L (continued 5)

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.