L (continued 6)

3. To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition; as, to lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open; to lie hid; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves; the paper does not lie smooth on the wall.

4. To be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist; — with in. Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances. Collier. He that thinks that diversion may not lie in hard labor, forgets the early rising and hard riding of huntsmen. Locke.

5. To lodge; to sleep. Whiles I was now trifling at home, I saw London, . . . where I lay one night only. Evelyn. Mr. Quinion lay at our house that night. Dickens.

6. To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest. The wind is loud and will not lie. Shak.

7. (Law)

Defn: To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained. "An appeal lies in this case." Parsons.

Note: Through ignorance or carelessness speakers and writers often confuse the forms of the two distinct verbs lay and lie. Lay is a transitive verb, and has for its preterit laid; as, he told me to lay it down, and I laid it down. Lie is intransitive, and has for its preterit lay; as, he told me to lie down, and I lay down. Some persons blunder by using laid for the preterit of lie; as, he told me to lie down, and I laid down. So persons often say incorrectly, the ship laid at anchor; they laid by during the storm; the book was laying on the shelf, etc. It is only necessary to remember, in all such cases, that laid is the preterit of lay, and not of lie. To lie along the shore (Naut.), to coast, keeping land in sight. — To lie at the door of, to be imputable to; as, the sin, blame, etc., lies at your door. — To lie at the heart, to be an object of affection, desire, or anxiety. Sir W. Temple. — To lie at the mercy of, to be in the power of. — To lie by. (a) To remain with; to be at hand; as, he has the manuscript lying by him. (b) To rest; to intermit labor; as, we lay by during the heat of the day. — To lie hard or heavy, to press or weigh; to bear hard. — To lie in, to be in childbed; to bring forth young. — To lie in one, to be in the power of; to belong to. "As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Rom. xii. 18. — To lie in the way, to be an obstacle or impediment. — To lie in wait , to wait in concealment; to lie in ambush. — To lie on or upon. (a) To depend on; as, his life lies on the result. (b) To bear, rest, press, or weigh on. — To lie low, to remain in concealment or inactive. [Slang] — To lie on hand, To lie on one's hands, to remain unsold or unused; as, the goods are still lying on his hands; they have too much time lying on their hands. — To lie on the head of, to be imputed to. What he gets more of her than sharp words, let it lie on my head. Shak. — To lie over. (a) To remain unpaid after the time when payment is due, as a note in bank. (b) To be deferred to some future occasion, as a resolution in a public deliberative body. — To lie to (Naut.), to stop or delay; especially, to head as near the wind as possible as being the position of greatest safety in a gale; — said of a ship. Cf. To bring to, under Bring. — To lie under, to be subject to; to suffer; to be oppressed by. — To lie with. (a) To lodge or sleep with. (b) To have sexual intercourse with. (c) To belong to; as, it lies with you to make amends.

LIE Lie, n.

Defn: The position or way in which anything lies; the lay, as of land or country. J. H. Newman. He surveyed with his own eyes . . . the lie of the country on the side towards Thrace. Jowett (Thucyd.).

LIEBERKUHN; LIEBERKUEHN Lie"ber*kühn, n. Etym: [Named after a German physician and instrument maker, J. n. Lieberkühn.] (Optics)

Defn: A concave metallic mirror attached to the object-glass end of a microscope, to throw down light on opaque objects; a reflector.

LIEBERKUHN'S GLANDS; LIEBERKUEHN'S GLANDS Lie"ber*kühn's glands`. Etym: [See Lieberkühn.] (Anat.)

Defn: The simple tubular glands of the small intestines; — called also crypts of Lieberkühn.

LIED Lied, n. ; pl. Lieder. Etym: [G.] (Mus.)

Defn: A lay; a German song. It differs from the French chanson, and the Italian canzone, all three being national. The German Lied is perhaps the most faithful reflection of the national sentiment. Grove.

LIEDERKRANZ Lie"der*kranz, n. [G. See Lied, and Grants.] (Mus.)

Defn: Lit., wreath of songs; — used as the title of a group of songs, and esp. as the common name for German vocal clubs of men.

LIEDERTAFEL Lie"der*ta`fel, n. Etym: [G., lit., a song table.] (Mus.)

Defn: A popular name for any society or club which meets for the practice of male part songs.

