L (part 2)

2. The first, or the principal, editorial article in a newspaper; a leading or main editorial article.

3. (Print.) (a) A type having a dot or short row of dots upon its face. (b) pl.

Defn: a row of dots, periods, or hyphens, used in tables of contents, etc., to lead the eye across a space to the right word or number.

Syn.
— chief; chieftain; commander. See Chief.

LEADERSHIP
Lead"er*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a leader.

LEADHILLITE
Lead"hill*ite, n. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of a yellowish or greenish white color, consisting of the sulphate and carbonate of lead; — so called from having been first found at Leadhills, Scotland.

LEADING
Lead"ing, a.

Defn: Guiding; directing; controlling; foremost; as, a leading motive; a leading man; a leading example. — Lead"ing*ly, adv. Leading case (Law), a reported decision which has come to be regarded as settling the law of the question involved. Abbott. — Leading motive Etym: [a translation of G. leitmotif] (Mus.), a guiding theme; in the modern music drama of Wagner, a marked melodic phrase or short passage which always accompanies the reappearance of a certain person, situation, abstract idea, or allusion in the course of the play; a sort of musical label. — Leading note (Mus.), the seventh note or tone in the ascending major scale; the sensible note. — Leading question, a question so framed as to guide the person questioned in making his reply. — Leading strings, strings by which children are supported when beginning to walk. — To be in leading strings, to be in a state of infancy or dependence, or under the guidance of others. — Leading wheel, a wheel situated before the driving wheels of a locomotive engine.

LEADING
Lead"ing, n.

1. The act of guiding, directing, governing, or enticing; guidance. Shak.

2. Suggestion; hint; example. [Archaic] Bacon.

LEADING EDGE
Lead"ing edge. (Aëronautics)

Defn: same as Advancing edge, above.

LEADMAN
Lead"man, n.; pl. Leadmen (.

Defn: One who leads a dance.[Obs.] B. Jonson.

LEADSMAN
Leads"man, n.; pl. Leadsmen (. (Naut.)

Defn: The man who heaves the lead. Totten.

LEADWORT
Lead"wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of maritime herbs (Plumbago). P. Europæa has lead- colored spots on the leaves, and nearly lead-colored flowers.

LEADY
Lead"y, a.

Defn: Resembling lead. Sir T. Elyot.

LEAF
Leaf, n.; pl. Leaves. Etym: [OE. leef, lef, leaf, AS. leáf; akin to
S. l, OFries. laf, D. loof foliage, G. laub,OHG. loub leaf, foliage,
Icel. lauf, Sw. löf, Dan. löv, Goth. laufs; cf. Lith. lapas. Cf.
Lodge.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A colored, usually green, expansion growing from the side of a stem or rootstock, in which the sap for the use of the plant is elaborated under the influence of light; one of the parts of a plant which collectively constitute its foliage.

Note: Such leaves usually consist of a blade, or lamina , supported upon a leafstalk or petiole, which, continued through the blade as the midrib, gives off woody ribs and veins that support the cellular texture. The petiole has usually some sort of an appendage on each side of its base, which is called the stipule. The green parenchyma of the leaf is covered with a thin epiderm pierced with closable microscopic openings, known as stomata.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A special organ of vegetation in the form of a lateral outgrowth from the stem, whether appearing as a part of the foliage, or as a cotyledon, a scale, a bract, a spine, or a tendril.

Note: In this view every part of a plant, except the root and the stem, is either a leaf, or is composed of leaves more or less modified and transformed.

3. Something which is like a leaf in being wide and thin and having a flat surface, or in being attached to a larger body by one edge or end; as : (a) A part of a book or folded sheet containing two pages upon its opposite sides. (b) A side, division, or part, that slides or is hinged, as of window shutters, folding doors, etc. (c) The movable side of a table. (d) A very thin plate; as, gold leaf. (e) A portion of fat lying in a separate fold or layer. (f) One of the teeth of a pinion, especially when small. Leaf beetle (Zoöl.), any beetle which feeds upon leaves; esp., any species of the family Chrysomelidæ, as the potato beetle and helmet beetle. — Leaf bridge, a draw-bridge having a platform or leaf which swings vertically on hinges. — Leaf bud (Bot.), a bud which develops into leaves or a leafy branch. — Leaf butterfly (Zoöl.), any butterfly which, in the form and colors of its wings, resembles the leaves of plants upon which it rests; esp., butterflies of the genus Kallima, found in Southern Asia and the East Indies. — Leaf crumpler (Zoöl.), a small moth (Phycis indigenella), the larva of which feeds upon leaves of the apple tree, and forms its nest by crumpling and fastening leaves together in clusters. — Leaf cutter (Zoöl.) , any one of various species of wild bees of the genus Megachile, which cut rounded pieces from the edges of leaves, or the petals of flowers, to be used in the construction of their nests, which are made in holes and crevices, or in a leaf rolled up for the purpose. Among the common American species are M. brevis and M. centuncularis. Called also rose-cutting bee. — Leaf fat, the fat which lies in leaves or layers within the body of an animal. — Leaf flea (Zoöl.), a jumping plant louse of the family Psyllidæ. — Leaf frog (Zoöl.), any tree frog of the genus Phyllomedusa. — Leaf green.(Bot.) See Chlorophyll. — Leaf hopper (Zoöl.), any small jumping hemipterous insect of the genus Tettigonia, and allied genera. They live upon the leaves and twigs of plants. See Live hopper. — Leaf insect (Zoöl.), any one of several genera and species of orthopterous insects, esp. of the genus Phyllium, in which the wings, and sometimes the legs, resemble leaves in color and form. They are common in Southern Asia and the East Indies. — Leaf lard, lard from leaf fat. See under Lard. — Leaf louse (Zoöl.), an aphid. — Leaf metal, metal in thin leaves, as gold, silver, or tin. — Leaf miner (Zoöl.), any one of various small lepidopterous and dipterous insects, which, in the larval stages, burrow in and eat the parenchyma of leaves; as, the pear-tree leaf miner (Lithocolletis geminatella). — Leaf notcher (Zoöl.), a pale bluish green beetle (Artipus Floridanus), which, in Florida, eats the edges of the leaves of orange trees. — Leaf roller (Zoöl.), the larva of any tortricid moth which makes a nest by rolling up the leaves of plants. See Tortrix. — Leaf scar (Bot.), the cicatrix on a stem whence a leaf has fallen. — Leaf sewer (Zoöl.), a tortricid moth, whose caterpillar makes a nest by rolling up a leaf and fastening the edges together with silk, as if sewn; esp., Phoxopteris nubeculana, which feeds upon the apple tree. — Leaf sight, a hinges sight on a firearm, which can be raised or folded down. — Leaf trace (Bot.), one or more fibrovascular bundles, which may be traced down an endogenous stem from the base of a leaf. — Leaf tier (Zoöl.), a tortricid moth whose larva makes a nest by fastening the edges of a leaf together with silk; esp., Teras cinderella, found on the apple tree. — Leaf valve, a valve which moves on a hinge. — Leaf wasp (Zoöl.), a sawfiy. — To turn over a new leaf, to make a radical change for the better in one's way of living or doing. [Colloq.] They were both determined to turn over a new leaf. Richardson.

LEAF
Leaf, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leafed; p. pr. & vb. n. Leafing.]

Defn: To shoot out leaves; to produce leaves; to leave; as, the trees leaf in May. Sir T. Browne.

LEAFAGE
Leaf"age, n.

Defn: Leaves, collectively; foliage.

LEAFCUP
Leaf"cup`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A coarse American composite weed (Polymnia Uvedalia).

LEAFED
Leafed, a.

Defn: Having (such) a leaf or (so many) leaves; — used in composition; as, broad-leafed; four-leafed.

LEAFET
Leaf"et, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A leaflet.

LEAF-FOOTED
Leaf"-foot`ed, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having leaflike expansions on the legs; — said of certain insects; as, the leaf-footed bug (Leptoglossus phyllopus).

LEAFINESS
Leaf"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being leafy.

LEAFLESS
Leaf"less, a.

Defn: Having no leaves or foliage; bearing no foliage. "Leafless
groves." Cowper.
— Leaf"less*ness, n. Leafless plants, plants having no foliage,
though leaves may be present in the form of scales and bracts. See
Leaf, n., 1 and 2.

LEAFLET
Leaf"let, n.

1. A little leaf; also, a little printed leaf or a tract.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: One of the divisions of a compound leaf; a foliole.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A leaflike organ or part; as, a leaflet of the gills of fishes.

LEAF-NOSED
Leaf"-nosed`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a leaflike membrane on the nose; — said of certain bats, esp. of the genera Phyllostoma and Rhinonycteris. See Vampire.

LEAFSTALK
Leaf"stalk`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The stalk or petiole which supports a leaf.

LEAFY
Leaf"y, a. [Compar. Leafier; superl. Leafiest.]

1. Full of leaves; abounding in leaves; as, the leafy forest. "The leafy month of June." Coleridge.

2. Consisting of leaves. "A leafy bed." Byron.

LEAGUE League, n. Etym: [Cf. OE. legue, lieue, a measure of length, F. lieue, Pr. lega, legua, It. & LL. lega, Sp. legua, Pg. legoa, legua; all fr. LL. leuca, of Celtic origin: cf. Arm. leo, lev (perh. from French), Ir.leige (perh. from English); also Ir. & Gael. leac a flag, a broad, flat stone, W. llech, — such stones having perh. served as a sort of milestone (cf. Cromlech).]

1. A measure of length or distance, varying in different countries from about 2.4 to 4.6 English statute miles of 5.280 feet each, and used (as a land measure) chiefly on the continent of Europe, and in the Spanish parts of America. The marine league of England and the United States is equal to three marine, or geographical, miles of 6080 feet each.

Note: The English land league is equal to three English statute miles. The Spanish and French leagues vary in each country according to usage and the kind of measurement to which they are applied. The Dutch and German leagues contain about four geographical miles, or about 4.6 English statute miles.

2. A stone erected near a public road to mark the distance of a league. [Obs.]

LEAGUE League, n. Etym: [F.ligue, LL. liga, fr. L. ligare to bind; cf. Sp. liga. Cf. Ally a confederate, Ligature.]

Defn: An alliance or combination of two or more nations, parties, or persons, for the accomplishment of a purpose which requires a continued course of action, as for mutual defense, or for furtherance of commercial, religious, or political interests, etc. And let there be 'Twixt us and them no league, nor amity. Denham.

Note: A league may be offensive or defensive, or both; offensive, when the parties agree to unite in attacking a common enemy; defensive, when they agree to a mutual defense of each other against an enemy. The Holy League, an alliance of Roman Catholics formed in 1576 by influence of the Duke of Guise for the exclusion of Protestants from the throne of France. — Solemn League and Covenant. See Covenant,2. — The land league, an association, organized in Dublin in 1879, to promote the interests of the Irish tenantry, its avowed objects being to secure fixity of tenure fair rent, and free sale of the tenants' interest. It was declared illegal by Parliament, but vigorous prosecutions have failed to suppress it.

Syn. — Alliance; confederacy; confederation; coalition; combination; compact; coöperation.

LEAGUE
League, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leagued; p. pr. & vb. n. Leaguing.] Etym:
[Cf. F. se liguer. See 2d League.]

Defn: To unite in a league or confederacy; to combine for mutual support; to confederate South.

LEAGUE
League, v. t.

Defn: To join in a league; to cause to combine for a joint purpose; to combine; to unite; as, common interests will league heterogeneous elements.

LEAGUER Lea"guer, n. Etym: [D.leger camp, bed, couch, lair. See Lair, and cf.Beleaguer.]

1. The camp of a besieging army; a camp in general. b. Jonson.

2. A siege or beleaguering. [R.] Sir W. Scott.

LEAGUER
Lea"guer, v. t.

Defn: To besiege; to beleaguer. [Obs.]

LEAGUERER
Lea"guer*er, n.

Defn: A besieger. [R.] J. Webster.

LEAK Leak, n. Etym: [Akin to D. lek leaky, a leak, G.leck, Icel. lekr leaky, Dan. læk leaky, a leak, Sw. läck; cf. AS. hlec full of cracks or leaky. Cf. Leak, v.]

1. A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or other fluid, or lets it escape; as, a leak in a roof; a leak in a boat; a leak in a gas pipe. "One leak will sink a ship." Bunyan.

2. The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack, fissure, or other aperture; as, the leak gained on the ship's pumps. To spring a leak, to open or crack so as to let in water; to begin to let in water; as, the ship sprung a leak.

LEAK
Leak, a.

Defn: Leaky. [Obs.] Spenser.

LEAK
Leak, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaked; p. pr. & vb. n. Leaking.] Etym:
[Akin to D. lekken, G. lecken, lechen, Icel. leka, Dan. lække, Sw.
läcka, AS. leccan to wet, moisten. See Leak, n.]

1. To let water or other fluid in or out through a hole, crevice, etc.; as, the cask leaks; the roof leaks; the boat leaks.

2. To enter or escape, as a fluid, through a hole, crevice, etc. ; to pass gradually into, or out of, something; — usually with in or out. To leak out, to be divulged gradually or clandestinely; to become public; as, the facts leaked out.

LEAKAGE
Leak"age (, n. Etym: [Cf. D. lekkage, for sense 1.]

1. A leaking; also, the quantity that enters or issues by leaking.

2. (Com.)

Defn: An allowance of a certain rate per cent for the leaking of casks, or waste of liquors by leaking.

LEAKINESS
Leak"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being leaky.

LEAKY
Leak"y, a. [Compar. Leakier; superl. Leakiest.]

1. Permitting water or other fluid to leak in or out; as, a leaky roof or cask.

2. Apt to disclose secrets; tattling; not close. [Colloq.]

LEAL
Leal, a. Etym: [OE. leial, another form of loial, F. loyal. See
Loyal.]

Defn: Faithful; loyal; true.
All men true and leal, all women pure. Tennyson.
Land of the leal, the place of the faithful; heaven.

LEAM
Leam, n. & v. i.

Defn: See Leme. [Obs.] Holland.

LEAM
Leam, n. Etym: [See Leamer, Lien.]

Defn: A cord or strap for leading a dog. Sir W. Scott.

LEAMER Leam"er, n. Etym: [F. limier, OF. liemier, fr. L. ligamen band, bandage. See Lien.]

Defn: A dog held by a leam.

LEAN Lean, v. t. Etym: [Icel. leyna; akin to G. läugnen to deny, AS. l, also E. lie to speak falsely.]

Defn: To conceal. [Obs.] Ray.

LEAN Lean, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaned, sometimes Leant (p. pr. & vb. n. Leaning.] Etym: [OE. lenen, AS. hlinian, hleonian, v. i.; akin to OS. hlinon, D. leunen, OHG. hlinen, linen, G. lehnen, L. inclinare, Gr. clivus hill, slope. sq. root40. Cf. Declivity, Climax, Incline, Ladder.]

1. To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating; as, she leaned out at the window; a leaning column. "He leant forward." Dickens.

2. To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; — with to, toward, etc. They delight rather to lean to their old customs. Spenser.

3. To rest or rely, for support, comfort, and the like; — with on, upon, or against. He leaned not on his fathers but himself. Tennyson.

LEAN Lean, v. t. Etym: [From Lean, v. i. ; AS. hl, v. t., fr. hleonian, hlinian, v. i.]

Defn: To cause to lean; to incline; to support or rest. Mrs.
Browning.
His fainting limbs against an oak he leant. Dryden.

LEAN Lean, a. [Compar. Leaner; superl. Leanest.] Etym: [OE. lene, AS. hl; prob. akin to E. lean to incline. See Lean, v. i. ]

1. Wanting flesh; destitute of or deficient in fat; not plump; meager; thin; lank; as, a lean body; a lean cattle.

2. Wanting fullness, richness, sufficiency, or productiveness; deficient in quality or contents; slender; scant; barren; bare; mean; — used literally and figuratively; as, the lean harvest; a lean purse; a lean discourse; lean wages. "No lean wardrobe." Shak. Their lean and fiashy songs. Milton. What the land is, whether it be fat or lean. Num. xiii. 20. Out of my lean and low ability I'll lend you something. Shak.

3. (Typog.)

Defn: Of a character which prevents the compositor from earning the usual wages; — opposed to fat; as lean copy, matter, or type.

Syn.
— slender; spare; thin; meager; lank; skinny; gaunt.

LEAN
Lean, n.

1. That part of flesh which consist principally of muscle without the fat. The fat was so white and the lean was so ruddy. Goldsmith.

2. (Typog.)

Defn: Unremunerative copy or work.

LEAN-FACED
Lean"-faced`, a.

1. Having a thin face.

2. (Typog.)

Defn: slender or narrow; — said of type the letters of which have thin lines, or are unusually narrow in proportion to their height. W. Savage.

LEANING
Lean"ing, n.

Defn: The act, or state, of inclining; inclination; tendency; as, a leaning towards Calvinism.

LEANLY
Lean"ly, adv.

Defn: Meagerly; without fat or plumpness.

LEANNESS
Lean"ness, n. Etym: [AS. hlænnes.]

Defn: The condition or quality of being lean.

LEAN-TO
Lean"-to`, a. (Arch.)

Defn: Having only one slope or pitch; — said of a roof.
— n.

Defn: A shed or slight building placed against the wall of a larger structure and having a single-pitched roof; — called also penthouse, and to-fall. The outer circuit was covered as a lean-to, all round this inner apartment. De Foe.

LEAN-WITTED
Lean"-wit`ted, a.

Defn: Having but little sense or shrewdness.

LEANY
Lean"y, a.

Defn: Lean. [Obs.] Spenser.

LEAP
Leap, n. Etym: [AS. leáp.]

1. A basket. [Obs.] Wyclif.

2. A weel or wicker trap for fish. [Prov. Eng.]

LEAP Leap, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaped, rarely Leapt; p. pr. & vb. n. Leaping.] Etym: [OE. lepen, leapen, AS. hleápan to leap, jump, run; akin to OS. ahl, OFries. hlapa, D. loopen, G. laufen, OHG. louffan, hlauffan, Icel. hlaupa, Sw. löpa, Dan. löbe, Goth. ushlaupan. Cf. Elope, Lope, Lapwing, Loaf to loiter.]

1. To spring clear of the ground, with the feet; to jump; to vault; as, a man leaps over a fence, or leaps upon a horse. Bacon. Leap in with me into this angry flood. Shak.

2. To spring or move suddenly, as by a jump or by jumps; to bound; to move swiftly. Also Fig. My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky. Wordsworth.

LEAP
Leap, v. t.

1. To pass over by a leap or jump; as, to leap a wall, or a ditch.

2. To copulate with (a female beast); to cover.

3. To cause to leap; as, to leap a horse across a ditch.

LEAP
Leap, n.

1. The act of leaping, or the space passed by leaping; a jump; a spring; a bound. Wickedness comes on by degrees, . . . and sudden leaps from one extreme to another are unnatural. L'Estrange. Changes of tone may proceed either by leaps or glides. H. Sweet.

2. Copulation with, or coverture of, a female beast.

3. (Mining)

Defn: A fault.

4. (Mus.)

Defn: A passing from one note to another by an interval, especially by a long one, or by one including several other and intermediate intervals.

LEAPER
Leap"er, n. Etym: [AS. hleápere.]

Defn: One who, or that which, leaps.

LEAPER
Leap"er, n. Etym: [See 1st Leap.]

Defn: A kind of hooked instrument for untwisting old cordage.

LEAPFROG
Leap"frog`, n.

Defn: A play among boys, in which one stoops down and another leaps over him by placing his hands on the shoulders of the former.

LEAPFUL
Leap"ful, n. Etym: [See 1st Leap.]

Defn: A basketful. [Obs.]

LEAPING
Leap"ing, a. & n.

Defn: from Leap, to jump. Leaping house, a brothel. [Obs.] Shak.
— Leaping pole, a pole used in some games of leaping.
— Leaping spider (Zoöl.), a jumping spider; one of the Saltigradæ.

LEAPINGLY
Leap"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: By leaps.

LEAP YEAR
Leap" year`

Defn: . Bissextile; a year containing 366 days; every fourth year which leaps over a day more than a common year, giving to February twenty-nine days. See Bissextile.

Note: Every year whose number is divisible by four without a remainder is a leap year, excepting the full centuries, which, to be leap years, must be divisible by 400 without a remainder. If not so divisible they are common years. 1900, therefore, is not a leap year.

LEAR
Lear, v. t.

Defn: To learn. See Lere, to learn. [Obs.]

LEAR
Lear, n.

Defn: Lore; lesson. [Obs.] Spenser.

LEAR
Lear, a.

Defn: See Leer, a. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

LEAR
Lear, n.

Defn: An annealing oven. See Leer, n.

LEARN
Learn, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Learned, or Learnt (p. pr. & vb. n.
Learning.] Etym: [OE. lernen, leornen, AS. leornian; akin to OS.
linon, for lirnon, OHG. lirnen, lernen, G. lernen, fr. the root of
AS. l to teach, OS. lerian, OHG.leran, G. lehren, Goth. laisjan, also
Goth lais I know, leis acquainted (in comp.); all prob. from a root
meaning, to go, go over, and hence, to learn; cf. AS. leoran to go .
Cf. Last a mold of the foot, lore.]

1. To gain knowledge or information of; to ascertain by inquiry, study, or investigation; to receive instruction concerning; to fix in the mind; to acquire understanding of, or skill; as, to learn the way; to learn a lesson; to learn dancing; to learn to skate; to learn the violin; to learn the truth about something. "Learn to do well." Is. i. 17. Now learn a parable of the fig tree. Matt. xxiv. 32.

2. To communicate knowledge to; to teach. [Obs.] Hast thou not learned me how To make perfumes Shak.

Note: Learn formerly had also the sense of teach, in accordance with the analogy of the French and other languages, and hence we find it with this sense in Shakespeare, Spenser, and other old writers. This usage has now passed away. To learn is to receive instruction, and to teach is to give instruction. He who is taught learns, not he who teaches.

LEARN
Learn, v. i.

Defn: To acquire knowledge or skill; to make progress in acquiring knowledge or skill; to receive information or instruction; as, this child learns quickly. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. Matt. xi. 29. To learn by heart. See By heart, under Heart. — To learn by rote, to memorize by repetition without exercise of the understanding.

LEARNABLE
Learn"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be learned.

LEARNED
Learn"ed, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to learning; possessing, or characterized by,
learning, esp. scholastic learning; erudite; well-informed; as, a
learned scholar, writer, or lawyer; a learned book; a learned theory.
The learnedlover lost no time. Spenser.
Men of much reading are greatly learned, but may be little knowing.
Locke.
Words of learned length and thundering sound. Goldsmith.
The learned, learned men; men of erudition; scholars.
— Learn"ed*ly, adv. Learn"ed*ness, n.
Every coxcomb swears as learnedly as they. Swift.

LEARNER
Learn"er, n.

Defn: One who learns; a scholar.

LEARNING
Learn"ing, n. Etym: [AS. leornung.]

1. The acquisition of knowledge or skill; as, the learning of languages; the learning of telegraphy.

2. The knowledge or skill received by instruction or study; acquired knowledge or ideas in any branch of science or literature; erudition; literature; science; as, he is a man of great learning. Book learning. See under Book.

Syn.
— Literature; erudition; lore; scholarship; science; letters. See
Literature.

LEASABLE
Leas"a*ble, a. Etym: [From 2d Lease.]

Defn: Such as can be leased.

LEASE Lease, v. i. Etym: [AS. lesan to gather; akin to D. lezen to gather, read, G. lesen, Goth. lisan to gather; cf. Lith lesti to peck.]

Defn: To gather what harvesters have left behind; to glean. [Obs.]
Dryden.

LEASE
Lease, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leased; p. pr. & vb. n. Leasing.] Etym:
[F.laisser, OF. laissier, lessier, to leave, transmit, L. laxare to
loose, slacken, from laxus loose, wide. See Lax, and cf. Lesser.]

1. To grant to another by lease the possession of, as of lands, tenements, and hereditaments; to let; to demise; as, a landowner leases a farm to a tenant; — sometimes with out. There were some [houses] that were leased out for three lives. Addison.

2. To hold under a lease; to take lease of; as, a tenant leases his land from the owner.

LEASE
Lease, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. lais. See Lease, v. t.]

1. A demise or letting of lands, tenements, or hereditaments to another for life, for a term of years, or at will, or for any less interest than that which the lessor has in the property, usually for a specified rent or compensation.

2. The contract for such letting.

3. Any tenure by grant or permission; the time for which such a tenure holds good; allotted time. Our high-placed Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature. Shak. Lease and release a mode of conveyance of freehold estates, formerly common in England and in New York. its place is now supplied by a simple deed of grant. Burrill. Warren's Blackstone.

LEASEHOLD
Lease"hold`, a.

Defn: Held by lease.

LEASEHOLD
Lease"hold`, n.

Defn: A tenure by lease; specifically, land held as personalty under a lease for years.

LEASEHOLDER
Lease"hold`er, n.

Defn: A tenant under a lease.
— Lease"hold`ing, a. & n.

LEASER
Leas"er, n. Etym: [From 1st Lease.]

Defn: One who leases or gleans. [Obs.] Swift.

LEASER
Leas"er, n.

Defn: A liar. [Obs.] See Leasing.

LEASH
Leash, n. Etym: [OE. lese, lees, leece, OF. lesse, F. laisse,
LL.laxa, fr. L. laxus loose. See Lax.]

1. A thong of leather, or a long cord, by which a falconer holds his hawk, or a courser his dog. Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash. Shak.

2. (Sporting)

Defn: A brace and a half; a tierce; three; three creatures of any
kind, especially greyhounds, foxes, bucks, and hares; hence, the
number three in general.
[I] kept my chamber a leash of days. B. Jonson.
Then were I wealthier than a leash of kings. Tennyson.

3. (Weaving)

Defn: A string with a loop at the end for lifting warp threads, in a loom.

LEASH
Leash, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leashed; p. pr. & vb. n. Leashing.]

Defn: To tie together, or hold, with a leash.

LEASING
Leas"ing, n. Etym: [AS. leásung, fr. leás loose, false, deceitful.
See -less, Loose, a.]

Defn: The act of lying; falsehood; a lie or lies. [Archaic] Spenser.
Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing. Ps. v. 6.
Blessed be the lips that such a leasing told. Fairfax.
Leasing making (Scots Law), the uttering of lies or libels upon the
personal character of the sovereign, his court, or his family. Bp.
Burnet.

LEASOW
Lea"sow, n. Etym: [AS. lesu, læsu.]

Defn: A pasture. [Obs.]

LEAST
Least, a. Etym: [OE. last, lest, AS. l, l, superl. of l less. See
Less, a.] [Used as the superlative of little.]

Defn: Smallest, either in size or degree; shortest; lowest; most unimportant; as, the least insect; the least mercy; the least space.

Note: Least is often used with the, as if a noun. I am the least of the apostles. 1 Cor. xv. 9. At least, or At the least, at the least estimate, consideration, chance, etc.; hence, at any rate; at all events; even. See However. He who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses The tempted with dishonor. Milton. Upon the mast they saw a young man, at least if he were a man, who sat as on horseback. Sir P. Sidney. — In least, or In the least, in the least degree, manner, etc. "He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." Luke xvi. 10. — Least squares (Math.), a method of deducing from a number of carefully made yet slightly discordant observations of a phenomenon the most probable values of the unknown quantities.

Note: It takes as its fundamental principle that the most probable values are those which make the sum of the squares of the residual errors of the observation a minimum.

LEAST
Least, adv.

Defn: In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others; as, to reward those who least deserve it.

LEAST
Least, conj.

Defn: See Lest, conj. [Obs.] Spenser.

LEASTWAYS; LEASTWISE
Least"ways`, Least"wise`, adv.

Defn: At least; at all events. [Colloq.] At leastways, or At leastwise, at least. [Obs.] Fuller.

LEASY
Lea"sy, a. Etym: [AS. leás void, loose, false. Cf. Leasing.]

Defn: Flimsy; vague; deceptive. [Obs.] Ascham.

LEAT
Leat, n. Etym: [Cf. Lead to conduct.]

Defn: An artificial water trench, esp. one to or from a mill. C.
Kingsley.

LEATHER Leath"er, n. Etym: [OE. lether, AS. le; akin to D. leder, leêr, G. leder, OHG. ledar, Icel. le, Sw. läder, Dan. læder.]

1. The skin of an animal, or some part of such skin, tanned, tawed, or otherwise dressed for use; also, dressed hides, collectively.

2. The skin. [Ironical or Sportive]

Note: Leather is much used adjectively in the sense of made of, relating to, or like, leather. Leather board, an imitation of sole leather, made of leather scraps, rags, paper, etc. — Leather carp (Zoöl.) , a variety of carp in which the scales are all, or nearly all, absent. See Illust. under Carp. — Leather jacket. (Zoöl.) (a) A California carangoid fish (Oligoplites saurus). (b) A trigger fish (Balistes Carolinensis). — Leather flower (Bot.), a climbing plant (Clematis Viorna) of the Middle and Southern States having thick, leathery sepals of a purplish color. — Leather leaf (Bot.), a low shrub (Cassandra calyculata), growing in Northern swamps, and having evergreen, coriaceous, scurfy leaves. — Leather plant (Bot.), one or more New Zealand plants of the composite genus Celmisia, which have white or buff tomentose leaves. — Leather turtle. (Zoöl.) See Leatherback. — Vegetable leather. (a) An imitation of leather made of cotton waste. (b) Linen cloth coated with India rubber. Ure.

LEATHER
Leath"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leathered; p. pr. & vb. n. Leathering.]

Defn: To beat, as with a thong of leather. [Obs. or Colloq.] G.
Eliot.

LEATHERBACK
Leath"er*back`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large sea turtle (Sphargis coriacea), having no bony shell on its back. It is common in the warm and temperate parts of the Atlantic, and sometimes weighs over a thousand pounds; — called also leather turtle, leathery turtle, leather-backed tortoise, etc.

LEATHERET; LEATHERETTE
Leath"er*et, Leath`er*ette", n. Etym: [Leather + et, F. -ette.]

Defn: An imitation of leather, made of paper and cloth.

LEATHERHEAD
Leath"er*head`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The friar bird.

LEATHERN
Leath"ern, a.

Defn: Made of leather; consisting of. leather; as, a leathern purse.
"A leathern girdle about his loins." Matt. iii. 4.

LEATHERNECK
Leath"er*neck`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The sordid friar bird of Australia (Tropidorhynchus sordidus).

LEATHERWOOD
Leath"er*wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A small branching shrub (Dirca palustris), with a white, soft wood, and a tough, leathery bark, common in damp woods in the Northern United States; — called also moosewood, and wicopy. Gray.

LEATHERY
Leath"er*y, a.

Defn: Resembling leather in appearance or consistence; tough. "A leathery skin." Grew.

LEAVE
Leave, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaved; p. pr. & vb. n. Leaving]

Defn: To send out leaves; to leaf; — often with out. G. Fletcher.

LEAVE
Leave, v. t. Etym: [See Levy.]

Defn: To raise; to levy. [Obs.]
An army strong she leaved. Spenser.

LEAVE
Leave, n. Etym: [OE. leve, leave, AS. leáf; akin to leóf pleasing,
dear, E. lief, D. oorlof leave, G. arlaub, and erlauben to permit,
Icel. leyfi. Lief.]

1. Liberty granted by which restraint or illegality is removed; permission; allowance; license. David earnestly asked leave of me. 1 Sam. xx. 6. No friend has leave to bear away the dead. Dryden.

2. The act of leaving or departing; a formal parting; a leaving; farewell; adieu; — used chiefly in the phrase, to take leave, i. e., literally, to take permission to go. A double blessing is a'double grace; Occasion smiles upon a second leave. Shak. And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren. Acts xviii. 18. French leave. See under French.

Syn.
— See Liberty.

LEAVE Leave, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Left; p. pr. & vb. n. Leaving.] Etym: [OE. leven, AS. l, fr. laf remnant, heritage; akin to lifian, libban, to live, orig., to remain; cf. belifan to remain, G. bleiben, Goth. bileiban. Live, v.]

1. To withdraw one's self from; to go away from; to depart from; as, to leave the house. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife. Gen. ii. 24.

2. To let remain unremoved or undone; to let stay or continue, in distinction from what is removed or changed. If grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes Jer. xlix. 9. These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matt. xxiii. 23. Besides it leaveth a suspicion, as if more might be said than is expressed. Bacon.

3. To cease from; to desist from; to abstain from. Now leave complaining and begin your tea. Pope.

4. To desert; to abandon; to forsake; hence, to give up; to
relinquish.
Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. Mark x. 28.
The heresies that men do leave. Shak.

5. To let be or do without interference; as, I left him to his reflections; I leave my hearers to judge. I will leave you now to your gossiplike humor. Shak.

6. To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver; to commit; to submit — with a sense of withdrawing one's self from; as, leave your hat in the hall; we left our cards; to leave the matter to arbitrators. Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way. Matt. v. 24. The foot That leaves the print of blood where'er it walks. Shak.

7. To have remaining at death; hence, to bequeath; as, he left a large estate; he left a good name; he left a legacy to his niece. To leave alone. (a) To leave in solitude. (b) To desist or refrain from having to do with; as, to leave dangerous chemicals alone. — To leave off. (a) To desist from; to forbear; to stop; as, to leave off work at six o'clock. (b) To cease wearing or using; to omit to put in the usual position; as, to leave off a garment; to leave off the tablecloth. (c) To forsake; as, to leave off a bad habit. — To leave out, to omit; as, to leave out a word or name in writing. — To leave to one's self, to let (one) be alone; to cease caring for (one).

Syn. - To quit; depart from; forsake; abandon; relinquish; deliver; bequeath; give up; forego; resign; surrender; forbear. See Quit.

LEAVE
Leave, v. i.

1. To depart; to set out. [Colloq.] By the time I left for Scotland. Carlyle.

2. To cease; to desist; to leave off. "He . . . began at the eldest, and left at the youngest." Gen. xliv. 12. To leave off, to cease; to desist; to stop. Leave off, and for another summons wait. Roscommon.

LEAVED
Leaved, a. Etym: [From Leaf.]

Defn: Bearing, or having, a leaf or leaves; having folds; — used in combination; as, a four-leaved clover; a two-leaved gate; long- leaved.

LEAVELESS
Leave"less, a.

Defn: Leafless. [Obs.] Carew.

