EASTER

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Irregular inflected form: easter

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A wind from the east

Synonyms:

east wind; easter; easterly

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("easter" is a kind of...):

air current; current of air; wind (air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "easter"):

levanter (an easterly wind in the western Mediterranean area)

Derivation:

easterly (from the east; used especially of winds)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Christ; celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Hypernyms ("Easter" is a kind of...):

movable feast; moveable feast (a religious holiday that falls on different dates in different years)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "Easter"):

Pasch; Pascha (the Christian festival of Easter)

Credits

Context examples:

This first day was made more difficult for me from the fact that the Ghost, under close reefs (terms such as these I did not learn till later), was plunging through what Mr. Mugridge called an ’owlin’ sou’-easter.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I shall never forget his flying Henry's kite for him that very windy day last Easter—and ever since his particular kindness last September twelvemonth in writing that note, at twelve o'clock at night, on purpose to assure me that there was no scarlet fever at Cobham, I have been convinced there could not be a more feeling heart nor a better man in existence.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance.—'There, Mrs. Bennet.'—My mind, however, is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures are highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch. I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends—but of this hereafter. If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o'clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday se'ennight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

My father means to fetch you himself, but it will not be till after Easter, when he has business in town.