LIEF Lief, n.

Defn: Same as Lif.

LIEF Lief, a. [Written also lieve.] Etym: [OE. leef, lef, leof, AS. leóf; akin to OS.liof, OFries. liaf, D. lief, G. lieb, OHG. liob, Icel. lj, Sw.ljuf, Goth. liubs, and E. love. sq. root124. See Love, and cf. Believe, Leave, n., Furlough, Libidinous.]

1. Dear; beloved. [Obs., except in poetry.] "My liefe mother." Chaucer. "My liefest liege." Shak. As thou art lief and dear. Tennyson.

2.

Note: (Used with a form of the verb to be, and the dative of the personal pronoun.)

Defn: Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable; preferable. [Obs.] See Lief, adv., and Had as lief, under Had. Full lief me were this counsel for to hide. Chaucer. Death me liefer were than such despite. Spenser.

3. Willing; disposed. [Obs.] I am not lief to gab. Chaucer. He up arose, however lief or loth. Spenser.

LIEF Lief, n.

Defn: A dear one; a sweetheart. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIEF Lief, adv.

Defn: Gladly; willingly; freely; — now used only in the phrases, had as lief, and would as lief; as, I had, or would, as lief go as not. All women liefest would Be sovereign of man's love. Gower. I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines. Shak. Far liefer by his dear hand had I die. Tennyson.

Note: The comparative liefer with had or would, and followed by the infinitive, either with or without the sign to, signifies prefer, choose as preferable, would or had rather. In the 16th century rather was substituted for liefer in such constructions in literary English, and has continued to be generally so used. See Had as lief, Had rather, etc. , under Had.

LIEFSOME Lief"some, a.

Defn: Pleasing; delightful. [Obs.]

LIEGANCE Lieg"ance, n.

Defn: Same as Ligeance.

LIEGE Liege, a. Etym: [OE. lige, lege, F. lige, LL. ligius, legius, liege, unlimited, complete, prob. of German origin; cf. G. ledig free from bonds and obstacles, MHG. ledec, ledic, lidic, freed, loosed, and Charta Ottonis de Benthem, ann. ligius homo quod Teutonicè dicitur ledigman," i. e., uni soli homagio obligatus, free from all obligations to others; influenced by L.ligare to bind. G. ledig perh. orig. meant, free to go where one pleases, and is perh. akin to E.lead to conduct. Cf. Lead to guide.]

1. Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to allegiance; as, a liege lord. Chaucer. She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave; And he, he reverenced his liege lady there. Tennyson.

2. serving an independent sovereign or master; bound by a feudal tenure; obliged to be faithful and loyal to a superior, as a vassal to his lord; faithful; loyal; as, a liege man; a liege subject.

3. (Old Law)

Defn: Full; perfect; complete; pure. Burrill. Liege homage (Feudal Custom), that homage of one sovereign or prince to another which acknowledged an obligation of fealty and services. — Liege poustie Etym: [L. legitima potestas] (Scots Law), perfect, i. e., legal, power; specif., having health requisite to do legal acts. — Liege widowhood, perfect, i. e., pure, widowhood. [Obs.]

LIEGE Liege, n.

1. A free and independent person; specif., a lord paramount; a sovereign. Mrs. Browning. The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans, Liege of all loiterers and malcontents. Shak.

2. The subject of a sovereign or lord; a liegeman. A liege lord seems to have been a lord of a free band; and his lieges, though serving under him, were privileged men, free from all other obligations, their name being due to their freedom, not to their service. Skeat.

LIEGEMAN Liege"man, n.; pl. Liegemen (.

Defn: Same as Liege, n., 2. Chaucer. Spenser.

LIEGER Lie"ger, n. Etym: [See Leger, Ledger.]

Defn: A resident ambassador. [Obs.] See Leger. Denham.

LIEGIANCY Lie"gian*cy, n.

Defn: See Ligeance.

LIEN Li"en, obs. p. p.

Defn: of Lie. See lain. Ps. lxviii. 13.

LIEN Lien, n. Etym: [F. lien band, bond, tie, fr. L. ligamen, fr. ligare to bind. Cf. League a union, Leam a string, Leamer, Ligament.] (Law)

Defn: A legal claim; a charge upon real or personal property for the satisfaction of some debt or duty; a right in one to control or hold and retain the property of another until some claim of the former is paid or satisfied.