LEAVEN Leav"en, n. Etym: [OE. levain, levein, F. levain, L. levamen alleviation, mitigation; but taken in the sense of, a raising, that which raises, fr. levare to raise. See Lever, n.]

1. Any substance that produces, or is designed to produce, fermentation, as in dough or liquids; esp., a portion of fermenting dough, which, mixed with a larger quantity of dough, produces a general change in the mass, and renders it light; yeast; barm.

2. Anything which makes a general assimilating (especially a corrupting) change in the mass. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Luke xii. 1.

LEAVEN
Leav"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leavened; p. pr. & vb. n. Leavening.]

1. To make light by the action of leaven; to cause to ferment. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 1 Cor. v. 6.

2. To imbue; to infect; to vitiate. With these and the like deceivable doctrines, he leavens also his prayer. Milton.

LEAVENING
Leav"en*ing, n.

1. The act of making light, or causing to ferment, by means of leaven.

2. That which leavens or makes light. Bacon.

LEAVENOUS
Leav"en*ous, a.

Defn: Containing leaven. Milton.

LEAVER
Leav"er, n.

Defn: One who leaves, or withdraws.

LEAVES
Leaves, n.,

Defn: pl. of Leaf.

LEAVE-TAKING
Leave"-tak`ing, n.

Defn: Taking of leave; parting compliments. Shak.

LEAVINESS
Leav"i*ness, n. Etym: [Fr. Leaf.]

Defn: Leafiness.[Obs.]

LEAVINGS
Leav"ings, n. pl.

1. Things left; remnants; relics.

2. Refuse; offal.

LEAVY
Leav"y, a.

Defn: Leafy. [Obs.] Chapman.

LEBAN; LEBBAN
Leb"an, Leb"ban, n.

Defn: Coagulated sour milk diluted with water; — a common beverage among the Arabs. Also, a fermented liquor made of the same.

LECAMA
Le*ca"ma, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The hartbeest.

LECANOMANCY
Le*can"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy.]

Defn: divination practiced with water in a basin, by throwing three stones into it, and invoking the demon whose aid was sought.

LECANORIC
Lec`a*no"ric, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an organic acid which is obtained from several varieties of lichen (Lecanora, Roccella, etc.), as a white, crystalline substance, and is called also orsellic, or diorsellinic acid, lecanorin, etc.

LECANORIN
Lec`a*no"rin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Lecanoric.

LECH
Lech, v. t. Etym: [F. lécher. See Lick.]

Defn: To lick. [Obs.]

LECHE
Le*che", n.

Defn: See water buck, under 3d Buck.

LECHER
Lech"er, n. Etym: [OE.lechur, lechour, OF.lecheor, lecheur, gormand,
glutton, libertine, parasite, fr. lechier to lick, F. lécher; of
Teutonic origin. See Lick.]

Defn: A man given to lewdness; one addicted, in an excessive degree, to the indulgence of sexual desire, or to illicit commerce with women.

LECHER
Lech"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lechered; p. pr. & vb. n. Lechering.]

Defn: To practice lewdness.

LECHERER
Lech"er*er, n.

Defn: See Lecher, n. Marston.

LECHEROUS
Lech"er*ous, a.

Defn: Like a lecher; addicted to lewdness; lustful; also, lust-
provoking. "A lecherous thing is wine." Chaucer.
— Lech"er*ous*ly, adv.
— Lech"er*ous*ness, n.

LECHERY
Lech"er*y, n. Etym: [OE. lecherie, OF. lecherie. See Lecher.]

1. Free indulgence of lust; lewdness.

2. Selfish pleasure; delight. [Obs.] Massinger.

LECITHIN
Lec"i*thin, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A complex, nitrogenous phosphorized substance widely distributed through the animal body, and especially conspicuous in the brain and nerve tissue, in yolk of eggs, and in the white blood corpuscles.

LECTERN lec"tern, n.

Defn: See Lecturn.

LECTICA
Lec*ti"ca, n.; pl. Lecticæ. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A kind of litter or portable couch.

LECTION Lec"tion, n. Etym: [L. lectio, fr. legere, lectum, to read. See lesson, Legend.]

1. (Eccl.)

Defn: A lesson or selection, esp. of Scripture, read in divine service.

2. A reading; a variation in the text. We ourselves are offended by the obtrusion of the new lections into the text. De Quincey.

LECTIONARY Lec"tion*a*ry, n.; pl. -ries. Etym: [LL. lectionarium, lectionarius : cf. F. lectionnaire.] (Eccl.)

Defn: A book, or a list, of lections, for reading in divine service.

LECTOR
Lec"tor, n. Etym: [L. See Lection.] (Eccl.)

Defn: A reader of lections; formerly, a person designated to read lessons to the illiterate.

LECTUAL
Lec"tu*al, a. Etym: [LL. lectualis, fr. L. lectus bed.] (Med.)

Defn: Confining to the bed; as, a lectual disease.

LECTURE Lec"ture, n. Etym: [F. lecture, LL. lectura, fr. L. legere, lectum, to read. See Legend.]

1. The act of reading; as, the lecture of Holy Scripture. [Obs.]

2. A discourse on any subject; especially, a formal or methodical discourse, intended for instruction; sometimes, a familiar discourse, in contrast with a sermon.

3. A reprimand or formal reproof from one having authority.

4. (Eng. Universities)

Defn: A rehearsal of a lesson.

LECTURE
Lec"ture, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lectured; p. pr. & vb. n. Lecturing.]

1. To read or deliver a lecture to.

2. To reprove formally and with authority.

LECTURE
Lec"ture, v. i.

Defn: To deliver a lecture or lectures.

LECTURER
Lec"tur*er, n.

Defn: One who lectures; an assistant preacher.

LECTURESHIP
Lec"ture*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a lecturer.

LECTURN Lec"turn, n. Etym: [LL. lectrinum, fr. lectrum; cf. L. legere, lectum, to read.]

Defn: A choir desk, or reading desk, in some churches, from which the lections, or Scripture lessons, are chanted or read; hence, a reading desk. [Written also lectern and lettern]. Fairholt.

LECYTHIS
Lec"y*this, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. 3 an oil flask.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of gigantic trees, chiefly Brazilian, of the order Myrtaceæ, having woody capsules opening by an apical lid. Lecythis Zabucajo yields the delicious sapucaia nuts. L. Ollaria produces the monkey-pots, its capsules. Its bark separates into thin sheets, like paper, used by the natives for cigarette wrappers.

LED
Led, imp. & p. p.

Defn: of Lead. Led captain. An obsequious follower or attendant.
[Obs.] Swift.
— Led horse, a sumpter horse, or a spare horse, that is led along.

LEDEN; LEDDEN
Led"en, Led"den n. Etym: [AS. l, l, language, speech. Cf. Leod.]

Defn: Language; speech; voice; cry. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.

LEDGE Ledge, n. Etym: [Akin to AS. licgan to lie, Icel. liggja; cf. Icel. lögg the ledge or rim at the bottom of a cask. See Lie to be prostrate.] [Formerly written lidge.]

1. A shelf on which articles may be laid; also, that which resembles such a shelf in form or use, as a projecting ridge or part, or a molding or edge in joinery.

2. A shelf, ridge, or reef, of rocks.

3. A layer or stratum. The lowest ledge or row should be of stone. Sir H. Wotton.

4. (Mining)

Defn: A lode; a limited mass of rock bearing valuable mineral.

5. (Shipbuilding)

Defn: A piece of timber to support the deck, placed athwartship between beams.

LEDGEMENT
Ledge"ment, n.

Defn: See Ledgment.

LEDGER Ledg"er, n. Etym: [Akin to D. legger layer, daybook (fr. leggen to lay, liggen to lie), E. ledge, lie. See Lie to be prostrate.]

1. A book in which a summary of accounts is laid up or preserved; the final book of record in business transactions, in which all debits and credits from the journal, etc., are placed under appropriate heads. [Written also leger.]

2. (Arch.) (a) A large flat stone, esp. one laid over a tomb. Oxf. Gloss. (b) A horizontal piece of timber secured to the uprights and supporting floor timbers, a staircase, scaffolding, or the like. It differs from an intertie in being intended to carry weight. [Written also ligger.] Ledger bait, fishing bait attached to a floating line fastened to the bank of a stream, pond, etc. Walton. J. H. Walsh. — Ledger line. See Leger line, under 3d Leger, a. — Ledger wall (Mining), the wall under a vein; the foot wall. Raymond.

LEDGMENT Ledg"ment, n. (Arch.) (a) A string-course or horizontal suit of moldings, such as the base moldings of a building. Oxf. Gloss. (b) The development of the surface of a body on a plane, so that the dimensions of the different sides may be easily ascertained. Gwilt. [Written also ledgement, legement, and ligement.]

LEDGY
Ledg"y, a.

Defn: Abounding in ledges; consisting of a ledge or reef; as, a ledgy island.

LEE
Lee, v

Defn: , i, To lie; to speak falsely. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEE Lee, n.; pl. Lees. Etym: [F. lie, perh. fr. L. levare to lift up, raise. Cf. Lever.]

Defn: That which settles at the bottom, as, of a cask of liquor (esp. wine); sediment; dregs; — used now only in the plural. [Lees occurs also as a form of the singular.] "The lees of wine." Holland. A thousand demons lurk within the lee. Young. The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of. Shak.

LEE Lee, n. Etym: [OE. lee shelter, Icel. hl, akin to AS. hleó, hleów, shelter, protection, OS. hlèo, D. lij lee, Sw. lä, Dan. læ.]

1. A sheltered place; esp., a place; protected from the wind by some object; the side sheltered from the wind; shelter; protection; as, the lee of a mountain, an island, or a ship. We lurked under lee. Morte d'Arthure. Desiring me to take shelter in his lee. Tyndall.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: That part of the hemisphere, as one stands on shipboard, toward which the wind blows. See Lee, a. By the lee, To bring by the lee. See under By, and Bring. — Under the lee of, on that side which is sheltered from the wind; as, to be under the lee of a ship.

LEE
Lee, a. (Naut.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the part or side opposite to that against which the wind blows; — opposed to weather; as, the lee side or lee rail of a vessel. Lee gauge. See Gauge, n. (Naut.) — Lee shore, the shore on the lee side of a vessel. — Lee tide, a tide running in the same direction that the wind blows. — On the lee beam, directly to the leeward; in a line at right angles to the length of the vessel and to the leeward.

LEEANGLE; LIANGLE
Lee"an`gle, Li"an`gle, n. [From native name.]

Defn: A heavy weapon of the Australian aborigines with a sharp- pointed end, about nine inches in length, projecting at right angles from the main part.

LEEBOARD
Lee"board`, n.

Defn: A board, or frame of planks, lowered over the side of a vessel to lessen her leeway when closehauled, by giving her greater draught.

LEECH
Leech, n.

Defn: See 2d Leach.

LEECH
Leech, v. t.

Defn: See Leach, v. t.

LEECH Leech, n. Etym: [Cf. LG. leik, Icel. lik, Sw. lik boltrope, stliken the leeches.] (Naut.)

Defn: The border or edge at the side of a sail. [Written also leach.] Leech line, a line attached to the leech ropes of sails, passing up through blocks on the yards, to haul the leeches by. Totten. — Leech rope, that part of the boltrope to which the side of a sail is sewed.

LEECH Leech, n. Etym: [OE. leche, læche, physician, AS. l; akin to Fries. l, OHG. lahhi, Icel. læknari, Sw. läkare, Dan. læge, Goth. l, AS. lacnian to heal, Sw. läka, Dan.læge, Icel. lækna, Goth. l.]

1. physician or surgeon; a professor of the art of healing. [Written also leach.] [Archaic] Spenser. Leech, heal thyself. Wyclif (Luke iv. 23).

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous genera and species of annulose worms, belonging to the order Hirudinea, or Bdelloidea, esp. those species used in medicine, as Hirudo medicinalis of Europe, and allied species.

Note: In the mouth of bloodsucking leeches are three convergent, serrated jaws, moved by strong muscles. By the motion of these jaws a stellate incision is made in the skin, through which the leech sucks blood till it is gorged, and then drops off. The stomach has large pouches on each side to hold the blood. The common large bloodsucking leech of America (Macrobdella decora) is dark olive above, and red below, with black spots. Many kinds of leeches are parasitic on fishes; others feed upon worms and mollusks, and have no jaws for drawing blood. See Bdelloidea. Hirudinea, and Clepsine.

3. (Surg.)

Defn: A glass tube of peculiar construction, adapted for drawing blood from a scarified part by means of a vacuum. Horse leech, a less powerful European leech (Hæmopis vorax), commonly attacking the membrane that lines the inside of the mouth and nostrils of animals that drink at pools where it lives.

LEECH
Leech, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leeched; p. pr. & vb. n. Leeching.]

1. To treat as a surgeon; to doctor; as, to leech wounds. [Archaic]

2. To bleed by the use of leeches.

LEECHCRAFT
Leech"craft`, n.

Defn: The art of healing; skill of a physician. [Archaic] Chaucer.

LEED; LEEDE
Leed, Leede, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: A caldron; a copper kettle. [Obs.] "A furnace of a leed."
Chaucer.

LEEF
Leef, a. & adv.

Defn: See Lief. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEEK Leek, n. Etym: [AS.leác; akin to D. look, G. lauch, OHG. louh, Icel. laukr, Sw. lök, Dan lög. Cf. Garlic.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Allium (A. Porrum), having broadly linear succulent leaves rising from a loose oblong cylindrical bulb. The flavor is stronger than that of the common onion. Wild leek , in America, a plant (Allium tricoccum) with a cluster of ovoid bulbs and large oblong elliptical leaves.

LEEME
Leeme, v. & n.

Defn: See Leme. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEEP
Leep, obs. strong imp.

Defn: of Leap. leaped.

LEER
Leer, v. t.

Defn: To learn. [Obs.] See Lere, to learn.

LEER
Leer, a. Etym: [OE. lere; akin to G. leer, OHG. & OS. lari.] [Obs. or
Prov. Eng.]

Defn: Empty; destitute; wanting; as: (a) Empty of contents. "A leer stomach." Gifford. (b) Destitute of a rider; and hence, led, not ridden; as, a leer horse. B. Jonson. (c) Wanting sense or seriousness; trifling; trivolous; as, leer words.

LEER
Leer, n.

Defn: An oven in which glassware is annealed.

LEER Leer, n. Etym: [OE.lere cheek, face, look, AS. hleór cheek, face; akin to OS. hlear, hlior, OD. lier, Icel. hl.]

1. The cheek. [Obs.] Holinshed.

2. complexion; aspect; appearance. [Obs.] A Rosalind of a better leer than you. Shak.

3. A distorted expression of the face, or an indirect glance of the eye, conveying a sinister or immodest suggestion. With jealous leer malign Eyed them askance. Milton. She gives the leer of invitation. Shak. Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer. Pope.

LEER
Leer, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leered; p. pr. & vb. n. Leering.]

Defn: To look with a leer; to look askance with a suggestive
expression, as of hatred, contempt, lust, etc. ; to cast a sidelong
lustful or malign look.
I will leer him as a'comes by. Shak.
The priest, above his book, Leering at his neighbor's wife. Tennyson.

LEER
Leer, v. t.

Defn: To entice with a leer, or leers; as, to leer a man to ruin.
Dryden.

LEERE
Leere, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: Tape or braid; an ornament. Halliwell. Leere side, the left side, as that on which a leere or ornament was worn. B. Jonson.

LEERINGLY
Leer"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a leering manner.

LEES
Lees, n. pl.

Defn: Dregs. See 2d Lee.

LEES
Lees, n.

Defn: A leash. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEESE
Leese, v. t. Etym: [See Lose.]

Defn: To lose. [Obs.]
They would rather leese their friend than their jest. Lord Burleigh.

LEESE
Leese, v. t. Etym: [Cf. f. léser, L.laesus, p. p. of laedere.]

Defn: To hurt. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

LEET
Leet, obs. imp.

Defn: of Let, to allow. Chaucer.

LEET
Leet n. Etym: [Cf. AS. hl share, lot.]

Defn: A portion; a list, esp. a list of candidates for an office.
[Scot.]

LEET Leet, n. Etym: [LL.leta. Cf. F. lit de justice a solemn sitting of the king in Parliament, L. lis, litis, a lawsuit, It., Sp., & Pg. lite.] (Eng. Hist.)

Defn: A court-leet; the district within the jurisdiction of a court- leet; the day on which a court-leet is held. Shak.

Note: The original intent of the court-leet was to view the frankpledges or freemen within the liberty; hence called the view of frankpledge. Latterly it has fallen into almost entire disuse. Burrill. Warren's Blackstone. Leet ale, a feast or merrymaking in time of leet. [Obs.]

LEET
Leet, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European pollock.

LEETMAN
Leet"man, n.; pl. Leetmen (.

Defn: One subject to the jurisdiction of a court-leet.

LEEWARD
Lee"ward, a. (Naut.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or in the direction of, the part or side toward which the wind blows; — opposed to windward; as, a leeward berth; a leeward ship. — n.

Defn: The lee side; the lee. — adv.

Defn: Toward the lee.

LEEWAY
Lee"way`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: The lateral movement of a ship to the leeward of her course; drift.

LEFT
Left, imp. & p. p.

Defn: of Leave.

LEFT Left, a. Etym: [OE. left, lift, luft; akin to Fries. leeft, OD.lucht, luft; cf. AS.left (equiv. to L. inanis), lyftadl palsy; or cf. AS.l weak.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action of the limbs is usually weaker than on the other side; — opposed to right, when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the left ear. Also said of the corresponding side of the lower animals. Left bank of a river, that which is on the left hand of a person whose face is turned downstream. — Left bower. See under 2d Bower. — Left center, the members whose sympathies are, in the main, with the members of the Left, but who do not favor extreme courses, and on occasions vote with the government. They sit between the Center and the extreme Left. — Over the left shoulder, or Over the left, an old but still current colloquialism, or slang expression, used as an aside to indicate insincerity, negation, or disbelief; as, he said it, and it is true, — over the left.

LEFT
Left, n.

1. that part of surrounding space toward which the left side of one's body is turned; as, the house is on the left when you face North. Put that rose a little more to the left. Ld. Lytton.

2. those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who are in the opposition; the advanced republicans and extreme radicals. They have their seats at the left-hand side of the presiding officer. See Center, and Right.

LEFT-HAND
Left"-hand`, a.

Defn: Situated on the left; nearer the left hand than the right; as, the left-hand side; the left-hand road. Left-hand rope, rope laid up and twisted over from right to left, or against the sun; — called also water-laid rope.

LEFT-HANDED
Left"-hand`ed, a.

1. Having the left hand or arm stronger and more dexterous than the right; using the left hand and arm with more dexterity than the right.

2. Clumsy; awkward; unlucky; insincere; sinister; malicious; as, a left-handed compliment. The commendations of this people are not always left-handed and detractive. Landor.

3. Having a direction contrary to that of the hands of a watch when seen in front; — said of a twist, a rotary motion, etc., looked at from a given direction. Left-handed marriage, a morganatic marriage. See Morganatic. — Left-handed screw, a screw constructed to advance away from the observer, when turned, as in a nut, with a left-handed rotation. An ordinary wood screw is right-handed.

LEFT-HANDEDNESS; LEFT-HANDINESS
Left"-hand`ed*ness, Left"-hand`i*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being left-handed; awkwardness.
An awkward address, ungraceful attitudes and actions, and a certain
left-handiness (if I may use the expression) proclaim low education.
Chesterfield.

LEFT-OFF
Left"-off", a.

Defn: Laid a side; cast-off.

LEFTWARD
Left"ward, adv.

Defn: Toward or on the left side.
Rightward and leftward rise the rocks. Southey.

LEFUL
Le"ful, a.

Defn: See Leveful. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEG Leg, n. Etym: [Icel. leggr; akin to Dan. læg calf of the leg, Sw. lägg.]

1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot.

2. That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of pair of compasses or dividers.

3. The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers.

4. A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from drawing the leg backward in bowing. [Obs.] He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he never received. Fuller.

5. A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg. [Slang, Eng.]

6. (Naut.)

Defn: The course and distance made by a vessel on one tack or between tacks.

7. (Steam Boiler)

Defn: An extension of the boiler downward, in the form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to support the boiler; — called also water leg.

8. (Grain Elevator)

Defn: The case containing the lower part of the belt which carries the buckets.

9. (Cricket)

Defn: A fielder whose position is on the outside, a little in rear of the batter. A good leg (Naut.), a course sailed on a tack which is near the desired course. — Leg bail, escape from custody by flight. [Slang] — Legs of an hyperbola (or other curve) (Geom.), the branches of the curve which extend outward indefinitely. — Legs of a triangle, the sides of a triangle; — a name seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished by some appropriate term; as, the hypothenuse and two legs of a right-angled triangle. On one's legs, standing to speak. — One's last legs. See under Last. — To have legs (Naut.), to have speed. — To stand on one's own legs, to support one's self; to be independent.

LEG
Leg, v. t.

Defn: To use as a leg, with it as object: (a) To bow. [Obs.] (b) To run [Low]

LEGACY Leg"a*cy, n.; pl.Legacies. Etym: [L. (assumed) legatia, for legatum, from legare to appoint by last will, to bequeath as a legacy, to depute: cf. OF. legat legacy. See Legate.]

1. A gift of property by will, esp. of money or personal property; a bequest. Also Fig.; as, a legacy of dishonor or disease.

2. A business with which one is intrusted by another; a commission; - - obsolete, except in the phrases last legacy, dying legacy, and the like. My legacy and message wherefore I am sent into the world. Tyndale. He came and told his legacy. Chapman. Legacy duty, a tax paid to government on legacies. Wharton. — Legacy hunter, one who flatters and courts any one for the sake of a legacy.

LEGAL Le"gal, a. Etym: [L. legalis, fr. lex, legis, law; prob. orig., that which lies or is fixed (cf. L. lectus bed), and if so akin to E. lie, law: cf. F. légal. Cf. Lie to be prostrate, Loyal, Leal.]

1. Created by, permitted by, in conformity with, or relating to, law; as, a legal obligation; a legal standard or test; a legal procedure; a legal claim; a legal trade; anything is legal which the laws do not forbid.

2. (Theol.) (a) According to the law of works, as distinguished from free grace; or resting on works for salvation. (b) According to the old or Mosaic dispensation; in accordance with the law of Moses

3. (Law)

Defn: Governed by the rules of law as distinguished from the rules of equity; as, legal estate; legal assets. Bouvier. Burrill. Legal cap. See under Cap. — Legal tender. (a) The act of tendering in the performance of a contract or satisfaction of a claim that which the law prescribes or permits, and at such time and place as the law prescribes or permits. (b) That currency, or money, which the law authorizes a debtor to tender and requires a creditor to receive. It differs in different countries.

Syn.
— Lawful; constitutional; legitimate; licit; authorized. See
Lawful.

LEGALISM
Le"gal*ism, n.

Defn: Strictness, or the doctrine of strictness, in conforming to law.

LEGALIST
Le"gal*ist, n.

Defn: One who practices or advocates strict conformity to law; in theology, one who holds to the law of works. See Legal, 2 (a).

LEGALITY
Le*gal"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. LL. legalitas, F. légalité. Cf. Loyalty.]

1. The state or quality of being letter of the law.

LEGALIZATION
Le`gal*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of making legal.

LEGALIZE
Le"gal*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legalized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Legalizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. légaliser.]

1. To make legal.

2. (Theol.)

Defn: To interpret or apply in a legal spirit.

LEGALLY
Le"gal*ly, adv.

Defn: In a legal manner.

LEGANTINE
Le*gan"tine, a. [Obs.]

Defn: See Legatine.

LEGATARY Leg"a*ta*ry, n. Etym: [L. legatarius, fr. legaturius enjoined by a last will: cf. F. légataire. See Legacy.]

Defn: A legatee. [R.] Ayliffe.

LEGATE
Leg"ate, n. Etym: [OE. legal, L. legatus, fr. legare to sent with a
commission or charge, to depute, fr. lex, legis, law: cf. F. légat,
It. legato. See Legal.]

1. An ambassador or envoy.

2. An ecclesiastic representing the pope and invested with the authority of the Holy See.

Note: Legates are of three kinds: (a) Legates a latere, now always cardinals. They are called ordinary or extraordinary legates, the former governing provinces, and the latter class being sent to foreign countries on extraordinary occasions. (b) Legati missi, who correspond to the ambassadors of temporal governments. (c) Legati nati, or legates by virtue of their office, as the archbishops of Salzburg and Prague.

3. (Rom. Hist.) (a) An official assistant given to a general or to the governor of a province. (b) Under the emperors, a governor sent to a province.

LEGATEE
Leg`a*tee", n. Etym: [See Legacy.] (Law)

Defn: One to whom a legacy is bequeathed.

LEGATESHIP
Leg"ate*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a legate.

LEGATINE
Leg"a*tine, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a legate; as, legatine power. Holinshed.

2. Made by, proceeding from, or under the sanction of, a legate; as, a legatine constitution. Ayliffe.

LEGATION
Le*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. legatio: cf. F. légation, It. legazione. See
Legate.]

1. The sending forth or commissioning one person to act for another. "The Divine legation of Moses." Bp. Warburton.

2. A legate, or envoy, and the persons associated with him in his mission; an embassy; or, in stricter usage, a diplomatic minister and his suite; a deputation.

3. The place of business or official residence of a diplomatic minister at a foreign court or seat of government.

4. A district under the jurisdiction of a legate.

LEGATO Le*ga"to, a. Etym: [It., tied, joined, fr. legare to tie, bind, L. ligare.] (Mus.)

Defn: Connected; tied; — a term used when successive tones are to be produced in a closely connected, smoothly gliding manner. It is often indicated by a tie, thus staccato.

LEGATOR
Leg`a*tor", n. Etym: [L., fr. legare: cf. OF. legateur. See Legacy.]
(Law)

Defn: A testator; one who bequeaths a legacy. Dryden.

LEGATURA
Le`ga*tu"ra, n. Etym: [It. See Ligature.] (Mus.)

Defn: A tie or brace; a syncopation.

LEGATURE
Leg"a*ture, n.

Defn: Legateship. [Obs.]

LEG BRIDGE
Leg bridge.

Defn: A type of bridge for small spans in which the floor girders are rigidly secured at their extremities to supporting steel legs, driven into the round as piling, or resting on mudsills.

LEGE
Lege, v. t. Etym: [Abbrev. fr. allege to assert.]

Defn: To allege; to assert. [Obs.] Bp. Fisher.

LEGEMENT
Lege"ment, n.

Defn: See Ledgment.

LEGEND
Leg"end, n. Etym: [OE. legende, OF. legende, F. légende, LL. legenda,
fr. L. legendus to be read, fr. legere to read, gather; akin to Gr.
Collect, Dialogue, Lesson, Logic.]

1. That which is appointed to be read; especially, a chronicle or register of the lives of saints, formerly read at matins, and in the refectories of religious houses.

2. A story respecting saints; especially, one of a marvelous nature. Addison.

3. Any wonderful story coming down from the past, but not verifiable by historical record; a myth; a fable. And in this legend all that glorious deed. Read, whilst you arm you. Fairfax.

4. An inscription, motto, or title, esp. one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon an heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration. Golden legend. See under Golden.

LEGEND
Leg"end, v. t.

Defn: To tell or narrate, as a legend. Bp. Hall.

LEGENDARY
Leg"end*a*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a legend or to legends; consisting of legends; like a legend; fabulous. "Legendary writers." Bp. Lloyd. Legendary stories of nurses and old women. Bourne.

LEGENDARY
Leg"end*a*ry, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. legendaire, LL. legendarius.]

1. A book of legends; a tale or parrative. Read the Countess of Pembroke's "Arcadia," a gallant legendary full of pleasurable accidents. James I.

2. One who relates legends. Bp. Lavington.

LEGER
Leg"er, n. Etym: [See Ledger.]

1. Anything that lies in a place; that which, or one who, remains in a place. [Obs.]

2. A minister or ambassador resident at a court or seat of government. [Written also lieger, leiger.] [Obs.] Sir Edward Carne, the queen's leger at Rome. Fuller.

3. A ledger.

LEGER
Leg"er, a.

Defn: Lying or remaining in a place; hence, resident; as, leger ambassador.

LEGER Leg"er, a. Etym: [F. léger, fr. LL. (assumed) leviarius, fr. L. levis light in weight. See Levity.]

Defn: Light; slender; slim; trivial. [Obs. except in special phrases.] Bacon. Leger line (Mus.), a line added above or below the staff to extend its compass; — called also added line.

LEGERDEMAIN Leg`er*de*main", n. Etym: [F. léger light, nimble + de of + main hand, L. manus. See 3d Leger, and Manual.]

Defn: Sleight of hand; a trick of sleight of hand; hence, any artful
deception or trick.
He of legierdemayne the mysteries did know. Spenser.
The tricks and legerdemain by which men impose upon their own souls.
South.

LEGERDEMAINIST
Leg`er*de*main"ist, n.

Defn: One who practices sleight of hand; a prestidigitator.

LEGERITY
Le*ger"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. légèreté. See 3d Leger.]

Defn: Lightness; nimbleness [Archaic] Shak.

LEGGE
Legge, v. t. Etym: [See Lay, v. t. ]

Defn: To lay. [Obs.]

LEGGE
Legge, v. t. Etym: [Abbrev. fr. alegge.]

Defn: To lighten; to allay. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

LEGGED
Legged, a. Etym: [From Leg.]

Defn: Having (such or so many) legs; — used in composition; as, a long-legged man; a two-legged animal.

LEGGIADRO; LEGGIERO
Leg`gi*a"dro, Leg`gi*e"ro, a. & adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Light or graceful; in a light, delicate, and brick style.

LEGGING; LEGGIN
Leg"ging, Leg"gin, n. Etym: [From Leg.]

Defn: A cover for the leg, like a long gaiter.

LEGGING
Leg"ging, a. & vb. n.

Defn: , from Leg, v. t.

LEGGY
Leg"gy (-gy), a.

Defn: Having long legs. Thackeray.

LEGHORN
Leg"horn, n.

Defn: A straw plaiting used for bonnets and hats, made from the straw of a particular kind of wheat, grown for the purpose in Tuscany, Italy; — so called from Leghorn, the place of exportation.

LEGIBILITY
Leg`i*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being legible; legibleness. Sir. D. Brewster.

LEGIBLE Leg"i*ble, a. Etym: [L. legibilis, fr. legere to read: cf. OF. legible. See Legend.]

1. Capable of being read or deciphered; distinct to the eye; plain; - - used of writing or printing; as, a fair, legible manuscript. The stone with moss and lichens so overspread, Nothing is legible but the name alone. Longfellow.

2. Capable of being discovered or understood by apparent marks or indications; as, the thoughts of men are often legible in their countenances.

LEGIBLENESS
Leg"i*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being legible.

LEGIBLY
Leg"i*bly, adv.

Defn: In a legible manner.

LEGIFIC
Le*gif"ic, a. Etym: [L. lex, legis, law + -ficare (in comp.) to make.
See -fy.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to making laws. Practically, in many cases, authority or legific competence has begun in bare power. J. Grote.

LEGION Le"gion, n. Etym: [OE. legioun, OF. legion, F. légion, fr. L. legio, fr. legere to gather, collect. See Legend.]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A body of foot soldiers and cavalry consisting of different numbers at different periods, — from about four thousand to about six thousand men, — the cavalry being about one tenth.

2. A military force; an army; military bands.

3. A great number; a multitude. Where one sin has entered,legions will force their way through the same breach. Rogers.

4. (Taxonomy)

Defn: A group of orders inferior to a class. Legion of honor, an order instituted by the French government in 1802, when Bonaparte was First Consul, as a reward for merit, both civil and military.

LEGIONARY
Le"gion*a*ry, a. Etym: [L.legionarius: cf. F. légionnaire.]

Defn: Belonging to a legion; consisting of a legion or legions, or of an indefinitely great number; as, legionary soldiers; a legionary force. "The legionary body of error." Sir T. Browne.

LEGIONARY
Le"gion*a*ry, n.; pl. Legionaries (.

Defn: A member of a legion. Milton.

LEGIONED
Le"gioned, a.

Defn: Formed into a legion or legions; legionary. Shelley.

LEGIONRY
Le"gion*ry, n.

Defn: A body of legions; legions, collectively. [R.] Pollok.

LEGISLATE
Leg"is*late, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Legislated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Legislating.] Etym: [See Legislator.]

Defn: To make or enact a law or laws. Solon, in legislating for the Athenians, had an idea of a more perfect constitution than he gave them. Bp. Watson (1805).

LEGISLATION
Leg`is*la"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. législation, L. legis latio. See
Legislator.]

Defn: The act of legislating; preparation and enactment of laws; the
laws enacted.
Pythagoras joined legislation to his philosophy. Lyttelton.

LEGISLATIVE
Leg"is*la*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. législatij.]

1. Making, or having the power to make, a law or laws; lawmaking; — distinguished from executive; as, a legislative act; a legislative body. The supreme legislative power of England was lodged in the king and great council, or what was afterwards called the Parliament. Hume.

2. Of or pertaining to the making of laws; suitable to legislation; as, the transaction of legislative business; the legislative style.

LEGISLATIVELY
Leg"is*la*tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a legislative manner.

LEGISLATOR Leg"is*la`tor, n. Etym: [L. legis lator, prop., a proposer of a law; lex, legis, law + lator a proposer, bearer, fr. latus, used as p. p. of ferre to bear: cf. F. législateur. See Legal, and Tolerate.]

Defn: A lawgiver; one who makes laws for a state or community; a member of a legislative body. The legislators in ancient and heroical times. Bacon. Many of the legislators themselves had taken an oath of abjuration of his Majesty's person and family. E. Phillips.

LEGISLATORIAL
Leg`is*la*to"ri*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a legislator or legislature.

LEGISLATORSHIP
Leg"is*la`tor*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a legislator. Halifax.

LEGISLATRESS; LEGISLATRIX
Leg"is*la`tress, Leg"is*la`trix, n.

Defn: A woman who makes laws. Shaftesbury.

LEGISLATURE
Leg"is*la`ture, n. Etym: [Cf. F. législature.]

Defn: The body of persons in a state or kingdom invested with power to make and repeal laws; a legislative body. Without the concurrent consent of all three parts of the legislature, no law is, or can be, made. Sir M. Hale.

