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ergative
e·qua·tor /ɪˈkweɪtə/ n [the S] (often cap.) an imaginary line drawn round the world halfway between its most northern and southern points (POLES): The nearer you get to the equator, the hotter it is. → see picture at GLOBE
eq·ua·to·ri·al /ˌekwəˈtɔːriəl/ adj 1 of or near the equator: the equatorial rain forest 2 very hot: an equatorial climate
Equatorial 'Guinea a small country in west central Africa, between Cameroon and Gabon. Population: 510,473 (2003). Capital: Malabo. The capital city is on an island 125 miles (200 km) from the main part of the country.
e·quer·ry /ˈekwəri, ˈekwɒri||ˈekwɜːri/ n a male official in a royal court, who goes about with and serves the king or a member of the royal family
e·ques·tri·an /ɪˈkwɛstriən/ adj of or including the riding of horses: I always enjoy the equestrian events at the Olympic Games.
equi- → see WORD FORMATION TABLE
e·qui·dis·tant /ˌiːkwɪˈdɪstənt/ adj [F(from)] equally distant: Rome is about equidistant from Cairo and Oslo. | Paris, Bordeaux, and Lyons are roughly equidistant. (=the same distance from each other)
e·qui·lat·er·al /ˌiːkwɪˈlætərəl/ adj (of a TRIANGLE) having all three sides equal → compare ISOSCELES, SCALENE
e·qui·lib·ri·um /ˌiːkwɪˈlɪbriəm/ n [S;U] 1 a state of balance between opposing forces, weights, influences etc: Certain ear diseases can affect one's equilibrium. | We must try to keep the opposing economic forces in equilibrium. 2 balance of the mind, emotions etc; EQUANIMITY
eq·uine /ˈekwaɪn, ˈiː-/ adj of or like horses: a long, equine face
eq·ui·noc·tial /ˌiːkwɪˈnɒkʃəl, ˌe-l-ˈnɒk-/ adj (at the time) of the equinox: equinoctial gales (=strong winds at this time)
eq·ui·nox /ˈiːkwɪnɒks, ˈe-l-nɒks/ n either of the two times in the year (about March 21 and September 22) when all places in the world have day and night of equal length: the vernal (=spring) and autumnal equinoxes → compare SUMMER SOLSTICE, WINTER SOLSTICE
e·quip /ɪˈkwɪp/ v [T] -pp- 1 [(with, for)] to provide with what is necessary for doing something: a well-equipped/poorly equipped hospital | We can't afford to equip the army properly. (=buy weapons, uniforms etc for it) | They equipped themselves with a pair of sharp axes and set off for the forest. 2 [(for)] to make able, fit, or prepared: Your education will equip you for your future life. | [+obj+to-v] Having anticipated the problems, I was well equipped to deal with the situation.
e·quip·ment /ɪˈkwɪpmənt/ n [U] 1 the set of things needed for a particular activity, especially an activity of a practical or technical kind: She set up/tested all her equipment. | to install video equipment | fire-fighting equipment | The police found bomb-making equipment in the terrorists' hideout. 2 fml the process of equipping
eq·ui·ta·ble /ˈekwɪtəbəl/ adj fair and just: an equitable division of the money | an equitable solution to the dispute → opposite INEQUITABLE; compare EQUABLE —bly adv
eq·ui·ty¹ /ˈekwɪti/ n [U] 1 fml the quality of being equitable; fairness: They shared the work of the house with reasonable equity. → opposite INEQUITY 2 (especially in the legal systems of English-speaking countries) the principle of justice which may be used to correct a law when that law would cause hardship in special cases 3 the total owned by a company after what it owes has been taken away from the value
equity² n [usually pl.] tech an ordinary SHARE (=one of the equal parts into which ownership of a company is divided) on which no fixed amount of interest is paid: the equities market | equity capital/investment
Equity 1 a TRADE UNION in the UK for actors and actresses in film, theatre, TV, and radio. It is difficult to become a member of Equity, but actors and actresses need an Equity member's card in order to work professionally. 2 a TRADE UNION in the US for actors and actresses who perform in the theatre. Its full name is the Actor's Equity Association. → compare AFTRA, SAG
e·quiv·a·lent¹ /ɪˈkwɪvələnt/ adj [(to)] (of time, amount, value, number etc) same; equal: He changed his pounds for the equivalent amount in dollars. | Changing his job like that is equivalent to giving him the sack. | There is no exactly equivalent French tense to the present perfect tense in English. —ly adv —lence n [U]
equivalent² n [(of, to)] something equivalent: Some American words have no British equivalents. | Change this money for gold or its equivalent in dollars. | A company car is the equivalent of an extra £2000 a year on your salary.
e·quiv·o·cal /ɪˈkwɪvəkəl/ adj 1 (of words or statements) having a double or doubtful meaning; AMBIGUOUS 2 (of behaviour or events) questionable; mysterious → opposite UNEQUIVOCAL —ly /-kli/ adv
e·quiv·o·cate /ɪˈkwɪvəkeɪt/ v [I] fml to speak in an equivocal way on purpose to deceive people: For goodness sake, answer yes or no, but don't equivocate! —cation /ˌiːkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən/ n [C;U]
er /ɜː, ə/ interj (used when one cannot decide what to say next): And then he – er – just suddenly seemed to – er – disappear!
ER /ˌiː ˈɑː/ a popular US television programme about the doctors, nurses, and medical students who work in the EMERGENCY ROOM of a hospital in Chicago. It is known for its exciting stories, and for the fast speed at which things happen.
e·ra /ˈɪərə/ n 1 a set of years which is counted from a particular point in time: The Christian era is counted from the birth of Christ. 2 a very long period of time in the history of the Earth or of human society, especially as marked by events or developments of a particular kind: The era of space travel has begun.
ERA /ˌiː ɑː ˈeɪ/ n abbrev. for earned run average; in BASEBALL, a number which represents how often a PITCHER has allowed people to hit the ball and then make a RUN
ERA, the /ˌiː ɑː ˈeɪ/ abbrev. for the Equal Rights Amendment; a suggested change to US law, which was intended to give women the same legal rights as men. Although the suggested law was agreed to by CONGRESS, not enough states agreed in time for it to become a law.
e·rad·i·cate /ɪˈrædɪkeɪt/ v [T] to put an end to (something bad or undesirable); get rid of completely: to eradicate crime/disease/poverty —cator n —cation /ɪˌrædɪˈkeɪʃən/ n [U]
e·rase /ɪˈreɪz||ɪˈreɪs/ v [T] fml to rub out or remove (something, especially a pencil mark): (fig.) Nothing can erase from her mind the memory of that terrible day.
e·ras·er /ɪˈreɪzə ||-sər/ n especially AmE something that is used to erase marks, especially a piece of rubber for erasing pencil marks
e·ra·sure /ɪˈreɪʒə ||-ʃər/ n [C;U] fml (a place marked by) erasing
ere /eə/ prep, conj poet or old use before: I shall be gone ere morning/ere you return.
e·rect¹ /ɪˈrekt/ adj 1 upright; standing straight up on end, not leaning over or lying down: She held her head erect and her back straight. 2 med (of the