LIENAL Li*e"nal, a. Etym: [L. lien the spleen.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the spleen; splenic.

LIENCULUS Li*en"cu*lus, n.; pl. Lienculi. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. lien the spleen.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the small nodules sometimes found in the neighborhood of the spleen; an accessory or supplementary spleen.

LIENO-INTESTINAL Li*e`no-in*tes"ti*nal, a. Etym: [l. lien the spleen + E. intestinal.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the spleen and intestine; as, the lieno- intestinal vein of the frog.

LIENTERIC Li`en*ter"ic, a. Etym: [L. lientericus, Gr. lientérique. See Lientery.] (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or of the nature of, a lientery. — n. (Med.)

Defn: A lientery. Grew.

LIENTERY Li"en*ter*y, n. Etym: [Gr. lientérie.] (Med.)

Defn: A diarrhea, in which the food is discharged imperfectly digested, or with but little change. Dunglison.

LIER Li"er, n. Etym: [From Lie. ]

Defn: One who lies down; one who rests or remains, as in concealment. There were liers in a ambush against him. Josh. viii. 14.

LIERNE RIB Lierne" rib`. Etym: [F. lierne.] (Arch.)

Defn: In Gothic vaulting, any rib which does not spring from the impost and is not a ridge rib, but passes from one boss or intersection of the principal ribs to another.

LIEU Lieu, n. Etym: [F., OF. also liu, leu, lou, fr. L. locus place. See Local, Locus.]

Defn: Place; room; stead; — used only in the phrase in lieu of, that is, instead of. The plan of extortion had been adopted in lieu of the scheme of confiscation. Burke.

LIEUTENANCY Lieu*ten"an*cy, n.

1. The office, rank, or commission, of a lieutenant.

2. The body of lieutenants or subordinates. [Obs.] The list of the lieutenancy of our metropolis. Felton.

LIEUTENANT Lieu*ten"ant, n. Etym: [F., fr. lieu place + tenant holding, p. pr. of tenir to hold, L. tenere. See Lieu, and Tenant, and cf. Locum tenens.]

1. An officer who supplies the place of a superior in his absence; a representative of, or substitute for, another in the performance of any duty. The lawful magistrate, who is the vicegerent or lieutenant of God. Abp. Bramhall.

2. (a) A commissioned officer in the army, next below a captain. (b) A commissioned officer in the British navy, in rank next below a commander. (c) A commissioned officer in the United States navy, in rank next below a lieutenant commander.

Note: Lieutenant is often used, either adjectively or in hyphened compounds, to denote an officer, in rank next below another, especially when the duties of the higher officer may devolve upon the lower one; as, lieutenant general, or lieutenant-general; lieutenant colonel, or lieutenant-colonel; lieutenant governor, etc. Deputy lieutenant, the title of any one of the deputies or assistants of the lord lieutenant of a county. [Eng.] — Lieutenant colonel, an army officer next in rank above major, and below colonel. — Lieutenant commander, an officer in the United States navy, in rank next below a commander and next above a lieutenant. — Lieutenant general. See in Vocabulary. — Lieutenant governor. (a) An officer of a State, being next in rank to the governor, and in case of the death or resignation of the latter, himself acting as governor. [U. S.] (b) A deputy governor acting as the chief civil officer of one of several colonies under a governor general. [Eng.]

LIEUTENANT GENERAL Lieu*ten"ant gen"er*al

Defn: . An army officer in rank next below a general and next above a major general.

Note: In the United States, before the civil war, this rank had been conferred only on George Washington and (in brevet) on Winfield Scott. In 1864 it was revived by Congress and conferred on Ulysses S. Grant, and subsequently, by promotion, on William T. Sherman and Philip H. Sheridan, each of whom was advanced to the rank of general of the army. When Sheridan was made general (in 1888) the rank of lieutenant general was suffered to lapse. See General.

LIEUTENANTRY Lieu*ten"ant*ry, n.

Defn: See Lieutenancy. [Obs.]

LIEUTENANTSHIP Lieu*ten"ant*ship, n.

Defn: Same as Lieutenancy, 1.

LIEVE Lieve, a.

Defn: Same as Lief.