Note: The legislature of Great Britain consists of the Lords and Commons, with the king or queen, whose sanction is necessary to every bill before it becomes a law. The legislatures of most of the United States consist of two houses or branches; but the sanction or consent of the governor is required to give their acts the force of law, or a concurrence of two thirds of the two houses after he has refused his sanction and assigned his objections.

LEGIST
Le"gist, n. Etym: [F. légiste, LL. legista, fr. L. lex, legis, law.
See Legal.]

Defn: One skilled in the laws; a writer on law. Milman. J. Morley.

LEGITIM
Le*git"im, n. Etym: [See Legitimate, a.] (Scots Law)

Defn: The portion of movable estate to which the children are entitled upon the death of the father.

LEGITIMACY
Le*git"i*ma*cy, n. Etym: [See Legitimate, a.]

Defn: The state, or quality, of being legitimate, or in conformity with law; hence, the condition of having been lawfully begotten, or born in wedlock. The doctrine of Divine Right, which has now come back to us, like a thief from transportation, under the alias of Legitimacy. Macaulay.

LEGITIMATE Le*git"i*mate, a. Etym: [LL. legitimatus, p. p. of legitimare to legitimate, fr. L. legitimus legitimate. See Legal.]

1. Accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements; lawful; as, legitimate government; legitimate rights; the legitimate succession to the throne; a legitimate proceeding of an officer; a legitimate heir.

2. Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock.

3. Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions.

4. Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors. Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic. Macaulay.

5. Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference.

LEGITIMATE
Le*git"i*mate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legitimated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Legitimating.]

Defn: To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; esp., to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means; as, to legitimate a bastard child. To enact a statute of that which he dares not seem to approve, even to legitimate vice. Milton.

LEGITIMATELY
Le*git"i*mate*ly, adv.

Defn: In a legitimate manner; lawfully; genuinely.

LEGITIMATENESS
Le*git"i*mate*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being legitimate; lawfulness; genuineness.

LEGITIMATION
Le*git`i*ma"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. légitimation.]

1. The act of making legitimate. The coining or legitimation of money. East.

2. Lawful birth. [R.] Shak.

LEGITIMATIST
Le*git"i*ma*tist, n.

Defn: See Legitimist.

LEGITIMATIZE
Le*git"i*ma*tize, v. t.

Defn: To legitimate.

LEGITIMISM
Le*git"i*mism, n.

Defn: The principles or plans of legitimists.

LEGITIMIST
Le*git"i*mist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. légitimiste.]

1. One who supports legitimate authority; esp., one who believes in hereditary monarchy, as a divine right.

2. Specifically, a supporter of the claims of the elder branch of the Bourbon dynasty to the crown of France.

LEGITIMIZE
Le*git"i*mize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legitimized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Legitimizing.]

Defn: To legitimate.

LEGLESS
Leg"less, a.

Defn: Not having a leg.

LEG-OF-MUTTON
Leg"-of-mut"ton, a.

Defn: Having the general shape or outline of a leg of mutton; as, a leg-of-mutton, or shoulder-of-mutton, sail.

LEGO-LITERARY
Le"go-lit"er*a*ry, a. Etym: [See Legal, and Literary.]

Defn: Pertaining to the literature of law.

LEGULEIAN Le`gu*le"ian, a. Etym: [L. leguleius pettifogger, fr. lex, legis, law.]

Defn: Lawyerlike; legal. [R.] "Leguleian barbarism." De Quincey. — n.

Defn: A lawyer.

LEGUME Leg"ume, n. Etym: [F. légume, L. legumen, fr. legere to gather. So called because they may be gathered without cutting. See Legend.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A pod dehiscent into two pieces or valves, and having the seed attached at one suture, as that of the pea.

Note: In the latter circumstance, it differs from a siliqua, in which the seeds are attached to both sutures. In popular use, a legume is called a pod, or cod; as, pea pod, or peas cod.

2. pl.

Defn: The fruit of leguminous plants, as peas, beans, lupines; pulse.

LEGUMEN
Le*gu"men, n.; pl. L. Legumina, E. Legumens. Etym: [L.]

Defn: Same as Legume.

LEGUMIN
Le*gu"min, n. Etym: [Cf. F. légumine.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: An albuminous substance resembling casein, found as a characteristic ingredient of the seeds of leguminous and grain- bearing plants.

LEGUMINOUS
Le*gu"mi*nous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. légumineux.]

1. Pertaining to pulse; consisting of pulse.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Belonging to, or resembling, a very large natural order of plants (Leguminosæ), which bear legumes, including peas, beans, clover, locust trees, acacias, and mimosas.

LEIGER
Lei"ger, n. Etym: [See Leger, and Ledger.]

Defn: See Leger, n., 2. [Obs.] Shak.

LEIOTRICHAN
Lei*ot"ri*chan, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Leiotrichi.
— n.

Defn: One of the Leiotrichi.

LEIOTRICHI
Lei*ot"ri*chi, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anthropol.)

Defn: The division of mankind which embraces the smooth-haired races.

LEIOTRICHOUS
Lei*ot"ri*chous, a. Etym: [See Leiotrichi.] (Anthropol.)

Defn: Having smooth, or nearly smooth, hair.

LEIPOA
Lei*po"a, n. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of Australian gallinaceous birds including but a single species (Leipoa ocellata), about the size of a turkey. Its color is variegated, drown, black, white, and gray. Called also native pheasant.

Note: It makes large mounds of sand and vegetable material, in which its eggs are laid to be hatched by the heat of the decomposing mass.

LEIPOTHYMIC
Lei`po*thym"ic, a.

Defn: See Lipothymic.

LEISTER; LISTER
Leis"ter, Lis"ter, n.

Defn: A spear armed with three or more prongs, for striking fish.
[Scotland]

LEISURABLE
Lei"sur*a*ble, a. Etym: [See Leisure.]

1. Leisurely. [Obs.] Hooker.

2. Vacant of employment; not occupied; idle; leisure; as leisurable hours. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

LEISURABLY
Lei"sur*a*bly, adv.

Defn: At leisure. [Obs.]

LEISURE Lei"sure n. Etym: [OE. leisere, leiser, OF.leisir, F. loisir, orig., permission, fr. L. licere to be permitted. See License.]

1. Freedom from occupation or business; vacant time; time free from
employment.
The desire of leisure is much more natural than of business and care.
Sir W. Temple.

2. Time at one's command, free from engagement; convenient opportunity; hence, convenience; ease. He sighed, and had no leisure more to say. Dryden. At leisure. (a) Free from occupation; not busy. (b) In a leisurely manner; at a convenient time.

LEISURE
Lei"sure, a.

Defn: Unemployed; as, leisure hours.

LEISURED
Lei"sured, a.

Defn: Having leisure. "The leisured classes." Gladstone.

LEISURELY
Lei"sure*ly, a.

Defn: Characterized by leisure; taking abundant tome; not hurried; as, a leisurely manner; a leisurely walk.

LEISURELY
Lei"sure*ly, adv.

Defn: In a leisurely manner. Addison.

LEITMOTIF
Leit"mo*tif", n. Etym: [G.] (Mus.)

Defn: See Leading motive, under Leading, a.

LEMAN
Le"man, n. Etym: [OE. lemman, legman; AS.leóf dear + mann man. See
Lief, and Man.]

Defn: A sweetheart, of either sex; a gallant, or a mistress; — usually in a bad sense. [Archaic] Chaucer. Spenser. Shak.

LEME Leme, n. Etym: [OE. leem, leme, leam, AS. leóma light, brightness; akin to E. light, n. sq. root122.]

Defn: A ray or glimmer of light; a gleam. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEME
Leme, v. i.

Defn: To shine. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

LEMMA
Lem"ma, n.; pl. L. Lemmata, E. Lemmas. Etym: [L. lemma, Gr.
Syllable.]

Defn: A preliminary or auxiliary proposition demonstrated or accepted for immediate use in the demonstration of some other proposition, as in mathematics or logic.

LEMMAN
Lem"man, n.

Defn: A leman. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEMMING Lem"ming, n. Etym: [Nor. lemming, lemende; cf. Sw. lemel, Lapp. lummik.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of small arctic rodents of the genera Myodes and Cuniculus, resembling the meadow mice in form. They are found in both hemispheres.

Note: The common Northern European lemming (Myodes lemmus) is remarkable for making occasional devastating migrations in enormous numbers from the mountains into the lowlands.

LEMNIAN
Lem"ni*an, a. Etym: [L. Lemnius, fr. Lemnus, Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the isle of Lemnos. Lemnian bole, Lemnian earth, an aluminous earth of a grayish yellow color; sphragide; — formerly sold as medicine, having astringent properties. — Lemnian reddle, a reddle of firm consistence and deep red color; — used by artificers in coloring.

LEMNISCATA; LEMNISCATE Lem`nis*ca"ta, Lem*nis"cate, n. Etym: [L. lemniscatus adorned with ribbons, fr. lemniscus a ribbon having down, Gr. (Geom.)

Defn: A curve in the form of the figure 8, with both parts symmetrical, generated by the point in which a tangent to an equilateral hyperbola meets the perpendicular on it drawn from the center.

LEMNISCUS
Lem*nis"cus, n.; pl. Lemnisci Etym: [L. See Lemniscata.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of two oval bodies hanging from the interior walls of the body in the Acanthocephala.

LEMON Lem"on, n. Etym: [F. limon, Per. lim; cf. Ar.laim, Sp. limon, It. limone. Cf. Lime a fruit.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: An oval or roundish fruit resembling the orange, and containing a pulp usually intensely acid. It is produced by a tropical tree of the genus Citrus,the common fruit known in commerce being that of the species C. Limonum or C. Medica (var. Limonum). There are many varieties of the fruit, some of which are sweet.

2. The tree which bears lemons; the lemon tree. Lemon grass (Bot.), a fragrant East Indian grass (Andropogon Shoenanthus, and perhaps other allied species), which yields the grass oil used in perfumery. — Lemon sole (Zoöl.), a yellow European sole (Solea aurantiaca). — Salts of lemon (Chem.), a white crystalline substance, inappropriately named, as it consists of an acid potassium oxalate and contains no citric acid, which is the characteristic acid of lemon; — called also salis of sorrel. It is used in removing ink stains. See Oxalic acid, under Oxalic. [Colloq.]

LEMONADE
Lem`on*ade", n. Etym: [F. limonade; cf. Sp. limonada, It. limonata.
See Lemon.]

Defn: A beverage consisting of lemon juice mixed with water and sweetened.

LEMUR Le"mur, n. Etym: [L., a ghost, specter. So called on account of its habit of going abroad by night.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a family (Lemuridæ) of nocturnal mammals allied to the monkeys, but of small size, and having a sharp and foxlike muzzle, and large eyes. They feed upon birds, insects, and fruit, and are mostly natives of Madagascar and the neighboring islands, one genus (Galago) occurring in Africa. The slow lemur or kukang of the East Indies is Nycticebus tardigradus. See Galago, Indris, and Colugo.

LEMURES
Lem"u*res, n. pl. Etym: [L. See Lemur.]

Defn: Spirits or ghosts of the departed; specters.
The Lars and Lemures moan with midnight plaint. Milton.

LEMURIA Le*mu"ri*a, n. Etym: [So named from the supposition that it was the original home of the lemurs.]

Defn: A hypothetical land, or continent, supposed by some to have existed formerly in the Indian Ocean, of which Madagascar is a remnant. Herschel.

LEMURID
Lem"u*rid, a. & n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Lemuroid.

LEMURIDOUS; LEMURINE
Le*mu"ri*dous, Lem"u*rine, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Lemuroid.

LEMUROID
Lem"u*roid, a. Etym: [Lemur + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the lemurs or the Lemuroidea.
— n.

Defn: One of the Lemuroidea.

LEMUROIDEA
Lem`u*roi"de*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Lemur, and -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A suborder of primates, including the lemurs, the aye-aye, and allied species. [Written also Lemuroida.]

LENA
Le"na, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A procuress. J. Webster.

LENARD RAYS
Le*nard" rays. (Physics.)

Defn: Rays emanating from the outer surface of a plate composed of any material permeable by cathode rays, as aluminium, which forms a portion of a wall of a vacuum tube, or which is mounted within the tube and exposed to radiation from the cathode. Lenard rays are similar in all their known properties to cathode rays. So called from the German physicist Philipp Lenard (b. 1862), who first described them.

LENARD TUBE
Lenard tube. (Elec.)

Defn: A tube for producing Lenard rays.

LEND
Lend, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lent ; p. pr. & vb. n. Lending.] Etym:
[OE.lenen, AS. l, fr. l loan; akin to G. lehnen to lend. See Loan.]

1. To allow the custody and use of, on condition of the return of the same; to grant the temporary use of; as, to lend a book; — opposed to borrow. Give me that ring. I'll lend it thee, my dear, but have no power To give it from me. Shak.

2. To allow the possession and use of, on condition of the return of an equivalent in kind; as, to lend money or some article of food. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. Levit. xxv. 37.

3. To afford; to grant or furnish in general; as, to lend assistance; to lend one's name or influence. Cato, lend me for a while thy patience. Addison. Mountain lines and distant horizons lend space and largeness to his compositions. J. A. Symonds.

4. To let for hire or compensation; as, to lend a horse or gig.

Note: This use of the word is rare in the United States, except with reference to money. To lend a hand, to give assistance; to help. [Colloq.] — To lend an ear or one's ears, to give attention.

LENDABLE
Lend"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be lent. Sherwood.

LENDER
Lend"er, n.

Defn: One who lends.
The borrower is servant to the lender. Prov. xxii. 7.

LENDES
Lend"es, n. pl.

Defn: See Lends. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LENDING
Lend"ing, n.

1. The act of one who lends.

2. That which is lent or furnished.

LENDS Lends, n. pl. Etym: [AS. lend, lenden; akin to D. & G. lende, OHG. lenti, Icel. lend, and perh to E. loin.]

Defn: Loins. [Obs.] Wyclif.

LENE
Lene, v. i. Etym: [See Lend.]

Defn: To lend; to grant; to permit. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LENE Le"ne, a. Etym: [L. lenis smooth.] (Phonetics) (a) Smooth; as, the lene breathing. (b) Applied to certain mute consonants, as p, k, and t. (or Gr. p, k, t.). W. E. Jelf.

LENE Le"ne, n. (Phonetics) (a) The smooth breathing (spiritus lenis). (b) Any one of the lene consonants, as p, k, or i (or Gr. p, k, t.). W. E. Jelf.

LENGER; LENGEST
Leng"er, Leng"est, a.

Defn: Longer; longest; — obsolete compar. and superl. of long.
Chaucer.

LENGTH Length, n. Etym: [OE. lengthe, AS. leng, fr. land, long, long; akin to D. lengte, Dan. længde, Sw. längd, Icel. lengd. See Long, a. ]

1. The longest, or longer, dimension of any object, in distinction from breadth or width; extent of anything from end to end; the longest line which can be drawn through a body, parallel to its sides; as, the length of a church, or of a ship; the length of a rope or line.

2. A portion of space or of time considered as measured by its length; — often in the plural. Large lengths of seas and shores. Shak. The future but a length behind the past. Dryden.

3. The quality or state of being long, in space or time; extent; duration; as, some sea birds are remarkable for the length of their wings; he was tired by the length of the sermon, and the length of his walk.

4. A single piece or subdivision of a series, or of a number of long pieces which may be connected together; as, a length of pipe; a length of fence.

5. Detail or amplification; unfolding; continuance as, to pursue a subject to a great length. May Heaven, great monarch, still augment your bliss. With length of days and every day like this. Dryden.

6. Distance.[Obs.] He had marched to the length of Exeter. Clarendon. At length. (a) At or in the full extent; without abbreviation; as, let the name be inserted at length. (b) At the end or conclusion; after a long period. See Syn. of At last, under Last. — At arm's length. See under Arm.

LENGTH
Length, v. i.

Defn: To lengthen. [Obs.] Shak.

LENGTHEN
Length"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lengthenel; p. pr. & vb. n.
Lengthening.]

Defn: To extent in length; to make longer in extent or duration; as,
to lengthen a line or a road; to lengthen life; — sometimes followed
by out.
What if I please to lengthen out his date. Dryden.

LENGTHEN
Length"en, v. i.

Defn: To become longer. Locke.

LENGTHFUL
Length"ful, a.

Defn: Long. [Obs.] Pope.

LENGTHILY
Length"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lengthy manner; at great length or extent.

LENGTHINESS
Length"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being lengthy; prolixity.

LENGTHWAYS; LENGTHWISE
Length"ways`, Length"wise`, adv.

Defn: In the direction of the length; in a longitudinal direction.

LENGTHY
Length"y, a. [Compar. Lengthier; superl. Lengthiest.]

Defn: Having length; rather long or too long; prolix; not brief; — said chiefly of discourses, writings, and the like. "Lengthy periods." Washington. "Some lengthy additions." Byron. "These would be details too lengthy." Jefferson. "To cut short lengthy explanations." Trench.

LENIENCE; LENIENCY
Le"ni*ence, Le"ni*en*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being lenient; lenity; clemency.

LENIENT Le"ni*ent, a. Etym: [L. leniens, -entis, p. pr. of lenire to soften, fr. lenis soft, mild. Cf. Lithe.]

1. Relaxing; emollient; softening; assuasive; — some "Lenient of
grief." Milton.
Of relax the fibers, are lenient, balsamic. Arbuthnot.
Time, that on all things lays his lenient hand. Pope.

2. Mild; clement; merciful; not rigorous or severe; as, a lenient disposition; a lenient judge or sentence.

LENIENT
Le"ni*ent, n. (Med.)

Defn: A lenitive; an emollient.

LENIENTLY
Le"ni*ent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lenient manner.

LENIFY
Len"i*fy, v. t. Etym: [L. lenis soft, mild + -fy: cf. F.lénifier.]

Defn: To assuage; to soften; to Bacon. Dryden.

LENIMENT
Len"i*ment, n. Etym: [L. lenimentum: cf. OF. leniment. See Lenient.]

Defn: An assuasive. [Obs.]

LENITIVE
Len"i*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. lénitif. See Lenient.]

Defn: Having the quality of softening or mitigating, as pain or acrimony; assuasive; emollient.

LENITIVE
Len"i*tive, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lénitif.]

1. (Med.) (a) A medicine or application that has the quality of easing pain or protecting from the action of irritants. (b) A mild purgative; a laxative.

2. That which softens or mitigates; that which tends to allay passion, excitement, or pain; a palliative. There is one sweet Lenitive at least for evils, which Nature holds out; so I took it kindly at her hands, and fell asleep. Sterne.

LENITIVENESS
Len"i*tive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being lenitive.

LENITUDE
Len"i*tude, n. Etym: [L. lenitudo.]

Defn: The quality or habit of being lenient; lenity. [Obs.] Blount.

LENITY
Len"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. lenitas, fr. lenis soft, mild: cf. OF. lenité.
See Lenient.]

Defn: The state or quality of being lenient; mildness of temper or disposition; gentleness of treatment; softness; tenderness; clemency; — opposed to severity and rigor. His exceeding lenity disposes us to be somewhat too severe. Macaulay.

Syn. — Gentleness; kindness; tenderness; softness; humanity; clemency; mercy.

LENNI-LENAPE
Len`ni-Len*a"pe, n. pl. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A general name for a group of Algonquin tribes which formerly occupied the coast region of North America from Connecticut to Virginia. They included the Mohicans, Delawares, Shawnees, and several other tribes.

LENO
Le"no, n. Etym: [Cf. It. leno weak, flexible.]

Defn: A light open cotton fabric used for window curtains.

LENOCINANT Le*noc"i*nant, a. Etym: [L. lenocinans, p. pr. of lenocinari to pander, cajole; akin to leno pimp.]

Defn: Given to lewdness. [Obs.]

LENS Lens, n.; pl. Lenses (-êz). Etym: [L. lens a lentil. So named from the resemblance in shape of a double convex lens to the seed of a lentil. Cf. Lentil.] (Opt.)

Defn: A piece of glass, or other transparent substance, ground with two opposite regular surfaces, either both curved, or one curved and the other plane, and commonly used, either singly or combined, in optical instruments, for changing the direction of rays of light, and thus magnifying objects, or otherwise modifying vision. In practice, the curved surfaces are usually spherical, though rarely cylindrical, or of some other figure. Lenses

Note: Of spherical lenses, there are six varieties, as shown in section in the figures herewith given: viz., a plano-concave; b double-concave; c plano-convex; d double-convex; converging concavo- convex, or converging meniscus; f diverging concavo-convex, or diverging meniscus. Crossed lens (Opt.), a double-convex lens with one radius equal to six times the other. — Crystalline lens. (Anat.) See Eye. — Fresnel lens (Opt.), a compound lens formed by placing around a central convex lens rings of glass so curved as to have the same focus; used, especially in lighthouses, for concentrating light in a particular direction; — so called from the inventor. — Multiplying lens or glass (Opt.), a lens one side of which is plane and the other convex, but made up of a number of plane faces inclined to one another, each of which presents a separate image of the object viewed through it, so that the object is, as it were, multiplied. — Polyzonal lens. See Polyzonal.

LENT
Lent,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Lend.

LENT Lent, n. Etym: [OE. lente, lenten, leynte, AS. lengten, lencten, spring, lent, akin to D. lente, OHG. lenzin, langiz, G. lenz, and perh. fr. AS. lang long, E. long, because at this season of the year the days lengthen.] (Eccl.)

Defn: A fast of forty days, beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing till Easter, observed by some Christian churches as commemorative of the fast of our Savior.

LENT
Lent, a. Etym: [L. lentus; akin to lenis soft, mild: cf. F. lent. See
Lenient.]

1. Slow; mild; gentle; as, lenter heats. [Obs.] B.Jonson.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: See Lento.

LENTAMENTE
Len`ta*men"te; adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Slowly; in slow time.

LENTANDO Len*tan"do, a. Etym: [It., p. pr. of lentare to make slow. See Lent, a.] (Mus.)

Defn: Slackening; retarding. Same as Rallentando.

LENTEN
Lent"en, n.

Defn: Lent. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

LENTEN
Lent"en, a. Etym: [From OE. lenten lent. See Lent, n. ]

1. Of or pertaining to the fast called Lent; used in, or suitable to, Lent; as, the Lenten season. She quenched her fury at the flood. And with a Lenten salad cooled her blood. Dryden.

2. Spare, meager; plain; somber; unostentatious; not abundant or showy. "Lenten entertainment." " Lenten answer." Shak. " Lenten suit." Beau. & Fl. Lenten color, black or violet. F. G. Lee.

LENTENTIDE
Lent"en*tide`, n.

Defn: The season of Lenten or Lent.

LENTICEL Len"ti*cel, n. Etym: [F. lenticelle, dim. fr. L. lens, lentis, a lentil. Cf. Lentil.] (Bot.) (a) One of the small, oval, rounded spots upon the stem or branch of a plant, from which the underlying tissues may protrude or roots may issue, either in the air, or more commonly when the stem or branch is covered with water or earth. (b) A small, lens-shaped gland on the under side of some leaves.

LENTICELLATE
Len`ti*cel"late, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Producing lenticels; dotted with lenticels.

LENTICELLE
Len`ti*celle", n. Etym: [F.] (Bot.)

Defn: Lenticel.

LENTICULA
Len*tic"u*la, n.; pl. E. Lenticulas, L. Lenticulæ. Etym: [L. See
Lenticel.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: A kind of eruption upon the skin; lentigo; freckle.

2. (Opt.)

Defn: A lens of small size.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: A lenticel.

LENTICULAR
Len*tic"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. lenticularis: cf. F. lenticulaire. See
Lenticel.]

Defn: Resembling a lentil in size or form; having the form of a double-convex lens.

LENTICULARLY
Len*tic"u*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of a lens; with a curve.

LENTIFORM Len"ti*form, a. Etym: [L. lens, lentis, lentil + -form: cf. F. lentifarme,]

Defn: Lenticular.

LENTIGINOSE
Len*tig"i*nose`, a. Etym: [See Lentiginous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing numerous dots resembling freckles.

LENTIGINOUS
Len*tig"i*nous, a. Etym: [L. lentiginosus. See Lentigo.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to lentigo; freckly; scurfy; furfuraceous.

LENTIGO
Len*ti"go, n. Etym: [L., fr. lens, lentis, lentil.] (Med.)

Defn: A freckly eruption on the skin; freckles.

LENTIL Len"til, n. Etym: [F. lentille, fr. L. lenticula, dim. of lens, lentis, lentil. Cf. Lens.] (Bot.)

Defn: A leguminous plant of the genus Ervum (Ervum Lens), of small size, common in the fields in Europe. Also, its seed, which is used for food on the continent.

Note: The lentil of the Scriptures probably included several other vetchlike plants. Lentil shell (Zoöl.), a small bivalve shell of the genus Ervillia, family Tellinidæ.

LENTISCUS; LENTISK Len*tis"cus, Len"tisk,, n. Etym: [L. lentiscus, lentiscum: cf. F. lentisque.] (Bot.)

Defn: A tree; the mastic. See Mastic.

LENTITUDE Len"ti*tude, n. Etym: [L. lentitudo, fr. lentus slow: cf. OF. lentitude. See Lent, a.]

Defn: Slowness; sluggishness. [Obs.]

LENT LILY
Lent lily (Bot.),

Defn: the daffodil; — so named from its blossoming in spring.

LENTO
Len"to, a. & adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Slow; in slow time; slowly; — rarely written lente.

LENTOID
Len"toid, a. Etym: [Lens + -oid.]

Defn: Having the form of a lens; lens-shaped.

LENTOR
Len"tor, n. Etym: [L. fr. lentus pliant, tough, slow. See Lent, a.]

1. Tenacity; viscidity; viscidity, as of fluids.

2. Slowness; delay; sluggishness. Arbuthnot.

LENTOUS
Len"tous, a. Etym: [L. lentus. See Lentor.]

Defn: Viscid; viscous; tenacious.
Spawn of a lentous and transparent body. Sir T. Browne.

L'ENVOI; L'ENVOY
L'en`voi", or; L'en`voy" (, n. Etym: [F. le the + envei a sending.
See Envoy.]

1. One or more detached verses at the end of a literary composition, serving to convey the moral, or to address the poem to a particular person; — orig. employed in old French poetry. Shak.

2. A conclusion; a result. Massinger.

LEO
Le"o, n. Etym: [L. See Lion.] (Astron.)

1. The Lion, the fifth sign of the zodiac, marked thus

2. A northern constellation east of Cancer, containing the bright star Regulus at the end of the handle of the Sickle. Leo Minor, a small constellation between Leo and the Great Bear.

LEOD Le"od, n. Etym: [AS.leód people, nation, man, chief; akin to OS. liud, OHG. liut, pl. liuti, G.leute, pl., fr. AS.leódan to grow, akin to Goth. liudan, OS. liodan, OHG. liotan to grow; cf. Skr. ruh. ]

Defn: People; a nation; a man. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. Bp. Gibson.

LEON
Le"on, n.

Defn: A lion. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEONCED
Le"onced, a. (Her.)

Defn: See Lionced.

LEONESE
Le`o*nese", a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Leon, in Spain.
— n. sing. & pl.

Defn: A native or natives of Leon.

LEONID
Le"o*nid, n. Etym: [From Leo: cf. F. léonides, pl.] (Astron.)

Defn: One of the shooting stars which constitute the star shower that recurs near the fourteenth of November at intervals of about thirty- three years; so called because shooting stars appear on the heavens to move in lines directed from the constellation Leo.

LEONINE Le"o*nine, a. Etym: [L. leoninus, fr. leo, leonis, lion: cf. F. léonin. See Lion.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or characteristic of, the lion; as, a leonine
look; leonine repacity.
— Le"o*nine*ly, adv. Leonine verse, a kind of verse, in which the
end of the line rhymes with the middle; — so named from Leo, or
Leoninus, a Benedictine and canon of Paris in the twelfth century,
who wrote largely in this measure, though he was not the inventor.
The following line is an example:
Gloria factorum temere conceditur horum.

LEONTODON
Le*on"to*don, n. Etym: [Gr. Lion's-tooth, Dandelion.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of liguliflorous composite plants, including the fall dandelion (L. autumnale), and formerly the true dandelion; — called also lion's tooth.

LEOPARD
Leop"ard, n. Etym: [OE. leopart, leparde, lebarde, libbard, OF.
leopard, liepart, F. léopard, L. leopardus, fr. Gr. Lion, and Pard.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: A large, savage, carnivorous mammal (Felis leopardus). It is of a yellow or fawn color, with rings or roselike clusters of black spots along the back and sides. It is found in Southern Asia and Africa. By some the panther (Felis pardus) is regarded as a variety of leopard. Hunting leopard. See Cheetah. Leopard cat (Zoöl.) any one of several species or varieties of small, spotted cats found in Africa, Southern Asia, and the East Indies; esp., Felis Bengalensis. — Leopard marmot. See Gopher, 2.

LEOPARD'S BANE
Leop"ard's bane`. (Bot.)

Defn: A name of several harmless plants, as Arnica montana, Senecio
Doronicum, and Paris quadrifolia.

LEOPARDWOOD
Leop"ard*wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Letterwood.

LEP
Lep, obs. strong imp.

Defn: of Leap. Leaped. Chaucer.

LEPADITE
Lep"a*dite, n. Etym: [L. lepas, lepadis, limpet, Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Lepadoid.

LEPADOID
Lep"a*doid, n. Etym: [Lepas + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A stalked barnacle of the genus Lepas, or family Lepadidæ; a goose barnacle. Also used adjectively.

LEPAL
Lep"al, n. Etym: [Gr. lépale.] (Bot.)

Defn: A sterile transformed stamen.

LEPAS
Le"pas, n. Etym: [L., a limpet, fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of various species of Lepas, a genus of pedunculated barnacles found attached to floating timber, bottoms of ships, Gulf weed, etc.; — called also goose barnacle. See Barnacle.

LEPER
Lep"er, n. Etym: [OE. lepre leprosy, F. lèpre, L. leprae, lepra, fr.
Gr.

Defn: A person affected with leprosy.

LEPERED
Lep"ered, a.

Defn: Affected or tainted with leprosy.

LEPERIZE
Lep"er*ize, v. t.

Defn: To affect with leprosy.

LEPEROUS
Lep"er*ous, a.

Defn: Leprous; infectious; corrupting; poisonous. "The leperous distillment." Shak.

LEPID
Lep"id, a. Etym: [L. lepidus.]

Defn: Pleasant; jocose. [R.]
The joyous and lepid consul. Sydney Smith.

LEPIDINE
Lep"i*dine, n. (Chem.)

Defn: An organic base, C9H6.N.CH3, metameric with quinaldine, and obtained by the distillation of cinchonine.

LEPIDODENDRID
Lep`i*do*den"drid, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: One of an extinct family of trees allied to the modern club mosses, and including Lepidodendron and its allies.

LEPIDODENDROID
Lep`i*do*den"droid, a. (Paleon.)

Defn: Allied to, or resembling, Lepidodendron.
— n.

Defn: A lepidodendrid.

LEPIDODENDRON
Lep`i*do*den"dron, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of fossil trees of the Devonian and Carboniferous ages, having the exterior marked with scars, mostly in quincunx order, produced by the separation of the leafstalks.

LEPIDOGANOID
Lep`i*do*ga"noid, n. Etym: [Gr. ganoid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of a division (Lepidoganoidei) of ganoid fishes, including those that have scales forming a coat of mail. Also used adjectively.

LEPIDOLITE
Le*pid"o*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite: cf. F. lépidolithe.] (Min.)

Defn: A species of mica, of a lilac or rose-violet color, containing lithia. It usually occurs in masses consisting of small scales. See Mica.

LEPIDOMELANE
Lep`i*dom"e*lane, n. Etym: [Fr. (Min.)

Defn: An iron-potash mica, of a raven-black color, usually found in granitic rocks in small six-sided tables, or as an aggregation of minute opaque scales. See Mica.

LEPIDOPTER
Lep`i*dop"ter, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lépidoptère.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Lepidoptera.

LEPIDOPTERA
Lep`i*dop"te*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of insects, which includes the butterflies and moths. They have broad wings, covered with minute overlapping scales, usually brightly colored.

Note: They have a tubular proboscis, or haustellum, formed by the two slender maxillæ. The labial palpi are usually large, and the proboscis, when not in use, can be coiled up spirally between them. The mandibles are rudimentary. The larvæ, called caterpillars, are often brightly colored, and they commonly feed on leaves. The adults feed chiefly on the honey of flowers.

LEPIDOPTERAL; LEPIDOPTEROUS
Lep`i*dop"ter*al, Lep`i*dop"ter*ous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Lepidoptera.

LEPIDOPTERIST
Lep`i*dop"ter*ist, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One who studies the Lepidoptera.

LEPIDOSAURIA
Lep`i*do*sau"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of reptiles, including the serpents and lizards; the
Plagiotremata.

LEPIDOSIREN
Lep`i*do*si"ren, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An eel-shaped ganoid fish of the order Dipnoi, having both gills and lungs. It inhabits the rivers of South America. The name is also applied to a related African species (Protopterus annectens). The lepidosirens grow to a length of from four to six feet. Called also doko.

LEPIDOTE; LEPIDOTED
Lep"i*dote, Lep"i*do`ted, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a coat of scurfy scales, as the leaves of the oleaster.

LEPISMA
Le*pis"ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of wingless thysanurous insects having an elongated flattened body, covered with shining scales and terminated by seven unequal bristles. A common species (Lepisma saccharina) is found in houses, and often injures books and furniture. Called also shiner, silver witch, silver moth, and furniture bug.

LEPISMOID
Le*pis"moid, a. Etym: [Lepisma + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the Lepisma.

LEPORINE
Lep"o*rine, a. Etym: [L. leporinus, fr. lepus, leporis, hare. See
Leveret.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a hare; like or characteristic of, a hare.

LEPRA
Le"pra, n. Etym: [L. See Leper.] (Med.)

Defn: Leprosy.

Note: The term lepra was formerly given to various skin diseases, the leprosy of modern authors being Lepra Arabum. See Leprosy.

LEPRE
Lep"re, n.

Defn: Leprosy.[Obs.] Wyclif.

LEPROSE
Lep"rose`, a. Etym: [See Leprous.] (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Covered with thin, scurfy scales.

LEPROSITY
Le*pros"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being leprous or scaly; also, a scale.
Bacon.

LEPROSY
Lep"ro*sy, n. Etym: [See Leprous.] (Med.)

