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epact|ˈiːpækt, ˈɛpækt| [ad. Fr. epacte, L. epacta, Gr. ἐπακτή, f. ἐπακτός, vbl. adj. of ἐπάγειν to intercalate, f. ἐπί on + ἄγειν to bring.] 1. a. (Also pl. epacts.) The number of days that constitutes the excess of the solar over the lunar year of 12 months. b. The number of days in the age of the moon on the first day of the year (now Jan. 1st, but formerly March 1st or 22nd). a.1588A. King Canisius' Catech. N vj b, Y⊇ Epact, quhilk is y⊇ nombre of y⊇ dayes quhairby y⊇ ȝere of y⊇ sone do exceid y⊇ ȝere of y⊇ moone. 1603Sir C. Heydon Jud. Astrol. xviii. 383 The Epact, or 11. daies ouerplus. 1725Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Year, These eleven Days are call'd Epacts. 1750Phil. Trans. XLVI. 421. 1787 Bonnycastle Astron. xiv. 237. b.1552Bk. Com. Prayer, Almanack, heading of col. 3 The Epacte. 1561Eden Art Nauig. ii. vi. 31 This nomber of Epact or concurrent is founde. 1594Blundevil Exerc. vii. i. (ed. 7) 654 The Epact [beginneth] the first of March. 1594J. Davis Seaman's Secr. (1607) 6 There are two numbers especially required, named the Prime and the Epact. 1696Whiston Th. Earth ii. (1722) 214 The Eccentricity of the Sun is..exactly coincident with the Epact of the Moon. 1704Hearne Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 5 The Epact is the number of Days of the Moon's age on the last day of December. 1704J. Harris Lex. Techn. s.v., Divide by 3; for each one left add Ten; 30 reject; the Prime makes Epact then. 1816Playfair Nat. Phil. II. 137 The Epacts..the ages of the moon..at the beginning of every year. 1867Denison Astron. without Math. 95 The moon's age at that time is called the epact of the year. 2. Any intercalated day or days. rare.
1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. Gloss., Epact, the day put to, or set in, to make the leape yeere. 1880Contemp. Rev. Apr. 585 The five days which the Egyptians added by way of epact to the twelve months of thirty days each. 3. attrib.
1876Prayer-bk. Interleaved 55 By means of the Epact Almanack, Easter-day for any year may be readily found. |