LIF Lif, n. Etym: [Written also lief.]

Defn: The fiber by which the petioles of the date palm are bound together, from which various kinds of cordage are made.

LIFE Life, n.; pl. Lives. Etym: [AS. l; akin to D. lijf body, G. leib body, MHG. l life, body, OHG. l life, Icel. l, life, body, Sw. lif, Dan. liv, and E. live, v. Live, and cf. Alive.]

1. The state of being which begins with generation, birth, or germination, and ends with death; also, the time during which this state continues; that state of an animal or plant in which all or any of its organs are capable of performing all or any of their functions; — used of all animal and vegetable organisms.

2. Of human being: The union of the soul and body; also, the duration of their union; sometimes, the deathless quality or existence of the soul; as, man is a creature having an immortal life. She shows a body rather than a life. Shak.

3. (Philos)

Defn: The potential principle, or force, by which the organs of animals and plants are started and continued in the performance of their several and coöperative functions; the vital force, whether regarded as physical or spiritual.

4. Figuratively: The potential or animating principle, also, the period of duration, of anything that is conceived of as resembling a natural organism in structure or functions; as, the life of a state, a machine, or a book; authority is the life of government.

5. A certain way or manner of living with respect to conditions, circumstances, character, conduct, occupation, etc.; hence, human affairs; also, lives, considered collectively, as a distinct class or type; as, low life; a good or evil life; the life of Indians, or of miners. That which before us lies in daily life. Milton. By experience of life abroad in the world. Ascham. Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime. Longfellow. 'T is from high life high characters are drawn. Pope

6. Animation; spirit; vivacity; vigor; energy. No notion of life and fire in fancy and in words. Felton. That gives thy gestures grace and life. Wordsworth.

7. That which imparts or excites spirit or vigor; that upon which enjoyment or success depends; as, he was the life of the company, or of the enterprise.

8. The living or actual form, person, thing, or state; as, a picture or a description from, the life.

9. A person; a living being, usually a human being; as, many lives were sacrificed.

10. The system of animal nature; animals in general, or considered collectively. Full nature swarms with life. Thomson.

11. An essential constituent of life, esp: the blood. The words that I speak unto you . . . they are life. John vi. 63. The warm life came issuing through the wound. Pope

12. A history of the acts and events of a life; a biography; as, Johnson wrote the life of Milton.

13. Enjoyment in the right use of the powers; especially, a spiritual existence; happiness in the favor of God; heavenly felicity.

14. Something dear to one as one's existence; a darling; — used as a term of endearment.

Note: Life forms the first part of many compounds, for the most part of obvious meaning; as, life-giving, life-sustaining, etc. Life annuity, an annuity payable during one's life. — Life arrow, Life rocket, Life shot, an arrow, rocket, or shot, for carrying an attached line to a vessel in distress in order to save life. — Life assurance. See Life insurance, below. — Life buoy. See Buoy. — Life car, a water-tight boat or box, traveling on a line from a wrecked vessel to the shore. In it person are hauled through the waves and surf. — Life drop, a drop of vital blood. Byron. — Life estate (Law), an estate which is held during the term of some certain person's life, but does not pass by inheritance. — Life everlasting (Bot.), a plant with white or yellow persistent scales about the heads of the flowers, as Antennaria, and Gnaphalium; cudweed. — Life of an execution (Law), the period when an execution is in force, or before it expires. — Life guard. (Mil.) See under Guard. — Life insurance, the act or system of insuring against death; a contract by which the insurer undertakes, in consideration of the payment of a premium (usually at stated periods), to pay a stipulated sum in the event of the death of the insured or of a third person in whose life the insured has an interest. — Life interest, an estate or interest which lasts during one's life, or the life of another person, but does not pass by inheritance. — Life land (Law), land held by lease for the term of a life or lives. — Life line. (a) (Naut.) A line along any part of a vessel for the security of sailors. (b) A line attached to a life boat, or to any life saving apparatus, to be grasped by a person in the water. — Life rate, rate of premium for insuring a life. — Life rent, the rent of a life estate; rent or property to which one is entitled during one's life. — Life school, a school for artists in which they model, paint, or draw from living models. — Lifetable, a table showing the probability of life at different ages. — To lose one's life, to die. — To seek the life of, to seek to kill. — To the life, so as closely to resemble the living person or the subject; as, the portrait was drawn to the life.

