elater 
elater 1 , elator (e-lu'ter, -tor), n. [< elate + 
-er l , -or.] One who or that which elates. 
elater- (el'a-ter), n. [NL. elater, < Gr. i'tarr/p, 
a driver, hiirler, < etoivnv (e/ta-), drive, set in 
motion: see t'laalic.] If. Elasticity; especially, 
the expansibility of a gas. 
It may be said that the swelling of the compressed wa- 
ter in tho pewter vessel lately mentioned, ami the spring- 
ing up of tile water at the hole made l,y the needle, wi-ie 
not the effects of an internal flat-'i of the water, but of 
tho spring of tlie many little particles of air dispersed 
through that water, lioyle. Spring of the Air, Exp. xxii. 
2. [NL.] In hot.: (a) One of the four club- 
shaped filaments of Eijuisetacea, attached at 
one point to a spore, formed by tho splitting of 
tho outer coat of the spore. They are strongly hygro- 
1863 
2. In hot., a fruit consisting of three or more 
dehiscent cocci, as in Euphorbia, liicliard. 
[Not used.] 
elaterometer (el * a - te - rom ' e - ter), n. [< Gr. 
i, a driver (see elater^, 1), + pir/iov, a mea- 
sure.] An air-pressure or steam-pressure gage, 
elateryt (cl'*-t- r ')i " .[< ^ r - f^or^of, driv- 
ing : see elaterium.] Acting force or elasticity : 
as, the i iiii< fit of the air. Say. 
elatin (era-tin), n. [< elat(erium) + -in'*.] A 
substance extracted from elaterium by alcohol: 
probably a mixture of elaterin and chlorophyl. 
See cut under i'l/uwetacae. (6) One of the long 
and slender fusiform cells of HepatictK having 
one or more spiral thickenings within. They 
loosen the spores in the capsule at the time of 
their dispersion, (c) One of tho similar free 
filaments of Muxomycetes forming part of the 
capillitium, and frequently having spiral thick- 
enings. They are sometimes furnished with 
spines. Their characters are useful in distin- 
guishing species. 3. [NL.] In entom.: (a) 
[cap.] The typical genus of the family Ela- 
teridtt, founded by Linnaeus in 1767. it com- 
prises over 100 species, of which nearly 50 inhabit North 
America. They are mostly found in temperate regions, 
e-lat-i-na'se-e), n. pi. [NL., < 
+ -acco;.] An order of small polypeta- 
with opposite leaves and axillary 
flowers, including only 2 genera and about 20 
species ; the waterworts. See Elatine. 
Elatine (e-lat'i-ne), n. [NL., < L. elatine, a 
plant of the genus Antirrhinum, < Gr. cZarim;, a 
species of toadflax, so called from some resem- 
blance to the fir or pine, fern, of j/anvof, of the 
fir or pine, < 'Mrtj, the silver fir. prob. so call- 
ed in reference to its straight, high growth, < 
tXaror, verbal adj. of e/Mvveiv, drive, push : see 
elastic, elater^.] A genus of very small annual 
herbs, typical of the order Etatinacear, grow- 
ing in water or mud, and found in temperate 
or subtropical regions around the globe, known 
as watericort. Four species occur in the United 
States. 
form fourth tarsal joint, oblong-oval scutellum, small reg- 
ularly convex head, and the sinuate single-toothed dilata- 
tion of the hind coxie. (&) One of the Elateridte; a 
click-beetle, (c) One of the elastic bristles at 
the end of the abdomen of the Poduridte. A. 
S. Packard. See spring. 
elaterid (e-lat'e-rid), a. and n. I. a. Of or per- 
taining to the Elateridte. 
II. n. One of the Elateridce; a click-beetle, 
spring-beetle, or skipjack. 
Elateridae (el-a-ter'i-de), n. pi. 
