[enterprise] See: FREE ENTERPRISE.

[entry] See: PORT OF ENTRY.

[envy] See: GREEN WITH ENVY.

[equal to]{adj. phr.} Able to meet, do, or control; able to dosomething about. •/The situation took quick thinking, but John was equal toit./ •/When a guest upset the coffee pot, Mrs. Smith’s tact and quicknessof mind were equal to the occasion./

[equal to the occasion]{adj. phr.} Capable of handling the situation.•/Although he had never before assisted in childbirth, the taxi driver provedequal to the occasion and helped deliver the baby in his cab./

[error] See: TRIAL AND ERROR.

[evaporate into thin air] See: DISAPPEAR INTO THIN AIR.

[eve] See: ON THE EVE OF.

[even] See: BREAK EVEN, GET EVEN, ON AN EVEN KEEL.

[evening] See: GOOD EVENING.

[even so]{adv.} Although that is true; nevertheless; still. •/Thefire was out, but even so, the smell of smoke was strong./

[event] See: IN ANY CASE or AT ALL EVENTS, IN ANY CASE also IN ANY EVENT orAT ALL EVENTS, IN CASE or IN THE EVENT, IN CASE OF also IN THE EVENT OF.

[ever] See: FOREVER AND EVER, HARDLY EVER or SCARCELY EVER.

[ever so much]{adv.} Very much; truly. •/I am ever so much in yourdebt for your kind assistance when I needed it most./

[every] See: AT EVERY TURN, EACH AND EVERY.

[every cloud has a silver lining] Every trouble has something hopeful thatyou can see in it, like the bright edge around a dark cloud. — A proverb.•/The doctor told Tommy to cheer up when he had measles. "Every cloud has asilver lining," he said./ Compare: IT’S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD.

[every dog has his day] Everyone will have his chance or turn; everyone islucky or popular at some time. — A proverb. •/Mary will be able to go todances like her sister when she grows up. Every dog has his day./

[every inch]{adv. phr.} To the last part, in every way; completely.•/He was every inch a man./ •/Henry looked every inch a soldier./

[every last] See: EVERY SINGLE.

[every last man] also [every man jack] {n. phr.} Every single man;each man without exception. •/I want every last man to be here on timetomorrow morning./ •/Every man jack of you must do his duty./

[every man jack] See: EVERY LAST MAN.

[every now and then] or [every now and again] or [every so often]or [every once in a while] {adv. phr.} At fairly regular intervals;fairly often; repeatedly. •/John comes to visit me every now and then./•/It was hot work, but every so often Susan would bring us something cold todrink./ Compare: NOW AND THEN.

[every other]{adj. phr.} Every second; every alternate. •/Themilkman comes every other day./ •/On St. Patrick’s Day, it seems as ifevery other man you meet is wearing a shamrock./

[every single] or [every last] {adj. phr.} Every. — Used foremphasis. •/She dropped the box, and when she opened it, every single glasswas broken./ •/When she got home she found every last tomato in the box wasrotten./ Syn.: EACH AND EVERY.

[every so often] See: EVERY NOW AND THEN.

[everything] See: HOLD IT or HOLD EVERYTHING.

[every time one turns around]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Very often.•/Mr. Winston must be rich. He buys a new suit every time he turns around./•/No, Charles — I can’t drive you to the park every time I turn around./

[every which way] also [any which way] In all directions. •/Bricksand boards were scattered in confusion on the ground every which way, just asthey had fallen after the tornado./ Compare HELTER-SKELTER.

[evidence] See: IN EVIDENCE.

[example] See: FOR EXAMPLE, MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF.

[except for] or {formal} [but for] {prep.} 1. With theexception of; if (a certain person or thing) were left out; omitting.•/Except for John, the whole class passed the test./ 2. Without. •/I’dhave been lost but for you./

[exception] See: TAKE EXCEPTION TO.