LIFEBLOOD Life"blood`, n.

1. The blood necessary to life; vital blood. Dryden.

2. Fig.: That which gives strength and energy. Money [is] the lifeblood of the nation. Swift.

LIFEBOAT Life"boat`, n.

Defn: A strong, buoyant boat especially designed for saving the lives of shipwrecked people.

LIFEFUL Life"ful, a.

Defn: Full of vitality. Spenser.

LIFE-GIVING Life"-giv`ing, a.

Defn: Giving life or spirit; having power to give life; inspiriting; invigorating.

LIFEHOLD Life"hold`, n.

Defn: Land held by a life estate.

LIFELESS Life"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of life, or deprived of life; not containing, or inhabited by, living beings or vegetation; dead, or apparently dead; spiritless; powerless; dull; as, a lifeless carcass; lifeless matter; a lifeless desert; a lifeless wine; a lifeless story. — Life"less*ly, adv. — Life"less*ness, n.

Syn. — Dead; soulless; inanimate; torpid; inert; inactive; dull; heavy; unanimated; spiritless; frigid; pointless; vapid; flat; tasteless. — Lifeless, Dull, Inanimate, Dead. In a moral sense, lifeless denotes a want of vital energy; inanimate, a want of expression as to any feeling that may be possessed; dull implies a torpor of soul which checks all mental activity; dead supposes a destitution of feeling. A person is said to be lifeless who has lost the spirits which he once had; he is said to be inanimate when he is naturally wanting in spirits; one is dull from an original deficiency of mental power; he who is dead to moral sentiment is wholly bereft of the highest attribute of his nature.

LIFELIKE Life"like`, a. Etym: [Cf. Lively.]

Defn: Like a living being; resembling life; giving an accurate representation; as, a lifelike portrait. — Life"like`ness, n. Poe.

LIFELONG Life"long, a. Etym: [Life + long. Cf. Livelong.]

Defn: Lasting or continuing through life. Tennyson.

LIFELY Life"ly, adv. Etym: [Cf. Lively, a.]

Defn: In a lifelike manner. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIFEMATE Life"mate`, n.

Defn: Companion for life. Hawthorne.

LIFEN Lif"en, v. t.

Defn: To enliven. [Obs.] Marston.

LIFE-PRESERVER Life"-pre*serv`er, n.

Defn: An apparatus, made in very various forms, and of various materials, for saving one from drowning by buoying up the body while in the water. — Life"-pre*serv`ing, a.

LIFE-SAVING Life"-sav`ing, a.

Defn: That saves life, or is suited to save life, esp. from drowning; as, the life-saving service; a life-saving station.

LIFE-SIZE Life"-size`, a.

Defn: Of full size; of the natural size.

LIFESOME Life"some, a.

Defn: Animated; sprightly. [Poetic] Coleridge. — Life"some*ness, n.

LIFESPRING Life"spring`, n.

Defn: Spring or source of life.

LIFESTRING Life"string", n.

Defn: A nerve, or string, that is imagined to be essential to life. Daniel.

LIFETIME Life"time` (, n.

Defn: The time that life continues.

LIFE-WEARY Life"-wea`ry, a.

Defn: Weary of living. Shak.

LIFLODE Lif"lode, n.

Defn: Livelihood. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIFT Lift, n.Etym: [AS.lyft air. See Loft.]

Defn: The sky; the atmosphere; the firmament. [Obs. or Scot.]

LIFT Lift, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lifted; p. pr. & vb. n. Lifting.] Etym: [Icel. lypta, fr. lopt air; akin to Sw.lyfta to lift, Dan. löfte, G. lüften; — prop., to raise into the air. See Loft, and cf. 1st Lift.]

1. To move in a direction opposite to that of gravitation; to raise; to elevate; to bring up from a lower place to a higher; to upheave; sometimes implying a continued support or holding in the higher place; — said of material things; as, to lift the foot or the hand; to lift a chair or a burden.

2. To raise, elevate, exalt, improve, in rank, condition, estimation, character, etc.; — often with up. The Roman virtues lift up mortal man. Addison. Lest, being lifted up with pride. I Tim. iii. 6.

