Collier's New Encyclopedia

A complete general encyclopedia of 1921 — the world as it was understood just after the Great War, from Aachen to Zwingli, across twelve volumes and six thousand pages.

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Elephant's Ear – Elmira College

Elephant's Ear

a name sometimes given to plants of the genus Begonia.

Elf

a little sprite supposed to inhabit wild and desolate places, and to exercise a mysterious power over man; a fairy, a goblin.

Elf Arrows

ELF BOLTS, and ELF- SHOT, popular names in Great Britain for stone arrow-heads, and other similar ancient barbarian weapons. They are superstitiously worn as charms against lightning. They are said to appear in great quantities where the day before there were none.

Elis

a maritime state of ancient Greece in the W. of the Peloponnesus, bordering on Achaia, Arcadia, and Messenia, and watered by the rivers Alpheus and Peneus. Of its capital Elis (now Kaloskopi) there are few traces. Olympia, where the famous games were held. was near the Alpheus. Elis and Achaia now form a monarchy of Greece.

Elisha

a Hebrew prophet, the disciple and successor of Elijah. Many miracles of prediction and cure, and even of raising the dead, are ascribed to him.

He held the office of prophet for fully 65 years, from the reign of Ahab to that of Joash (latter half of 9th century B. c.).

Elizabeth

Queen of Rumania. See CARMEN SYLVA.

Elizabeth

the wife of Zacharias and mother of John the Baptist. An angel foretold to her husband the birth of a son to her old age; and it was also foretold by the angel Gabriel the Virgin Mary, as an assurance of the birth of the Messiah.

Elkins

STEPHEN BENTON, an American capitalist and public official, born in Perry co., O., in 1841. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1860 and after studying law was admitted to the bar in 1864. In the same ELKS

Ell

a measure originally taken in some vague way from the arm, and which has been used to denote very different lengths. The English ell, as a measure of cloth, is equal to 14 yard, the Flemish 3/4 yard, and the French to 12 yard.

Ellesmere Land

the southern body of land W. of north Greenland, and N. of Jones Sound, forming the extreme N. extension of the Arctic archipelago of North America. It has no inhabitants and is a region of perpetual ice. Baffin noted it early in the 17th century, but Otto Sverdrup's explorations (1898- 1902) have added most to our knowledge.

Ellipsis

a term used in grammar and rhetoric, to signify the omission of a word necessary to complete the expression or sentence in its usual form. The object of ellipsis is shortness and impressiveness; accordingly, it prevails in proverbs. Ellipses are used in all languages, but the same form of ellipses are not common to all.

Elmira College

an educational institution in Elmira, N. Y., for women; founded in 1855 under the auspices of the close of 1919: Professors and in- the Presbyterian Church; reported at structors, 32; students, 323; president, Frederick Lent, Ph. D.

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