EAGLE, OR SPREAD-EAGLE. A punishment inflicted by _seizing_ the offender by his arms and legs to the shrouds, and there leaving him for a specified time. EAGRE, OR HYGRE. The reciprocation of the freshes of various rivers, as for instance the Severn, with the flowing tide, sometimes presenting a formidable surge. The name seems to be from the Anglo-Saxon _eágor_, water, or _Ægir_, the Scandinavian god of the sea. (_See_ BORE and HYGRE.) EAR. A west-country term for a place where hatches prevent the influx of the tide. EARING-CRINGLE, AT THE HEAD OF A SAIL. In sail-making it is an eye spliced in the bolt-rope, to which the much smaller head-rope is attached. The earings are hauled out, or lashed to cleats on the yards passing through the head corners or cringles of the sails. EARINGS. Certain small ropes employed to fasten the upper corners of a sail to its yard, for which purpose one end of the earing is passed through itself; and the other end is passed five or six times round the yard-arm, and through the cringle; the two first turns, which are intended to stretch the head of the sail tight along the yard, are passed beyond the lift and rigging on the yard-arm, and are called outer turns, while the rest, which draw it close up to the yard, and are passed within the lift, &c., are called inner turns. Below the above are the _reef-earings_, which are used to reef the sail when the reef-tackles have stretched it to take off the strain. EARNE. _See_ ERNE. EARNEST. A sum paid in advance to secure a seaman's service. EARS. In artillery the lugs or ear-shaped rings fashioned on the larger bombs or mortar-shells for their convenient handling with shell-hooks. The irregularity of surface caused by the ears is intended to be modified in future construction by the substitution of _lewis-holes_ (which see). EAR-SHOT. The distance or range of hearing. EARS OF A BOAT. The knee-pieces at the fore-part on the outside at the height of the gunwale. EARS OF A PUMP. The support of the bolt for the handle or break. EARTH. One of the primary planets, and the third in order from the sun. EARTH-BAGS. _See_ SAND-BAGS. EAR-WIGGING. Feeding an officer's ear with scandal against an absent individual. EASE, TO STAND AT. To remain at rest. EASE AWAY! To slacken out a rope or tackle-fall. EASE HER! In a steamer, is the command to reduce the speed of the engine, preparatory to "stop her," or before reversing for "turn astern." EASE OFF! EASE OFF HANDSOMELY, OR EASE AWAY THERE! To slacken out a rope or tackle-fall carefully.