Adjacent Words

Electric definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ELEC'TRIC, n. Any body or substance capable of exhibiting electricity by means of friction or otherwise,and of resisting the passage of it from one body to another. Hence an electric is called a non-conductor, an electric per se. Such are amber, glass, rosin, wax, gum-lac, sulphur, etc.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity; "electric current"; "electric wiring"; "electrical appliances"; "an electrical storm" [syn: electric, electrical]
2: (of a situation) exceptionally tense; "an atmosphere electric with suspicion"
3: affected by emotion as if by electricity; thrilling; "gave an electric reading of the play"; "the new leader had a galvanic effect on morale" [syn: electric, galvanic, galvanizing, galvanising] n
1: a car that is powered by electricity [syn: electric, electric automobile, electric car]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: New Latin electricus produced from amber by friction, electric, from Medieval Latin, of amber, from Latin electrum amber, electrum, from Greek ?lektron; akin to Greek ?lekt?r beaming sun Date: 1675 1. (or electrical) of, relating to, or operated by electricity <an electric current> <an electric heater> 2. exciting as if by electric shock <an electric performance> <an electric personality>; also charged with strong emotion <the room was electric with tension> 3. a. electronic 3a b. amplifying sound by electronic means — used of a musical instrument <an electric guitar> 4. very bright <electric blue> <electric orange> • electrically adverb II. noun Date: 1646 1. archaic a nonconductor of electricity used to excite or accumulate electricity 2. something (as a light, automobile, or train) operated by electricity

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 of, worked by, or charged with electricity; producing or capable of generating electricity. 2 causing or charged with sudden and dramatic excitement (the news had an electric effect; the atmosphere was electric). --n. 1 an electric light, vehicle, etc. 2 (in pl.) electrical equipment. Phrases and idioms: electric blanket a blanket that can be heated electrically by an internal element. electric blue a steely or brilliant light blue. electric chair (in the US) an electrified chair used for capital punishment. electric eel an eel-like freshwater fish, Electrophorus electricus, native to S. America, that kills its prey by electric shock. electric eye colloq. a photoelectric cell operating a relay when the beam of light illuminating it is obscured. electric fence a fence charged with electricity, often consisting of one strand. electric field a region of electrical influence. electric fire an electrically operated incandescent or convector heater, usu. portable and for domestic use. electric guitar a guitar with a built-in electrical sound pick-up rather than a soundbox. electric organ 1 Biol. the organ in some fishes giving an electric shock. 2 Mus. an electrically-operated organ. electric ray any of several rays which can give an electric shock (see RAY(2)). electric shaver (or razor) an electrical device for shaving, with oscillating blades behind a metal guard. electric shock the effect of a sudden discharge of electricity on a person or animal, usually with stimulation of the nerves and contraction of the muscles. electric storm a violent disturbance of the electrical condition of the atmosphere. Derivatives: electrically adv. Etymology: mod.L electricus f. L electrum f. Gk elektron amber, the rubbing of which causes electrostatic phenomena

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Electric E*lec"tric, Electrical E*lec"tric*al, a. [L. electrum amber, a mixed metal, Gr. ?; akin to ? the beaming sun, cf. Skr. arc to beam, shine: cf. F. ['e]lectrique. The name came from the production of electricity by the friction of amber.] 1. Pertaining to electricity; consisting of, containing, derived from, or produced by, electricity; as, electric power or virtue; an electric jar; electric effects; an electric spark. 2. Capable of occasioning the phenomena of electricity; as, an electric or electrical machine or substance. 3. Electrifying; thrilling; magnetic. ``Electric Pindar.'' --Mrs. Browning. Electric atmosphere, or Electric aura. See under Aura. Electrical battery. See Battery. Electrical brush. See under Brush. Electric cable. See Telegraph cable, under Telegraph. Electric candle. See under Candle. Electric cat (Zo["o]l.), one of three or more large species of African catfish of the genus Malapterurus (esp. M. electricus of the Nile). They have a large electrical organ and are able to give powerful shocks; -- called also sheathfish. Electric clock. See under Clock, and see Electro-chronograph. Electric current, a current or stream of electricity traversing a closed circuit formed of conducting substances, or passing by means of conductors from one body to another which is in a different electrical state. Electric, or Electrical, eel (Zo["o]l.), a South American eel-like fresh-water fish of the genus Gymnotus (G. electricus), from two to five feet in length, capable of giving a violent electric shock. See Gymnotus. Electrical fish (Zo["o]l.), any fish which has an electrical organ by means of which it can give an electrical shock. The best known kinds are the torpedo, the gymnotus, or electrical eel, and the electric cat. See Torpedo, and Gymnotus. Electric fluid, the supposed matter of electricity; lightning. Electrical image (Elec.), a collection of electrical points regarded as forming, by an analogy with optical phenomena, an image of certain other electrical points, and used in the solution of electrical problems. --Sir W. Thomson. Electrical light, the light produced by a current of electricity which in passing through a resisting medium heats it to incandescence or burns it. See under Carbon. Electric, or Electrical, machine, an apparatus for generating, collecting, or exciting, electricity, as by friction. Electric motor. See Electro-motor, 2. Electric osmose. (Physics) See under Osmose. Electric pen, a hand pen for making perforated stencils for multiplying writings. It has a puncturing needle driven at great speed by a very small magneto-electric engine on the penhandle. Electric railway, a railway in which the machinery for moving the cars is driven by an electric current. Electric ray (Zo["o]l.), the torpedo. Electric telegraph. See Telegraph.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Electric E*lec"tric, n. (Physics) A nonconductor of electricity, as amber, glass, resin, etc., employed to excite or accumulate electricity.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. An electric device or machine works by means of electricity, rather than using some other source of power. ...her electric guitar. ADJ: usu ADJ n 2. An electric current, voltage, or charge is one that is produced by electricity. ADJ: ADJ n 3. Electric plugs, sockets, or power lines are designed to carry electricity. ADJ: ADJ n 4. Electric is used to refer to the supply of electricity. (INFORMAL) An average electric bill might go up $2 or $3 per month... = electricity ADJ: ADJ n 5. If you describe the atmosphere of a place or event as electric, you mean that people are in a state of great excitement. The mood in the hall was electric. ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Charged with electricity. 2. Marked by electricity, relating to electricity. 3. Full of fire or spirit, inspiriting, inspiring, stimulating. 4. Lightning-like, swift and flashing, instantaneous and thrilling, rousing, thrilling, stirring, exciting.

Moby Thesaurus

Amtrak, baggage train, cable railroad, charged, choo-choo, cog railroad, cog railway, el, electric car, electric train, electrifying, elevated, energized, exciting, express, express train, flier, freight, freight train, freighter, funicular, galvanizing, goods train, interurban, lightning express, limited, local, metro, milk train, monorail, moving, parliamentary, parliamentary train, passenger train, rack-and-pinion railroad, railroad train, rattler, rolling stock, shuttle, shuttle train, special, stimulating, stirring, streamliner, streetcar, subway, tense, thrilling, train, tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, tube, underground, way train