Defn: A cutaneous disease which first appears as blebs or as reddish, shining, slightly prominent spots, with spreading edges. These are often followed by an eruption of dark or yellowish prominent nodules, frequently producing great deformity. In one variety of the disease, anæsthesia of the skin is a prominent symptom. In addition there may be wasting of the muscles, falling out of the hair and nails, and distortion of the hands and feet with destruction of the bones and joints. It is incurable, and is probably contagious.Mycobacterium leprae, curable in most cases by therapy with a combination of antibiotics, but cases resistant to therapy are increasing.

Note: The disease now called leprosy, also designated as Lepra or Lepra Arabum, and Elephantiasis Græcorum, is not the same as the leprosy of the ancients. The latter was, indeed, a generic name for many varieties of skin disease (including our modern leprosy, psoriasis, etc.), some of which, among the Hebrews, rendered a person ceremonially unclean. A variety of leprosy of the Hebrews (probably identical with modern leprosy) was characterized by the presence of smooth, shining, depressed white patches or scales, the hair on which participated in the whiteness while the skin and adjacent flesh became insensible. It was incurable disease.

LEPROUS Lep"rous, a. Etym: [OF. leprous, lepros, F. lépreux, fr. L. leprosus, fr. lepra, leprae, leprosy. See Leper.]

1. Infected with leprosy; pertaining to or resembling leprosy. "His hand was leprous as snow." Ex. iv. 6.

2. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Leprose.
— Lep"rous*ly, adv.
— Lep"rous*ness, n.

LEPRY
Lep"ry, n.

Defn: Leprosy. [Obs.] Holland.

LEPTIFORM
Lep"ti*form, a. Etym: [Leptus + -form.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a form somewhat like leptus; — said of active insect larvæ having three pairs of legs. See Larva.

LEPTOCARDIA
Lep`to*car"di*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The lowest class of Vertebrata, including only the Amphioxus. The heart is represented only by a simple pulsating vessel. The blood is colorless; the brain, renal organs, and limbs are wanting, and the backbone is represented only by a simple, unsegmented notochord. See Amphioxus. [Written also Leptocardii.]

LEPTOCARDIAN
Lep`to*car"di*an a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Leptocardia.
— n.

Defn: One of the Leptocardia.

LEPTODACTYL
Lep`to*dac"tyl, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird or other animal having slender toes. [Written also lepodactyle.]

LEPTODACTYLOUS
Lep`to*dac"tyl*ous

Defn: , Having slender toes.

LEPTOLOGY
Lep*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A minute and tedious discourse on trifling things.

LEPTOMENINGITIS
Lep`to*men`in*gi"tis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. meningitis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the pia mater or of the arachnoid membrane.

LEPTORHINE
Lep"to*rhine, a. Etym: [Gr. , , the nose.] (Anat.)

Defn: Having the nose narrow; — said esp. of the skull. Opposed to platyrhine.

LEPTOSTRACA
Lep*tos"tra*ca, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of Crustacea, including Nebalia and allied forms.

LEPTOTHRIX
Lep"to*thrix, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A genus of bacteria, characterized by having their filaments very long, slender, and indistinctly articulated.

LEPTOTHRIX
Lep"to*thrix, a. Etym: [See Leptothrix, n. ] (Biol.)

Defn: Having the form of a little chain; — applied to bacteria when, as in multiplication by fission, they form chain of filiform individuals.

LEPTUS
Lep"tus, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The six-legged young, or larva, of certain mites; — sometimes used as a generic name. See Harvest mite, under Harvest.

LEPTYNITE
Lep"ty*nite, n. (Min.)

Defn: See Granulite.

LERE
Lere, n. Etym: [See Lore knowledge.]

Defn: Learning; lesson; lore. [Obs.] Spenser.

LERE
Lere, v. t. & i. Etym: [OE. leeren, leren, AS. l. See Lore, Learn.]

Defn: To learn; to teach. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LERE
Lere, a.

Defn: Empty. [Obs.] See Lere, a.

LERE
Lere, n. Etym: [AS. lira flesh; cf. Icel lær thigh.]

Defn: Flesh; skin. [Obs.] "His white leer." Chaucer.

LERED
Ler"ed, a. Etym: [From lere, v. t.]

Defn: Learned. [Obs.] " Lewed man or lered." Chaucer.

LERNAEA
Ler*næ"a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. Lernaeus Lernæan, fr. Lerna, Gr.
(Zoöl.)

Defn: A Linnæan genus of parasitic Entomostraca, — the same as the family Lernæidæ.

Note: The genus is restricted by modern zoölogists to a limited number of species similar to Lernæa branchialis found on the gills of the cod.

LERNAEACEA
Ler`næ*a"ce*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Lernæa.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A suborder of copepod Crustacea, including a large number of remarkable forms, mostly parasitic on fishes. The young, however, are active and swim freely. See Illustration in Appendix.

LERNEAN
Ler*ne"an, n. Etym: [See Lernæa.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a family (Lernæidæ) of parasitic Crustacea found attached to fishes and other marine animals. Some species penetrate the skin and flesh with the elongated head, and feed on the viscera. See Illust. in Appendix.

LEROT
Lé`rot", n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European rodent (Eliomys nitela), allied to the dormouse.

LES
Les, n.

Defn: A leash. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LESBIAN
Les"bi*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the island anciently called Lesbos, now
Mitylene, in the Grecian Archipelago.

LESBIANISM
Les"bi*an*ism, n. (Med.)

Defn: Unnatural sexual relations between women.

LESBIAN LOVE
Lesbian love.

Defn: See Lesbianism.

LESE
Lese, v. t.

Defn: To lose. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LESE-MAJESTY
Lese`-maj"es*ty, n.

Defn: See Leze majesty.

LESION Le"sion, n. Etym: [F. lesion, L. laesio, fr. laedere, laesum, to hurt, injure.]

Defn: A hurt; an injury. Specifically: (a) (Civil Law) Loss sustained from failure to fulfill a bargain or contract. Burrill. (b) (Med.) Any morbid change in the exercise of functions or the texture of organs. Dunglison.

-LESS -less. Etym: [AS. leás loose, false; akin to OS. l loose, false, D. los loose, loos false, sly, G. los loose, Icel. lauss loose, vacant, Goth. laus empty, vain, and also to E. loose, lose. sq. root127. See Lose, and cf. Loose, Leasing.]

Defn: A privative adjective suffix, denoting without, destitute of, not having; as witless, childless, fatherless.

LESS
Less (lês), conj.

Defn: Unless. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

LESS Less, a. Etym: [OE. lesse, AS. læssa; akin to OFries. lessa; a compar. from a lost positive form. Cf. Lesser, Lest, Least. Less has the sense of the comparative degree of little.]

Defn: Smaller; not so large or great; not so much; shorter; inferior; as, a less quantity or number; a horse of less size or value; in less time than before.

Note: The substantive which less qualifies is often omitted; as, the
purse contained less (money) than ten dollars. See Less, n.
Thus in less [time] than a hundred years from the coming of
Augustine, all England became Christian. E. A. Freeman.

LESS
Less, adv. Etym: [AS. l. See Less, adj., and cf. Lest.]

Defn: Not so much; in a smaller or lower degree; as, less bright or loud; less beautiful.

LESS
Less, n.

1. A smaller portion or quantity. The children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. Ex. xvi. 17.

2. The inferior, younger, or smaller. The less is blessed of the better. Heb. vii. 7.

LESS
Less, v. t.

Defn: To make less; to lessen. [Obs.] Gower.

LESSEE
Les*see", n. Etym: [F. laissé, p. p. of laisser. See Lease, v. t.]
(Law)

Defn: The person to whom a lease is given, or who takes an estate by lease. Blackstone.

LESSEN
Less"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lessened; p. pr. & vb. n. Lessening.]
Etym: [From Less, a. ]

Defn: To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower; to degrade; as, to lessen a kingdom, or a population; to lessen speed, rank, fortune. Charity . . . shall lessen his punishment. Calamy. St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it. Atterbury.

Syn. — To diminish; reduce; abate; decrease; lower; impair; weaken; degrade.

LESSEN
Less"en, v. i.

Defn: To become less; to shrink; to contract; to decrease; to be diminished; as, the apparent magnitude of objects lessens as we recede from them; his care, or his wealth, lessened. The objection lessens much, and comes to no more than this: there was one witness of no good reputation. Atterbury.

LESSENER
Less"en*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, lessens. His wife . . . is the lessener of his pain, and the augmenter of his pleasure. J. Rogers (1839).

LESSER Less"er, a. Etym: [This word is formed by adding anew the compar. suffix -er (in which r is from an original s) to less. See Less, a.]

Defn: Less; smaller; inferior.
God made . . . the lesser light to rule the night. Gen. i. 15.

Note: Lesser is used for less, now the compar. of little, in certain special instances in which its employment has become established by custom; as, Lesser Asia (i. e., Asia Minor), the lesser light, and some others; also in poetry, for the sake of the meter, and in prose where its use renders the passage more euphonious. The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. Shak. The larger here, and there the lesser lambs. Pope. By the same reason may a man, in the state of nature, punish the lesser breaches of the law. Locke.

LESSER
Less"er, adv.

Defn: Less. [Obs.] Shak.

LESSES Les"ses, n. pl. Etym: [F. laissées, from laisser to leave. See Lease, v. t.]

Defn: The leavings or dung of beasts.

LESSON Les"son, n. Etym: [OE. lessoun, F. le lesson, reading, fr. L. lectio a reading, fr. legere to read, collect. See Legend, and cf. Lection.]

1. Anything read or recited to a teacher by a pupil or learner; something, as a portion of a book, assigned to a pupil to be studied or learned at one time.

2. That which is learned or taught by an express effort; instruction derived from precept, experience, observation, or deduction; a precept; a doctrine; as, to take or give a lesson in drawing." A smooth and pleasing lesson." Milton. Emprinteth well this lesson in your mind. Chaucer.

3. A portion of Scripture read in divine service for instruction; as, here endeth the first lesson.

4. A severe lecture; reproof; rebuke; warning. She would give her a lesson for walking so late. Sir. P. Sidney.

5. (Mus.) An exercise; a composition serving an educational purpose; a study.

LESSON
Les"son, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lessoned; p. pr. & vb. n. Lessoning.]

Defn: To teach; to instruct. Shak. To rest the weary, and to soothe the sad, Doth lesson happier men, and shame at least the bad. Byron.

LESSOR
Les"sor, n. Etym: [See Lessee, Lease, v. t. ] (Law)

Defn: One who leases; the person who lets to farm, or gives a lease.
Blackstone.

LEST
Lest, v. i.

Defn: To listen. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.

LEST
Lest, n. Etym: [See List to choose.]

Defn: Lust; desire; pleasure. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEST
Lest, a.

Defn: Last; least. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEST Lest, conj. Etym: [OE.leste, fr. AS. l the less that, where that, who, which. See The, Less, a.]

1. For
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. Prov. xx. 18.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth he standeth take heed
lest he fall. I Cor. x. 12.

2. That (without the negative particle); — after certain expressions denoting fear or apprehension. I feared Lest I might anger thee. Shak.

LESTER
Les"ter, n. [Pg., prob. fr. Fr. l'est the east.] (Meteor.)

Defn: A dry sirocco in the Madeira Islands.

-LET -let.Etym: [From two French dim. endings -el (L. -ellus) and -et, as in bracelet.]

Defn: A noun suffix having a diminutive force; as in streamlet, armlet.

LET Let, v. t. Etym: [OE.letten, AS. lettan to delay, to hinder, fr. læt slow; akin to D. letten to hinder, G. verletzen to hurt, Icel. letja to hold back, Goth. latjan. See Late.]

Defn: To retard; to hinder; to impede; to oppose. [Archaic]
He was so strong that no man might him let. Chaucer.
He who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 2.
Thess. ii. 7.
Mine ancient wound is hardly whole, And lets me from the saddle.
Tennyson.

LET
Let, n.

1. A retarding; hindrance; obstacle; impediment; delay; — common in the phrase without let or hindrance, but elsewhere archaic. Keats. Consider whether your doings be to the let of your salvation or not. Latimer.

2. (Lawn Tennis)

Defn: A stroke in which a ball touches the top of the net in passing over.

LET Let, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Let (Letted, [Obs].); p. pr. & vb. n. Letting.] Etym: [OE. leten, læten (past tense lat, let, p. p. laten, leten, lete), AS. lætan (past tense let, p. p. læten); akin to OFries. leta, OS. latan, D. laten, G. lessen, OHG. lazzan, Icel. lata, Sw. låta, Dan. lade, Goth. letan, and L. lassus weary. The original meaning seems to have been, to let loose, let go, let drop. Cf. Alas, Late, Lassitude, Let to hinder.]

1. To leave; to relinquish; to abandon. [Obs. or Archaic, except when followed by alone or be.] He . . . prayed him his voyage for to let Chaucer. Yet neither spins nor cards, ne cares nor frets, But to her mother Nature all her care she lets. Spenser. Let me alone in choosing of my wife. Chaucer.

2. To consider; to think; to esteem. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. To cause; to make; — used with the infinitive in the active form but in the passive sense; as, let make, i. e., cause to be made; let bring, i. e., cause to be brought. [Obs.] This irous, cursed wretch Let this knight's son anon before him fetch. Chaucer. He . . . thus let do slay hem all three. Chaucer. Anon he let two coffers make. Gower.

4. To permit; to allow; to suffer; — either affirmatively, by positive act, or negatively, by neglecting to restrain or prevent.

Note: In this sense, when followed by an infinitive, the latter is commonly without the sign to; as to let us walk, i. e., to permit or suffer us to walk. Sometimes there is entire omission of the verb; as, to let [to be or to go] loose. Pharaoh said, I will let you go Ex. viii. 28. If your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. Shak.

5. To allow to be used or occupied for a compensation; to lease; to rent; to hire out; — often with out; as, to let a farm; to let a house; to let out horses.

6. To give, grant, or assign, as a work, privilege, or contract; — often with out; as, to let the building of a bridge; to let out the lathing and the plastering.

Note: The active form of the infinitive of let, as of many other English verbs, is often used in a passive sense; as, a house to let (i. e., for letting, or to be let). This form of expression conforms to the use of the Anglo-Saxon gerund with to (dative infinitive) which was commonly so employed. See Gerund, 2. " Your elegant house in Harley Street is to let." Thackeray. In the imperative mood, before the first person plural, let has a hortative force. " Rise up, let us go." Mark xiv. 42. " Let us seek out some desolate shade." Shak. To let alone, to leave; to withdraw from; to refrain from interfering with. — To let blood, to cause blood to flow; to bleed. — To let down. (a) To lower. (b) To soften in tempering; as to let down tools, cutlery, and the like. — To let drive or fly, to discharge with violence, as a blow, an arrow, or stone. See under Drive, and Fly. — To let in or into. (a) To permit or suffer to enter; to admit. (b) To insert, or imbed, as a piece of wood, in a recess formed in a surface for the purpose. To let loose, to remove restraint from; to permit to wander at large. — To let off (a) To discharge; to let fly, as an arrow; to fire the charge of, as a gun. (b) To release, as from an engagement or obligation. [Colloq.] To let out. (a) To allow to go forth; as, to let out a prisoner. (b) To extend or loosen, as the folds of a garment; to enlarge; to suffer to run out, as a cord. (c) To lease; to give out for performance by contract, as a job. (d) To divulge. — To let slide, to let go; to cease to care for. [Colloq.] " Let the world slide." Shak.

LET
Let, v. i.

1. To forbear. [Obs.] Bacon.

2. To be let or leased; as, the farm lets for $500 a year. See note under Left, v. i. To let on, to tell; to tattle; to divulge something. [Low] — To let up, to become less severe; to diminish; to cease; as, when the storm lets up. [Colloq.]

LET-ALONE
Let"-a*lone", a.

Defn: Letting alone. The let-alone principle, doctrine, or policy.
(Polit. Econ.) See Laissez faire.

LETCH
Letch, v. & n.

Defn: See Leach.

LETCH
Letch, n. Etym: [See Lech, Lecher.]

Defn: Strong desire; passion. (Archaic.) Some people have a letch for unmasking impostors, or for avenging the wrongs of others. De Quincey.

LETCHY
Letch"y, a.

Defn: See Leachy.

LETE
Lete, v. t.

Defn: To let; to leave. [Obs.]

LETEN
Let"en, obs. p. p.

Defn: of Lete. Chaucer.

LETHAL
Leth"al, n. Etym: [Lauric + ether + alcohol.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of the higher alcohols of the paraffine series obtained from spermaceti as a white crystalline solid. It is so called because it occurs in the ethereal salt of lauric acid.

LETHAL Le"thal, a. Etym: [L. lethalis, letalis, fr. lethum, letum, death: cf. F. léthal.]

Defn: Deadly; mortal; fatal. "The lethal blow." W. Richardson.
— Le"thal*ly, adv.

LETHALITY
Le*thal"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. léthalité.]

Defn: The quality of being lethal; mortality.

LETHARGIC; LETHARGICAL Le*thar"gic, Le*thar"gic*al, a. Etym: [L. lethargicus, Gr. léthargique. See Lethargy.]

Defn: Pertaining to, affected with, or resembling, lethargy; morbidly
drowsy; dull; heavy.
— Le*thar"gic*al*ly, v.
— Le*thar"gic*al*ness, n.
— Le*thar"gic*ness, n.

LETHARGIZE
Leth"ar*gize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lethargized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Lethargizing.]

Defn: To make lethargic. All bitters are poison, and act by stilling, and depressing, and lethargizing the irritability. Coleridge.

LETHARGY
Leth"ar*gy, n.; pl. -gies. Etym: [F. léthargie, L. letgargia, Gr.
Lethe.]

1. Morbid drowsiness; continued or profound sleep, from which a person can scarcely be awaked.

2. A state of inaction or indifference. Europe lay then under a deep lethargy. Atterbury.

LETHARGY
Leth"ar*gy, v. t.

Defn: To lethargize. [Obs.] Shak.

LETHE
Le"the, n. Etym: [See Lethal.]

Defn: Death.[Obs.] Shak.

LETHE
Le"the (le"the), n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A river of Hades whose waters when drunk caused forgetfulness of the past.

2. Oblivion; a draught of oblivion; forgetfulness.

LETHEAN
Le*the"an, a. Etym: [L. Letha, Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Lethe; resembling in effect the water of
Lethe. Milton. Barrow.

LETHEED
Le"theed, a.

Defn: Caused by Lethe. " Letheed dullness." [Obs.] Shak.

LETHEON
Le"the*on, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Sulphuric ether used as an anæsthetic agent. [R.]

LETHEONIZE
Le"the*on*ize, v. t.

Defn: To subject to the influence of letheon. [R. or Obs.]

LETHIFEROUS Le*thif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. lethifer, letifer, fr. lethum, letum, death + ferre to bear, to bring: cf. F. léthifère.]

Defn: Deadly; bringing death or destruction.

LETHY
Le"thy, a.

Defn: Lethean. [Obs.] Marston.

LET-OFF
Let"-off`, n. (Mach.)

Defn: A device for letting off, releasing, or giving forth, as the warp from the cylinder of a loom.

LETTE
Let"te, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Letted.]

Defn: To let; to hinder. See Let, to hinder. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LETTER
Let"ter, n. Etym: [From Let to permit.]

Defn: One who lets or permits; one who lets anything for hire.

LETTER
Let"ter, n. Etym: [From Let to hinder.]

Defn: One who retards or hinders. [Archaic.]

LETTER Let"ter, n. Etym: [OE. lettre, F. lettre, OF. letre, fr. L.littera, litera, a letter; pl., an epistle, a writing, literature, fr. linere, litum, to besmear, to spread or rub over; because one of the earliest modes of writing was by graving the characters upon tablets smeared over or covered with wax. Pliny, xiii. 11. See Leniment, and cf. Literal.]

1. A mark or character used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the human organs of speech; a first element of written language. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. Luke xxiii. 38.

2. A written or printed communication; a message expressed in intelligible characters on something adapted to conveyance, as paper, parchment, etc.; an epistle. The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and natural. Walsh.

3. A writing; an inscription. [Obs.] None could expound what this letter meant. Chaucer.

4. Verbal expression; literal statement or meaning; exact signification or requirement. We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law and the intention of the lawgiver. Jer. Taylor. I broke the letter of it to keep the sense. Tennyson.

5. (Print.)

Defn: A single type; type, collectively; a style of type. Under these buildings . . . was the king's printing house, and that famous letter so much esteemed. Evelyn.

6. pl.

Defn: Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters.

7. pl.

Defn: A letter; an epistle. [Obs.] Chaucer. Dead letter, Drop letter, etc. See under Dead, Drop, etc. — Letter book, a book in which copies of letters are kept. — Letter box, a box for the reception of letters to be mailed or delivered. — Letter carrier, a person who carries letters; a postman; specif., an officer of the post office who carries letters to the persons to whom they are addressed, and collects letters to be mailed. — Letter cutter, one who engraves letters or letter punches. — Letter lock, a lock that can not be opened when fastened, unless certain movable lettered rings or disks forming a part of in are in such a position (indicated by a particular combination of the letters) as to permit the bolt to be withdrawn. A strange lock that opens with AMEN. Beau. & Fl. — Letter paper, paper for writing letters on; especially, a size of paper intermediate between note paper and foolscap. See Paper. — Letter punch, a steel punch with a letter engraved on the end, used in making the matrices for type. — Letters of administration (Law), the instrument by which an administrator or administratrix is authorized to administer the goods and estate of a deceased person. — Letter of attorney, Letter of credit, etc. See under Attorney, Credit, etc. — Letter of license, a paper by which creditors extend a debtor's time for paying his debts. — Letters close or clause (Eng. Law.), letters or writs directed to particular persons for particular purposes, and hence closed or sealed on the outside; — distinguished from letters patent. Burrill. — Letters of orders (Eccl.), a document duly signed and sealed, by which a bishop makes it known that he has regularly ordained a certain person as priest, deacon, etc. — Letters patent, overt, or open (Eng. Law), a writing executed and sealed, by which power and authority are granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right; as, letters patent under the seal of England. — Letter-sheet envelope, a stamped sheet of letter paper issued by the government, prepared to be folded and sealed for transmission by mail without an envelope. — Letters testamentary (Law), an instrument granted by the proper officer to an executor after probate of a will, authorizing him to act as executor. — Letter writer. (a) One who writes letters. (b) A machine for copying letters. (c) A book giving directions and forms for the writing of letters.

LETTER
Let"ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lettered; p. pr. & vb. n. Lettering.]

Defn: To impress with letters; to mark with letters or words; as, a book gilt and lettered.

LETTERED
Let"tered, a.

1. Literate; educated; versed in literature. " Are you not lettered" Shak. The unlettered barbarians willingly accepted the aid of the lettered clergy, still chiefly of Roman birth, to reduce to writing the institutes of their forefathers. Milman.

2. Of or pertaining to learning or literature; learned. " A lettered education." Collier.

3. Inscribed or stamped with letters. Addison.

LETTERER
Let"ter*er, n.

Defn: One who makes, inscribes, or engraves, alphabetical letters.

LETTERGRAM
Let"ter*gram, n.

Defn: See Letter, above.

LETTERING
Let"ter*ing, n.

1. The act or business of making, or marking with, letters, as by cutting or painting.

2. The letters made; as, the lettering of a sign.

LETTERLESS
Let"ter*less, a.

1. Not having a letter.

2. Illiterate. [Obs.] E. Waterhouse.

LETTERN
Let"tern, n.

Defn: See Lecturn.

LETTERPRESS
Let"ter*press", n.

Defn: Print; letters and words impressed on paper or other material by types; — often used of the reading matter in distinction from the illustrations. Letterpress printing, printing directly from type, in distinction from printing from plates.

LETTERURE
Let"ter*ure, n.

Defn: Letters; literature. [Obs.] "To teach him letterure and courtesy." Chaucer.

LETTERWOOD
Let"ter*wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The beautiful and highly elastic wood of a tree of the genus Brosimum (B. Aubletii), found in Guiana; — so called from black spots in it which bear some resemblance to hieroglyphics; also called snakewood, and leopardwood. It is much used for bows and for walking sticks.

LETTIC Let"tic, a. (a) Of or pertaining to the Letts; Lettish. (b) Of or pertaining to a branch of the Slavic family, subdivided into Lettish, Lithuanian, and Old Prussian. — n. (a) The language of the Letts; Lettish. (b) The language of the Lettic race, including Lettish, Lithuanian, and Old Prussian.

LETTISH
Let"tish, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Letts.
— n.

Defn: The language spoken by the Letts. See Lettic.

LETTRURE
Let"trure, n.

Defn: See Letterure. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LETTS
Letts, n. pl.; sing. Lett (. (Ethnol.)

Defn: An Indo-European people, allied to the Lithuanians and Old
Prussians, and inhabiting a part of the Baltic provinces of Russia.

LETTUCE
Let"tuce, n. Etym: [OE. letuce, prob. through Old French from some
Late Latin derivative of L. lactuca lettuce, which, according to
Varro, is fr. lac, lactis, milk, on account of the milky white juice
which flows from it when it is cut: cf. F. laitue. Cf. Lacteal,
Lactucic.] (Bot.)

Defn: A composite plant of the genus Lactuca (L. sativa), the leaves of which are used as salad. Plants of this genus yield a milky juice, from which lactucarium is obtained. The commonest wild lettuce of the United States is L. Canadensis. Hare's lettuce, Lamb's lettuce. See under Hare, and Lamb. — Lettuce opium. See Lactucarium. — Sea lettuce, certain papery green seaweeds of the genus Ulva.

LETUARY
Let"u*a*ry, n.

Defn: Electuary. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LET-UP
Let"-*up`, n. Etym: [See Let to forbear.]

Defn: Abatement; also, cessation; as, it blew a gale for three days without any let-up. [Colloq.]

LEUC-
Leuc-

Defn: . Same as Leuco-.

LEUCADENDRON
Leu`ca*den"dron, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of evergreen shrubs from the Cape of Good Hope, having handsome foliage. Leucadendron argenteum is the silverboom of the colonists.

LEUCANILINE
Leu*can"i*line, n. Etym: [Leuc- + aniline.] (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless, crystalline, organic base, obtained from rosaniline by reduction, and also from other sources. It forms colorless salts.

LEUCHAEMIA
Leu*chæ"mi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: See Leucocythæmia.
— Leu*chæm"ic, a. [Written also leukæmia, leukæmic.]

LEUCIC; LEUCINIC
Leu"cic, Leu*cin"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from leucin, and called also oxycaproic acid.

LEUCIN
Leu"cin, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A white, crystalline, nitrogenous substance formed in the decomposition of albuminous matter by pancreatic digestion, by the action of boiling dilute sulphuric acid, and by putrefaction. It is also found as a constituent of various tissues and organs, as the spleen, pancreas, etc., and likewise in the vegetable kingdom. Chemically it is to be considered as amido-caproic acid. (CH3)2CH.CH2.CH(NH2)-COOH. L-leucine, the natural form, is present in most proteins.

LEUCITE
Leu"cite, n. Etym: [Gr.leucite.]

1. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral having a glassy fracture, occurring in translucent trapezohedral crystals. It is a silicate of alumina and potash. It is found in the volcanic rocks of Italy, especially at Vesuvius.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A leucoplast.

LEUCITIC
Leu*cit"ic, a. (Min.)

Defn: Containing leucite; as, leucitic rocks.

LEUCITOID
Leu"ci*toid, n. Etym: [Leucite + -oid.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: The trapezohedron or tetragonal trisoctahedron; — so called as being the form of the mineral leucite.

LEUCO-; LEUC-
Leu"co-, Leuc-.Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A combining form signifying white, colorless; specif. (Chem.), denoting an extensive series of colorless organic compounds, obtained by reduction from certain other colored compounds; as, leucaniline, leucaurin, etc.

LEUCOCYTE
Leu"co*cyte, n. Etym: [Leuco- + Cr. (Physiol.)

Defn: A colorless corpuscle, as one of the white blood corpuscles, or those found in lymph, marrow of hone, connective tissue, etc.

Note: They all consist of more or less spherical masses of protoplasm, without any surrounding membrane or wall, and are capable of motion.

LEUCOCYTHAEMIA; LEUCOCYTHEMIA
Leu`co*cy*thæ"mi*a, Leu`co*cy*the"mi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A disease in which the white corpuscles of the blood are largely increased in number, and there is enlargement of the spleen, or the lymphatic glands; leuchæmia.

LEUCOCYTOGENESIS
Leu`co*cy`to*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Leucocyte + genesis.] (Physiol.)

Defn: The formation of leucocytes.

LEUCOETHIOPIC
Leu`co*e`thi*op"ic, a. Etym: [Leuco- + Ethiopic.]

Defn: White and black; — said of a white animal of a black species, or the albino of the negro race.

LEUCOETHIOPS
Leu`co*e"thi*ops, n. Etym: [Leuco- + Aethiops.]

Defn: An albino. [Also written leucoethiops.]

LEUCOLINE
Leu"co*line, n. Etym: [Leuc- + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.)

Defn: A nitrogenous organic base from coal tar, and identical with quinoline. Cf. Quinoline.

LEUCOMA
Leu*co"ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A white opacity in the cornea of the eye; — called also albugo.

LEUCOMAINE
Leu*co"ma*ine, n. Etym: [Leuco- + -maine, as in ptomaine.] (Physiol.
Chem.)

Defn: An animal base or alkaloid, appearing in the tissue during life; hence, a vital alkaloid, as distinguished from a ptomaine or cadaveric poison.

LEUCONIC
Leu*con"ic, a. Etym: [Leuc- + croconic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a complex organic acid, obtained as a yellowish white gum by the oxidation of croconic acid.

LEUCOPATHY
Leu*cop"a*thy, n. Etym: [Leuco- + Gr.

Defn: The state of an albino, or of a white child of black parents.

LEUCOPHANE
Leu"co*phane, n. Etym: [Gr. leukophan.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of a greenish yellow color; it is a silicate of glucina, lime, and soda with fluorine. Called also leucophanite.

LEUCOPHLEGMACY
Leu`co*phleg"ma*cy, n. Etym: [Gr. leucophlegmasie.] (Med.)

Defn: A dropsical habit of body, or the commencement of anasarca; paleness, with viscid juices and cold sweats.

LEUCOPHLEGMATIC
Leu`co*phleg*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. leucophlegmatique, Gr.

Defn: Having a dropsical habit of body, with a white bloated skin.

LEUCOPHYLL
Leu"co*phyll, n. Etym: [Leuco- + Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless substance isomeric with chlorophyll, contained in parts of plants capable of becoming green. Watts.

LEUCOPHYLLOUS
Leu*coph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having white or silvery foliage.

LEUCOPLAST; LEUCOPLASTID
Leu"co*plast, Leu`co*plas"tid, n. Etym: [Leuco- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: One of certain very minute whitish or colorless granules occurring in the protoplasm of plants and supposed to be the nuclei around which starch granules will form.

LEUCOPYRITE
Leu*cop"y*rite, n. Etym: [Leuco- + pyrites.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of a color between white and steel-gray, with a metallic luster, and consisting chiefly of arsenic and iron.

LEUCORRHOEA
Leu`cor*rhoe"a, n. Etym: [Leuco- + Gr. "rei^n to flow.] (Med.)

Defn: A discharge of a white, yellowish, or greenish, viscid mucus, resulting from inflammation or irritation of the membrane lining the genital organs of the female; the whites. Dunglison.

LEUCORYX
Leu"co*ryx, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large antelope of North Africa (Oryx leucoryx), allied to the gemsbok.

LEUCOSCOPE
Leu"co*scope, n. Etym: [Leuco- + -scope.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument, devised by Professor Helmholtz, for testing the color perception of the eye, or for comparing different lights, as to their constituent color or their relative whiteness.

LEUCOSOID Leu"co*soid, a. Etym: [NL. Leucosia, the typical genus (fr. Gr. - oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the Leucosoidea, a tribe of marine crabs including the box crab or Calappa.

LEUCOSPHERE
Leu"co*sphere, n. Etym: [Leuco- + sphere.] (Astron.)

Defn: The inner corona. [R.]

LEUCOTURIC
Leu`co*tu"ric, a. Etym: [Leuco- + allantoic + uric.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a nitrogenous organic substance of the uric acid group, called leucoturic acid or oxalantin. See Oxalantin.

LEUCOUS
Leu"cous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: White; — applied to albinos, from the whiteness of their skin and hair.

LEUCOXENE
Leu*cox"ene, n. Etym: [Leuco- + Gr. xe`nos stranger.] (Min.)

Defn: A nearly opaque white mineral, in part identical with titanite, observed in some igneous rocks as the result of the alteration of titanic iron.

LEUKAEMIA
Leu*kæ"mi*a, n.

Defn: Leucocythæmia.

LEUKE; LEUKENESS
Leuke, a., Leuke"ness, n.

Defn: See Luke, etc.

LEUKOPLAST
Leu"ko*plast, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Leucoplast.

LEUKOPLAST
Leu"ko*plast (lu"ko*plast), n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Leucoplast.

LEVANA
Le*va"na, n. Etym: [L., fr. levare to raise.] (Rom. Myth.)

Defn: A goddess who protected newborn infants.

LEVANT
Le"vant, a. Etym: [F., p. pr. of lever to raise.] (Law)

Defn: Rising or having risen from rest; — said of cattle. See
Couchant and levant, under Couchant.

LEVANT
Le*vant", n. Etym: [It. levante the point where the sum rises, the
east, the Levant, fr.levare to raise, levarsi to rise: cf. F. levant.
See Lever.]

1. The countries washed by the eastern part of the Mediterranean and its contiguous waters.

2. A levanter (the wind so called).

LEVANT
Le"vant, a.

Defn: Eastern. [Obs.]
Forth rush the levant and the ponent winds. Milton.

LEVANT Le*vant", v. i. Etym: [Cf. Sp. levantar to raise, go from one place to another.]

Defn: To run away from one's debts; to decamp. [Colloq. Eng.]
Thackeray.

LEVANTER
Le*vant"er, n. Etym: [From Levant, v.]

Defn: One who levants, or decamps. [Colloq. Eng.]

LEVANTER
Le*vant"er, n. Etym: [From Levant, n.]

Defn: A strong easterly wind peculiar to the Mediterranean. W. H.
Russell.

LEVANTINE
Le*vant"ine, a. Etym: [F. levantin, or It. levantino. See Levant, n.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Levant. J. Spencer.

