egirly.html - See: BAD EGG, GOOD EGG, KILL THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG, LAY AN EGG, PUT ALL ONE'S EGGS IN ONE BASKET, ROTTEN EGG.

egirly.html - {v.} To urge on; excite; lead to action. * /Joe's wife egged him on to spend money to show off./ * /The big boys egged on the two little boys to fight./ Compare: PUT UP(6).

egirly.html - (Science and Technology) see card

egirly.html - int.
archaic or joc. by God. [prob. orig. a ah + GOD]

egirly.html - adj. & n.
--adj.

1 of or relating to the principle of equal rights and opportunities for all (an egalitarian society).
2 advocating this principle.

--n.

a person who advocates or supports egalitarian principles.

egalitarianism n. [F ÷galitaire f. ÷gal EQUAL]

egirly.html - n.
1 a the spheroidal reproductive body produced by females of animals such as birds, reptiles, fish, etc., enclosed in a protective layer and capable of developing into a new individual. b the egg of the domestic hen, used for food.
2 Biol. the female reproductive cell in animals and plants.
3 colloq. a person or thing qualified in some way (a tough egg).
4 anything resembling or imitating an egg, esp. in shape or appearance.

as sure as eggs is (or are) eggs colloq. without any doubt. egg-beater 1 a device for beating eggs.
2 US sl. a helicopter. egg-custard = CUSTARD(1). egg-flip (or -nog) a drink of alcoholic spirit with beaten egg, milk, etc. eggs (or egg) and bacon any of various yellow- and orange-shaded plants, esp. the snapdragon or toadflax. egg-spoon a small spoon for eating a boiled egg. egg-timer a device for timing the cooking of an egg. egg-tooth a projection of an embryo bird or reptile used for breaking out of the shell. egg-white the white of an egg. have (or put) all one's eggs in one basket colloq. risk everything on a single venture. with egg on one's face colloq. made to look foolish.

eggless adj. eggy adj. (eggier, eggiest). [ME f. ON, rel. to OE óg]