3 (a), + -ida.'] A family "of sternoxine pen- 
tamerous beetles, corresponding to the Linnean 
genus Elater. The ventral segments are typically free, 
the first not being elongated ; the tarsi are 5-jointed ; the ElatobrancMa (el ' a - to - brang 
prothorax is loosely jointed to the mesothorax ; the pro- 
sternum is prolonged behind ; the globose front cone are w,i~, *....,., 
within the prosternum ; the hind coxie are contiguous, P"? 
laminate, and silicate ; the free ventral segments are 5 OiaTOr, n. i , . . > 
or rarely 6 in number; the labrum is free and visible; elatrometer (el-a-trom'e-ter), n. 
and the antennw are usually serrate, sometimes filiform, 
pectinate, or flaliellate. The species are very numerous, 
and are known as click-beetUt, mapping-beetles, spring- 
beetlet, and tkipjarkt. Their legs are snort, and when 
they are placed on their hacks on a flat surface they right 
tio(n-), a' carrying out, a lifting up, 
of effcrre, carry out, lift up: see elate.] Elas- 
ticity of feeling due to some special cause or 
occasion; an exultant condition of the mind, 
as from physical enjoyment, success, or grati- 
fication of any kind ; mental inflation ; exulta- 
tion. 
Klacioun Is whan he ne may neither suffre to have mais- 
ter lie felawe. Chaucer, Parson's Tale. 
God began to punish this vain elation of mind, by with- 
drawing his favours. Bp. Atterbury. 
What to youth belong, 
Gay raiment, sparkling gauds, elation strong. 
M. Arnold, Austerity of Poetry. 
[NL., < Gr. f/i/zrof, verbal adj. of efairvciv, drive, 
push, + fip&yx" 1 , gills.] A group of mollusks. 
elbow-piece 
They know them to have bin the main corrupters at the 
Kings ,'U,:,,, . Millon, Elkonoklute*, xxiv. 
Sir Koger, planting himself at our hlaUirlan s elboir, was 
very attentive to ever) thing he said. Spectator, No. 32V. 
Elbow In the hawse (""'.). turn or half-twUt pro- 
dn, e,i iii the cables of a ship when moored, caused by her 
swinging twice the wrong way. In at elbowi, in com- 
fortable or decent circumstances. 
I don't suppose you could get a high style of man . . . 
for pay that hardly keeps him in at elbowi. 
Oeor'jr KluX, Middleman:!!, xxxvlli 
Out at elbows, having holes In the elbows of one's coat ; 
hence, in a dilapidated or impoverished condition ; at odds 
with fortune ; unfortunate. To crook the elbow. Btt 
crook. TO rub or touch elbows, to associate closely ; be 
intimate. To Shake the elbow, to gamble: from the 
motion of shaking a dice-box. 
He's always thaking his heels with the ladies, and hi* 
elbowi with the lord*.' Vanbrugh, Confederacy, L 
Up to the elbows (in anything), very bmy ; wholly en- 
gaged or engrossed. 
elbow (el'bo), v. [< elbow, n.] I. trans. 1. To 
push or shove with or as if with the elbow; 
hence, figuratively, to push or thrust bv over- 
bearing means; crowd: as, to elbow people aside 
in a crowd; to elbow a rival out of the way. 
He'll . . . elbow out his neighbours. Dryden. 
I would gladly abandon, of my own free will, the parti 
have in her fickle favour, but I will not be elbowed out of 
It by the clown Sussex or this new upstart. 
Scott, Kenllworth, xvl. 
2. To make or gain by pushing as with the el- 
bows : as, to elbow one's way through a crowd. 
As some unhappy wight, at some new play, 
At the pit door stands elbowing a way. 
Ooldimith, Good-natured Man, Epll. 
n. intrans. 1. To jut into an angle ; project ; 
bend or curve abruptly, as a wall or a stream. 
2. To jostle with or as if with the elbow ; 
push one's way; hence, figuratively, to be rudely 
self-assertive or aggressive. 
He that grows hot and turbid, that elbowi In all his phll- 
osophlck disputes, must needs be very proud of his own 
sufficiencies. Mannyngham, Discourses (1681), p. 50. 
Purse-proud, elbowing Insolence, 
Bloated Empiric, puff'd Pretence. 
Grainger, Solitude. 
