The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Education \Ed`u*ca"tion\ (?; 135), n. [L. educatio; cf. F.
   ['e]ducation.]
   The act or process of educating; the result of educating, as
   determined by the knowledge skill, or discipline of
   character, acquired; also, the act or process of training by
   a prescribed or customary course of study or discipline; as,
   an education for the bar or the pulpit; he has finished his
   education.
   [1913 Webster]

         To prepare us for complete living is the function which
         education has to discharge.              --H. Spenser.

   Syn: Education, Instruction, Teaching, Training,
        Breeding.

   Usage: Education, properly a drawing forth, implies not so
          much the communication of knowledge as the discipline
          of the intellect, the establishment of the principles,
          and the regulation of the heart. Instruction is that
          part of education which furnishes the mind with
          knowledge. Teaching is the same, being simply more
          familiar. It is also applied to practice; as, teaching
          to speak a language; teaching a dog to do tricks.
          Training is a department of education in which the
          chief element is exercise or practice for the purpose
          of imparting facility in any physical or mental
          operation. Breeding commonly relates to the manners
          and outward conduct.
          [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

education
    n 1: the activities of educating or instructing; activities that
         impart knowledge or skill; "he received no formal
         education"; "our instruction was carefully programmed";
         "good classroom teaching is seldom rewarded" [syn:
         education, instruction, teaching, pedagogy,
         didactics, educational activity]
    2: knowledge acquired by learning and instruction; "it was clear
       that he had a very broad education"
    3: the gradual process of acquiring knowledge; "education is a
       preparation for life"; "a girl's education was less important
       than a boy's"
    4: the profession of teaching (especially at a school or college
       or university)
    5: the result of good upbringing (especially knowledge of
       correct social behavior); "a woman of breeding and
       refinement" [syn: education, training, breeding]
    6: the United States federal department that administers all
       federal programs dealing with education (including federal
       aid to educational institutions and students); created 1979
       [syn: Department of Education, Education Department,
       Education]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

59 Moby Thesaurus words for "education":
   accomplishments, acculturation, acquisition of knowledge,
   acquisitions, attainments, broadening the mind, catechization,
   civility, civilization, coaching, course of study, cultivation,
   culture, didactics, direction, drilling, edification,
   enculturation, enlightenment, erudition, guidance, illumination,
   indoctrination, information, instruction, intellectual acquirement,
   knowledge, learning, lesson, liberal education, literacy, lore,
   mastery of skills, memorization, mental cultivation,
   mental culture, pedagogics, pedagogy, polish, private teaching,
   programmed instruction, reeducation, refinement, schooling,
   self-instruction, self-teaching, socialization, sophistication,
   spoon-feeding, store of knowledge, storing the mind, teaching,
   training, tuition, tutelage, tutorage, tutoring, tutorship,
   upbringing



The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

EDUCATION, n. That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the
foolish their lack of understanding.