earworm (erwerm)

1. Same as boll - worm. - 21. A secret counselor. There is nothing in the oath to protect such an ear worm , but he may be appeached. Bp . Hacket , Life of Abp. Williams, II. 152. earwort (er'wert), n . The Rach i call is rupestris , a low rubiaceous shrub of the West Indies. ease (ēz), n . [Early mod. E. also eaze , ese ; ese , eise, eyse , eise , OF. aise , ayse , aize , F. aise , f., = Pr. aise , ais (> prob. Basque aisia ) = OCat. aise , ease, = Pg. azo , aid, motive, occasion, = Olt. asio , agio , aggio , m., ease, convenience, exchange, premium, now distinguished in spelling: agio , ease; aggio (>F. agio , = ease > E. agio, q. v.), exchange, premium. Hence the adj., OF. aise, ayse, aize = Pr. aïs, easy (mod. F. aisé, p. a., easy); the adv. phrase, OF. a aise, F. à l'aise Pr. ad ais = It. ad agio, ada gio (> E. adagio ), at ease, at leisure, > OF. aaise, ahaise = OPg. aaso = It. adagio, ease; and the compound, F. malaise (> E. malaise ), uneasine . The Rom. forms are somewhat irregular, and are certainly of external origin, perhaps Celtic: ef. (1) Bret, eaz, ez, easy; Gael. adhais, leisure, ease. There is nothing to prove a connection with (2) AS. eathe, obs. E. eath (see eath ); or with (3) Goth. azets, easy (in compar. azetizo ), azeti, ease, azetaba, easily; or with (4) L. otium, ease (see otiose ); or with (5) OHG. e a, MHG. G. e e (> Dan. e e ), a forge, furnace, chimney, orig. a fireplace (akin to AS. ad, a funeral pyre, ast, a furnace, kiln, > E. oast, q. v.), whence, as some conjecture, 'to be at one's ease' (F. étre à son aise), orig. 'to be at one's hearth, feel at home'; or with (6) MLG. e e = G. e e = ODan. e e, Dan. es = Sw. e e, well-being, comfort, ease (appar. ease. Be comfortable to thy friends, and to thyselfe wish ease. Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 99. Soul,... take thine ease , eat, drink, and be merry. Luke xii. 19. How blest is he who crowns, in shades like these, A youth of labour with an age of ease ! Goldsmith, Des. Vil., 1. 99. Better the toil. Than waking dream and slothful ease . Whittier, Seed-time and Harvest. 2. A quiet state of the mind; freedom from concern, anxiety, solicitude, or anything that frets or ruffles the mind; tranquillity. And Gonnore hym praide soone to come a-gein, "ffor neuer," quod [she], "shall I be in ese of herte vn-to the tyme that I yow se a-gein." Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ii. 360. Oh, did he light upon you? what, he would have had you seek for ease at the hands of Mr. Legality? Bunyan , Pilgrim's Progre , p. 100. Like a coy maiden, Ease , when courted most, Farthest retires-an idol, at whose shrine Who oft nest sacrifice are favor'd least. Couper , Task, i. 409. Hence-3t. Comfort afforded or provided; sat 1822 the nature of the task: as, the easine of the task led him to despise it. Facility in the objective sense of easine of performance or accomplishment is nearly obsolete; properly it is subjective, being sometimes equivalent to easine A high-bred, courtly, chivalrous song;... a song for royal parks and groves, and easeful but impa ioned life. The Century, XXVII. 783. IMG:content-0164.png:[blocks in formation] easeful, or the quality of promoting ease and tranquillity.