egg
♦♦ egg /'eg/ (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] usu supp N
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,
6 [PHRASE] usu v PHR
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] face inflects, have/with PHR
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 chickenEast|er egg (Easter eggs)
[N-COUNT]
An Easter egg is an egg made of chocolate that is given as a present at Easter. In some countries, Easter eggs are hidden and children then look for them.egg 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 on
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V n P to-inf
If you egg a person on, you encourage them to do something, especially something dangerous or foolish.
He was lifting up handfuls of leaves and throwing them at her. She was laughing and egging him on...
They egged each other on to argue and to fight.egg tim|er (egg timers)
also egg-timer
[N-COUNT]
An egg timer is a device that measures the time needed to boil an egg.egg whisk (egg whisks)
[N-COUNT]
An egg whisk is a piece of kitchen equipment used for mixing the different parts of an egg together.nest egg (nest eggs)
also nest-egg
[N-COUNT] usu sing
A nest egg is a sum of money that you are saving for a particular purpose. (INFORMAL)
They have a little nest egg tucked away somewhere for a rainy day.Scotch egg (Scotch eggs)
[N-COUNT]
A Scotch egg is a hard boiled egg that is covered with sausage meat and breadcrumbs, then fried. (mainly BRIT)
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] usu supp N
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,
6 [PHRASE] usu v PHR
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] face inflects, have/with PHR
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 chickenEast|er egg (Easter eggs)
[N-COUNT]
An Easter egg is an egg made of chocolate that is given as a present at Easter. In some countries, Easter eggs are hidden and children then look for them.egg 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 on
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V n P to-inf
If you egg a person on, you encourage them to do something, especially something dangerous or foolish.
He was lifting up handfuls of leaves and throwing them at her. She was laughing and egging him on...
They egged each other on to argue and to fight.egg tim|er (egg timers)
also egg-timer
[N-COUNT]
An egg timer is a device that measures the time needed to boil an egg.egg whisk (egg whisks)
[N-COUNT]
An egg whisk is a piece of kitchen equipment used for mixing the different parts of an egg together.nest egg (nest eggs)
also nest-egg
[N-COUNT] usu sing
A nest egg is a sum of money that you are saving for a particular purpose. (INFORMAL)
They have a little nest egg tucked away somewhere for a rainy day.Scotch egg (Scotch eggs)
[N-COUNT]
A Scotch egg is a hard boiled egg that is covered with sausage meat and breadcrumbs, then fried. (mainly BRIT)