3. To bear; to support. [Obs.] Spenser.

4. To collect, as moneys due; to raise.

5. Etym: [Perh. a different word, and akin to Goth. hliftus thief, hlifan to steal, L. clepere, Gr. Shoplifter.]

Defn: To steal; to carry off by theft (esp. cattle); as, to lift a drove of cattle.

Note: In old writers, lift is sometimes used for lifted. He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered. Shak. To lift up, to raise or elevate; in the Scriptures, specifically, to elevate upon the cross. John viii. 28. — To lift up the eyes. To look up; to raise the eyes, as in prayer. Ps. cxxi. 1. — To lift up the feet, to come speedily to one's relief. Ps. lxxiv. 3. — To lift up the hand. (a) To take an oath. Gen. xiv. 22. (b) To pray. Ps. xxviii. 2. (c) To engage in duty. Heb. xii. 12. — To lift up the hand against, to rebel against; to assault; to attack; to injure; to oppress. Job xxxi. 21. — To lift up one's head, to cause one to be exalted or to rejoice. Gen. xl. 13. Luke xxi. 28. — To lift up the heel against, to treat with insolence or unkindness. John xiii.18. — To lift up the voice, to cry aloud; to call out. Gen. xxi. 16.

LIFT Lift, v. i.

1. To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing. Strained by lifting at a weight too heavy. Locke.

2. To rise; to become or appear raised or elevated; as, the fog lifts; the land lifts to a ship approaching it.

3. Etym: [See Lift, v. t., 5.]

Defn: To live by theft. Spenser.

LIFT Lift, n.

1. Act of lifting; also, that which is lifted.

2. The space or distance through which anything is lifted; as, a long lift. Bacon.

3. Help; assistance, as by lifting; as, to give one a lift in a wagon. [Colloq.] The goat gives the fox a lift. L'Estrange.

4. That by means of which a person or thing lifts or is lifted; as: (a) A hoisting machine; an elevator; a dumb waiter. (b) An exercising machine.

5. A rise; a degree of elevation; as, the lift of a lock in canals.

6. A lift gate. See Lift gate, below. [Prov. Eng.]

7. (Naut.)

Defn: A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below; — used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.

8. (Mach.)

Defn: One of the steps of a cone pulley.

9. (Shoemaking)

Defn: A layer of leather in the heel.

10. (Horology)

Defn: That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given. Saunier. Dead lift. See under Dead. Swift. — Lift bridge, a kind of drawbridge, the movable part of which is lifted, instead of being drawn aside. — Lift gate, a gate that is opened by lifting. — Lift hammer. See Tilt hammer. — Lift lock, a canal lock. — Lift pump, a lifting pump. — Lift tenter (Windmills), a governor for regulating the speed by adjusting the sails, or for adjusting the action of grinding machinery according to the speed. — Lift wall (Canal Lock), the cross wall at the head of the lock.

LIFTABLE Lift"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be lifted.

LIFTER Lift"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, lifts.

2. (Founding)

Defn: A tool for lifting loose sand from the mold; also, a contrivance attached to a cope, to hold the sand together when the cope is lifted.

LIFTING Lift"ing, a.

Defn: Used in, or for, or by, lifting. Lifting bridge, a lift bridge. — Lifting jack. See 2d Jack, 5. — Lifting machine. See Health lift, under Health. — Lifting pump. (Mach.) (a) A kind of pump having a bucket, or valved piston, instead of a solid piston, for drawing water and lifting it to a high level. (b) A pump which lifts the water only to the top of the pump, or delivers it through a spout; a lift pump. — Lifting rod, a vertical rod lifted by a rock shaft, and imparting motion to a puppet valve; — used in the engines of river steamboats. — Lifting sail (Naut.), one which tends to lift a vessel's bow out of water, as jibs and square foresails.

LIG Lig, v. i. Etym: [See Lie to be prostrate.]

Defn: To recline; to lie still. [Obs. or Scot.] Chaucer. Spenser.

LIGAMENT Lig"a*ment, n. Etym: [L. ligamentum, fr. ligare to bind; cf. f. ligament. Cf. Lien, n., Ligature.]

1. Anything that ties or unites one thing or part to another; a bandage; a bond. Hawthorne. Interwoven is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts. Washington.