[< Gr. 
a driver (see elater 2 , 1), + ptrpov, a measure.] 
In physics, an instrument for measuring the 
degree of rarefaction of the air in the receiver 
of an air-pump. 
themselves with an audible snapping of their bodies. This e l av l e (el'a-il), n. IX Gr. Ifaiw, olive-Oil, Oil, 
Is effected by means of the spine of the prosternum, which +:,j nma it fT 1 r 
acts as a spring on the mesosternnm, and the force being , .. _Jc TJ viL.1 
transmitted to the base of the elytra, and so to the suj 
Same as ethylene. 
m m ____ ___ _____ _ _______ _ Elberfeld blue. See blue, n. 
in8ecu"are"jerked"into the"aTr"ai!d elbow (el'bo), n. [= Sc. elbuck ; < ME. elbotce, 
manage to fall on their feet. The force Is remarkable, as 
one may experience by trying to hold one of the larger 
species. (See cut under click-beetle.) The fireflies of trop- 
ical regions are elatera, as of the genus I'yrophortt*. (See 
cut under antenna.) The larva of many species are known 
as wirewornis, and are very Injurious to crops. See cut 
under wireicorin. 
elaterin, elaterine (e-lat'e-rin), n. [< elater-ium 
+ -i 2 , -ie 2 .] A neutral principle (C2oH28Os) 
extracted by alcohol from olatenum. when pure 
it forms colorless hexagonal crystals, which are odorless 
and have a bitter, acrid taste. It is used in medicine in 
minute doses as a very powerful hydragogue cathartic. 
elaterist (e-lat'e-rist), n. [< elater* + -ist.] One 
who holds that' many of the phenomena con- 
nected with the air-pump are to be explained 
by the elasticity of the air, and who maintains 
the truth of Boyle's law that the density of a gas 
is proportional to the pressure. 
Although our authour [Linusl confesses that air has a 
spring as well as a weight, yet he resolutely denies that 
spring to be near treat enough to perform those things 
which hia adversaries (whom for brevity sake we will 
venture to call elateriatg) ascribe to it. 
Boyle, Defence against Linns, II. 
elaterlte (e-lat'e-rit), n. [< elater-ium + -ite.] 
An elastic mineral resin of a blackish-brown 
color, subtranslucent, and occurring in soft flex- 
ible masses. Also called elastic bitumen and 
mineral caoutchouc. 
elaterium (el-a-te'ri-um), n. [NL., < Gr. Ka- 
ri/fHoc,, driving, driving away, neut. l^jrrripiov, sc. 
QapuaKav, an opening medicine, < et-ariip, a driver. 
< efavveiv (f/o-), drive : see elatfr-.] 1. A sub- 
stance obtained from the fruit of the Ecbaltium 
Elaterium, or squirting cucumber, which, if it is 
gathered a little before it ripens, and the juice 
gently expressed, deposits ;i green sediment, 
which is collected and dried. iiood elaterium oper 
ates iw a dnistlc purge, and i* generally administered in 
cases of dropsy. It contains elaterin, together with starch, 
resin, etc. 
< AS. elnboga, and contr. elboga (= D. eUeboog 
= LG. ellfbage = OHG. elinpogd, elinpogo, ellin- 
bogo, MHG. elenboge, G. ellenboge, elboge = Ice!. 
olnbogi, and contr'. iilbogi, now olbogi, formerly 
alnbogi, albogi = Dan. albue; cf. 8w. armbagc), 
elbow, < eln, ell, in the orig. sense of 'forearm,' 
+ 60170, a bow, in the orig. sense of 'a bend': 
see ell and 6oid 2 . Cf. ulna aad cubit.] 1. The 
bend of the arm; the angle made by bending 
the arm at the junction of the upper arm with 
the forearm. 
And preide to god for hem bothe ladyes and maidenes 
In the chin lies vpon theire knees and elbowei, that god 
sholde hem spede and defeude fro deth. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), U. 246. 
The wings that waft our riches out of sight 
Grow on the gamester 8 elbows. 
Cowper, Task, iii. 761. 
