise or doubt, or when asking someone to agree or repeat what they have just said): *Let's have another drink, eh?* | *'I'm cold!' 'Eh?' 'I said I'm cold!'* $\rightarrow$ compare PARDON$^{1}$
**Eich.mann, Ad.olf** /'\textipa{aI}km$\textipa{\textschwa}$n, '\textipa{aI}x-, '\textipa{\ae}d\textipa{p}lf||'erd\textipa{a:}lf/ (1906-62) an Austrian Nazi who, during World War II, was one of the main people responsible for sending Jewish people to CONCENTRATION CAMPS, where millions of them died. After the war he escaped to Argentina, but he was finally caught and taken to Israel. He was found guilty of WAR CRIMES and executed (EXECUTE) in 1962.
**Eid** /i:d/ *n* $\rightarrow$ See EID UL-ADHA, EID UL-FITR
**ei.der.down** /'\textipa{aI}d\textipa{\textschwa}da\textipa{u}$n||-d$\textipa{\textschwa}$r-/ *n* a thick warm covering for a bed filled with the soft feathers (DOWN) of a type of large black and white duck (**eider duck**)
**Eid ul-Ad.ha** /$\textipa{,}$i:d \textipa{\textschwa}l'\textipa{a:}d\textipa{\textschwa}$||, -rd-/ *n* a religious FESTIVAL which Muslims everywhere celebrate at the end of the Haj in order to remember that the Prophet Ibrahim was willing to kill his son for Allah. On this day they SACRIFICE certain animals such as sheep. $\rightarrow$ see also EID UL-FITR
**Eid ul-Fitr** /$\textipa{,}$i:d \textipa{\textschwa}l'f$\textipa{I}$tr$\textipa{\textschwa}$||,$\textipa{I}$d 'f$\textipa{I}$t\textipa{\textschwa}$r/ *n* a religious FESTIVAL which Muslims celebrate at the end of Ramadan. Special prayers are said in the MOSQUE, and children and women are given presents. $\rightarrow$ EID UL-ADHA
**Eif.fel Tow.er, the** /$\textipa{,}$a$\textipa{I}$f\textipa{\textschwa}$l 'ta\textipa{u}$\textipa{\textschwa}$r/ a 300 metre-high metal tower in Paris, completed in 1889. It is often used as a SYMBOL representing Paris or France.
**Ei.ger, the** /'\textipa{aI}g$\textipa{\textschwa}$r/ a mountain in the ALPS in Switzerland. Its north face (=side) is famous for being very difficult to climb.
**eight** /e$\textipa{I}$t/ *determiner, n, pron* **1** (the number) 8 $\rightarrow$ see TABLE 1 **2** $[+sing./pl. v]$ a team of eight rowers in a racing boat: *The Oxford eight is/are using a new lightweight boat.* $\rightarrow$ see also PIECE OF EIGHT **3** one over the eight *BrE infml* slightly drunk ---**eighth** /e$\textipa{I}$t$\textipa{\texttheta}$/ *determiner, n, pron, adv*
**18** /$\textipa{,}$e$\textipa{I}$'ti:n/ *n* in the UK, a film that has been accepted as suitable only for people aged 18 and older. Films that have an 18 CERTIFICATE usually contain a lot of sex or violence. In the US system, films like this have the letter X.
**eight.teen** /$\textipa{,}$e$\textipa{I}$'ti:n/ *determiner, n, pron* (the number) 18 ---**teenth** *determiner, n, pron, adv* $\rightarrow$ see ADULT
**18-30 hol.i.days** /$\textipa{,}$erti:n '\textipa{\texttheta}pt:ti ,$\textipa{,}$h$\textipa{p}l\textipa{\textschwa}$d$\textipa{I}$z||-'$\textipa{\texttheta}rt:i ,$\textipa{,}$h$\textipa{a:}$l$\textipa{\textschwa}$de$\textipa{I}$z/ *n $[P]$* group holidays for people between the ages of 18 and 30, especially people who are not married
**CULTURAL NOTE** The image that many people have of 18-30 holidays is that many of the people who go on them choose to spend their time drinking alcohol, having sex, and behaving badly.
**18-wheel.er** /$\textipa{,}$e$\textipa{I}$'ti:n 'wi:l$\textipa{\textschwa}$r/ *n AmE* a very large TRUCK (=vehicle that carries goods on roads) which has 18 wheels, used especially for moving goods over long distances
**'eighth note** *n AmE* for QUAVER
**800 num.ber** /ert'h$\textipa{\textLambda}$ndr$\textipa{\textschwa}$d ,n$\textipa{\textLambda}$mb$\textipa{\textschwa}$r/ also **800 line, toll-free number** *AmE --- n* a telephone number which one can telephone without paying for the call
**eighties** /'e$\textipa{I}$tiz/ *n* **1 [the]** also **80s** --- the 1980s (=the years from 1980 to 1989) $\rightarrow$ see Feature on page A9 **2 in his/her/their eighties** aged from 80 to 89: *He must be in his eighties now.* **3 [the]** the numbers from 81 to 89, especially when used to measure temperature: *a hot day with temperatures in the low eighties*