Earing

( Naut.) A rope or lashing, which bends or reefs a sail to the cringle. Earl, (érl,) n. [A. S. corl; Dan.jarl . See ELDER. Originally, a title of honor among the Danes, tantamount to the modern term alderman .] A title of nobility, being, in degree, below a marquis, and above a viscount. It is equivalent to the French comte (count), Ger. graf , It. conte, and Spanish and Portuguese conde. The term originated with the nations of the north of Europe, who applied the title of "jarl" (pronounced yarl ) to chieftains of the highest rank, who were appointed by the sovereign to govern large tracts of land, having the powers of a viceroy in the administration of justice, but being also under the obligation of furnishing, equipping, and maintaining a certain number of men as a contingent to the national force, and of acting as their leader when the nece ities of war compelled the king to call them out for actual service. The dignity was, in fact, equivalent among the Teutonic nations to that of the Roman comes, or count; and the appellation was the highest title of honor that the monarch could confer. The title of E. remained the highest title of rank in Europe until the latter part of the 14th cent., when the duke and marquis took precedence over the earls. Earl, in Pennsylvania, a township of Berks co., about 18 m. E. of Reading. -A township of Lancaster co. Ear-lap, n. The tip of the ear. Earldom, (érl'dum,) n. The seigniory, jurisdiction, or dignity of an earl.