egali|tar|ian / I gæ l I teə riən/ ADJ Egalitarian means supporting or following the idea that all people are equal and should have the same rights and opportunities. □ I still believe in the notion of an egalitarian society.
egali|tari|an|ism / I gæ l I teə riən I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Egalitarianism is used to refer to the belief that all people are equal and should have the same rights and opportunities, and to actions that are based on this belief.
egg ◆◆◇ /e g/ (eggs , egging , egged )
1 N‑COUNT An egg is an oval object that is produced by a female bird and which contains a baby bird. Other animals such as reptiles and fish also lay eggs. □ …a baby bird hatching from its egg. □ …ant eggs.
2 N‑VAR In Western countries, eggs often means hen's eggs, eaten as food. □ Break the eggs into a shallow bowl and beat them lightly. □ …bacon and eggs.
3 N‑COUNT Egg is used to refer to an object in the shape of a hen's egg. □ …a chocolate egg.
4 N‑COUNT An egg is a cell that is produced in the bodies of female animals and humans. If it is fertilized by a sperm, a baby develops from it. □ It only takes one sperm to fertilize an egg.
5 → see also Easter egg , nest egg , Scotch egg
6 PHRASE If someone puts all their eggs in one basket , they put all their effort or resources into doing one thing so that, if it fails, they have no alternatives left. □ The key word here is diversify; don't put all your eggs in one basket.
7 PHRASE If someone has egg on their face or has egg all over their face , they have been made to look foolish. □ If they take this game lightly they could end up with egg on their faces.
8 a chicken and egg situation → see chicken
▸ egg on PHRASAL VERB If you egg a person on , you encourage them to do something, especially something dangerous or foolish. □ [V n P ] He was throwing snowballs. She was laughing and egging him on. □ [V n P to-inf] They egged each other on to argue and to fight. [Also V P n (not pron)]
e gg cup (egg cups ) also eggcup N‑COUNT An egg cup is a small container in which you put a boiled egg while you eat it.
egg|head /e ghed/ (eggheads ) N‑COUNT If you think someone is more interested in ideas and theories than in practical actions you can say they are an egghead . [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ The Government was dominated by self-important eggheads.
egg|nog /e gnɒg/ also egg nog N‑UNCOUNT Eggnog is a drink made from egg, milk, sugar, spices, and alcohol such as rum or brandy.
egg|plant /e gplɑːnt, -plænt/ (eggplants ) N‑VAR An eggplant is a vegetable with a smooth, dark purple skin. [AM ] in BRIT, use aubergine
egg|shell /e gʃel/ (eggshells ) also egg shell N‑VAR An eggshell is the hard covering on the outside of an egg.
e gg tim|er (egg timers ) also egg-timer N‑COUNT An egg timer is a device that measures the time needed to boil an egg.
e gg whisk (egg whisks ) N‑COUNT An egg whisk is a piece of kitchen equipment used for mixing the different parts of an egg together.
ego /iː goʊ, e goʊ/ (egos )
1 N‑VAR Someone's ego is their sense of their own worth. For example, if someone has a large ego , they think they are very important and valuable. □ He had a massive ego; never would he admit he was wrong.
2 → see also alter ego , super-ego
ego|cen|tric /iː goʊse ntr I k, e g-/ ADJ Someone who is egocentric thinks only of themselves and their own wants, and does not consider other people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He was egocentric, a man of impulse who expected those around him to serve him.
ego|ism /iː goʊ I zəm, e g-/ N‑UNCOUNT Egoism is the same as egotism . [DISAPPROVAL ]
ego|ist /iː goʊ I st, e g-/ (egoists ) N‑COUNT An egoist is the same as an egotist . [DISAPPROVAL ]
ego|is|tic /iː goʊ I st I k, e g-/ ADJ Egoistic means the same as egotistic . [DISAPPROVAL ]
ego|ma|ni|ac /iː goʊme I niæk, e g-/ (egomaniacs ) N‑COUNT An egomaniac is someone who thinks only of themselves and does not care if they harm other people in order to get what they want. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Adam is clever enough, but he's also something of an egomaniac.
ego|tism /iː gət I zəm, e g-/ N‑UNCOUNT Egotism is the quality of being egotistic. [DISAPPROVAL ]
ego|tist /iː gət I st, e g-/ (egotists ) N‑COUNT An egotist is someone who is egotistic. [DISAPPROVAL ]
ego|tis|tic /iː gət I st I k, e g-/ The form egotistical is also used. ADJ Someone who is egotistic or egotistical behaves selfishly and thinks they are more important than other people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Susan and Deborah share an intensely selfish, egotistic streak.
e go trip (ego trips ) N‑COUNT If you say that someone is on an ego trip , you are criticizing them for doing something for their own satisfaction and enjoyment, often to show that they think they are more important than other people. [DISAPPROVAL ]
egre|gious / I griː dʒəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Egregious means very bad indeed. [FORMAL ] □ …the most egregious abuses of human rights.
Egyp|tian / I dʒ I pʃ ə n/ (Egyptians )
1 ADJ Egyptian means belonging or relating to Egypt or to its people, language, or culture.