[exception proves the rule] Something unusual that does not follow a ruletests that rule to see if it is true; if there are too many exceptions, therule is no good. — A proverb. •/Frank is very short but is a good basketballplayer. He is the exception that proves the rule./

[excuse oneself]{v. phr.} 1. To think of reasons for not being toblame; think yourself not at fault. •/John excused himself for his low gradeson the ground that the teacher didn’t like him./ 2. To ask to be excusedafter doing something impolite. •/John excused himself for his tardiness,saying his watch was wrong./ 3. To ask permission to leave a group or place.•/The committee meeting lasted so long that Mr. Wilkins excused himself tokeep an appointment./ •/John had to go to the dentist’s, so he excusedhimself and left the classroom./

[exert oneself]{v. phr.} To make an effort; try hard; work hard.•/Susan exerted herself all year to earn good marks./ •/Jerry exertedhimself to please the new girl./

[expand on] or [expand upon] See: ENLARGE ON or ENLARGE UPON.

[explain away]{v.} To explain (something) so that it does not seemtrue or important. •/John explained away his unfinished homework by showingthe teacher his broken arm in a cast./ •/It is hard to explain away AbrahamLincoln’s dream about being dead, which he had a few days before he wasshot./ •/The man could not explain away the gun and the marked money fromthe bank robbery that the police found in his car./

[explain oneself]{v. phr.} 1. To make your meaning plainer; make yourfirst statement clear. •/When we didn’t understand Fritz, he went on toexplain himself./ 2. To give a good reason for something you did or failed todo which seems wrong. •/When Jack brought Mary home at three o’clock in themorning, her father asked him to explain himself./

[explode a bombshell]{v. phr.}, {informal} To say somethingstartling; suggest or show something astonishing or shocking, •/The policeexploded a bombshell when they arrested the kindly old banker for stealingmoney from the bank./ •/The principal exploded a bombshell by cancellingthe dance as a penalty./ •/Political leaders exploded a bombshell when theypicked the young lawyer to run for mayor./

[express oneself]{v. phr.} To say what you think or feel; put yourthoughts or feelings into words by speaking or writing. •/The boy expressedhimself well in debate./ •/The mayor expressed himself as opposed to anyborrowing./

[extend one’s sympathy to]{v. phr.} To offer one’s condolences on theoccasion of a death or similarly tragic event. •/All of Tom’s colleaguesextended their sympathy to him when his wife and daughter were killed in a caraccident./

[eye] See: APPLE OF ONE’S EYE, BAT AN EYE or BAT AN EYELASH, BELIEVE ONE’SEYES, CATCH ONE’S EYE, CLEAR-EYED, CLOSE ONE’S EYES or SHUT ONE’S EYES, EYESOPEN, EYE OUT, EYE TO, FEAST ONE’S EYES ON, FOUR-EYES, GET THE EYE, GIVE THEEYE, GREEN-EYED MONSTER, HALF AN EYE, HAVE AN EYE ON, HAVE EYES ONLY FOR, HITBETWEEN THE EYES, IN ONE’S MIND’S EYE, IN THE PUBLIC EYE, KEEP AN EYE ON orKEEP ONE’S EYE ON, KEEP ONE’S EYES PEELED or KEEP ONE’S EYES SKINNED, LAY EYESON or SET EYES ON, LOOK IN THE EYE, MAKE EYES AT, MEET ONE’S EYE, MISTY-EYED orDEWEY-EYED, ONE EYE ON, OPEN ONE’S EYES or OPEN UP ONE’S EYES, OUT OF THECORNER OF ONE’S EYE, PULL THE WOOL OVER ONE’S EYES, SEE EYE TO EYE, SHUT-EYE,SIGHT FOR SORE EYES, STARS IN ONE’S EYES, ROUND-EYED or WIDE-EYED alsoLARGE-EYED, PRIVATE EYE, TO THE EYE, UP TO THE CHIN IN or UP TO THE EYES IN,WEATHER EYE.