2. (Anat.) (a) A tough band or plate of dense, fibrous, connective tissue or fibrocartilage serving to unite bones or form joints. (b) A band of connective tissue, or a membranous fold, which supports or retains an organ in place; as, the gastrophrenic ligament, connecting the diaphragm and stomach.

LIGAMENTAL; LIGAMENTOUS Lig`a*men"tal, Lig"a*men"tous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. ligamenteux.]

Defn: Composing a ligament; of the nature of a ligament; binding; as, a strong ligamentous membrane.

LIGAN Li"gan, n.Etym: [Cf. L. ligare to bind, to tie, ligamen band, bandage, E. ligament, or ligsam.] (Law)

Defn: Goods sunk in the sea, with a buoy attached in order that they may be found again. See Jetsam and Flotsam. [Written also lagan.] Blackstone.

LIGATE Li"gate, v. t. Etym: [L. ligatus, p. p. of ligare.]

Defn: To tie with a ligature; to bind around; to bandage.

LIGATION Li*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. ligatio, fr. ligare to bind. Cf. Liaison.]

1. The act of binding, or the state of being bound.

2. That which binds; bond; connection. Tied with tape, and sealed at each fold and ligation. Sir W. Scott.

LIGATOR Li*ga"tor n. Etym: [See Ligate.] (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument for ligating, or for placing and fastening a ligature.

LIGATURE Lig"a*ture, n. Etym: [L. ligatura, fr. ligare, ligatum, to bind: cf. f. ligature. Cf. Ally, League, Legatura, Liable, Legament.]

1. The act of binding.

2. Anything that binds; a band or bandage.

3. (Surg.) (a) A thread or string for tying the blood vessels, particularly the arteries, to prevent hemorrhage. (b) A thread or wire used to remove tumors, etc.

4. The state of being bound or stiffened; stiffness; as, the ligature of a joint.

5. Impotence caused by magic or charms. [Obs.]

6. (Mus.)

Defn: A curve or line connecting notes; a slur.

7. (Print.)

Defn: A double character, or a type consisting of two or more letters or characters united, as æ, fi, ffl.

LIGATURE Lig"a*ture, v. t. (Surg.)

Defn: To ligate; to tie.

LIGE Lig"e, v. t. & i.

Defn: To lie; to tell lies. [Obs.]

LIGEANCE Li"geance, n. Etym: [OF. ligeance, ligance. See Liege.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: The connection between sovereign and subject by which they were mutually bound, the former to protection and the securing of justice, the latter to faithful service; allegiance. [Written also ligeancy and liegance.] Chaucer.

LIGEMENT Lige"ment, n.

Defn: See Ledgment

LIGGE Lig"ge, v. i.

Defn: To lie or recline. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIGGER Lig"ger, n.

1. A baited line attached to a float, for night fishing. See Leger, a.

2. See Ledger, 2.

LIGHT Light, n. Etym: [OE.light, liht, AS. leót; akin to OS. lioht, D. & G. licht, OHG. lioht, Goth. liuhap, Icel. lj, L. lux light, lucere to shine, Gr. ruc to shine. Lucid, Lunar, Luminous, Lynx.]

1. That agent, force, or action in nature by the operation of which upon the organs of sight, objects are rendered visible or luminous.

Note: Light was regarded formerly as consisting of material particles, or corpuscules, sent off in all directions from luminous bodies, and traversing space, in right lines, with the known velocity of about 186,300 miles per second; but it is now generally understood to consist, not in any actual transmission of particles or substance, but in the propagation of vibrations or undulations in a subtile, elastic medium, or ether, assumed to pervade all space, and to be thus set in vibratory motion by the action of luminous bodies, as the atmosphere is by sonorous bodies. This view of the nature of light is known as the undulatory or wave theory; the other, advocated by Newton (but long since abandoned), as the corpuscular, emission, or Newtonian theory. A more recent theory makes light to consist in electrical oscillations, and is known as the electro-magnetic theory of light.

2. That which furnishes, or is a source of, light, as the sun, a star, a candle, a lighthouse, etc. Then he called for a light, and sprang in. Acts xvi. 29. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. Gen. i. 16.

3. The time during which the light of the sun is visible; day; especially, the dawn of day. The murderer, rising with the light, killeth the poor and needy. Job xxiv. 14.

