ELD 



208 



EL E 



former bulk, it is non-elastic. Gases arc 

 therefore elastic, and liquids are non- 

 elastic. All bodies belong to one or other 

 of these divisions, yet there is perhaps 

 no substance in nature perfectly elastic 

 or completely non-elastic : all partake of 

 these properties in a greater or less 

 degree. 



ELASTIC CURVE, the figure assumed by 

 an elastic plate, one end of which is 

 tixed horizontally in a vertical plane, 

 and the other end loaded -with a weight 

 tending to bend the plate. 



ELA'TER, the skipper, a genus of cole- 

 opterous insects of the serricorne family. 

 Name iKasrri^, a leaper. The JB. noctilu- 

 cus, Lin., is the most celebrated species. 

 It is rather more than an inch long ; 

 dusky brown ; a convex yellow shining 

 spot on each side of the thorax, in con- 

 sequence of which it is used by the ladies 

 as an ornament for the hair during the 

 evening paseo, and the Indians fix it to 

 their feet to light them in their noctur- 

 nal journeys. This species belongs to South 

 America, but the elaterides have a wide 

 geographical distribution. 



ELATE'RTTE, mineral caoutchouc, a 

 brown, massive, elastic variety of bitu- 

 men : constituents, 52 carbon ; 40 oxygen, 

 and 8 hydrogen. 



ELATE'RIUM, from iXetrtgio*, a name 

 given by the Greeks to any drastic purga- 

 tive, and to the juice of the wild cucum- 

 ber in particular. At present, (1). The 

 wild cucumber (momordica elateriwn) ; 

 (2). A peculiar substance deposited from 

 the juice of the wild cucumber and dried ; 

 its active power as a cathartic is derived 

 from a minute quantity of elatin which 

 it contains ; (3). The name of a genus of 

 annual plants. Moncecia Syngenesia, 

 South America. 



ELA'TIN, the active principle of Ela- 

 terium (q. v.). It is contained in the pro- 

 portion of 12 per cent. 



ELBOW. 1. The outer angle made by 



bending the arm. 2. The name given 



to an abrupt turn in a river, frequently 

 caused from the action of the current 

 upon one of the banks, which thereby 

 becomes washed away, when the silt is 

 thrown to the other side, where it forms 



an elbow. 3. The elbowt of a window are 



the two panelled flanks, one under each 



shutter. I. Elbow joints are voussoirs 



of an arch which form part of a horizon- 

 tal course. 



EI/CAJA, an Arabian tree, the fruit of 

 which is emetic, and is employed in an 

 ointment for the cure of the itch. 



EL'DER. 1. In ecclesiastical a/airs, from 

 taldor, the comp. of eld, now old : elders 

 .ire officers, who with the ministers and 

 deacons of Presbyterian churches com- 

 V'ise the kirk session. In the first Chris- 

 tian churches the elders were persons 



who enjoyed ecclesiastical functions. The 

 word indeed comprehends apostles, pas- 

 tors, presbyters, bishops or ovc TM < -rs ; 

 hence the ancient Christian councils were 



called presbyteria or councils of elders. 



2. In botany, from Sax. ellarn, Dan.hylde- 

 tree, the popular name of the Sambucus. a 

 genus of trees of seven species, and as 

 many varieties. Temperate climates. 



EL DORADO, the Spanish name of an 

 imaginary country in South America, 

 abounding in gold and precious stones. 



ELEAT'IC, an epithet given to a sect of 

 philosophers, from Ele<, a town of Lu- 

 cania, where most of its teachers were 

 born. 



Et.ECT', Lat. electus (from }>fycv, to 

 choose) ; one chosen. The Calvinists de- 

 nominate those whom they believe God 

 to have predestinated to be saved, the 

 elect. In matters of polity the word elect 

 signifies chosen, but not inaugurated. 

 Thus the Lord Mayor of London, before 

 his predecessor's mayoralty is expired, is 

 called the lord mayor elect. 



ELEC'TIOX. In the Calvinistic theology 

 the divine choice of objects for salvation 

 is election. See ELECT. In arithmetic, the 

 different ways of taking any number of 

 quantities given is called election, but the 

 term is rarely used. 



ELEC'TIVE, depending on choice, as an 

 elective monarchy. The term is used in 

 chemistry thus : when a substance already 

 combined with another is presented to a 

 third for which it has a greater affinity, 

 it separates from the former and enters 

 into combination with the latter; this 

 preference is called elective attraction, or 

 more commonly elective affinity. It is 

 upon this gradation of alterative force 

 that the uniformity of chemical action 

 depends, and by which decompositions 

 are effected. 



ELEC'TRIC, from vMzTaet, amber; a 

 term used, Cl). To denote whatever re- 

 lates to electricity; (2). To denote a 

 substance or body capable of exhibiting 

 electricity by means of friction or other- 

 wise, and resisting the passage of it from 

 one body to another. Hence an electric 

 is called a non-conductor, and an electric 

 per se. Such are amber, glass, rosin, wax, 

 shell-lac, sulphur, &c. 



ELEC'TRICAL APPARA'TTTS, the various 

 instruments and machines necessary for 

 the illustration of the laws of electric 

 action. 



ELEC'THICAL BAT'TERT, a number of 

 coated jars connected with each other, 

 which being charged or electrified, are 

 then exploded or discharged with an 

 effect proportioned to the extent of the 

 coated surface. 



ELF.C'TRICAL EEL, a specie of rymno- 

 tus ; it is five or six feet long, and com 