LEVANTINE
Le*vant"ine, n.

1. A native or inhabitant of the Levant.

2. Etym: [F. levantine, or It. levantina.]

Defn: A stout twilled silk fabric, formerly made in the Levant.

LEVARI FACIAS
Le*va`ri fa"ci*as. Etym: [Law L., cause to be levied.]

Defn: A writ of execution at common law.

LEVATION
Le*va"tion, n. Etym: [L. levatio.]

Defn: The act of raising; elevation; upward motion, as that produced by the action of a levator muscle.

LEVATOR
Le*va"tor, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. levare to raise. See Lever, n.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: A muscle that serves to raise some part, as the lip or the eyelid.

2. (Surg.)

Defn: A surgical instrument used to raise a depressed part of the skull.

LEVE
Leve, a.

Defn: Dear. See Lief. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEVE
Leve, n. & v.

Defn: Same as 3d & 4th Leave. [Obs.]

LEVE
Leve, v. i.

Defn: To live. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEVE
Leve, v. t. Etym: [OE., fr. AS. l, abbrev. fr. gel. See Believe.]

Defn: To believe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEVE
Leve, v. t. Etym: [OE. leven, AS. l, l. See Leave permission.]

Defn: To grant; — used esp. in exclamations or prayers followed by a dependent clause. [Obs.] God leve all be well. Chaucer.

LEVECHE
Le*ve"che, n. [Sp. Cf. Lebeccio.] (Meteor.)

Defn: A dry sirocco of Spain.

LEVEE
Lev"ee, n. Etym: [F. lever, fr. lever to raise, se lever to rise. See
Lever, n.]

1. The act of rising. " The sun's levee." Gray.

2. A morning assembly or reception of visitors, — in distinction from a soirée, or evening assembly; a matinée; hence, also, any general or somewhat miscellaneous gathering of guests, whether in the daytime or evening; as, the president's levee.

Note: In England a ceremonious day reception, when attended by both ladies and gentlemen, is called a drawing-room.

LEVEE
Lev"ee, v. t.

Defn: To attend the levee or levees of.
He levees all the great. Young.

LEVEE
Lev"ee, n. Etym: [F. levée, fr. lever to raise. See Lever, and cf.
Levy.]

Defn: An embankment to prevent inundation; as, the levees along the
Mississippi; sometimes, the steep bank of a river. [U. S. ]

LEVEE
Lev"ee, v. t.

Defn: To keep within a channel by means of levees; as, to levee a river. [U. S.]

LEVEE EN MASSE
Le*vée" en` masse". Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Levy in mass, under Levy, n.

LEVEFUL
Leve"ful, a. Etym: [Leve, n. + -ful.]

Defn: Allowable; permissible; lawful. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEVEL Lev"el, n. Etym: [OE. level, livel, OF. livel, F. niveau, fr. L. libella level, water level, a plumb level, dim. of libra pound, measure for liquids, balance, water poise, level. Cf. Librate, Libella.]

1. A line or surface to which, at every point, a vertical or plumb line is perpendicular; a line or surface which is everywhere parallel to the surface of still water; — this is the true level, and is a curve or surface in which all points are equally distant from the center of the earth, or rather would be so if the earth were an exact sphere.

2. A horizontal line or plane; that is, a straight line or a plane which is tangent to a true level at a given point and hence parallel to the horizon at that point; — this is the apparent level at the given point.

3. An approximately horizontal line or surface at a certain degree of altitude, or distance from the center of the earth; as, to climb from the level of the coast to the l of the plateau and then descent to the level of the valley or of the sea. After draining of the level in Northamptonshire. Sir M. Hale. Shot from the deadly level of a gun. Shak.

4. Hence, figuratively, a certain position, rank, standard, degree, quality, character, etc., conceived of as in one of several planes of different elevation. Providence, for the most part, sets us on a level. Addison. Somebody there of his own level. Swift. Be the fair level of thy actions laid As temperance wills and prudence may persuade. Prior.

5. A uniform or average height; a normal plane or altitude; a condition conformable to natural law or which will secure a level surface; as, moving fluids seek a level. When merit shall find its level. F. W. Robertson.

6. (Mech. & Surv.) (a) An instrument by which to find a horizontal line, or adjust something with reference to a horizontal line. (b) A measurement of the difference of altitude of two points, by means of a level; as, to take a level.

7. A horizontal passage, drift, or adit, in mine. Air level, a spirit level. See Spirit level (below). — Box level, a spirit level in which a glass-covered box is used instead of a tube. — Garpenter's level, Mason's level, either the plumb level or a straight bar of wood, in which is imbedded a small spirit level. — Level of the sea, the imaginary level from which heights and depths are calculated, taken at a mean distance between high and low water. — Line of levels, a connected series of measurements, by means of a level, along a given line, as of a railroad, to ascertain the profile of the ground. — Plumb level, one in which a horizontal bar is placed in true position by means of a plumb line, to which it is at right angles. — Spirit level, one in which the adjustment to the horizon is shown by the position of a bubble in alcohol or ether contained in a nearly horizontal glass tube, or a circular box with a glass cover. — Surveyor's level, a telescope, with a spirit level attached, and with suitable screws, etc., for accurate adjustment, the whole mounted on a tripod, for use in leveling; — called also leveling instrument. — Water level, an instrument to show the level by means the surface of water in a trough, or in upright tubes connected by a pipe.

LEVEL
Lev"el, a.

1. Even; flat; having no part higher than another; having, or conforming to, the curvature which belongs to the undisturbed liquid parts of the earth's surface; as, a level field; level ground; the level surface of a pond or lake. Ample spaces o'er the smooth And level pavement. Milton.

2. Coinciding or parallel with the plane of the horizon; horizontal; as, the telescope is now level.

3. Even with anything else; of the same height; on the same line or plane; on the same footing; of equal importance; — followed by with, sometimes by to. Young boys and girls Are level now with men; the odds is gone. Shak. Everything lies level to our wish. Shak.

4. Straightforward; direct; direct; clear; open. A very plain and level account. M. Arnold.

5. Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial; as, a level head; a level understanding. [Colloq.] " A level consideration." Shak.

6. (Phonetics)

Defn: Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection. H. Sweet. Level line (Shipbuilding), the outline of a section which is horizontal crosswise, and parallel with the rabbet of the keel lengthwise. Level surface (Physics), an equipotential surface at right angles at every point to the lines of force.

LEVEL
Lev"el, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leveled or Levelled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Leveling or Levelling.]

1. To make level; to make horizontal; to bring to the condition of a level line or surface; hence, to make flat or even; as, to level a road, a walk, or a garden.

2. To bring to a lower level; to overthrow; to topple down; to reduce to a flat surface; to lower. And their proud structures level with the ground. Sandys. He levels mountains and he raises plains. Dryden.

3. To bring to a horizontal position, as a gun; hence, to point in taking aim; to aim; to direct. Bertram de Gordon, standing on the castle wall, leveled a quarrel out of a crossbow. Stow.

4. Figuratively, to bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.; as, to level all the ranks and conditions of men.

5. To adjust or adapt to a certain level; as, to level remarks to the capacity of children. For all his mind on honor fixed is, To which he levels all his purposes. Spenser.

LEVEL
Lev"el, v. i.

1. To be level; to be on a level with, or on an equality with, something; hence, to accord; to agree; to suit. [Obs.] With such accommodation and besort As levels with her breeding. Shak.

2. To aim a gun, spear, etc., horizontally; hence, to aim or point a weapon in direct line with the mark; fig., to direct the eye, mind, or effort, directly to an object. The foeman may with as great aim level at the edge of a penknife. Shak. The glory of God and the good of his church . . . ought to be the mark whereat we also level. Hooker. She leveled at our purposes. Shak.

LEVELER
Lev"el*er, n. Etym: [Written also leveller.]

1. One who, or that which, levels.

2. One who would remove social inequalities or distinctions; a socialist.

LEVELING
Lev"el*ing, n. Etym: [Written also levelling.]

1. The act or operation of making level.

2. (Surveying)

Defn: The art or operation of using a leveling instrument for finding a horizontal line, for ascertaining the differences of level between different points of the earth's surface included in a survey, for establishing grades, etc., as in finding the descent of a river, or locating a line of railroad. Leveling instrument. See Surveyor's level, under Level, n. — Leveling staff, a graduated rod or staff used in connection with a leveling instrument for measuring differences of level between points.

LEVELISM
Lev"el*ism, n.

Defn: The disposition or endeavor to level all distinctions of rank in society.

LEVELLY
Lev"el*ly, adv.

Defn: In an even or level manner.

LEVELNESS
Lev"el*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being level.

LEVEN
Lev"en, n. Etym: [See Levin.]

Defn: Lightning. [Obs.]
Wild thunder dint and fiery leven. Chaucer.

LEVER
Lev"er, a. Etym: [Old compar. of leve or lief.]

Defn: More agreeable; more pleasing. [Obs.] Chaucer. To be lever than. See Had as lief, under Had.

LEVER
Lev"er, adv.

Defn: Bather. [Obs.] Chaucer.
For lever had I die than see his deadly face. Spenser.

LEVER Le"ver, n. Etym: [OE. levour, OF. leveor, prop., a lifter, fr. F. lever to raise, L. levare; akin to levis light in weight, E. levity, and perh. to E. light not heavy: cf. F. levier. Cf. Alleviate, Elevate, Leaven, Legerdemain, Levy, n.]

1. (Mech.)

Defn: A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (the fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; — used for transmitting and modifying force and motion. Specif., a bar of metal, wood, or other rigid substance, used to exert a pressure, or sustain a weight, at one point of its length, by receiving a force or power at a second, and turning at a third on a fixed point called a fulcrum. It is usually named as the first of the six mechanical powers, and is three kinds, according as either the fulcrum F, the weight W, or the power P. respectively, is situated between the other two, as in the figures.

2. (Mach.) (a) A bar, as a capstan bar, applied to a rotatory piece to turn it. (b) An arm on a rock shaft, to give motion to the shaft or to obtain motion from it. Compound lever, a machine consisting of two or more levers acting upon each other. — Lever escapement. See Escapement. — Lever jack. See Jack, n., 5. — Lever watch, a watch having a vibrating lever to connect the action of the escape wheel with that of the balance. Universal lever, a machine formed by a combination of a lever with the wheel and axle, in such a manner as to convert the reciprocating motion of the lever into a continued rectilinear motion of some body to which the power is applied.

LEVERAGE
Lev"er*age, n.

Defn: The action of a lever; mechanical advantage gained by the lever. Leverage of a couple (Mech.), the perpendicular distance between the lines of action of two forces which act in parallel and opposite directions. — Leverage of a force, the perpendicular distance from the line in which a force acts upon a body to a point about which the body may be supposed to turn.

LEVERET
Lev"er*et, n. Etym: [F. levraut, dim. of lièvre hare, L. lepus. Cf.
Leporine.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A hare in the first year of its age.

LEVEROCK
Lev"er*ock, n. Etym: [See Lark.]

Defn: A lark. [Scot.]

LEVERWOOD
Lev"er*wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The American hop hornbeam (Ostrya Virginica), a small tree with very tough wood.

LEVESEL
Lev"e*sel, n. Etym: [AS. leáf a leaf + sæl, sel, a room, a hall.]

Defn: A leafy shelter; a place covered with foliage. [Obs.]
Behind the mill, under a levesel. Chaucer.

LEVET
Lev"et, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lever to raise.]

Defn: A trumpet call for rousing soldiers; a reveille. [Obs.]
Hudibras.

LEVIABLE
Lev"i*a*ble, a. Etym: [From Levy to assess.]

Defn: Fit to be levied; capable of being assessed and collected; as, sums leviable by course of law. Bacon.

LEVIATHAN
Le*vi"a*than, n. Etym: [Heb. livyathan.]

1. An aquatic animal, described in the book of Job, ch. xli., and mentioned on other passages of Scripture.

Note: It is not certainly known what animal is intended, whether the crocodile, the whale, or some sort of serpent.

2. The whale, or a great whale. Milton.

LEVIER
Lev"i*er, n.

Defn: One who levees. Cartwright.

LEVIGABLE
Lev"i*ga*ble a. Etym: [See Levigate, v. t.]

Defn: Capable of being levigated.

LEVIGATE Lev"i*gate, a. Etym: [L. levigatus, p. p. of levigare to lighten, fr. l light.]

Defn: Made less harsh or burdensome; alleviated. [Obs.] Sir. T.
Elyot.

LEVIGATE
Lev"i*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Levigated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Levigating.] Etym: [L. levigatus, p. p. of levigare to make smooth,
fr. l smooth; akin to Gr.

Defn: To make smooth in various senses: (a) To free from grit; to reduce to an impalpable powder or paste. (b) To mix thoroughly, as liquids or semiliquids. (c) To polish. (d) To make smooth in action. " When use hath levigated the organs." Barrow. (e) Technically, to make smooth by rubbing in a moist condition between hard surfaces, as in grinding pigments.

LEVIGATE
Lev"i*gate, a. Etym: [L. levigatus, p. p.]

Defn: Made smooth, as if polished.

LEVIGATION Lev"i*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. levigatio a smoothing: cf. F. lévigation.]

Defn: The act or operation of levigating.

LEVIN
Lev"in, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain. Cf. Leven.]

Defn: Lightning. [Obs.] Spenser. Levin brand, a thunderbolt. [Obs.]
Spenser.

LEVINER
Lev"in*er, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A swift hound.

LEVIR
Le"vir, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A husband's brother; — used in reference to levirate marriages.

LEVIRATE; LEVIRATICAL Lev"i*rate, Lev`i*rat"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. levir a husband's brother, brother-in-law; akin to Gr. lévirat leviration.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with, a law of the ancient Israelites and other tribes and races, according to which a woman, whose husband died without issue, was married to the husband's brother. The firstborn son of a leviratical marriage was reckoned and registered as the son of the deceased brother. Alford.

LEVIRATION
Lev`i*ra"tion, n.

Defn: Levirate marriage or marriages. Kitto.

LEVIROSTRES Lev`i*ros"tres, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. levis light + rostrum beak.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of birds, including the hornbills, kingfishers, and related forms.

LEVITATE
Lev"i*tate, v. i. Etym: [L. levitas, -atis, lightness. See Levity.]

Defn: To rise, or tend to rise, as if lighter than the surrounding medium; to become buoyant; — opposed to gravitate. Sir. J. Herschel.

LEVITATE
Lev"i*tate, v. i. (Spiritualism)

Defn: To make buoyant; to cause to float in the air; as, to levitate a table. [Cant]

LEVITATION
Lev`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. levis light in weight.]

1. Lightness; buoyancy; act of making light. Paley.

2. The act or process of making buoyant.

LEVITE
Le"vite, n. Etym: [L. Levites, Gr. Levi, one of the sons of Jacob.]

1. (Bib. Hist.)

Defn: One of the tribe or family of Levi; a descendant of Levi; esp., one subordinate to the priests (who were of the same tribe) and employed in various duties connected with the tabernacle first, and afterward the temple, such as the care of the building, bringing of wood and other necessaries for the sacrifices, the music of the services, etc.

2. A priest; so called in contempt or ridicule.

LEVITICAL
Le*vit"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. Leviticus, Gr.

1. Of or pertaining to a Levite or the Levites.

2. Priestly. " Levitical questions." Milton.

3. Of or pertaining to, or designating, the law contained in the book of Leviticus. Ayliffe. Levitical degrees, degrees of relationship named in Leviticus, within which marriage is forbidden.

LEVITICALLY
Le*vit"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: After the manner of the Levites; in accordance with the levitical law.

LEVITICUS
Le*vit"i*cus, n. Etym: [See Levitical.]

Defn: The third canonical book of the Old Testament, containing the laws and regulations relating to the priests and Levites among the Hebrews, or the body of the ceremonial law.

LEVITY Lev"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. levitas, fr. levis light in weight; akin to levare to raise. See Lever, n.]

1. The quality of weighing less than something else of equal bulk; relative lightness, especially as shown by rising through, or floating upon, a contiguous substance; buoyancy; — opposed to gravity. He gave the form of levity to that which ascended; to that which descended, the form of gravity. Sir. W. Raleigh. This bubble by reason of its comparative levity to the fluidity that incloses it, would ascend to the top. Bentley.

2. Lack of gravity and earnestness in deportment or character; trifling gayety; frivolity; sportiveness; vanity. " A spirit of levity and libertinism." Atterbury. He never employed his omnipotence out of levity. Calamy.

3. Lack of steadiness or constancy; disposition to change; fickleness; volatility. The levity that is fatigued and disgusted with everything of which it is in possession. Burke.

Syn. — Inconstancy; thoughtlessness; unsteadiness; inconsideration; volatility; flightiness. — Levity, Volatility, Flightiness. All these words relate to outward conduct. Levity springs from a lightness of mind which produces a disregard of the proprieties of time and place.Volatility is a degree of levity which causes the thoughts to fly from one object to another, without resting on any for a moment. Flightiness is volatility carried to an extreme which often betrays its subject into gross impropriety or weakness. Levity of deportment, of conduct, of remark; volatility of temper, of spirits; flightiness of mind or disposition.

LEVO-
Le"vo-.

Defn: A prefix from L. laevus, meaning: (a) Pertaining to, or toward, the left; as, levorotatory. (b) (Chem. & Opt.) Turning the plane of polarized light to the left; as, levotartaric acid; levoracemic acid; levogyratory crystals, etc. [Written also lævo-.]

LEVOGYRATE
Le`vo*gy"rate, a. Etym: [Levo- + gyrate.] (Chem. & Physics)

Defn: Turning or twisting the plane of polarization towards the left, as levulose, levotartaric acid, etc. [Written also lævogyrate.]

LEVOROTATION
Le`vo*ro*ta"tion, n. [Written also lævorotation.] [Levo- + rotation.]
(Physics & Chem.)

Defn: Rotation in the direction of an outgoing right-handed screw; counter-clockwise rotation; — applied chiefly to the turning of the plane of polarization of light.

LEVOROTATORY
Le`vo*ro"ta*to*ry, a. Etym: [Levo- + rotatory.] (Chem. & Physics)

Defn: Turning or rotating the plane of polarization towards the left; levogyrate, as levulose, left handed quartz crystals, etc. [Written also lævorotatory.]

LEVULIN
Lev"u*lin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A substance resembling dextrin, obtained from the bulbs of the dahlia, the artichoke, and other sources, as a colorless, spongy, amorphous material. It is so called because by decomposition it yields levulose. [Written also lævulin.]

LEVULINIC
Lev`u*lin"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or denoting, an acid (called also acetyl- propionic acid), C5H8O3, obtained by the action of dilute acids on various sugars (as levulose). [Written also lævulinic.]

LEVULOSAN
Lev`u*lo"san, n. (Chem.)

Defn: An unfermentable carbohydrate obtained by gently heating levulose.

LEVULOSE
Lev"u*lose`, n. Etym: [See Levo-.] (Chem.)

Defn: A sirupy variety of sugar, rarely obtained crystallized, occurring widely in honey, ripe fruits, etc., and hence called also fruit sugar. It is called levulose, because it rotates the plane of polarization to the left. [Written also lævulose.]C6H12O6.

Note: It is obtained, together with an equal quantity of dextrose, by the inversion of ordinary cane or beet sugar, and hence, as being an ingredient of invert sugar, is often so called. It is fermentable, nearly as sweet as cane sugar, and is metameric with dextrose. Cf. Dextrose.

LEVY Lev"y, n.; pl. Levies. Etym: [A contr. of elevenpence or elevenpenny bit.]

Defn: A name formerly given in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia to the Spanish real of one eight of a dollar (or 12

LEVY
Lev"y, n. Etym: [F. levée, fr. lever to raise. See Lever, and cf.
Lever.]

1. The act of levying or collecting by authority; as, the levy of troops, taxes, etc. A levy of all the men left under sixty. Thirlwall.

2. That which is levied, as an army, force, tribute, etc. " The Irish levies." Macaulay.

3. (Law)

Defn: The taking or seizure of property on executions to satisfy judgments, or on warrants for the collection of taxes; a collecting by execution. Levy in mass Etym: [F. levée en masse], a requisition of all able-bodied men for military service.

LEVY
Lev"y, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Levied; p. pr. & vb. n. Levying.]

1. To raise, as a siege. [Obs.] Holland.

2. To raise; to collect; said of troops, to form into an army by enrollment, conscription. etc. Augustine . . . inflamed Ethelbert, king of Kent, to levy his power, and to war against them. Fuller.

3. To raise or collect by assessment; to exact by authority; as, to levy taxes, toll, tribute, or contributions. If they do this . . . my ransom, then, Will soon be levied. Shak.

4. (Law) (a) To gather or exact; as, to levy money. (b) To erect, build, or set up; to make or construct; to raise or cast up; as, to levy a mill, dike, ditch, a nuisance, etc. [Obs.] Cowell. Blackstone. (c) To take or seize on execution; to collect by execution. To levy a fine, to commence and carry on a suit for assuring the title to lands or tenements. Blackstone. — To levy war, to make or begin war; to take arms for attack; to attack.

LEVY
Lev"y, v. i.

Defn: To seize property, real or personal, or subject it to the operation of an execution; to make a levy; as, to levy on property; the usual mode of levying, in England, is by seizing the goods. To levy on goods and chattels, to take into custody or seize specific property in satisfaction of a writ.

LEVYNE; LEVYNITE Lev"yne, Lev"yn*ite, n. Etym: [From Mr. Levy, an English mineralogist.] (Min.)

Defn: A whitish, reddish, or yellowish, transparent or translucent mineral, allied to chabazite.

LEW
Lew, a. Etym: [Cf. lee a calm or sheltered place, lukewarm.]

Defn: Lukewarm; tepid. [Obs.] Wyclif.

LEWD Lewd, a. [Compar. Lewder; superl. Lewdest.] Etym: [OE.lewed, lewd, lay, ignorant, vile, AS. l laical, belonging to the laity.]

1. Not clerical; laic; laical; hence, unlearned; simple. [Obs.] For if priest be foul, on whom we trust, No wonder is a lewed man to rust. Chaucer. So these great clerks their little wisdom show To mock the lewd, as learn'd in this as they. Sit. J. Davies.

2. Belonging to the lower classes, or the rabble; idle and lawless; bad; vicious. [Archaic] Chaucer. But the Jews, which believed not, . . . took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, . . . and assaulted the house of Jason. Acts xvii. 5. Too lewd to work, and ready for any kind of mischief. Southey .

3. Given to the promiscuous indulgence of lust; dissolute; lustful; libidinous. Dryden.

4. Suiting, or proceeding from, lustfulness; involving unlawful sexual desire; as, lewd thoughts, conduct, or language.

Syn.
— Lustful; libidinous; licentious; profligate; dissolute; sensual;
unchaste; impure; lascivious; lecherous; rakish; debauched.
— Lewd"ly, adv.
— Lewd"ness, n.

LEWDSTER
Lewd"ster, n.

Defn: A lewd person. [Obs.] Shak.

LEWIS; LEWISSON
Lew"is, Lew"is*son, n.

1. An iron dovetailed tenon, made in sections, which can be fitted into a dovetail mortise; — used in hoisting large stones, etc.

2. A kind of shears used in cropping woolen cloth. Lewis hole, a hole wider at the bottom than at the mouth, into which a lewis is fitted. De Foe.

LEX
Lex, n.; pl. Leges. Etym: [L. See Legal.]

Defn: Law; as, lex talionis, the law of retaliation; lex terræ, the law of the land; lex fori, the law of the forum or court; lex loci, the law of the place; lex mercatoria, the law or custom of merchants.

LEXICAL
Lex"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a lexicon, to lexicography, or words; according or conforming to a lexicon. — Lex"ic*al*ly, adv.

LEXICOGRAPHER
Lex`i*cog"ra*pher, n. Etym: [Gr. lexicographe. See Lexicon.]

Defn: The author or compiler of a lexicon or dictionary. Every other author may aspire to praise; the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach; and even this negative recompense has been yet granted to very few. Johnson.

LEXICOGRAPHIC; LEXICOGRAPHICAL Lex`i*co*graph"ic, Lex`i*co*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. lexicographique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or according to, lexicography.
— Lex`i*co*graph"ic*al*ly, adv.

LEXICOGRAPHIST
Lex`i*cog"ra*phist, n.

Defn: A lexicographer. [R.] Southey.

LEXICOGRAPHY
Lex`i*cog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lexicographie.]

Defn: The art, process, or occupation of making a lexicon or dictionary; the principles which are applied in making dictionaries.

LEXICOLOGIST
Lex`i*col"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed in lexicology.

LEXICOLOGY
Lex`i*col"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy: cf. F. lexicologie.]

Defn: The science of the derivation and signification of words; that branch of learning which treats of the signification and application of words.

LEXICON
Lex"i*con, n. Etym: [Gr. Legend.]

Defn: A vocabulary, or book containing an alphabetical arrangement of the words in a language or of a considerable number of them, with the definition of each; a dictionary; especially, a dictionary of the Greek, Hebrew, or Latin language.

LEXICONIST
Lex"i*con*ist, n.

Defn: A writer of a lexicon. [R.]

LEXIGRAPHIC
Lex`i*graph"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. lexigraphique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to lexigraphy.

LEXIGRAPHY
Lex*ig"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy: cf. F. lexigraphie.]

Defn: The art or practice of defining words; definition of words.

LEXIPHANIC
Lex`i*phan"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Using, or interlarded with, pretentious words; bombastic; as, a lexiphanic writer or speaker; lexiphanic writing.

LEXIPHANICISM
Lex`i*phan"i*cism, n.

Defn: The use of pretentious words, language, or style.

LEXIPHARMIC
Lex`i*phar"mic, a.

Defn: See Alexipharmic.

LEY
Ley, v. i.

Defn: , & i. To lay; to wager. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEY
Ley, n. Etym: [OF.]

Defn: Law. Abbott.

LEY
Ley, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Lye.

LEY
Ley, n.

Defn: Grass or meadow land; a lea.

LEY
Ley, a.

Defn: Fallow; unseeded. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

LEYDEN JAR; LEYDEN PHIAL
Ley"den jar", Ley"den phi"al, (Elec.)

Defn: A glass jar or bottle used to accumulate electricity. It is coated with tin foil, within and without, nearly to its top, and is surmounted by a brass knob which communicates with the inner coating, for the purpose of charging it with electricity. It is so named from having been invented in Leyden, Holland.

LEYSER
Ley"ser, n.

Defn: Leisure. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LEZE MAJESTY Leze` maj"es*ty. Etym: [F. lese-majesté, fr. L. laesus, fem. laesa, injured (see Lesion) + majestas majesty; that is, crimen laesae majestatis.] [Written also lese majesty.] (Law)

Defn: Any crime committed against the sovereign power.

LHERZOLITE
Lher"zo*lite, n. Etym: [From Lherz, a place in the Pyrenees + -lite.]
(Min.)

Defn: An igneous rock consisting largely of chrysolite, with pyroxene and picotite (a variety of spinel containing chromium).

LI
Li, n.

1. Chinese measure of distance, being a little more that one third of a mile.

2. A Chinese copper coin; a cash. See Cash.

LIABILITY
Li`a*bil"i*ty, n.; pl. Liabilities (.

1. The state of being liable; as, the liability of an insurer; liability to accidents; liability to the law.

2. That which one is under obligation to pay, or for which one is liable. Specifically, in the pl.,

Defn: the sum of one's pecuniary obligations; — opposed to assets.
Limited liability. See Limited company, under Limited.

LIABLE
Li"a*ble, a. Etym: [From F. lier to bind, L. ligare. Cf. Ally, v. t.,
Ligature.]

1. Bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable; as, the surety is liable for the debt of his principal.

2. Exposed to a certain contingency or casualty, more or less probable; — with to and an infinitive or noun; as, liable to slip; liable to accident.

Syn. — Accountable; responsible; answerable; bound; subject; obnoxious; exposed. — Liable, Subject. Liable refers to a future possible or probable happening which may not actually occur; as, horses are liable to slip; even the sagacious are liable to make mistakes. Subject refers to any actual state or condition belonging to the nature or circumstances of the person or thing spoken of, or to that which often befalls one. One whose father was subject to attacks of the gout is himself liable to have that disease. Men are constantly subject to the law, but liable to suffer by its infraction. Proudly secure, yet liable to fall. Milton. All human things are subject to decay. Dryden.

LIABLENESS
Li"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Quality of being liable; liability.

LIAGE
Li"age, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. liage a bond. See Liable.]

Defn: Union by league; alliance. [Obs.]

LIAISON
Li`ai`son", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. ligatio, fr. ligare to bind. See
Ligature, and cf. Ligation.]

Defn: A union, or bond of union; an intimacy; especially, an illicit intimacy between a man and a woman.

LIANE; LIANA
Li*ane", Li*a"na, n. Etym: [F. liane; prob. akin to lien a band, fr.
L. ligamen, fr. ligare to bind. Cf. Lien, n. ] (Bot.)

Defn: A luxuriant woody plant, climbing high trees and having ropelike stems. The grapevine often has the habit of a liane. Lianes are abundant in the forests of the Amazon region.

LIAR
Li"ar, n. Etym: [OE. liere. See Lie to falsify.]

Defn: A person who knowingly utters falsehood; one who lies.

LIARD
Li"ard, a. Etym: [OF. liart, LL. liardus gray, dappie.]

Defn: Gray. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Note: Used by Chaucer as an epithet of a gray or dapple gray horse.
Also used as a name for such a horse.

LIARD
Liard, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A French copper coin of one fourth the value of a sou.

LIAS
Li"as, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lias, fr. liais sort of limestone, OF. also
liois; perh. of Celtic origin, cf. Armor. liach, leach, a stone,
Gael. leac, W. llech. Cf. Cromlech.] (Geol.)

Defn: The lowest of the three divisions of the Jurassic period; a name given in England and Europe to a series of marine limestones underlying the Oölite. See the Chart of Geology.

LIASSIC
Li*as"sic, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Of the age of the Lias; pertaining to the Lias Formation.
— n.

Defn: Same as Lias.

LIB
Lib, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Glib to geld.]

Defn: To castrate. [Obs.]

LIBAMENT
Lib"a*ment, n. Etym: [L. libamentum.]

Defn: Libation. [Obs.] Holland.

LIBANT
Li"bant, a. Etym: [L. libans, p. pr. of libare to taste, touch.]

Defn: Sipping; touching lightly. [R.] Landor.

LIBATION Li*ba"tion, n. Etym: [L. libatio, fr. libare to take a little from anything, to taste, to pour out as an offering: cf. F. libation.]

Defn: The act of pouring a liquid or liquor, usually wine, either on the ground or on a victim in sacrifice, in honor of some deity; also, the wine or liquid thus poured out. Dryden. A heathen sacrifice or libation to the earth. Bacon.

LIBATORY
Li"ba*to*ry, a.

Defn: Pertaining to libation.

LIBBARD
Lib"bard, n. Etym: [See Leopard.]

Defn: A leopard. [Obs. or Poetic] Spenser. Keats.

LIBBARD'S BANE
Lib"bard's bane`

Defn: . Leopard's bane. [Obs.]

LIBEL Li"bel, n. Etym: [L. libellus a little book, pamphlet, libel, lampoon, dim. of liber the liber or inner bark of a tree; also (because the ancients wrote on this bark), paper, parchment, or a roll of any material used to write upon, and hence, a book or treatise: cf. F. libelle.]

1. A brief writing of any kind, esp. a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc. [Obs.] Chaucer. A libel of forsaking [divorcement]. Wyclif (Matt. v. 31).

2. Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.

3. (Law)

Defn: A malicious publication expressed either in print or in writing, or by pictures, effigies, or other signs, tending to expose another to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule. Such publication is indictable at common law.

Note: The term, in a more extended sense, includes the publication of such writings, pictures, and the like, as are of a blasphemous, treasonable, seditious, or obscene character. These also are indictable at common law.

4. (Law)

Defn: The crime of issuing a malicious defamatory publication.

5. (Civil Law & Courts of Admiralty)

Defn: A written declaration or statement by the plaintiff of his cause of action, and of the relief he seeks.

LIBEL
Li"bel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Liebeled or Libelled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Libeling or Libelling.]

1. To defame, or expose to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, by a writing, picture, sign, etc.; to lampoon. Some wicked wits have libeled all the fair. Pope.

2. (Law)

Defn: To proceed against by filing a libel, particularly against a ship or goods.

LIBEL
Li"bel, v. i.

Defn: To spread defamation, written or printed; — with against.
[Obs.]
What's this but libeling against the senate Shak.
[He] libels now 'gainst each great man. Donne.

LIBELANT
Li"bel*ant, n.

Defn: One who libels; one who institutes a suit in an ecclesiastical or admiralty court. [Written also libellant.] Cranch.

LIBELER
Li"bel*er, n.

Defn: One who libels. [Written also libeller.] " Libelers of others."
Buckkminster.

LIBELIST
Li"bel*ist, n.

Defn: A libeler.

LI BELLA
Li *bel"la, n. Etym: [L., dim. of libra balance. See Level, n.]

1. A small balance.

2. A level, or leveling instrument.

LIBELLEE Li`bel*lee", n. (Law) (a) The party against whom a libel has been filed; — corresponding to defendant in a common law action. (b) The defendant in an action of libel.

LIBELLULID
Li*bel"lu*lid, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A dragon fly.

LIBELLULOID Li*bel"lu*loid, a. Etym: [NL. Libellula, the name of the typical genus + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the dragon fi

LIBELOUS
Li"bel*ous, a.

Defn: Containing or involving a libel; defamatory; containing that which exposes some person to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule; as, a libelous pamphlet. [Written also libellous.] — Li"bel*ous*ly, adv.

LIBER
Li"ber, n. Etym: [L. See Libel.] (Bot.)

Defn: The inner bark of plants, lying next to the wood. It usually contains a large proportion of woody, fibrous cells, and is, therefore, the part from which the fiber of the plant is obtained, as that of hemp, etc. Liber cells, elongated woody cells found in the liber.

LIBERAL Lib"er*al, a. Etym: [F. libéral, L. liberalis, from liber free; perh. akin to libet, lubet,it pleases, E. lief. Cf. Deliver.]

1. Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies. " Liberal education." Macaulay. " A liberal tongue." Shak.

2. Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman; generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver. " Liberal of praise." Bacon. Infinitely good, and of his good As liberal and free as infinite. Milton.

3. Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient; abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a liberal discharge of matter or of water. His wealth doth warrant a liberal dower. Shak.

4. Not strict or rigorous; not confined or restricted to the literal sense; free; as, a liberal translation of a classic, or a liberal construction of law or of language.

5. Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in spirit; catholic.

6. Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint; licentious. " Most like a liberal villain." Shak.

7. Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion; not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the constitution or administration of government; having tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party. I confess I see nothing liberal in this " order of thoughts," as Hobbes elsewhere expresses it. Hazlitt.

Note: Liberal has of, sometimes with, before the thing bestowed, in before a word signifying action, and to before a person or object on which anything is bestowed; as, to be liberal of praise or censure; liberal with money; liberal in giving; liberal to the poor. The liberal arts. See under Art. — Liberal education, education that enlarges and disciplines the mind and makes it master of its own powers, irrespective of the particular business or profession one may follow.

Syn. — Generous; bountiful; munificent; beneficent; ample; large; profuse; free. — Liberal, Generous. Liberal is freeborn, and generous is highborn. The former is opposed to the ordinary feelings of a servile state, and implies largeness of spirit in giving, judging, acting, etc. The latter expresses that nobleness of soul which is peculiarly appropriate to those of high rank, — a spirit that goes out of self, and finds its enjoyment in consulting the feelings and happiness of others. Generosity is measured by the extent of the sacrifices it makes; liberality, by the warmth of feeling which it manifests.

LIBERAL
Lib"er*al, n.

Defn: One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig.

LIBERALISM
Lib"er*al*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. libéralisme.]

Defn: Liberal principles; the principles and methods of the liberals in politics or religion; specifically, the principles of the Liberal party.

LIBERALIST
Lib"er*al*ist, n.

Defn: A liberal.

LIBERALISTIC
Lib`er*al*is"tic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by, liberalism; as, liberalistic opinions.

LIBERALITY Lib`er*al"i*ty, n.; pl. Liberalities. Etym: [L. liberalitas: cf. F. libéralité.]

1. The quality or state of being liberal; liberal disposition or practice; freedom from narrowness or prejudice; generosity; candor; charity. That liberality is but cast away Which makes us borrow what we can not pay. Denham.

2. A gift; a gratuity; — sometimes in the plural; as, a prudent man is not impoverished by his liberalities.

LIBERALIZATION
Lib`er*al*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of liberalizing.

LIBERALIZE
Lib"er*al*ize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Liberalized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Liberalizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. libéraliser.]

Defn: To make liberal; to free from narrow views or prejudices.
To open and to liberalize the mind. Burke.

LIBERALIZER
Lib"er*al*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, liberalizes. Emerson.

LIBERALLY
Lib"er*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a liberal manner.

LIBERATE
Lib"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Liberated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Liberating.] Etym: [L. liberatus, p. p. of liberare to free, fr.
liber free. See Liberal, a., and cf. Deliver.]

Defn: To release from restraint or bondage; to set at liberty; to free; to manumit; to disengage; as, to liberate a slave or prisoner; to liberate the mind from prejudice; to liberate gases.

Syn.
— To deliver; free; release. See Deliver.

LIBERATION
Lib`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. liberatio: cf. F. libération. Cf.
Livraison.]

Defn: The act of liberating or the state of being liberated. This mode of analysis requires perfect liberation from all prejudged system. Pownall.

LIBERATOR
Lib"er*a`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who, or that which, liberates; a deliverer.

LIBERATORY
Lib"er*a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Tending, or serving, to liberate. [R.]

LIBERTARIAN
Lib`er*ta"ri*an, a. Etym: [See Liberty.]

Defn: Pertaining to liberty, or to the doctrine of free will, as opposed to the doctrine of necessity.

LIBERTARIAN
Lib`er*ta"ri*an, n.

Defn: One who holds to the doctrine of free will.

LIBERTARIANISM
Lib`er*ta"ri*an*ism, n.

Defn: Libertarian principles or doctrines.

LIBERTICIDE Lib"er*ti*cide, n. Etym: [L. libertas liberty + caedere to kill: cf. (for sense 2) F. liberticide.]

1. The destruction of civil liberty.

2. A destroyer of civil liberty. B. F. Wade.

LIBERTINAGE
Lib"er*tin*age n. Etym: [Cf. F. libertinage. See Libertine.]

Defn: Libertinism; license. [R.]

LIBERTINE Lib"er*tine, n. Etym: [L. libertinus freedman, from libertus one made free, fr. liber free: cf. F. libertin. See Liberal.]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A manumitted slave; a freedman; also, the son of a freedman.

2. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of a sect of Anabaptists, in the fifteenth and early part of the sixteenth century, who rejected many of the customs and decencies of life, and advocated a community of goods and of women.

3. One free from restraint; one who acts according to his impulses and desires; now, specifically, one who gives rein to lust; a rake; a debauchee. Like a puffed and reckless libertine, Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads. Shak.

4. A defamatory name for a freethinker. [Obsoles.]

LIBERTINE
Lib"er*tine, a. Etym: [L. libertinus of a freedman: cf. F. libertin.
See Libertine, n. ]

1. Free from restraint; uncontrolled. [Obs.] You are too much libertine. Beau. & Fl.

2. Dissolute; licentious; profligate; loose in morals; as, libertine principles or manners. Bacon.

LIBERTINISM
Lib"er*tin*ism, n.

1. The state of a libertine or freedman. [R.] Hammond.

2. Licentious conduct; debauchery; lewdness.

3. Licentiousness of principle or opinion. That spirit of religion and seriousness vanished all at once, and a spirit of liberty and libertinism, of infidelity and profaneness, started up in the room of it. Atterbury.

LIBERTY
Lib"er*ty, n.; pl. Liberties (. Etym: [OE. liberte, F. liberté, fr.
L. libertas, fr. liber free. See Liberal.]

1. The state of a free person; exemption from subjection to the will of another claiming ownership of the person or services; freedom; — opposed to slavery, serfdom, bondage, or subjection. But ye . . . caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection. Jer. xxxiv. 16. Delivered fro the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Bible, 1551. Rom. viii. 21.

2. Freedom from imprisonment, bonds, or other restraint upon locomotion. Being pent from liberty, as I am now. Shak.

3. A privilege conferred by a superior power; permission granted; leave; as, liberty given to a child to play, or to a witness to leave a court, and the like.

4. Privilege; exemption; franchise; immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant; as, the liberties of the commercial cities of Europe. His majesty gave not an entire county to any; much less did he grant . . . any extraordinary liberties. Sir J. Davies.

5. The place within which certain immunities are enjoyed, or jurisdiction is exercised. [Eng.] Brought forth into some public or open place within the liberty of the city, and there . . . burned. Fuller.

6. A certain amount of freedom; permission to go freely within certain limits; also, the place or limits within which such freedom is exercised; as, the liberties of a prison.

7. A privilege or license in violation of the laws of etiquette or propriety; as, to permit, or take, a liberty. He was repeatedly provoked into striking those who had taken liberties with him. Macaulay.

8. The power of choice; freedom from necessity; freedom from compulsion or constraint in willing. The idea of liberty is the idea of a power in any agent to do or forbear any particular action, according to the determination or thought of the mind, whereby either of them is preferred to the other. Locke. This liberty of judgment did not of necessity lead to lawlessness. J. A. Symonds.

9. (Manege)

Defn: A curve or arch in a bit to afford room for the tongue of the horse.

10. (Naut.)

Defn: Leave of absence; permission to go on shore. At liberty. (a) Unconfined; free. (b) At leisure. — Civil liberty, exemption from arbitrary interference with person, opinion, or property, on the part of the government under which one lives, and freedom to take part in modifying that government or its laws. — Liberty bell. See under Bell. — Liberty cap. (a) The Roman pileus which was given to a slave at his manumission. (b) A limp, close-fitting cap with which the head of representations of the goddess of liberty is often decked. It is sometimes represented on a spear or a liberty pole. — Liberty of the press, freedom to print and publish without official supervision. Liberty party, the party, in the American Revolution, which favored independence of England; in more recent usage, a party which favored the emancipation of the slaves. — Liberty pole, a tall flagstaff planted in the ground, often surmounted by a liberty cap. [U. S.] — Moral liberty, that liberty of choice which is essential to moral responsibility. — Religious liberty, freedom of religious opinion and worship.

Syn. — Leave; permission; license. — Liberty, Freedom. These words, though often interchanged, are distinct in some of of their applications. Liberty has reference to previous restraint; freedom, to the simple, unrepressed exercise of our powers. A slave is set at liberty; his master had always been in a state of freedom. A prisoner under trial may ask liberty (exemption from restraint) to speak his sentiments with freedom (the spontaneous and bold utterance of his feelings), The liberty of the press is our great security for freedom of thought.

LIBETHENITE Li*beth"en*ite, n. Etym: [From Libethen, in Hungary, where it was first found.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of an olive-green color, commonly in orthorhombic crystals. It is a hydrous phosphate of copper.

LIBIDINIST
Li*bid"i*nist, n. Etym: [See Libidinous.]

Defn: One given to lewdness.

LIBIDINOSITY
Li*bid`i*nos"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being libidinous; libidinousness.
Skelton.

LIBIDINOUS Li*bid"i*nous, a. Etym: [L. libidinosus, fr. libido, libidinis, pleasure, desire, lust, fr. libet, lubet, it pleases: cf. F. libidineux. See Lief.]

Defn: Having lustful desires; characterized by lewdness; sensual;
lascivious.
— Li*bid"i*nous*ly, adv.
— Li*bid"i*nous*ness, n.

Syn. — Lewd; lustful; lascivious; unchaste; impure; sensual; licentious; lecherous; salacious.

LIBKEN; LIBKIN
Lib"ken, Lib"kin, n. Etym: [AS. libban, F. live, v. i. + -kin.]

Defn: A house or lodging. [Old Slang] B. Jonson.

LIBRA Li"bra, n.; pl. Libræ. Etym: [L., a balance.] (Astron.) (a) The Balance; the seventh sign in the zodiac, which the sun enters at the autumnal equinox in September, marked thus libra in almanacs, etc. (b ) A southern constellation between Virgo and Scorpio.

LIBRAL
Li"bral, a. Etym: [L. libralis, fr. libra the Roman pound.]

Defn: Of a pound weight. [Obs.] Johnson.

LIBRARIAN
Li*bra"ri*an, n. Etym: [See Library.]

1. One who has the care or charge of a library.

2. One who copies manuscript books. [Obs.] Broome.

LIBRARIANSHIP
Li*bra"ri*an*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a librarian.

LIBRARY Li"bra*ry, n.; pl. Libraries. Etym: [OE. librairie, F. librairie bookseller's shop, book trade, formerly, a library, fr. libraire bookseller, L. librarius, from liber book; cf. libraria bookseller's shop, librarium bookcase, It. libreria. See Libel.]

1. A considerable collection of books kept for use, and not as merchandise; as, a private library; a public library.

2. A building or apartment appropriated for holding such a collection of books. Holland.

LIBRATE
Li"brate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Librated p. pr. & & vb. n. Librating.]
Etym: [L. libratus, p. p. of librare to balance, to make even, fr.
libra.Cf. Level, Deliberate, Equilibrium.]

Defn: To vibrate as a balance does before resting in equilibrium;
hence, to be poised.
Their parts all liberate on too nice a beam. Clifton.

LIBRATE
Li"brate, v. i.

Defn: To poise; to balance.

LIBRATION
Li*bra"tion, n. Etym: [L. libratio: cf. F. libration.]

1. The act or state of librating. Jer. Taylor.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: A real or apparent libratory motion, like that of a balance before coming to rest. Libration of the moon, any one of those small periodical changes in the position of the moon's surface relatively to the earth, in consequence of which narrow portions at opposite limbs become visible or invisible alternately. It receives different names according to the manner in which it takes place; as: (a) Libration in longitude, that which, depending on the place of the moon in its elliptic orbit, causes small portions near the eastern and western borders alternately to appear and disappear each month. (b) Libration in latitude, that which depends on the varying position of the moon's axis in respect to the spectator, causing the alternate appearance and disappearance of either pole. (c) Diurnal or parallactic libration, that which brings into view on the upper limb, at rising and setting, some parts not in the average visible hemisphere.

LIBRATORY
Li"bra*to*ry, a.

Defn: Balancing; moving like a balance, as it tends to an equipoise or level.

LIBRETTIST
Li*bret"tist, n.

Defn: One who makes a libretto.

LIBRETTO Li*bret"to, n.; pl. E. Librettos, It. Libretti. Etym: [It., dim. of libro book, L. liber. See Libel.] (Mus.) (a) A book containing the words of an opera or extended piece of music. (b) The words themselves.

LIBRIFORM
Li"bri*form, a. Etym: [Liber + -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the form of liber, or resembling liber. Libriform cells, peculiar wood cells which are very slender and relatively thick- walled, and occasionally are furnished with bordered pits. Goodale.

LIBYAN
Lib"y*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Libya, the ancient name of that part of
Africa between Egypt and the Atlantic Ocean, or of Africa as a whole.

LICE
Lice, n.;

Defn: pl. of Louse.

LICENSABLE
Li"cens*a*ble, a.

Defn: That can be licensed.

LICENSE Li"cense, n. [Written also licence.] Etym: [F. licence, L. licentia, fr. licere to be permitted, prob. orig., to be left free to one; akin to linquere to leave. See Loan, and cf. Illicit, Leisure.]

1. Authority or liberty given to do or forbear any act; especially, a formal permission from the proper authorities to perform certain acts or to carry on a certain business, which without such permission would be illegal; a grant of permission; as, a license to preach, to practice medicine, to sell gunpowder or intoxicating liquors. To have a license and a leave at London to dwell. P. Plowman.

2. The document granting such permission. Addison.

3. Excess of liberty; freedom abused, or used in contempt of law or decorum; disregard of law or propriety. License they mean when they cry liberty. Milton.

4. That deviation from strict fact, form, or rule, in which an artist or writer indulges, assuming that it will be permitted for the sake of the advantage or effect gained; as, poetic license; grammatical license, etc.

Syn.
— Leave; liberty; permission.

LICENSE
Li"cense, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Licensed; p. pr. & vb. n. Licensing.]

Defn: To permit or authorize by license; to give license to; as, to license a man to preach. Milton. Shak.

LICENSED
Li"censed, a.

Defn: Having a license; permitted or authorized by license; as, a licensed victualer; a licensed traffic. Licensed victualer, one who has a license to keep an in or eating house; esp., a victualer who has a license to sell intoxicating liquors.

LICENSEE
Li`cen*see", n. (Law)

Defn: The person to whom a license is given.

LICENSER
Li"cens*er, n.

Defn: One who gives a license; as, a licenser of the press.

LICENSURE
Li"cen*sure, n.

Defn: A licensing. [R.]

LICENTIATE Li*cen"ti*ate, n. Etym: [LL. licentiatus, fr. licentiare to allow to do anything, fr. L. licentia license. See License, n.]

1. One who has a license to exercise a profession; as, a licentiate in medicine or theology. The college of physicians, in July, 1687, published an edict, requiring all the fellows, candidates, and licentiates, to give gratuitous advice to the neighboring poor. Johnson.

2. A friar authorized to receive confessions and grant absolution in all places, independently of the local clergy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. One who acts without restraint, or takes a liberty, as if having a license therefor. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

4. On the continent of Europe, a university degree intermediate between that of bachelor and that of doctor.

LICENTIATE
Li*cen"ti*ate, v. t.

Defn: To give a license to. [Obs.] L'Estrange.

LICENTIOUS
Li*cen"tious, a. Etym: [L. licentiosus: cf. F. licencieux. See
License.]

1. Characterized by license; passing due bounds; excessive; abusive of freedom; wantonly offensive; as, a licentious press. A wit that no licentious pertness knows. Savage.

2. Unrestrained by law or morality; lawless; immoral; dissolute; lewd; lascivious; as, a licentious man; a licentious life. "Licentious wickedness." Shak.

Syn.
— Unrestrained; uncurbed; uncontrolled; unruly; riotous;
ungovernable; wanton; profligate; dissolute; lax; loose; sensual;
impure; unchaste; lascivious; immoral.
— Li*cen"tious*ly, adv.
— Li*cen"tious*ness, n.

LICH
Lich, a.

Defn: Like. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.

LICH
Lich, n. Etym: [AS.lic body. See Like, a.]

Defn: A dead body; a corpse. [Obs.] Lich fowl (Zoöl.), the European goatsucker; — called also lich owl. — Lich gate, a covered gate through which the corpse was carried to the church or burial place, and where the bier was placed to await clergyman; a corpse gate. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. — Lich wake, the wake, or watching, held over a corpse before burial. [Prov Eng.] Chaucer. — Lich wall, the wall of a churchyard or burying ground. — Lich way, the path by which the dead are carried to the grave. [Prov. Eng.]

LICHEN
Li"chen, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: One of a class of cellular, flowerless plants, (technically called Lichenes), having no distinction of leaf and stem, usually of scaly, expanded, frond-like forms, but sometimes erect or pendulous and variously branched. They derive their nourishment from the air, and generate by means of spores. The species are very widely distributed, and form irregular spots or patches, usually of a greenish or yellowish color, upon rocks, trees, and various bodies, to which they adhere with great tenacity. They are often improperly called rock moss or tree moss.

Note: A favorite modern theory of lichens (called after its inventor the Schwendener hypothesis), is that they are not autonomous plants, but that they consist of ascigerous fungi, parasitic on algæ. Each lichen is composed of white filaments and green, or greenish, rounded cells, and it is argued that the two are of different nature, the one living at the expense of the other. See Hyphæ, and Gonidia.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A name given to several varieties of skin disease, esp. to one characterized by the eruption of small, conical or flat, reddish pimples, which, if unchecked, tend to spread and produce great and even fatal exhaustion.

LICHENED
Li"chened, a.

Defn: Belonging to, or covered with, lichens. Tennyson.

LICHENIC
Li*chen"ic, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, lichens. Lichenic acid. (a) An organic acid, C14H24O3 obtained from Iceland moss. (b) An old name of fumaric acid.

LICHENIFORM
Li*chen"i*form, a.

Defn: Having the form of a lichen.

LICHENIN
Li"chen*in, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A substance isomeric with starch, extracted from several species of moss and lichen, esp. from Iceland moss.

LICHENOGRAPHIC; LICHENOGRAPHICAL Li"chen*o*graph"ic, Li`chen*o*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. lichénographique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to lichenography.

LICHENOGRAPHIST
Li`chen*og"ra*phist, n.

Defn: One who describes lichens; one versed in lichenography.

LICHENOGRAPHY Li`chen*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Lichen + -graphy: cf. F. lichénographie.]

Defn: A description of lichens; the science which illustrates the natural history of lichens.

LICHENOLOGIST
Li`chen*ol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed in lichenology.

LICHENOLOGY
Li`chen*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Lichen + -logy.]

Defn: The science which treats of lichens.

LICHENOUS
Li"chen*ous, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, lichens; abounding in lichens; covered with lichens. G. Eliot.

LICHI
Li"chi`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Litchi.

LICHWALE
Lich"wale`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The gromwell.

LICHWORT
Lich"wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: An herb, the wall pellitory. See Pellitory.

LICIT Lic"it, a. Etym: [L.licitus permitted, lawful, from licere: cf. F. licite. See License.]

Defn: Lawful. "Licit establishments." Carlyle.
— Lic"it*ly, adv.
— Lic"it*ness, n.

LICITATION Lic`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. licitatio, fr. licitari, liceri, to bid, offer a price.]

Defn: The act of offering for sale to the highest bidder. [R.]

LICK
Lick, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Licked; p. pr. & vb. n. Licking.] Etym:
[AS. liccian; akin to OS. likk, D. likken, OHG. lecch, G. lecken,
Goth. bi-laig, Russ. lizate, L. lingere, Gr. lih, rih. . Cf. Lecher,
Relish.]

1. To draw or pass the tongue over; as, a dog licks his master's hand. Addison.

2. To lap; to take in with the tongue; as, a dog or cat licks milk. Shak. To lick the dust, to be slain; to fall in battle. "His enemies shall lick the dust." Ps. lxxii. 9. — To lick into shape, to give proper form to; — from a notion that the bear's cubs are born shapeless and subsequently formed by licking. Hudibras. — To lick the spittle of, to fawn upon. South. — To lick up, to take all of by licking; to devour; to consume entirely. Shak. Num. xxii. 4.

LICK
Lick, n. Etym: [See Lick, v.]

1. A stroke of the tongue in licking. "A lick at the honey pot." Dryden.

2. A quick and careless application of anything, as if by a stroke of the tongue, or of something which acts like a tongue; as, to put on colors with a lick of the brush. Also, a small quantity of any substance so applied. [Colloq.] A lick of court white wash. Gray.

3. A place where salt is found on the surface of the earth, to which wild animals resort to lick it up; — often, but not always, near salt springs. [U. S.]

LICK
Lick, v. t. Etym: [Cf. OSw. lägga to place, strike, prick.]

Defn: To strike with repeated blows for punishment; to flog; to whip or conquer, as in a pugilistic encounter. [Colloq. or Low] Carlyle. Thackeray.

LICK
Lick, n.

Defn: A slap; a quick stroke.[Colloq.] "A lick across the face."
Dryden.

LICKER
Lick"er, n. Etym: [Cf. Lecher.]

Defn: One who, or that which, licks. Licker in (Carding Machine), the drum, or cylinder, by which the lap is taken from the feed rollers.

LICKERISH
Lick"er*ish, a. Etym: [Cf. Lecherous.]

1. Eager; craving; urged by desire; eager to taste or enjoy; greedy. "The lickerish palate of the glutton." Bp. Hall.

2. Tempting the appetite; dainty. "Lickerish baits, fit to insnare a brute." Milton.

3. lecherous; lustful. Robert of Brunne.
— Lick"er*ish*ly, adv.
— Lick"er*ish*ness, n.

LICKEROUS
Lick"er*ous, a.

Defn: Lickerish; eager; lustful. [Obs.] — Lick"er*ous*ness, n.
[Obs.] Chaucer.

LICKING
Lick"ing, n.

1. A lapping with the tongue.

2. A flogging or castigation. [Colloq. or Low]

LICKPENNY
Lick"pen`ny, n.

Defn: A devourer or absorber of money. "Law is a lickpenny." Sir W.
Scott.

LICK-SPIGOT
Lick"-spig`ot, n.

Defn: A tapster. [Obs.]

LICK-SPITTLE
Lick"-spit`tle, n.

Defn: An abject flatterer or parasite. Theodore Hook.

LICORICE
Lic"o*rice, n. Etym: [OE. licoris, though old French, fr. L.
liquiritia, corrupted fr. glycyrrhiza, Gr. Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza,
Wort.] [Written also liquorice.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza (G. glabra), the root of which abounds with a juice, and is much used in demulcent compositions.

2. The inspissated juice of licorice root, used as a confection and medicinal purposes. Licorice fern (Bot.), a name of several kinds of polypody which have rootstocks of a sweetish flavor. — Licorice sugar. (Chem.) See Glycyrrhizin. — Licorice weed (Bot.), the tropical plant Scapania aulcis. — Mountain licorice (Bot.), a kind of clover (Trifolium alpinum), found in the Alps. It has large purplish flowers and a sweetish perennial rootstock. — Wild licorice. (Bot.) (a) The North American perennial herb Glycyrrhiza lepidota. (b) Certain broad-leaved cleavers (Galium circæzans and G. lanceolatum). (c) The leguminous climber Abrus precatorius, whose scarlet and black seeds are called black-eyed Susans. Its roots are used as a substitute for those of true licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra).

LICOROUS
Lic"o*rous, a.

Defn: See Lickerish.
— Lic"o*rous*ness, n. [Obs.] Herbert.

LICOUR
Lic"our, n.

Defn: Liquor. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LICTOR
Lic"tor, n. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: An officer who bore an ax and fasces or rods, as ensigns of his office. His duty was to attend the chief magistrates when they appeared in public, to clear the way, and cause due respect to be paid to them, also to apprehend and punish criminals. Lictors and rods, the ensigns of their power. Milton.

LID
Lid, n. Etym: [AS. hlid, fr. hlidan (in comp.) to cover, shut; akin
to OS. hlidan (in comp.), D. lid, OHG. hlit, G. augenlid eyelid,
Icel. hli gate, gateway.

1. That which covers the opening of a vessel or box, etc. ; a movable cover; as, the lid of a chest or trunk.

2. The cover of the eye; an eyelid. Shak. Tears, big tears, gushed from the rough soldier's lid. Byron.

3. (Bot.) (a) The cover of the spore cases of mosses. (b) A calyx which separates from the flower, and falls off in a single piece, as in the Australian Eucalypti. (c) The top of an ovary which opens transversely, as in the fruit of the purslane and the tree which yields Brazil nuts.

LIDDED
Lid"ded, a.

Defn: Covered with a lid. Keats.

LIDGE
Lidge, n.

Defn: Same Ledge.[Obs.] Spenser.

LIDLESS
Lid"less, a.

Defn: Having no lid, or not covered with the lids, as the eyes; hence, sleepless; watchful. A lidless watcher of the public weal. Tennyson.

LIE
Lie, n.

Defn: See Lye.

LIE
Lie, n. Etym: [AS. lyge; akin to D. leugen, OHG. lugi, G. lüge, lug,
Icel. lygi, Dan. & Sw. lögn, Goth. liugn. See Lie to utter a
falsehood.]

1. A falsehood uttered or acted for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth; an untruth spoken with the intention to deceive. It is willful deceit that makes a lie. A man may act a lie, as by pointing his finger in a wrong direction when a traveler inquires of him his road. Paley.

2. A fiction; a fable; an untruth. Dryden.

3. Anything which misleads or disappoints. Wishing this lie of life was o'er. Trench. To give the lie to. (a) To charge with falsehood; as, the man gave him the lie. (b) To reveal to be false; as, a man's actions may give the lie to his words. — White lie, a euphemism for such lies as one finds it convenient to tell, and excuses himself for telling.

Syn. — Untruth; falsehood; fiction; deception. — lie, Untruth. A man may state what is untrue from ignorance or misconception; hence, to impute an untruth to one is not necessarily the same as charging him with a lie. Every lie is an untruth, but not every untruth is a lie. Cf. Falsity.

LIE
Lie, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lied; p. pr. & vb. n. Lying.] Etym: [OE.
lien, li, le, leo, AS. leógan; akin to D. liegen, OS. & OHG. liogan,
G. lügen, Icel. lj, Sw. ljuga, Dan.lyve, Goth. liugan, Russ. lgate.]

Defn: To utter falsehood with an intention to deceive; to say or do that which is intended to deceive another, when he a right to know the truth, or when morality requires a just representation.

LIE Lie, v. i. [imp. Lay; p. p. Lain, (Lien (, [Obs.]); p. pr. & vb. n. Lying.] Etym: [OE. lien, liggen, AS. licgan; akin to D. liggen, OHG. ligen, licken, G. liegen, Icel. liggja, Sw. ligga, Dan. ligge, Goth. ligan, Russ. lejate, L. lectus bed, Gr. Lair, Law, Lay, v. t., Litter, Low, adj.]

1. To rest extended on the ground, a bed, or any support; to be, or to put one's self, in an horizontal position, or nearly so; to be prostate; to be stretched out; — often with down, when predicated of living creatures; as, the book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof; he lies in his coffin. The watchful traveler . . . Lay down again, and closed his weary eyes. Dryden.

2. To be situated; to occupy a certain place; as, Ireland lies west of England; the meadows lie along the river; the ship lay in port.

3. To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition; as, to lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open; to lie hid; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves; the paper does not lie smooth on the wall.

4. To be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist; — with in. Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances. Collier. He that thinks that diversion may not lie in hard labor, forgets the early rising and hard riding of huntsmen. Locke.

5. To lodge; to sleep. Whiles I was now trifling at home, I saw London, . . . where I lay one night only. Evelyn. Mr. Quinion lay at our house that night. Dickens.

6. To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest. The wind is loud and will not lie. Shak.

7. (Law)

Defn: To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained. "An appeal lies in this case." Parsons.

Note: Through ignorance or carelessness speakers and writers often confuse the forms of the two distinct verbs lay and lie. Lay is a transitive verb, and has for its preterit laid; as, he told me to lay it down, and I laid it down. Lie is intransitive, and has for its preterit lay; as, he told me to lie down, and I lay down. Some persons blunder by using laid for the preterit of lie; as, he told me to lie down, and I laid down. So persons often say incorrectly, the ship laid at anchor; they laid by during the storm; the book was laying on the shelf, etc. It is only necessary to remember, in all such cases, that laid is the preterit of lay, and not of lie. To lie along the shore (Naut.), to coast, keeping land in sight. — To lie at the door of, to be imputable to; as, the sin, blame, etc., lies at your door. — To lie at the heart, to be an object of affection, desire, or anxiety. Sir W. Temple. — To lie at the mercy of, to be in the power of. — To lie by. (a) To remain with; to be at hand; as, he has the manuscript lying by him. (b) To rest; to intermit labor; as, we lay by during the heat of the day. — To lie hard or heavy, to press or weigh; to bear hard. — To lie in, to be in childbed; to bring forth young. — To lie in one, to be in the power of; to belong to. "As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Rom. xii. 18. — To lie in the way, to be an obstacle or impediment. — To lie in wait , to wait in concealment; to lie in ambush. — To lie on or upon. (a) To depend on; as, his life lies on the result. (b) To bear, rest, press, or weigh on. — To lie low, to remain in concealment or inactive. [Slang] — To lie on hand, To lie on one's hands, to remain unsold or unused; as, the goods are still lying on his hands; they have too much time lying on their hands. — To lie on the head of, to be imputed to. What he gets more of her than sharp words, let it lie on my head. Shak. — To lie over. (a) To remain unpaid after the time when payment is due, as a note in bank. (b) To be deferred to some future occasion, as a resolution in a public deliberative body. — To lie to (Naut.), to stop or delay; especially, to head as near the wind as possible as being the position of greatest safety in a gale; — said of a ship. Cf. To bring to, under Bring. — To lie under, to be subject to; to suffer; to be oppressed by. — To lie with. (a) To lodge or sleep with. (b) To have sexual intercourse with. (c) To belong to; as, it lies with you to make amends.

LIE
Lie, n.

Defn: The position or way in which anything lies; the lay, as of land
or country. J. H. Newman.
He surveyed with his own eyes . . . the lie of the country on the
side towards Thrace. Jowett (Thucyd.).

LIEBERKUHN; LIEBERKUEHN Lie"ber*kühn, n. Etym: [Named after a German physician and instrument maker, J. n. Lieberkühn.] (Optics)

Defn: A concave metallic mirror attached to the object-glass end of a microscope, to throw down light on opaque objects; a reflector.

LIEBERKUHN'S GLANDS; LIEBERKUEHN'S GLANDS
Lie"ber*kühn's glands`. Etym: [See Lieberkühn.] (Anat.)

Defn: The simple tubular glands of the small intestines; — called also crypts of Lieberkühn.

LIED
Lied, n. ; pl. Lieder. Etym: [G.] (Mus.)

Defn: A lay; a German song. It differs from the French chanson, and the Italian canzone, all three being national. The German Lied is perhaps the most faithful reflection of the national sentiment. Grove.

LIEDERKRANZ
Lie"der*kranz, n. [G. See Lied, and Grants.] (Mus.)

Defn: Lit., wreath of songs; — used as the title of a group of songs, and esp. as the common name for German vocal clubs of men.

LIEDERTAFEL
Lie"der*ta`fel, n. Etym: [G., lit., a song table.] (Mus.)

Defn: A popular name for any society or club which meets for the practice of male part songs.

LIEF
Lief, n.

Defn: Same as Lif.

LIEF
Lief, a. [Written also lieve.] Etym: [OE. leef, lef, leof, AS. leóf;
akin to OS.liof, OFries. liaf, D. lief, G. lieb, OHG. liob, Icel. lj,
Sw.ljuf, Goth. liubs, and E. love. sq. root124. See Love, and cf.
Believe, Leave, n., Furlough, Libidinous.]

1. Dear; beloved. [Obs., except in poetry.] "My liefe mother." Chaucer. "My liefest liege." Shak. As thou art lief and dear. Tennyson.

2.

Note: (Used with a form of the verb to be, and the dative of the personal pronoun.)

Defn: Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable; preferable. [Obs.] See Lief,
adv., and Had as lief, under Had.
Full lief me were this counsel for to hide. Chaucer.
Death me liefer were than such despite. Spenser.

3. Willing; disposed. [Obs.] I am not lief to gab. Chaucer. He up arose, however lief or loth. Spenser.

LIEF
Lief, n.

Defn: A dear one; a sweetheart. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIEF
Lief, adv.

Defn: Gladly; willingly; freely; — now used only in the phrases, had
as lief, and would as lief; as, I had, or would, as lief go as not.
All women liefest would Be sovereign of man's love. Gower.
I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines. Shak.
Far liefer by his dear hand had I die. Tennyson.

Note: The comparative liefer with had or would, and followed by the infinitive, either with or without the sign to, signifies prefer, choose as preferable, would or had rather. In the 16th century rather was substituted for liefer in such constructions in literary English, and has continued to be generally so used. See Had as lief, Had rather, etc. , under Had.

LIEFSOME
Lief"some, a.

Defn: Pleasing; delightful. [Obs.]

LIEGANCE
Lieg"ance, n.

Defn: Same as Ligeance.

LIEGE Liege, a. Etym: [OE. lige, lege, F. lige, LL. ligius, legius, liege, unlimited, complete, prob. of German origin; cf. G. ledig free from bonds and obstacles, MHG. ledec, ledic, lidic, freed, loosed, and Charta Ottonis de Benthem, ann. ligius homo quod Teutonicè dicitur ledigman," i. e., uni soli homagio obligatus, free from all obligations to others; influenced by L.ligare to bind. G. ledig perh. orig. meant, free to go where one pleases, and is perh. akin to E.lead to conduct. Cf. Lead to guide.]

1. Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to allegiance; as, a liege lord. Chaucer. She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave; And he, he reverenced his liege lady there. Tennyson.

2. serving an independent sovereign or master; bound by a feudal tenure; obliged to be faithful and loyal to a superior, as a vassal to his lord; faithful; loyal; as, a liege man; a liege subject.

