from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Island \Is"land\, n. [OE. iland, yland, AS. [imac]gland, ?gland,
?glond; [imac]g, ?g, island + land, lond, land. AS. [imac]g,
?g, is akin to AS. e['a] water, river, OHG. ?uwa, G. au
meadow, Icel. ey island, Dan. & Sw. ["o], Goth. ahwa a
stream, water, L. aqua water. The s is due to confusion with
isle. Cf. {Ait}, {Eyot}, {Ewer}, {Aquatic}.]
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1. A tract of land surrounded by water, and smaller than a
continent. Cf. {Continent}.
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2. Anything regarded as resembling an island; as, an island
of ice.
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3. (Zool.) See {Isle}, n., 2.
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{Islands of the blessed} (Myth.), islands supposed to lie in
the Western Ocean, where the favorites of the gods are
conveyed at death, and dwell in everlasting joy.
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