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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Elves \Elves\, n.; pl. of {Elf}.
[1913 Webster] Elvish \Elv"ish\, a.
1. Pertaining to elves; implike; mischievous; weird; also,
vacant; absent in demeanor. See {Elfish}.
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He seemeth elvish by his countenance. --Chaucer.
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2. Mysterious; also, foolish. [Obs.]
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Elf \Elf\ ([e^]lf), n.; pl. {Elves} ([e^]lvz). [AS. [ae]lf, ylf;
akin to MHG. alp, G. alp nightmare, incubus, Icel. [=a]lfr
elf, Sw. alf, elfva; cf. Skr. [.r]bhu skillful, artful, rabh
to grasp. Cf. {Auf}, {Oaf}.]
1. An imaginary supernatural being, commonly a little sprite,
much like a fairy; a mythological diminutive spirit,
supposed to haunt hills and wild places, and generally
represented as delighting in mischievous tricks.
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Every elf, and fairy sprite,
Hop as light as bird from brier. --Shak.
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2. A very diminutive person; a dwarf.
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{Elf arrow}, a flint arrowhead; -- so called by the English
rural folk who often find these objects of prehistoric
make in the fields and formerly attributed them to
fairies; -- called also {elf bolt}, {elf dart}, and {elf
shot}.

{Elf child}, a child supposed to be left by elves, in room of
one they had stolen. See {Changeling}.

{Elf fire}, the ignis fatuus. --Brewer.

{Elf owl} (Zo["o]l.), a small owl ({Micrathene Whitneyi}) of
Southern California and Arizona.
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Elf \Elf\, v. t.
To entangle mischievously, as an elf might do.
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Elf all my hair in knots. --Shak.
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