3. (Old Law)

Defn: Full; perfect; complete; pure. Burrill. Liege homage (Feudal Custom), that homage of one sovereign or prince to another which acknowledged an obligation of fealty and services. — Liege poustie Etym: [L. legitima potestas] (Scots Law), perfect, i. e., legal, power; specif., having health requisite to do legal acts. — Liege widowhood, perfect, i. e., pure, widowhood. [Obs.]

LIEGE
Liege, n.

1. A free and independent person; specif., a lord paramount; a sovereign. Mrs. Browning. The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans, Liege of all loiterers and malcontents. Shak.

2. The subject of a sovereign or lord; a liegeman. A liege lord seems to have been a lord of a free band; and his lieges, though serving under him, were privileged men, free from all other obligations, their name being due to their freedom, not to their service. Skeat.

LIEGEMAN
Liege"man, n.; pl. Liegemen (.

Defn: Same as Liege, n., 2. Chaucer. Spenser.

LIEGER
Lie"ger, n. Etym: [See Leger, Ledger.]

Defn: A resident ambassador. [Obs.] See Leger. Denham.

LIEGIANCY
Lie"gian*cy, n.

Defn: See Ligeance.

LIEN
Li"en, obs. p. p.

Defn: of Lie. See lain. Ps. lxviii. 13.

LIEN Lien, n. Etym: [F. lien band, bond, tie, fr. L. ligamen, fr. ligare to bind. Cf. League a union, Leam a string, Leamer, Ligament.] (Law)

Defn: A legal claim; a charge upon real or personal property for the satisfaction of some debt or duty; a right in one to control or hold and retain the property of another until some claim of the former is paid or satisfied.

LIENAL
Li*e"nal, a. Etym: [L. lien the spleen.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the spleen; splenic.

LIENCULUS Li*en"cu*lus, n.; pl. Lienculi. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. lien the spleen.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the small nodules sometimes found in the neighborhood of the spleen; an accessory or supplementary spleen.

LIENO-INTESTINAL
Li*e`no-in*tes"ti*nal, a. Etym: [l. lien the spleen + E. intestinal.]
(Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the spleen and intestine; as, the lieno- intestinal vein of the frog.

LIENTERIC
Li`en*ter"ic, a. Etym: [L. lientericus, Gr. lientérique. See
Lientery.] (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or of the nature of, a lientery.
— n. (Med.)

Defn: A lientery. Grew.

LIENTERY
Li"en*ter*y, n. Etym: [Gr. lientérie.] (Med.)

Defn: A diarrhea, in which the food is discharged imperfectly digested, or with but little change. Dunglison.

LIER
Li"er, n. Etym: [From Lie. ]

Defn: One who lies down; one who rests or remains, as in concealment.
There were liers in a ambush against him. Josh. viii. 14.

LIERNE RIB
Lierne" rib`. Etym: [F. lierne.] (Arch.)

Defn: In Gothic vaulting, any rib which does not spring from the impost and is not a ridge rib, but passes from one boss or intersection of the principal ribs to another.

LIEU
Lieu, n. Etym: [F., OF. also liu, leu, lou, fr. L. locus place. See
Local, Locus.]

Defn: Place; room; stead; — used only in the phrase in lieu of, that
is, instead of.
The plan of extortion had been adopted in lieu of the scheme of
confiscation. Burke.

LIEUTENANCY
Lieu*ten"an*cy, n.

1. The office, rank, or commission, of a lieutenant.

2. The body of lieutenants or subordinates. [Obs.] The list of the lieutenancy of our metropolis. Felton.

LIEUTENANT Lieu*ten"ant, n. Etym: [F., fr. lieu place + tenant holding, p. pr. of tenir to hold, L. tenere. See Lieu, and Tenant, and cf. Locum tenens.]

1. An officer who supplies the place of a superior in his absence; a representative of, or substitute for, another in the performance of any duty. The lawful magistrate, who is the vicegerent or lieutenant of God. Abp. Bramhall.

2. (a) A commissioned officer in the army, next below a captain. (b) A commissioned officer in the British navy, in rank next below a commander. (c) A commissioned officer in the United States navy, in rank next below a lieutenant commander.

Note: Lieutenant is often used, either adjectively or in hyphened compounds, to denote an officer, in rank next below another, especially when the duties of the higher officer may devolve upon the lower one; as, lieutenant general, or lieutenant-general; lieutenant colonel, or lieutenant-colonel; lieutenant governor, etc. Deputy lieutenant, the title of any one of the deputies or assistants of the lord lieutenant of a county. [Eng.] — Lieutenant colonel, an army officer next in rank above major, and below colonel. — Lieutenant commander, an officer in the United States navy, in rank next below a commander and next above a lieutenant. — Lieutenant general. See in Vocabulary. — Lieutenant governor. (a) An officer of a State, being next in rank to the governor, and in case of the death or resignation of the latter, himself acting as governor. [U. S.] (b) A deputy governor acting as the chief civil officer of one of several colonies under a governor general. [Eng.]

LIEUTENANT GENERAL
Lieu*ten"ant gen"er*al

Defn: . An army officer in rank next below a general and next above a major general.

Note: In the United States, before the civil war, this rank had been conferred only on George Washington and (in brevet) on Winfield Scott. In 1864 it was revived by Congress and conferred on Ulysses S. Grant, and subsequently, by promotion, on William T. Sherman and Philip H. Sheridan, each of whom was advanced to the rank of general of the army. When Sheridan was made general (in 1888) the rank of lieutenant general was suffered to lapse. See General.

LIEUTENANTRY
Lieu*ten"ant*ry, n.

Defn: See Lieutenancy. [Obs.]

LIEUTENANTSHIP
Lieu*ten"ant*ship, n.

Defn: Same as Lieutenancy, 1.

LIEVE
Lieve, a.

Defn: Same as Lief.

LIF
Lif, n. Etym: [Written also lief.]

Defn: The fiber by which the petioles of the date palm are bound together, from which various kinds of cordage are made.

LIFE
Life, n.; pl. Lives. Etym: [AS. l; akin to D. lijf body, G. leib
body, MHG. l life, body, OHG. l life, Icel. l, life, body, Sw. lif,
Dan. liv, and E. live, v. Live, and cf. Alive.]

1. The state of being which begins with generation, birth, or germination, and ends with death; also, the time during which this state continues; that state of an animal or plant in which all or any of its organs are capable of performing all or any of their functions; — used of all animal and vegetable organisms.

2. Of human being: The union of the soul and body; also, the duration of their union; sometimes, the deathless quality or existence of the soul; as, man is a creature having an immortal life. She shows a body rather than a life. Shak.

3. (Philos)

Defn: The potential principle, or force, by which the organs of animals and plants are started and continued in the performance of their several and coöperative functions; the vital force, whether regarded as physical or spiritual.

4. Figuratively: The potential or animating principle, also, the period of duration, of anything that is conceived of as resembling a natural organism in structure or functions; as, the life of a state, a machine, or a book; authority is the life of government.

5. A certain way or manner of living with respect to conditions, circumstances, character, conduct, occupation, etc.; hence, human affairs; also, lives, considered collectively, as a distinct class or type; as, low life; a good or evil life; the life of Indians, or of miners. That which before us lies in daily life. Milton. By experience of life abroad in the world. Ascham. Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime. Longfellow. 'T is from high life high characters are drawn. Pope

6. Animation; spirit; vivacity; vigor; energy. No notion of life and fire in fancy and in words. Felton. That gives thy gestures grace and life. Wordsworth.

7. That which imparts or excites spirit or vigor; that upon which enjoyment or success depends; as, he was the life of the company, or of the enterprise.

8. The living or actual form, person, thing, or state; as, a picture or a description from, the life.

9. A person; a living being, usually a human being; as, many lives were sacrificed.

10. The system of animal nature; animals in general, or considered collectively. Full nature swarms with life. Thomson.

11. An essential constituent of life, esp: the blood. The words that I speak unto you . . . they are life. John vi. 63. The warm life came issuing through the wound. Pope

12. A history of the acts and events of a life; a biography; as, Johnson wrote the life of Milton.

13. Enjoyment in the right use of the powers; especially, a spiritual existence; happiness in the favor of God; heavenly felicity.

14. Something dear to one as one's existence; a darling; — used as a term of endearment.

Note: Life forms the first part of many compounds, for the most part of obvious meaning; as, life-giving, life-sustaining, etc. Life annuity, an annuity payable during one's life. — Life arrow, Life rocket, Life shot, an arrow, rocket, or shot, for carrying an attached line to a vessel in distress in order to save life. — Life assurance. See Life insurance, below. — Life buoy. See Buoy. — Life car, a water-tight boat or box, traveling on a line from a wrecked vessel to the shore. In it person are hauled through the waves and surf. — Life drop, a drop of vital blood. Byron. — Life estate (Law), an estate which is held during the term of some certain person's life, but does not pass by inheritance. — Life everlasting (Bot.), a plant with white or yellow persistent scales about the heads of the flowers, as Antennaria, and Gnaphalium; cudweed. — Life of an execution (Law), the period when an execution is in force, or before it expires. — Life guard. (Mil.) See under Guard. — Life insurance, the act or system of insuring against death; a contract by which the insurer undertakes, in consideration of the payment of a premium (usually at stated periods), to pay a stipulated sum in the event of the death of the insured or of a third person in whose life the insured has an interest. — Life interest, an estate or interest which lasts during one's life, or the life of another person, but does not pass by inheritance. — Life land (Law), land held by lease for the term of a life or lives. — Life line. (a) (Naut.) A line along any part of a vessel for the security of sailors. (b) A line attached to a life boat, or to any life saving apparatus, to be grasped by a person in the water. — Life rate, rate of premium for insuring a life. — Life rent, the rent of a life estate; rent or property to which one is entitled during one's life. — Life school, a school for artists in which they model, paint, or draw from living models. — Lifetable, a table showing the probability of life at different ages. — To lose one's life, to die. — To seek the life of, to seek to kill. — To the life, so as closely to resemble the living person or the subject; as, the portrait was drawn to the life.

LIFEBLOOD
Life"blood`, n.

1. The blood necessary to life; vital blood. Dryden.

2. Fig.: That which gives strength and energy. Money [is] the lifeblood of the nation. Swift.

LIFEBOAT
Life"boat`, n.

Defn: A strong, buoyant boat especially designed for saving the lives of shipwrecked people.

LIFEFUL
Life"ful, a.

Defn: Full of vitality. Spenser.

LIFE-GIVING
Life"-giv`ing, a.

Defn: Giving life or spirit; having power to give life; inspiriting; invigorating.

LIFEHOLD
Life"hold`, n.

Defn: Land held by a life estate.

LIFELESS
Life"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of life, or deprived of life; not containing, or inhabited by, living beings or vegetation; dead, or apparently dead; spiritless; powerless; dull; as, a lifeless carcass; lifeless matter; a lifeless desert; a lifeless wine; a lifeless story. — Life"less*ly, adv. — Life"less*ness, n.

Syn. — Dead; soulless; inanimate; torpid; inert; inactive; dull; heavy; unanimated; spiritless; frigid; pointless; vapid; flat; tasteless. — Lifeless, Dull, Inanimate, Dead. In a moral sense, lifeless denotes a want of vital energy; inanimate, a want of expression as to any feeling that may be possessed; dull implies a torpor of soul which checks all mental activity; dead supposes a destitution of feeling. A person is said to be lifeless who has lost the spirits which he once had; he is said to be inanimate when he is naturally wanting in spirits; one is dull from an original deficiency of mental power; he who is dead to moral sentiment is wholly bereft of the highest attribute of his nature.

LIFELIKE
Life"like`, a. Etym: [Cf. Lively.]

Defn: Like a living being; resembling life; giving an accurate representation; as, a lifelike portrait. — Life"like`ness, n. Poe.

LIFELONG
Life"long, a. Etym: [Life + long. Cf. Livelong.]

Defn: Lasting or continuing through life. Tennyson.

LIFELY
Life"ly, adv. Etym: [Cf. Lively, a.]

Defn: In a lifelike manner. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIFEMATE
Life"mate`, n.

Defn: Companion for life. Hawthorne.

LIFEN
Lif"en, v. t.

Defn: To enliven. [Obs.] Marston.

LIFE-PRESERVER
Life"-pre*serv`er, n.

Defn: An apparatus, made in very various forms, and of various
materials, for saving one from drowning by buoying up the body while
in the water.
— Life"-pre*serv`ing, a.

LIFE-SAVING
Life"-sav`ing, a.

Defn: That saves life, or is suited to save life, esp. from drowning; as, the life-saving service; a life-saving station.

LIFE-SIZE
Life"-size`, a.

Defn: Of full size; of the natural size.

LIFESOME
Life"some, a.

Defn: Animated; sprightly. [Poetic] Coleridge.
— Life"some*ness, n.

LIFESPRING
Life"spring`, n.

Defn: Spring or source of life.

LIFESTRING
Life"string", n.

Defn: A nerve, or string, that is imagined to be essential to life.
Daniel.

LIFETIME
Life"time` (, n.

Defn: The time that life continues.

LIFE-WEARY
Life"-wea`ry, a.

Defn: Weary of living. Shak.

LIFLODE
Lif"lode, n.

Defn: Livelihood. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIFT
Lift, n.Etym: [AS.lyft air. See Loft.]

Defn: The sky; the atmosphere; the firmament. [Obs. or Scot.]

LIFT
Lift, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lifted; p. pr. & vb. n. Lifting.] Etym:
[Icel. lypta, fr. lopt air; akin to Sw.lyfta to lift, Dan. löfte, G.
lüften; — prop., to raise into the air. See Loft, and cf. 1st Lift.]

1. To move in a direction opposite to that of gravitation; to raise; to elevate; to bring up from a lower place to a higher; to upheave; sometimes implying a continued support or holding in the higher place; — said of material things; as, to lift the foot or the hand; to lift a chair or a burden.

2. To raise, elevate, exalt, improve, in rank, condition, estimation, character, etc.; — often with up. The Roman virtues lift up mortal man. Addison. Lest, being lifted up with pride. I Tim. iii. 6.

3. To bear; to support. [Obs.] Spenser.

4. To collect, as moneys due; to raise.

5. Etym: [Perh. a different word, and akin to Goth. hliftus thief, hlifan to steal, L. clepere, Gr. Shoplifter.]

Defn: To steal; to carry off by theft (esp. cattle); as, to lift a drove of cattle.

Note: In old writers, lift is sometimes used for lifted.
He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered. Shak.
To lift up, to raise or elevate; in the Scriptures, specifically, to
elevate upon the cross. John viii. 28.
— To lift up the eyes. To look up; to raise the eyes, as in prayer.
Ps. cxxi. 1.
— To lift up the feet, to come speedily to one's relief. Ps. lxxiv.
3.
— To lift up the hand. (a) To take an oath. Gen. xiv. 22. (b) To
pray. Ps. xxviii. 2. (c) To engage in duty. Heb. xii. 12.
— To lift up the hand against, to rebel against; to assault; to
attack; to injure; to oppress. Job xxxi. 21.
— To lift up one's head, to cause one to be exalted or to rejoice.
Gen. xl. 13. Luke xxi. 28.
— To lift up the heel against, to treat with insolence or
unkindness. John xiii.18.
— To lift up the voice, to cry aloud; to call out. Gen. xxi. 16.

LIFT
Lift, v. i.

1. To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing. Strained by lifting at a weight too heavy. Locke.

2. To rise; to become or appear raised or elevated; as, the fog lifts; the land lifts to a ship approaching it.

3. Etym: [See Lift, v. t., 5.]

Defn: To live by theft. Spenser.

LIFT
Lift, n.

1. Act of lifting; also, that which is lifted.

2. The space or distance through which anything is lifted; as, a long lift. Bacon.

3. Help; assistance, as by lifting; as, to give one a lift in a wagon. [Colloq.] The goat gives the fox a lift. L'Estrange.

4. That by means of which a person or thing lifts or is lifted; as: (a) A hoisting machine; an elevator; a dumb waiter. (b) An exercising machine.

5. A rise; a degree of elevation; as, the lift of a lock in canals.

6. A lift gate. See Lift gate, below. [Prov. Eng.]

7. (Naut.)

Defn: A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below; — used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.

8. (Mach.)

Defn: One of the steps of a cone pulley.

9. (Shoemaking)

Defn: A layer of leather in the heel.

10. (Horology)

Defn: That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the
impulse is given. Saunier. Dead lift. See under Dead. Swift.
— Lift bridge, a kind of drawbridge, the movable part of which is
lifted, instead of being drawn aside.
— Lift gate, a gate that is opened by lifting.
— Lift hammer. See Tilt hammer.
— Lift lock, a canal lock.
— Lift pump, a lifting pump.
— Lift tenter (Windmills), a governor for regulating the speed by
adjusting the sails, or for adjusting the action of grinding
machinery according to the speed.
— Lift wall (Canal Lock), the cross wall at the head of the lock.

LIFTABLE
Lift"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be lifted.

LIFTER
Lift"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, lifts.

2. (Founding)

Defn: A tool for lifting loose sand from the mold; also, a contrivance attached to a cope, to hold the sand together when the cope is lifted.

LIFTING
Lift"ing, a.

Defn: Used in, or for, or by, lifting. Lifting bridge, a lift bridge. — Lifting jack. See 2d Jack, 5. — Lifting machine. See Health lift, under Health. — Lifting pump. (Mach.) (a) A kind of pump having a bucket, or valved piston, instead of a solid piston, for drawing water and lifting it to a high level. (b) A pump which lifts the water only to the top of the pump, or delivers it through a spout; a lift pump. — Lifting rod, a vertical rod lifted by a rock shaft, and imparting motion to a puppet valve; — used in the engines of river steamboats. — Lifting sail (Naut.), one which tends to lift a vessel's bow out of water, as jibs and square foresails.

LIG
Lig, v. i. Etym: [See Lie to be prostrate.]

Defn: To recline; to lie still. [Obs. or Scot.] Chaucer. Spenser.

LIGAMENT Lig"a*ment, n. Etym: [L. ligamentum, fr. ligare to bind; cf. f. ligament. Cf. Lien, n., Ligature.]

1. Anything that ties or unites one thing or part to another; a bandage; a bond. Hawthorne. Interwoven is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts. Washington.

2. (Anat.) (a) A tough band or plate of dense, fibrous, connective tissue or fibrocartilage serving to unite bones or form joints. (b) A band of connective tissue, or a membranous fold, which supports or retains an organ in place; as, the gastrophrenic ligament, connecting the diaphragm and stomach.

LIGAMENTAL; LIGAMENTOUS
Lig`a*men"tal, Lig"a*men"tous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. ligamenteux.]

Defn: Composing a ligament; of the nature of a ligament; binding; as, a strong ligamentous membrane.

LIGAN Li"gan, n.Etym: [Cf. L. ligare to bind, to tie, ligamen band, bandage, E. ligament, or ligsam.] (Law)

Defn: Goods sunk in the sea, with a buoy attached in order that they may be found again. See Jetsam and Flotsam. [Written also lagan.] Blackstone.

LIGATE
Li"gate, v. t. Etym: [L. ligatus, p. p. of ligare.]

Defn: To tie with a ligature; to bind around; to bandage.

LIGATION
Li*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. ligatio, fr. ligare to bind. Cf. Liaison.]

1. The act of binding, or the state of being bound.

2. That which binds; bond; connection. Tied with tape, and sealed at each fold and ligation. Sir W. Scott.

LIGATOR
Li*ga"tor n. Etym: [See Ligate.] (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument for ligating, or for placing and fastening a ligature.

LIGATURE Lig"a*ture, n. Etym: [L. ligatura, fr. ligare, ligatum, to bind: cf. f. ligature. Cf. Ally, League, Legatura, Liable, Legament.]

1. The act of binding.

2. Anything that binds; a band or bandage.

3. (Surg.) (a) A thread or string for tying the blood vessels, particularly the arteries, to prevent hemorrhage. (b) A thread or wire used to remove tumors, etc.

4. The state of being bound or stiffened; stiffness; as, the ligature of a joint.

5. Impotence caused by magic or charms. [Obs.]

6. (Mus.)

Defn: A curve or line connecting notes; a slur.

7. (Print.)

Defn: A double character, or a type consisting of two or more letters or characters united, as æ, fi, ffl.

LIGATURE
Lig"a*ture, v. t. (Surg.)

Defn: To ligate; to tie.

LIGE
Lig"e, v. t. & i.

Defn: To lie; to tell lies. [Obs.]

LIGEANCE
Li"geance, n. Etym: [OF. ligeance, ligance. See Liege.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: The connection between sovereign and subject by which they were mutually bound, the former to protection and the securing of justice, the latter to faithful service; allegiance. [Written also ligeancy and liegance.] Chaucer.

LIGEMENT
Lige"ment, n.

Defn: See Ledgment

LIGGE
Lig"ge, v. i.

Defn: To lie or recline. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIGGER
Lig"ger, n.

1. A baited line attached to a float, for night fishing. See Leger, a.

2. See Ledger, 2.

LIGHT Light, n. Etym: [OE.light, liht, AS. leót; akin to OS. lioht, D. & G. licht, OHG. lioht, Goth. liuhap, Icel. lj, L. lux light, lucere to shine, Gr. ruc to shine. Lucid, Lunar, Luminous, Lynx.]

1. That agent, force, or action in nature by the operation of which upon the organs of sight, objects are rendered visible or luminous.

Note: Light was regarded formerly as consisting of material particles, or corpuscules, sent off in all directions from luminous bodies, and traversing space, in right lines, with the known velocity of about 186,300 miles per second; but it is now generally understood to consist, not in any actual transmission of particles or substance, but in the propagation of vibrations or undulations in a subtile, elastic medium, or ether, assumed to pervade all space, and to be thus set in vibratory motion by the action of luminous bodies, as the atmosphere is by sonorous bodies. This view of the nature of light is known as the undulatory or wave theory; the other, advocated by Newton (but long since abandoned), as the corpuscular, emission, or Newtonian theory. A more recent theory makes light to consist in electrical oscillations, and is known as the electro-magnetic theory of light.

2. That which furnishes, or is a source of, light, as the sun, a star, a candle, a lighthouse, etc. Then he called for a light, and sprang in. Acts xvi. 29. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. Gen. i. 16.

3. The time during which the light of the sun is visible; day; especially, the dawn of day. The murderer, rising with the light, killeth the poor and needy. Job xxiv. 14.

4. The brightness of the eye or eyes. He seemed to find his way without his eyes; For out o'door he went without their helps, And, to the last, bended their light on me. Shak.

5. The medium through which light is admitted, as a window, or window pane; a skylight; in architecture, one of the compartments of a window made by a mullion or mullions. There were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks. I Kings vii.4.

6. Life; existence. O, spring to light, auspicious Babe, be born ! Pope.

7. Open view; a visible state or condition; public observation; publicity. The duke yet would have dark deeds darkly answered; he would never bring them to light. Shak.

8. The power of perception by vision. My strength faileth me; as for the light of my eyes, it also is gone from me. Ps. xxxviii. 10.

9. That which illumines or makes clear to the mind; mental or spiritual illumination; enlightenment; knowledge; information. He shall never know That I had any light of this from thee. Shak.

10. Prosperity; happiness; joy; felicity. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily. Is. lviii. 8.

11. (Paint.)

Defn: The manner in which the light strikes upon a picture; that part of a picture which represents those objects upon which the light is supposed to fall; the more illuminated part of a landscape or other scene; — opposed to shade. Cf. Chiaroscuro.

12. Appearance due to the particular facts and circumstances presented to view; point of view; as, to state things fairly and put them in the right light. Frequent consideration of a thing . . . shows it in its several lights and various ways of appearance. South.

13. One who is conspicuous or noteworthy; a model or example; as, the lights of the age or of antiquity. Joan of Are, A light of ancient France. Tennyson.

14. (Pyrotech.)

Defn: A firework made by filling a case with a substance which burns brilliantly with a white or colored flame; as, a Bengal light.

Note: Light is used figuratively to denote that which resembles physical light in any respect, as illuminating, benefiting, enlightening, or enlivening mankind. Ancient lights (Law), Calcium light, Flash light, etc. See under Ancient, Calcium, etc. — Light ball (Mil.), a ball of combustible materials, used to afford light; — sometimes made so as to fired from a cannon or mortar, or to be carried up by a rocket. — Light barrel (Mil.), an empty power barrel pierced with holes and filled with shavings soaked in pitch, used to light up a ditch or a breach. —Light dues (Com.), tolls levied on ships navigating certain waters, for the maintenance of lighthouses. — Light iron, a candlestick. [Obs.] — Light keeper, a person appointed to take care of a lighthouse or light-ship. — Light money, charges laid by government on shipping entering a port, for the maintenance of lighthouses and light-ships. — The light of the countenance, favor; kindness; smiles. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Ps. iv. 6. — Northern lights. See Aurora borealis, under Aurora. — To bring to light, to cause to be disclosed. — To come to light, to be disclosed. — To see the light, to come into the light; hence, to come into the world or public notice; as, his book never saw the light. — To stand in one's own light, to take a position which is injurious to one's own interest.

LIGHT
Light, a. Etym: [AS. leóht. See Light, n.] [Compar. Lighter; superl.
Lightest.]

1. Having light; not dark or obscure; bright; clear; as, the apartment is light.

2. White or whitish; not intense or very marked; not of a deep shade; moderately colored; as, a light color; a light brown; a light complexion.

LIGHT
Light, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lighted or Lit (p. pr. & vb. n. Lighting.]
Etym: [AS. l, lihtan, to shine. Light, n.]

1. To set fire to; to cause to burn; to set burning; to ignite; to kindle; as, to light a candle or lamp; to light the gas; — sometimes with up. If a thousand candles be all lighted from one. Hakewill. And the largest lamp is lit. Macaulay. Absence might cure it, or a second mistress Light up another flame, and put out this. Addison.

2. To give light to; to illuminate; to fill with light; to spread over with light; — often with up. Ah, hopeless, lasting flames I like those that burn To light the dead. Pope. One hundred years ago, to have lit this theater as brilliantly as it is now lighted would have cost, I suppose, fifty pounds. F. Harrison. The sun has set, and Vesper, to supply His absent beams, has lighted up the sky. Dryden.

3. To attend or conduct with a light; to show the way to by means of
a light.
His bishops lead him forth, and light him on. Landor.
To light a fire, to kindle the material of a fire.

LIGHT
Light, v. i.

1. To become ignited; to take fire; as, the match will not light.

2. To be illuminated; to receive light; to brighten; — with up; as, the room light up very well.

LIGHT Light, a. [Compar. Lighted; superl. Lightest.] Etym: [OE. light, liht, AS. liht, leóht; akin to D. ligt, G. leicht, OHG.lihti, Icel. l, Dan. let, Sw. lätt, Goth. leihts, and perh. to L. levis (cf. Levity), Gr. laghu light.

1. Having little, or comparatively little, weight; not tending to be the center of gravity with force; not heavy. These weights did not exert their natural gravity . . . insomuch that I could not guess which was light or heavy whilst I held them in my hand. Addison.

2. Not burdensome; easy to be lifted, borne, or carried by physical strength; as, a light burden, or load. Ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt. xi. 29. 30.

3. Easy to be endured or performed; not severe; not difficult; as, a light affliction or task. Chaucer. Light sufferings give us leisure to complain. Dryden.

4. Easy to be digested; not oppressive to the stomach; as, light food; also, containing little nutriment.

5. Not heavily armed; armed with light weapons; as, light troops; a troop of light horse.

6. Not encumbered; unembarrassed; clear of impediments; hence, active; nimble; swift. Unmarried men are best friends, best masters . . . but not always best subjects, for they are light to run away. Bacon.

7. Not heavily burdened; not deeply laden; not sufficiently ballasted; as, the ship returned light.

8. Slight; not important; as, a light error. Shak.

9. Well leavened; not heavy; as, light bread.

10. Not copious or heavy; not dense; not inconsiderable; as, a light rain; a light snow; light vapors.

11. Not strong or violent; moderate; as, a light wind.

12. Not pressing heavily or hard upon; hence, having an easy graceful manner; delicate; as, a light touch; a light style of execution.

13. Easy to admit influence; inconsiderate; easily influenced by trifling considerations; unsteady; unsettled; volatile; as, a light, vain person; a light mind. There is no greater argument of a light and inconsiderate person than profanely to scoff at religion. Tillotson.

14. Indulging in, or inclined to, levity; wanting dignity or solemnity; trifling; gay; frivolous; airy; unsubstantial. Seneca can not be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. Shak. Specimens of New England humor laboriously light and lamentably mirthful. Hawthorne.

15. Not quite sound or normal; somewhat impaired or deranged; dizzy; giddy. Are his wits safe Is he not light of brain Shak.

16. Easily bestowed; inconsiderately rendered. To a fair semblance doth light annex. Spenser.

17. Wanton; unchaste; as, a woman of light character. A light wife doth make a heavy husband. Shak.

18. Not of the legal, standard, or usual weight; clipped; diminished; as, light coin.

19. Loose; sandy; easily pulverized; as, a light soil. Light cavalry, Light horse (Mil.), light-armed soldiers mounted on strong and active horses. — Light eater, one who eats but little. — Light infantry, infantry soldiers selected and trained for rapid evolutions. — Light of foot. (a) Having a light step. (b) Fleet. — Light of heart, gay, cheerful. — Light oil (Chem.), the oily product, lighter than water, forming the chief part of the first distillate of coal tar, and consisting largely of benzene and toluene. — Light sails (Naut.), all the sails above the topsails, with, also, the studding sails and flying jib. Dana. — Light sleeper, one easily wakened. — Light weight, a prize fighter, boxer, wrestler, or jockey, who is below a standard medium weight. Cf. Feather weight, under Feather. [Cant] — To make light of, to treat as of little consequence; to slight; to disregard. — To set light by, to undervalue; to slight; to treat as of no importance; to despise.

LIGHT
Light, adv.

Defn: Lightly; cheaply. Hooker.

LIGHT
Light, v. t. Etym: [See Light not heavy, and cf. Light to alight, and
Lighten to make less heavy.]

Defn: To lighten; to ease of a burden; to take off. [Obs.]
From his head the heavy burgonet did light. Spenser.

LIGHT Light, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lighted or Lit (p. pr. & vb. n. Lighting.] Etym: [AS. lihtan to alight orig., to relieve (a horse) of the rider's burden, to make less heavy, fr. liht light. See Light not heavy, and cf. Alight, Lighten to make light.]

1. To dismount; to descend, as from a horse or carriage; to alight; - - with from, off, on, upon, at, in. When she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. Gen. xxiv. 64. Slowly rode across a withered heath, And lighted at a ruined inn. Tennyson.

2. To feel light; to be made happy. [Obs.] It made all their hearts to light. Chaucer.

3. To descend from flight, and rest, perch, or settle, as a bird or
insect.
[The bee] lights on that, and this, and tasteth all. Sir. J. Davies.
On the tree tops a crested peacock lit. Tennyson.

4. To come down suddenly and forcibly; to fall; — with on or upon. On me, me only, as the source and spring Of all corruption, all the blame light due. Milton.

5. To come by chance; to happen; — with on or upon; formerly with into. The several degrees of vision, which the assistance of glasses (casually at first lit on) has taught us to conceive. Locke. They shall light into atheistical company. South. And here we lit on Aunt Elizabeth, And Lilia with the rest. Tennyson.

LIGHTABLE
Light"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be lighted.

LIGHT-ARMED
Light"-armed`, a.

Defn: Armed with light weapons or accouterments.

LIGHT-BOAT
Light"-boat`, n.

Defn: Light-ship.

LIGHTE
Light"e, obs. imp.

Defn: of Light, to alight. Chaucer.

LIGHTEN
Light"en, v. i. Etym: [See Light to alight.]

Defn: To descend; to light.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us. Book of Common Prayer [Eng.
Ed.]

LIGHTEN
Light"en, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lightened; p. pr. & vb. n. Lightening.]
Etym: [OE. lightenen. See Light to kindle, illuminate.]

1. To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to display a flash or flashes of lightning; to flash. This dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars As doth the lion. Shak.

2. To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.

LIGHTEN
Light"en, v. t. Etym: [See Light to illuminate.]

1. To make light or clear; to light; to illuminate; as, to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets. [In this sense less common than light.] A key of fire ran all along the shore, And lightened all the river with a blaze. Dryden.

2. To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten. [In this sense less common than enlighten.] Lighten my spirit with one clear heavenly ray. Sir J. Davies.

3. To emit or disclose in, or as in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning. His eye . . . lightens forth Controlling majesty. Shak.

4. To free from trouble and fill with joy. They looked unto him, were lightened. Ps. xxxiv. 5.

LIGHTEN
Light"en, v. t. Etym: [See Light not heavy.]

1. To make lighter, or less heavy; to reduce in weight; to relieve of part of a load or burden; as, to lighten a ship by unloading; to lighten a load or burden.

2. To make less burdensome or afflictive; to alleviate; as, to lighten the cares of life or the burden of grief.

3. To cheer; to exhilarate. Lighens my humor with his merry jests. Shak.

LIGHTER
Light"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, lights; as, a lighter of lamps.

LIGHTER
Light"er, n. Etym: [D. ligter, fr. ligt light. See Light not heavy.]
(Naut.)

Defn: A large boat or barge, mainly, used in unloading or loading vessels which can not reach the wharves at the place of shipment or delivery. Lighter screw (Mach.), a screw for adjusting the distance between the stones in a grinding mill by raising or lowering the bridgetree.

LIGHTER
Light"er, v. t.

Defn: To convey by a lighter, as to or from the shore; as, to lighter the cargo of a ship.

LIGHTERAGE
Light"er*age, n.

1. The price paid for conveyance of goods on a lighter.

2. The act of unloading into a lighter, or of conveying by a lighter.

LIGHTERMAN
Light"er*man, n.; pl. Lightermen (.

Defn: A person employed on, or who manages, a lighter.

LIGHT-FINGERED
Light"-fin`gered, a.

Defn: Dexterous in taking and conveying away; thievish; pilfering; addicted to petty thefts. Fuller.

LIGHT-FOOT; LIGHT-FOOTED
Light"-foot`, Light"-foot`ed, a.

Defn: Having a light, springy step; nimble in running or dancing; active; as, light-foot Iris. Tennyson.

LIGHTFUL
Light"ful, a.

Defn: Full of light; bright. [R.] "Lightful presence." Marston.

LIGHT-HANDED
Light"-hand`ed, a. (Naut.)

Defn: Not having a full complement of men; as, a vessel light-handed.

LIGHT-HEADED
Light"-head`ed, a.

