dial. [repr. OE. éa, ME. Æ sb.1 river.] A river, running water. Still in use in Lanc.; in the fen-country applied to the canals for drainage, in which sense it is usually spelt eau [as if a. F. eau water]. Also attrib. See also AA.
[c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. ii. 14. Seo feorðe ea ys ʓehaten Eufrates.]
1781. J. Hutton, Tour to Caves, Gloss. (E. D. S.), Ea, a river along the sands on the sea shore.
1861. Smiles, Lives Engineers, I. 63. They … surveyed the new eaus and sluices…, after which they returned to Ely.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., II. i. 7. And they rowed away for Crowland, by many a mere and many an ea.
1875. Whitby Gloss. (E. D. S.), Ea-coorse, or Eau-course, the water-channel.
