Lexic.us

Definition of Eclipse

1. Noun. One celestial body obscures another.

2. Verb. Be greater in significance than. "The tragedy overshadowed the couple's happiness"

3. Verb. Cause an eclipse of (a celestial body) by intervention. "Planets and stars often are occulted by other celestial bodies"

Definition of Eclipse

1. n. An interception or obscuration of the light of the sun, moon, or other luminous body, by the intervention of some other body, either between it and the eye, or between the luminous body and that illuminated by it. A lunar eclipse is caused by the moon passing through the earth's shadow; a solar eclipse, by the moon coming between the sun and the observer. A satellite is eclipsed by entering the shadow of its primary. The obscuration of a planet or star by the moon or a planet, though of the nature of an eclipse, is called an occultation. The eclipse of a small portion of the sun by Mercury or Venus is called a transit of the planet.

2. v. t. To cause the obscuration of; to darken or hide; -- said of a heavenly body; as, the moon eclipses the sun.

3. v. i. To suffer an eclipse.

Definition of Eclipse

1. Noun. An astronomical alignment in which a planetary object (for example, the Moon) comes between the sun and another planetary object (for example, the Earth), resulting in a shadow being cast by the middle object onto the other object. ¹

2. Noun. A seasonal state of plumage in some birds, notably ducks, adopted temporarily after the breeding season and characterised by a dull and scruffy appearance. ¹

3. Verb. (transitive) Of astronomical bodies, to cause an eclipse. ¹

4. Verb. (transitive) To overshadow; to be better or more noticeable than. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Eclipse

1. to obscure [v ECLIPSED, ECLIPSING, ECLIPSES] - See also: obscure

Medical Definition of Eclipse

1. 1. An interception or obscuration of the light of the sun, moon, or other luminous body, by the intervention of some other body, either between it and the eye, or between the luminous body and that illuminated by it. A lunar eclipse is caused by the moon passing through the earth's shadow; a solar eclipse, by the moon coming between the sun and the observer. A satellite is eclipsed by entering the shadow of its primary. The obscuration of a planet or star by the moon or a planet, though of the nature of an eclipse, is called an occultation. The eclipse of a small portion of the sun by Mercury or Venus is called a transit of the planet. In ancient times, eclipses were, and among unenlightened people they still are, superstitiously regarded as forerunners of evil fortune, a sentiment of which occasional use is made in literature. "That fatal and perfidious bark, Built in the eclipse, and rigged with curses dark." (Milton) 2. The loss, usually temporary or partial, of light, brilliancy, luster, honor, consciousness, etc.; obscuration; gloom; darkness. "All the posterity of our fist parents suffered a perpetual eclipse of spiritual life." (Sir W. Raleigh) "As in the soft and sweet eclipse, When soul meets soul on lovers' lips." (Shelley) Annular eclipse. Origin: F. Eclipse, L. Eclipsis, fr. Gr, prop, a forsaking, failing, fr. To leave out, forsake; out + to leave. See Ex-, and Loan. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Eclipse

eclecticised eclecticises eclecticising eclecticism eclecticisms eclecticist eclecticists eclectick eclectics eclection

eclectism eclegm eclegms eclesiastical eclipsable eclipse (current term) eclipse blindness eclipse period eclipse phase eclipsed

eclipser eclipsers eclipses eclipsing eclipsing binary eclipsis eclipsises ecliptic ecliptical ecliptick

Literary usage of Eclipse

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature by Anna Lorraine Guthrie, Marion A. Knight, H.W. Wilson Company, Estella E. Painter (1920)
"Pop Astron 26:85- 95 F '18 Partial eclipse of the moon 1918 June 24. ... Pop Astron 27:359-65 Je 49 Illinois eclipse expedition to Rock Springs. Wyoming. ..."

2. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society by Royal Meteorological Society (Great Britain) (1903)
"The mean of the observations along the area where the eclipse was total is given near ... The central line marked Totul gives the time of maximum eclipse, ..."

3. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London by Royal Society (Great Britain) (1902)
""Total eclipse of the Sun, 1901, May 18. Preliminary Account of the Observations made at Pulo Aoer Gadang, West Coast of Sumatra." By FW DYSON, MA, F.RS., ..."

4. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General by Thomas Spencer Baynes (1888)
"It is clear that an eclipse which is total or annular for certain parts of the ... 38, the eclipse will be total along a certain part of the central track, ..."

5. The Living Age by Making of America Project, Eliakim Littell, Robert S. Littell (1868)
"It is related by Diodorus Siculus that the voyage to Africa lasted six days, and that on the second day of the journey an eclipse occurred, during which the ..."

6. Report of the Annual Meeting (1862)
"the record; and it is admitted that even 12" would be too great for these requirements, unless the motion of the node were altered also. This .eclipse ..."

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