eagre

American  

[ee-ger, ey-ger] / ˈi gər, ˈeɪ gər /

Or eager

noun

Chiefly British.

1. a tidal bore or flood.

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eagre British  

/ ˈeɪɡə /

noun

1. a tidal bore, esp of the Humber or Severn estuary

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Etymology

Origin of eagre

1640–50; apparently representing earlier agar, ager, obscurely akin to hyger, higre; (compare Anglo-Latin (12th century) higra the tidal bore of the Severn); compared with Old English ēgor, eogor flood, high tide, though preservation of g in modern forms is problematic

Example Sentences

The tide of fashion was rushing like an eagre "up to the Park."

From Shadows of Flames A Novel by Rives, Amélie

Wherefore with leave th’ infinitie I’ll sing Of time, Of Space: or without leave; I’m brent With eagre rage, my heart for joy doth spring, And all my spirits move with pleasant trembeling.

From Democritus Platonissans by More, Henry

A large wave like an eagre, diverging from its bow, was extending to either bank, swamping the tules and threatening to submerge the lower levees.

From A Protegee of Jack Hamlin's and Other Stories by Harte, Bret

“He’s eagre, and she’s mustard; and they’ll none mix ill—but they’ll set folks’ throats a-fire as meddles wi’ ’em.”

From Our Little Lady Six Hundred Years Ago by Irwin, M. (Madelaine)

As for the tidal wave, improperly called an eagre, which rushed up the sea-front, it had but a very moderate height and a quite restricted force.

From The Tremendous Event by Leblanc, Maurice

Related Words

• tsunami