There leaning deep in broider'd down we sank 
Our rliniu-s. Tennynon, Princess, iv. 
2. In ,in, i L. the elbow-joint and associate struc- 
tures. See elboio-ioint. 3. Something curved 
or bent like the human elbow; specifically, a 
flexure or angle of a wall or road, especially if 
not acute ; a sudden turn or bend in a river or 
the sea-coast ; a jointed or curved piece of pipe 
for water, smoke, gas, etc., designed to con- 
nect two lines running at an angle to each oth- 
er. 4. In carp., etc.. one of the upright sides 
which flank any paneled work. See crosset. 
5. The raised arm of a chair or end of a sofa, 
designed to support the arm or elbow. 
But elboirt still were wanting : these, some say, 
An alderman of Cripplegate contriv'd ; 
And some ascribe tli' invention to a priest. 
Burly, and big, ami studious of his ease. 
Coirper, Task. I. 60. 
6. A shoulder-point in cattle. Grose. [Local, 
Kng.]_ At one's elbow, near at hand; convenient; 
within .all. 
tiouw-uuiti u ^cii iw-uvtv*/. n. i he board at t 
bottom of a window which forms the inner sill, 
elbow-chair (el'bo-char), n. Same as arm-chair. 
[Now rare.] 
The furniture . . . [consisted] of hangings made of old 
Genoa yellow damask, with a bed and elbuie chain of the 
same stuff, adorned with fringes of blue silk. 
Smollett, tr. of Gil Bias, X. 8. 
Necessity invented stools, 
Convenience next suggested elbow-chatri. 
Cowper, Task, I. 87. 
elbow-Cuff (el'bo-kuf), . An attachment to 
the short elbow-sleeve of a woman's dress, worn 
about 1775. The cuff is or appears to be turned 
back so as to cover the elbow like a cap. 
elbowed (el'bod), a. [< elbow + -ed*.] Sup- 
plied with or shaped like an elbow ; specifically, 
in entom., turning at an angle; kneed; genicu- 
late: as, elbowed antennte; elboued marks. West- 
wood. 
Picks, having straight tip converging to the eye. Instead 
of being curved, are said to be elbowed or anchored. 
Win. Morgan, Man. of Mining Tools, p. 74. 
elbow-gauntlet (el'bo-gant'let), n. A gaunt- 
let of which the cuff covers the forearm nearly 
to the elbow-joint. It Is sometimes prolonged on the 
outer edge of the arm so as to protect the elbow. During 
the sixteenth century such gauntlets of steel superseded 
the vambrace, and gloves of leather and quilted silk an- 
swering the same purpose were worn far Into the seven- 
teenth century. 
elbow-grease (el'bo-gres), n. A colloquial or 
humorous expression for energetic hand-labor, 
as in rubbing, scouring, etc. 
He has scartit and dintit my gude mahogany past a' the 
power o' bees-wax and elbow-greate to smooth. 
Oalt, The Entail, III. 84. 
To clean a gun properly requires some knowledge, more 
good temper, and most elbow-greate. 
Couet, Field Ornith. (1874), p. IS. 
elbow-guard (el'bp-gftrd), n. Same as cubitiere. 
elbow-joint (el'bo-joint), n. In mint., the ar- 
ticulation of the forearm with the upper arm ; 
the joint formed by the articulation of the ulna 
and radius with the humerus. The head of the ra- 
dius and the greater slgmoid cavity of the ulna, respec- 
tively, are apposed to the trochlear and capitellar surfaces 
of the hnmerns. In so far as the movement of the whole 
forearm upon the upper arm U concerned, the elbow -joint 
Is the most strict ginglymus or hinge-joint in the body, 
hating no lateral motion ; hut the head of the radius In- 
dependently revolves In the lesaer sUnnoid cavity of the 
ulna, pivoted ujwn the capitellum of the humerus. in the 
movements of pronation and supination. The term is ex- 
tended to the corresponding joint of the arm or fore limb 
of other animals, whatever its construction may be. 
elbow-piece (el'bd-pes), w. Same as cubitiire. 