1. Disordered in the head; dilirious. Walpole.

2. Thoughtless; heedless; volatile; unsteady; fickle; loose. "Light- headed, weak men." Clarendon. — Light"-head`ed*ness, n.

LIGHT-HEARTED
Light"-heart"ed, a.

Defn: Free from grief or anxiety; gay; cheerful; merry.
— Light"-heart`ed*ly, adv.
— Light"-heart"ed*ness, n.

LIGHT-HEELED
Light"-heeled`, a.

Defn: Lively in walking or running; brisk; light-footed.

LIGHT-HORSEMAN
Light"-horse`man, n.; pl. -men (.

1. A soldier who serves in the light horse. See under 5th Light.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A West Indian fish of the genus Ephippus, remarkable for its high dorsal fin and brilliant colors.

LIGHTHOUSE
Light"house` n.; pl.Lighthouses (.

Defn: A tower or other building with a powerful light at top, erected at the entrance of a port, or at some important point on a coast, to serve as a guide to mariners at night; a pharos.

LIGHTING
Light"ing, n. (Metal.)

Defn: A name sometimes applied to the process of annealing metals.

LIGHT-LEGGED
Light"-legged`, a.

Defn: Nimble; swift of foot. Sir P. Sidney.

LIGHTLESS
Light"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of light; dark. Shak.

LIGHTLY
Light"ly, adv.

1. With little weight; with little force; as, to tread lightly; to press lightly. Yet shall thy grave with rising flowers be drest, And the green turf lie lightly on thy breast. Pope. Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear Touched lightly. Milton.

2. Swiftly; nimbly; with agility. So mikle was that barge, it might not lightly sail. R. of Brunne. Watch what thou seest and lightly bring me word. Tennyson.

3. Without deep impression. The soft ideas of the cheerful note, Lightly received, were easily forgot. Prior.

4. In a small degree; slightly; not severely. At the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun . . . and afterward did more grievously afflict her. Is. ix. 1.

5. With little effort or difficulty; easily; readily. That lightly come, shall lightly go. Old Proverb. They come lightly by the malt, and need not spare it. Sir W. Scott.

6. Without reason, or for reasons of little weight. Flatter not the rich, neither do thou willingly or lightly appear before great personages. Jer. Taylor.

7. Commonly; usually. [Obs.] Bp. Fisher. The great thieves of a state are lightly the officers of the crown. B. Jonson.

8. Without dejection; cheerfully. "Seeming to bear it lightly." Shak.

9. Without heed or care; with levity; gayly; airily. Matrimony . . . is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly. Book of Common Prayer [Eng. Ed.].

10. Not chastely; wantonly. Swift.

LIGHTMAN
Light"man, n. ; pl. -men (

Defn: A man who carries or takes care of a light. T. Brown.

LIGHT-MINDED
Light"-mind`ed, a.

Defn: Unsettled; unsteady; volatile; not considerate.
— Light"-mind`ed*ness, n.

LIGHTNESS
Light"ness, n. Etym: [From Light not heavy.]

Defn: The state, condition, or quality, of being light or not heavy; buoyancy; levity; fickleness; delicacy; grace.

Syn. — Levity; volatility; instability; inconstancy; unsteadiness; giddiness; flightiness; airiness; gayety; liveliness; agility; nimbleness; sprightliness; briskness; swiftness; ease; facility.

LIGHTNESS
Light"ness, n. Etym: [From Light bright.]

1. Illumination, or degree of illumination; as, the lightness of a room. Chaucer.

2. Absence of depth or of duskiness in color; as, the lightness of a tint; lightness of complexion.

LIGHTNING
Light"ning, n. Etym: [For lightening, fr. lighten to flash.]

1. A discharge of atmospheric electricity, accompanied by a vivid flash of light, commonly from one cloud to another, sometimes from a cloud to the earth. The sound produced by the electricity in passing rapidly through the atmosphere constitutes thunder.

2. The act of making bright, or the state of being made bright; enlightenment; brightening, as of the mental powers. [R.] Ball lightning, a rare form of lightning sometimes seen as a globe of fire moving from the clouds to the earth. — Chain lightning, lightning in angular, zigzag, or forked flashes. — Heat lightning, more or less vivid and extensive flashes of electric light, without thunder, seen near the horizon, esp. at the close of a hot day. — Lightning arrester (Telegraphy), a device, at the place where a wire enters a building, for preventing injury by lightning to an operator or instrument. It consists of a short circuit to the ground interrupted by a thin nonconductor over which lightning jumps. Called also lightning discharger. — Lightning bug (Zoöl.), a luminous beetle. See Firefly. — Lightning conductor, a lightning rod. — Lightning glance, a quick, penetrating glance of a brilliant eye. — Lightning rod, a metallic rod set up on a building, or on the mast of a vessel, and connected with the earth or water below, for the purpose of protecting the building or vessel from lightning. — Sheet lightning, a diffused glow of electric light flashing out from the clouds, and illumining their outlines. The appearance is sometimes due to the reflection of light from distant flashes of lightning by the nearer clouds.

LIGHTNING
Light"ning, vb. n.

Defn: Lightening. [R.]

LIGHT-O'-LOVE
Light"-o'-love`, n.

1. An old tune of a dance, the name of which made it a proverbial expression of levity, especially in love matters. Nares. "Best sing it to the tune of light-o'-love." Shak.

2. Hence: A light or wanton woman. Beau. & Fl.

LIGHTROOM
Light"room`, n.

Defn: A small room from which the magazine of a naval vessel is lighted, being separated from the magazine by heavy glass windows.

LIGHTS lights, n. pl. Etym: [So called from their lightness.]

Defn: The lungs of an animal or bird; — sometimes coarsely applied to the lungs of a human being.

LIGHT-SHIP
Light"-ship`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: A vessel carrying at the masthead a brilliant light, and moored off a shoal or place of dangerous navigation as a guide for mariners.

LIGHTSOME
Light"some, a.

1. Having light; lighted; not dark or gloomy; bright. White walls make rooms more lightsome than black. Bacon.

2. Gay; airy; cheering; exhilarating. That lightsome affection of joy. Hooker. — Light"some*ly, adv. — Light"some*ness, n. Happiness may walk soberly in dark attire, as well as dance lightsomely in a gala dress. Hawthorne.

LIGHTSTRUCK
Light"*struck`, a. (Photog.)

Defn: Damaged by accidental exposure to light; light-fogged; — said of plates or films.

LIGHTWEIGHT Light"weight`, n. One of less than average weight; specif.: (a) In boxing, wrestling, etc., one weighingnot more than 133 pounds (U. S. amateur rules 135 pounds, Eng. 140 pounds). (b) A person of small impotance or mental ability. [Colloq., Chiefly U. S.]

LIGHTWEIGHT
Light"weight`, a.

Defn: Light in weight, as a coin; specif., applied to a man or animal who is a lightweight.

LIGHT-WINGED
Light"-winged`, a.

Defn: Having light and active wings; volatile; fleeting. Shak.

LIGHTWOOD
Light"wood`, n.

Defn: Pine wood abounding in pitch, used for torches in the Southern United States; pine knots, dry sticks, and the like, for kindling a fire quickly or making a blaze.

LIGHTY
Light"y, a.

Defn: Illuminated. [Obs.] Wyclif.

LIGHT YEAR
Light year. (Astron.)

Defn: The distance over which light can travel in a year's time; — used as a unit in expressing stellar distances. It is more than 63,000 times as great as the distance from the earth to the sun.

LIGN-ALOES Lign`-al"oes, n. Etym: [OE. ligne aloes, fr. L. lignum wood + aloe aloe.]

1. Aloes wood, or agallochum. See Agallochum.

2. A fragrant tree mentioned in the Bible. Num. xxiv. 6.

LIGNEOUS
Lig"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. ligneus, fr. lignum wood. Cf. Lignous.]

Defn: Made of wood; consisting of wood; of the nature of, or
resembling, wood; woody.
It should be tried with shoots of vines and roots of red roses; for
it may be they, being of a moreligneous nature, will incorporate with
the tree itself. Bacon.
Ligneous marble, wood coated or prepared so as to resemble marble.

LIGNIFEROUS Lig*nif`er*ous, a. Etym: [L. lignifer; lignum wood + ferre to bear: cf. F. lignifère.]

Defn: Yielding or producing wood.

LIGNIFICATION
Lig`ni*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lignification. See Lignify.]
(Bot.)

Defn: A change in the character of a cell wall, by which it becomes harder. It is supposed to be due to an incrustation of lignin.

LIGNIFORM
Lig"ni*form, a. Etym: [L. lignum wood + -form: cf. F. ligniforme.]

Defn: Like wood.

LIGNIFY
Lig"ni*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lignified; p. pr. & vb. n.
Lignifying.] Etym: [L. lignum wood + -fy: cf. F. lignifier.] (Bot.)

Defn: To convert into wood or into a ligneous substance.

LIGNIFY
Lig"ni*fy, v. i. (Bot.)

Defn: To become wood.

LIGNIN
Lig"nin, n. Etym: [L. lignum wood: cf. F. lignine.] (Bot.)

Defn: A substance characterizing wood cells and differing from cellulose in its conduct with certain chemical reagents.

Note: Recent authors have distinguished four forms of this substance, naming them lignose, lignin, lignone, and lignireose.

LIGNIPERDOUS
Lig`ni*per"dous, a. Etym: [L. lignum wood + perdere to destroy: cf.
F. ligniperde.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Wood-destroying; — said of certain insects.

LIGNIREOSE
Lig*nir"e*ose`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Lignin.

LIGNITE
Lig"nite, n. Etym: [L. lignum wood: cf. F. lignite.] (Min.)

Defn: Mineral coal retaining the texture of the wood from which it was formed, and burning with an empyreumatic odor. It is of more recent origin than the anthracite and bituminous coal of the proper coal series. Called also brown coal, wood coal.

LIGNITIC
Lig*nit"ic, a.

Defn: Containing lignite; resembling, or of the nature of, lignite; as, lignitic clay. Lignitic group. See Laramie group.

LIGNITIFEROUS
Lig`ni*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Lignite + -ferous.]

Defn: Producing or containing lignite; lignitic.

LIGNOCERIC
Lig`no*cer"ic, a. Etym: [L. lignum wood + cera wax.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid of the formic acid series, found in the tar, wax, or paraffine obtained by distilling certain kinds of wood, as the beech.

LIGNONE
Lig"none`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Lignin.

LIGNOSE; LIGNOUS Lig*nose`, Lig"nous, a. Etym: [L. lignosus, fr. lignum wood: cf. F. ligneux. Cf. Ligneous.]

Defn: Ligneous. [R.] Evelyn.

LIGNOSE
Lig"nose`, n.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: See Lignin.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: An explosive compound of wood fiber and nitroglycerin. See
Nitroglycerin.

LIGNUM RHODIUM
Lig"num rho"di*um. Etym: [NL., fr. L. lignum wood + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The fragrant wood of several shrubs and trees, especially of species of Rhodorhiza from the Canary Islands, and of the West Indian Amyris balsamifera.

LIGNUM-VITAE Lig"num-vi"tae, n. Etym: [L., wood of life; lignum wood + vita, genitive vitæ, life.] (Bot.)

Defn: A tree (Guaiacum officinale) found in the warm latitudes of America, from which the guaiacum of medicine is procured. Its wood is very hard and heavy, and is used for various mechanical purposes, as for the wheels of ships' blocks, cogs, bearings, and the like. See Guaiacum.

Note: In New Zealand the Metrosideros buxifolia is called lignum- vitæ, and in Australia a species of Acacia. The bastard lignum-vitæ is a West Indian tree (Sarcomphalus laurinus).

LIGROIN
Lig"ro*in, n.

Defn: A trade name applied somewhat indefinitely to some of the volatile products obtained in refining crude petroleum. It is a complex and variable mixture of several hydrocarbons, generally boils below 170º Fahr., and is more inflammable than safe kerosene. It is used as a solvent, as a carburetant for air gas, and for illumination in special lamps.

LIGSAM
Lig"sam, n. Etym: [Cf. D. liggen to lie, E. lie to be prostrate, and
E. flotsam, jetsam, or ligan.]

Defn: Same as Ligan. Brande & C.

LIGULA
Lig"u*la, n.; pl. L. Ligulæ, E. Ligulas. Etym: [L., a little tongue.
See Ligule.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: See Ligule.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) The central process, or front edge, of the labium of insects. It sometimes serves as a tongue or proboscis, as in bees. [See Illust. under Labium, and Hymenoptera.] (b) A tongue-shaped lobe of the parapodia of annelids. See Parapodium.

LIGULATE; LIGULATED Lig"u*late, Lig"u*la`ted, a. Etym: [Cf. F. ligulé. See Ligule, and cf. Lingulate.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Like a bandage, or strap; strap-shaped.

2. Composed of ligules. Ligulate flower, a species of compound flower, the florets of which have their corollets flat, spreading out toward the end, with the base only tubular.

LIGULE Lig"ule, n. Etym: [L.ligula, little tongue, dim of lingua tongue : cf. F. ligule.]

1. (Bot.) (a) The thin and scarious projection from the upper end of the sheath of leaf of grass. (b) A strap-shaped corolla of flowers of Compositæ.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: A band of white matter in the wall of fourth ventricle of the brain.

LIGULIFLOROUS
Lig`u*li*flo"rous, a. Etym: [Ligule + L. flos, floris, a flower.]
(Bot.)

Defn: Bearing only ligulate flowers; — said of a large suborder of composite plants, such as the dandelion, hawkweed, etc.

LIGURE
Lig"ure, n. Etym: [L. ligurius, Gr. leshem.]

Defn: A kind of precious stone.
The third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. Ex. xxviii. 19.

LIGUSTRIN
Li*gus"trin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A bitter principle found in the bark of the privet (Ligustrum vulgare), and extracted as a white crystalline substance with a warm, bitter taste; — called also ligustron.

LIKABLE
Lik"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be liked; such as to attract liking; as, a likable person. Thackeray.

LIKE Like, a. [Compar. Liker; superl. Likest.] Etym: [OE. lik, ilik, gelic, AS. gelic, fr. pref. ge- + lic body, and orig. meaning, having the same body, shape, or appearance, and hence, like; akin to OS. gilik, D. gelijk, G. gleich, OHG. gilih, Icel. likr, glikr, Dan. lig, Sw. lik, Goth. galeiks, OS. lik body, D. lijk, G. leiche, Icel. lik, Sw. lik, Goth. leik. The English adverbial ending-ly is from the same adjective. Cf. Each, Such, Which.]

1. Having the same, or nearly the same, appearance, qualities, or characteristics; resembling; similar to; similar; alike; — often with in and the particulars of the resemblance; as, they are like each other in features, complexion, and many traits of character. 'The as like you As cherry is to cherry. Shak. Like master, like man. Old Prov. He giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes. Ps. cxlvii. 16.

Note: To, which formerly often followed like, is now usually omitted.

2. Equal, or nearly equal; as, fields of like extent. More clergymen were impoverished by the late war than ever in the like space before. Sprat.

3. Having probability; affording probability; probable; likely. [Likely is more used now.] Shak. But it is like the jolly world about us will scoff at the paradox of these practices. South. Many were not easy to be governed, nor like to conform themselves to strict rules. Clarendon.

4. Inclined toward; disposed to; as, to feel like taking a walk. Had like (followed by the infinitive), had nearly; came little short of. Had like to have been my utter overthrow. Sir W. Raleigh Ramona had like to have said the literal truth, . . . but recollected herself in time. Mrs. H. H. Jackson. Like figures (Geom.), similar figures.

Note: Like is used as a suffix, converting nouns into adjectives expressing resemblance to the noun; as, manlike, like a man; childlike, like a child; godlike, like a god, etc. Such compounds are readily formed whenever convenient, and several, as crescentlike, serpentlike, hairlike, etc., are used in this book, although, in some cases, not entered in the vocabulary. Such combinations as bell-like, ball-like, etc., are hyphened.

LIKE
Like, n.

1. That which is equal or similar to another; the counterpart; an exact resemblance; a copy. He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again. Shak.

2. A liking; a preference; inclination; — usually in pl.; as, we all have likes and dislikes.

LIKE
Like, adv. Etym: [AS. gelice. See Like, a.]

1. In a manner like that of; in a manner similar to; as, do not act like him. He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. Job xii. 25.

Note: Like, as here used, is regarded by some grammarians as a preposition.

2. In a like or similar manner. Shak. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Ps. ciii. 13.

3. Likely; probably. "Like enough it will." Shak.

LIKE Like, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Liked; p. pr. & vb. n. Liking.] Etym: [OE. liken to please, AS. lician, gelician, fr.gelic. See Like, a.]

1. To suit; to please; to be agreeable to. [Obs.] Cornwall him liked best, therefore he chose there. R. of Gloucester. I willingly confess that it likes me much better when I find virtue in a fair lodging than when I am bound to seek it in an ill-favored creature. Sir P. Sidney.

2. To be pleased with in a moderate degree; to approve; to take satisfaction in; to enjoy. He proceeded from looking to liking, and from liking to loving. Sir P. Sidney.

3. To liken; to compare.[Obs.] Like me to the peasant boys of France. Shak.

LIKE
Like, v. i.

1. To be pleased; to choose. He may either go or stay, as he best likes. Locke.

2. To have an appearance or expression; to look; to seem to be (in a specified condition). [Obs.] You like well, and bear your years very well. Shak.

3. To come near; to avoid with difficulty; to escape narrowly; as, he liked to have been too late. Cf. Had like, under Like, a. [Colloq.] He probably got his death, as he liked to have done two years ago, by viewing the troops for the expedition from the wall of Kensington Garden. Walpole. To like of, to be pleased with. [Obs.] Massinger.

LIKEABLE
Like"a*ble (lik"a*b'l), a.

Defn: See Likable.

LIKEHOOD
Like"hood, n.

Defn: Likelihood. [Obs.] South.

LIKELIHOOD
Like"li*hood, n. Etym: [Likely + -hood.]

1. Appearance; show; sign; expression. [Obs.] What of his heart perceive you in his face By any likelihood he showed to-day Shak.

2. Likeness; resemblance. [Obs.] There is no likelihood between pure light and black darkness, or between righteousness and reprobation. Sir W. Raleigh.

3. Appearance of truth or reality; probability; verisimilitude. Tennyson.

LIKELINESS
Like"li*ness, n.

1. Likelihood; probability.

2. Suitableness; agreeableness. [Obs.]

LIKELY Like"ly, a. [Compar. Likelier; superl. Likeliest.] Etym: [That is, like-like. See Like, a.]

1. Worthy of belief; probable; credible; as, a likely story. It seems likely that he was in hope of being busy and conspicuous. Johnson.

2. Having probability; having or giving reason to expect; — followed by the infinitive; as, it is likely to rain.

3. Similar; like; alike. [Obs.] Spenser.

4. Such as suits; good-looking; pleasing; agreeable; handsome. Shak. Milton.

5. Having such qualities as make success probable; well adapted to the place; promising; as, a likely young man; a likely servant.

LIKELY
Like"ly, adv.

Defn: In all probability; probably. While man was innocent he was likely ignorant of nothing that imported him to know. Glanvill.

LIKE-MINDED
Like"-mind`ed, a.

Defn: Having a like disposition or purpose; of the same mind.
Tillotson.

LIKEN
Lik"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Likened; p. pr. & vb. n. Likening.] Etym:
[OE. liknen. See Like, a.]

1. To allege, or think, to be like; to represent as like; to compare; as, to liken life to a pilgrimage. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. Matt. vii. 24.

2. To make or cause to be like. [R.] Brougham.

LIKENESS
Like"ness, n. Etym: [AS. gelicnes.]

1. The state or quality of being like; similitude; resemblance; similarity; as, the likeness of the one to the other is remarkable.

2. Appearance or form; guise. An enemy in the likeness of a friend. L'Estrange.

3. That which closely resembles; a portrait. [How he looked] the likenesses of him which still remain enable us to imagine. Macaulay.

4. A comparison; parable; proverb. [Obs.] He said to them, Soothly ye shall say to me this likeness, Leech, heal thyself. Wyclif (Luke iv. 23).

Syn. — Similarity; parallel; similitude; representation; portrait; effigy.

LIKEROUS; LIKEROUSNESS
Lik"er*ous, a., Lik"er*ous*ness, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Lickerish, Lickerishness. Chaucer.

LIKEWISE
Like"wise`, adv. & conj. Etym: [See Wise, n.]

Defn: In like manner; also; moreover; too. See Also.
Go, and do thou likewise. Luke x. 37.
For he seeth that wise men die; likewise the fool and the brutish
person perish. Ps. xlix. 10.

LIKIN Li"kin`, n. [Written also lekin.] [ Chin. li kin; li the thousandth part of a tael + kin money.]

Defn: A Chinese provincial tax levied at many inland stations upon imports or articles in transit.

"Likin," which used to be regarded as illegal, as one of the many, "squeezes" imposed by the mandarins, is, in Jamieson's opinion, just as legal as any other form of taxation. A. R. Colquhoun.

LIKING
Lik"ing, p. a.

Defn: Looking; appearing; as, better or worse liking. See Like, to
look. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are
of your sort Dan. i. 10.

LIKING
Lik"ing, n.

1. The state of being pleasing; a suiting. See On liking, below. [Obs. or Prov. End.]

2. The state of being pleased with, or attracted toward, some thing or person; hence, inclination; desire; pleasure; preference; — often with for, formerly with to; as, it is an amusement I have no liking for. If the human intellect hath once taken a liking to any doctrine, . . . it draws everything else into harmony with that doctrine, and to its support. Bacon.

3. Appearance; look; figure; state of body as to health or condition. [Archaic] I shall think the worse of fat men, as long as I have an eye to make difference of men's liking. Shak. Their young ones are in good liking. Job. xxxix. 4. On liking, on condition of being pleasing to or suiting; also, on condition of being pleased with; as, to hold a place of service on liking; to engage a servant on liking. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Would he be the degenerate scion of that royal line . . . to be a king on liking and on sufferance Hazlitt.

LILAC Li"lac, n. [Also lilach.] Etym: [Sp. lilac, lila, Ar.lilak, fr. Per. lilaj, lilanj, lilang, nilaj, nil, the indigo plant, or from the kindred lilak bluish, the flowers being named from the color. Cf. Anil.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A shrub of the genus Syringa. There are six species, natives of Europe and Asia. Syringa vulgaris, the common lilac, and S. Persica, the Persian lilac, are frequently cultivated for the fragrance and beauty of their purplish or white flowers. In the British colonies various other shrubs have this name.

2. A light purplish color like that of the flower of the purplish lilac. California lilac (Bot.), a low shrub with dense clusters of purplish flowers (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus).

LILACIN
Lil"a*cin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Syringin.

LILIACEOUS Lil`i*a"ceous, a. Etym: [L. liliaceus, fr. lilium lily. See Lily.] (Bot.) (a) Of or pertaining to a natural order of which the lily, tulip, and hyacinth are well-known examples. (b) Like the blossom of a lily in general form.

LILIAL
Lil"i*al, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a general resemblance to lilies or to liliaceous plants.

LILIED
Lil"ied, a.

Defn: Covered with, or having many, lilies.
By sandy Ladon's lilied banks. Milton.

LILL
Lill, v. i.

Defn: To loll. [Obs. or Prov.] Spenser.

LILLIPUTIAN
Lil`li*pu"tian, n.

1. One belonging to a very diminutive race described in Swift's "Voyage to Lilliput."

2. Hence:

Defn: A person or thing of very small size.

LILLIPUTIAN
Lil`li*pu"tian, a.

1. Of or having to the imaginary island of Lilliput described by Swift, or to its inhabitants.

2. Hence:

Defn: Of very small size; diminutive; dwarfed.

LILLY-PILLY
Lil"ly-pil`ly, n. (Bot.)

Defn: An Australian myrtaceous tree (Eugenia Smithii), having smooth ovate leaves, and panicles of small white flowers. The wood is hard and fine-grained.

LILT
Lilt, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Norw. lilla, lirla, to sing in a high tone.]

1. To do anything with animation and quickness, as to skip, fly, or hop. [Prov. Eng.] Wordsworth.

2. To sing cheerfully. [Scot.]

LILT
Lilt, v. t.

Defn: To utter with spirit, animation, or gayety; to sing with spirit
and liveliness.
A classic lecture, rich in sentiment, With scraps of thundrous epic
lilted out By violet-hooded doctors. Tennyson.

LILT
Lilt, n.

1. Animated, brisk motion; spirited rhythm; sprightliness. The movement, the lilt, and the subtle charm of the verse. F. Harrison.

2. A lively song or dance; a cheerful tune. The housewife went about her work, or spun at her wheel, with a lilt upon her lips. J. C. Shairp.

LILY Lil"y, n.; pl. Lilies. Etym: [AS. lilie, L. lilium, Gr. Flower-de- luce.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant and flower of the genus Lilium, endogenous bulbous plants, having a regular perianth of six colored pieces, six stamens, and a superior three-celled ovary.

Note: There are nearly fifty species, all found in the North Temperate zone. Lilium candidum and L. longiflorum are the common white lilies of gardens; L. Philadelphicum is the wild red lily of the Atlantic States. L. Chalcedonicum is supposed to be the "lily of the field" in our Lord's parable; L. auratum is the great gold-banded lily of Japan.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to handsome flowering plants of several genera, having some resemblance in color or form to a true lily, as Pancratium, Crinum, Amaryllis, Nerine, etc.

3. That end of a compass needle which should point to the north; — so called as often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de- lis. But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west. Sir T. Browne. African lily (Bot.), the blue-flowered Agapanthus umbellatus. — Atamasco lily (Bot.), a plant of the genus Zephyranthes (Z. Atamasco), having a white and pink funnelform perianth, with six petal-like divisions resembling those of a lily. Gray. — Blackberry lily (Bot.), the Pardanthus Chinensis, the black seeds of which form a dense like a blackberry. — Bourbon lily (Bot.), Lilium candidum. See Illust. — Butterfly lily. (Bot.) Same as Mariposa lily, in the Vocabulary. — Lily daffodil (Bot.), a plant of the genus Narcissus, and its flower. — Lily encrinite (Paleon.), a fossil encrinite, esp. Encrinus liliiformis. See Encrinite. — Lily hyacinth (Bot.), a plant of the genus Hyacinthus. — Lily iron, a kind of harpoon with a detachable head of peculiar shape, used in capturing swordfish. — Lily of the valley (Bot.), a low perennial herb (Convallaria majalis), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers. — Lily pad, the large floating leaf of the water lily. [U. S.] Lowell. — Tiger lily (Bot.), Lilium tigrinum, the sepals of which are blotched with black. — Turk's-cap lily (Bot.) Lilium Martagon, a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily, L. superbum. — Water lily (Bot.), the Nymphæa, a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [See Illust. of Nymphæa.]

LILY-HANDED
Lil"y-hand`ed, a.

Defn: Having white, delicate hands.

LILY-LIVERED
Lil"y-liv`ered, a.

Defn: White-livered; cowardly.

LILYWORT
Lil"y*wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the Lily family or order. Lindley.

LIM
Lim, n. Etym: [See Limb.]

Defn: A limb. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIMA
Li"ma, n.

Defn: The capital city of Peru, in South America. Lima bean. (Bot.) (a) A variety of climbing or pole bean (Phaseolus lunatus), which has very large flattish seeds. (b) The seed of this plant, much used for food. — Lima wood (Bot.), the beautiful dark wood of the South American tree Cæsalpinia echinata.

LIMACEOUS Li*ma"ceous, a. Etym: [L. limax, limacis, slug, snail: cf. F. limacé.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or like, Limax, or the slugs.

LIMACINA
Lim`a*ci"na, n. Etym: [NL., From L. limax, limacis, a slug.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of small spiral pteropods, common in the Arctic and
Antarctic seas. It contributes to the food of the right whales.

LIMACON
Li`ma`con", n. Etym: [F. limacon, lit., a snail.] (Geom.)

Defn: A curve of the fourth degree, invented by Pascal. Its polar equation is r = a cos + b.

LIMAILLE
Li"maille, n. Etym: [F., fr. limer to file. See Limation.]

Defn: Filings of metal. [Obs.] "An ounce . . . of silver lymaille."
Chaucer.

LIMAN
Li"man, n. Etym: [F. limon, fr. L. limus slime.]

Defn: The deposit of slime at the mouth of a river; slime.

LIMATION Li*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. limatus, p. p. of limare to file, fr. lima file : cf. F. limation.]

Defn: The act of filing or polishing.

LIMATURE
Li"ma*ture, n. Etym: [L. limatura. See Limation.]

1. The act of filing.

2. That which is filed off; filings. Johnson.

LIMAX
Li"max, n. Etym: [L.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of airbreathing mollusks, including the common garden slugs. They have a small rudimentary shell. The breathing pore is on the right side of the neck. Several species are troublesome in gardens. See Slug.

LIMB Limb, n. Etym: [OE. lim, AS. lim; akin to Icel. limr limb, lim branch of a tree, Sw. & Dan. lem limb; cf. also AS. li, OHG. lid, gilid, G. glied, Goth. lipus. Cf. Lith, Limber.]

1. A part of a tree which extends from the trunk and separates into branches and twigs; a large branch.

2. An arm or a leg of a human being; a leg, arm, or wing of an animal. A second Hector for his grim aspect, And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. Shak.

3. A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else. Shak. That little limb of the devil has cheated the gallows. Sir W. Scott.

4. An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock. Limb of the law, a lawyer or an officer of the law. [Colloq.] Landor.

LIMB
Limb, v. t.

1. To supply with limbs. [R.] Milton.

2. To dismember; to tear off the limbs of.

LIMB
Limb, n. Etym: [L. limbus border. Cf. Limbo, Limbus.]

Defn: A border or edge, in certain special uses. (a) (Bot.) The border or upper spreading part of a monopetalous corolla, or of a petal, or sepal; blade. (b) (Astron.) The border or edge of the disk of a heavenly body, especially of the sun and moon. (c) The graduated margin of an arc or circle, in an instrument for measuring angles.

LIMBAT
Lim"bat, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: A cooling periodical wind in the Isle of Cyprus, blowing from the northwest from eight o'clock, A. M., to the middle of the day or later.

LIMBATE
Lim"bate, a. Etym: [L. limbatus, fr. limbus border, edge. See
Limbus.] (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Bordered, as when one color is surrounded by an edging of another.

LIMBEC
Lim"bec, n. Etym: [Abbrev. of alembic.]

Defn: An alembic; a still. [Obs.] Spenser. Shak.

LIMBEC
Lim"bec, v. t.

Defn: To distill. [Obs.] Dryden.

LIMBED
Limbed, a.

Defn: Having limbs; — much used in composition; as, large-limbed;
short-limbed.
Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms, Limbed and full grown.
Milton.

LIMBER Lim"ber, n. Etym: [For limmer, Icel. limar branches, boughs, pl. of lim; akin to E. limb. See Limb a branch.]

1. pl.

Defn: The shafts or thills of a wagon or carriage. [Prov. Eng.]

2. (Mil.)

Defn: The detachable fore part of a gun carriage, consisting of two wheels, an axle, and a shaft to which the horses are attached. On top is an ammunition box upon which the cannoneers sit.

3. pl. (Naut.)

Defn: Gutters or conduits on each side of the keelson to afford a passage for water to the pump well. Limber boards (Naut.), short pieces of plank forming part of the lining of a ship's floor immediately above the timbers, so as to prevent the limbers from becoming clogged. — Limber box or chest (Mil.), a box on the limber for carrying ammunition. — Limber rope, Limber chain or Limber clearer (Naut.), a rope or chain passing through the limbers of a ship, by which they may be cleared of dirt that chokes them. Totten. — Limber strake (Shipbuilding), the first course of inside planking next the keelson.

LIMBER
Lim"ber v. t. [imp. & p. p. Limbered; p. pr. & vb. n. Limbering.]
(Mil.)

Defn: To attach to the limber; as, to limber a gun. To limber up, to change a gun carriage into a four-wheeled vehicle by attaching the limber.

LIMBER
Lim"ber, a. Etym: [Akin to lim, a. Limp, a.]

Defn: Easily bent; flexible; pliant; yielding. Milton.
The bargeman that doth row with long and limber oar. Turbervile.

LIMBER
Lim"ber, v. t.

Defn: To cause to become limber; to make flexible or pliant.
Richardson.

LIMBERNESS
Lim"ber*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being limber; flexibleness. Boyle.

LIMBLESS
Limb"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of limbs.

LIMBMEAL
Limb"meal`, adv. Etym: [See Limb, and Piecemeal.]

Defn: Piecemeal. [Obs.] "To tear her limbmeal." Shak.

LIMBO; LIMBUS Lim"bo, Lim"bus, n. Etym: [L. limbus border, edge in limbo on the border. Cf. Limb border.]

1. (Scholastic Theol.)

Defn: An extramundane region where certain classes of souls were
supposed to await the judgment.
As far from help as Limbo is from bliss. Shak.
A Limbo large and broad, since called The Paradise of fools. Milton.

Note: The limbus patrum was considered as a place for the souls of good men who lived before the coming of our Savior. The limbus infantium was said to be a similar place for the souls of unbaptized infants. To these was added, in the popular belief, the limbus fatuorum, or fool's paradise, regarded as a receptacle of all vanity and nonsense.

2. Hence: Any real or imaginary place of restraint or confinement; a prison; as, to put a man in limbo.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: A border or margin; as, the limbus of the cornea. Etym: Jamaican E limba to bend, fr. E. limber (1950)]. Often performed at celebrations, such as weddings. (1950-1996)

LIMBOUS
Lim"bous, a. Etym: [See Limbus.] (Anat.)

Defn: With slightly overlapping borders; — said of a suture.

LIMBURG CHEESE; LIMBURGER; LIMBURGER CHEESE
Lim"burg cheese, Lim"burg*er, n., Lim"burg*er cheese.

Defn: A soft cheese made in the Belgian province of Limburg (Limbourg), and usually not eaten until the curing has developed a peculiar and, to most people, unpleasant odor.

LIME
Lime, n. Etym: [See Leam a string.]

Defn: A thong by which a dog is led; a leash. Halliwell.

LIME
Lime, n. Etym: [Formerly line, for earlier lind. See Linden.] (Bot.)

Defn: The linden tree. See Linden.

LIME
Lime, n. Etym: [F. lime; of Persian origin. See Lemon.] (Bot.)