4. The brightness of the eye or eyes. He seemed to find his way without his eyes; For out o'door he went without their helps, And, to the last, bended their light on me. Shak.

5. The medium through which light is admitted, as a window, or window pane; a skylight; in architecture, one of the compartments of a window made by a mullion or mullions. There were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks. I Kings vii.4.

6. Life; existence. O, spring to light, auspicious Babe, be born ! Pope.

7. Open view; a visible state or condition; public observation; publicity. The duke yet would have dark deeds darkly answered; he would never bring them to light. Shak.

8. The power of perception by vision. My strength faileth me; as for the light of my eyes, it also is gone from me. Ps. xxxviii. 10.

9. That which illumines or makes clear to the mind; mental or spiritual illumination; enlightenment; knowledge; information. He shall never know That I had any light of this from thee. Shak.

10. Prosperity; happiness; joy; felicity. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily. Is. lviii. 8.

11. (Paint.)

Defn: The manner in which the light strikes upon a picture; that part of a picture which represents those objects upon which the light is supposed to fall; the more illuminated part of a landscape or other scene; — opposed to shade. Cf. Chiaroscuro.

12. Appearance due to the particular facts and circumstances presented to view; point of view; as, to state things fairly and put them in the right light. Frequent consideration of a thing . . . shows it in its several lights and various ways of appearance. South.

13. One who is conspicuous or noteworthy; a model or example; as, the lights of the age or of antiquity. Joan of Are, A light of ancient France. Tennyson.

14. (Pyrotech.)

Defn: A firework made by filling a case with a substance which burns brilliantly with a white or colored flame; as, a Bengal light.

Note: Light is used figuratively to denote that which resembles physical light in any respect, as illuminating, benefiting, enlightening, or enlivening mankind. Ancient lights (Law), Calcium light, Flash light, etc. See under Ancient, Calcium, etc. — Light ball (Mil.), a ball of combustible materials, used to afford light; — sometimes made so as to fired from a cannon or mortar, or to be carried up by a rocket. — Light barrel (Mil.), an empty power barrel pierced with holes and filled with shavings soaked in pitch, used to light up a ditch or a breach. —Light dues (Com.), tolls levied on ships navigating certain waters, for the maintenance of lighthouses. — Light iron, a candlestick. [Obs.] — Light keeper, a person appointed to take care of a lighthouse or light-ship. — Light money, charges laid by government on shipping entering a port, for the maintenance of lighthouses and light-ships. — The light of the countenance, favor; kindness; smiles. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Ps. iv. 6. — Northern lights. See Aurora borealis, under Aurora. — To bring to light, to cause to be disclosed. — To come to light, to be disclosed. — To see the light, to come into the light; hence, to come into the world or public notice; as, his book never saw the light. — To stand in one's own light, to take a position which is injurious to one's own interest.

LIGHT Light, a. Etym: [AS. leóht. See Light, n.] [Compar. Lighter; superl. Lightest.]

1. Having light; not dark or obscure; bright; clear; as, the apartment is light.

2. White or whitish; not intense or very marked; not of a deep shade; moderately colored; as, a light color; a light brown; a light complexion.

LIGHT Light, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lighted or Lit (p. pr. & vb. n. Lighting.] Etym: [AS. l, lihtan, to shine. Light, n.]

1. To set fire to; to cause to burn; to set burning; to ignite; to kindle; as, to light a candle or lamp; to light the gas; — sometimes with up. If a thousand candles be all lighted from one. Hakewill. And the largest lamp is lit. Macaulay. Absence might cure it, or a second mistress Light up another flame, and put out this. Addison.

2. To give light to; to illuminate; to fill with light; to spread over with light; — often with up. Ah, hopeless, lasting flames I like those that burn To light the dead. Pope. One hundred years ago, to have lit this theater as brilliantly as it is now lighted would have cost, I suppose, fifty pounds. F. Harrison. The sun has set, and Vesper, to supply His absent beams, has lighted up the sky. Dryden.

3. To attend or conduct with a light; to show the way to by means of a light. His bishops lead him forth, and light him on. Landor. To light a fire, to kindle the material of a fire.

LIGHT Light, v. i.

1. To become ignited; to take fire; as, the match will not light.

2. To be illuminated; to receive light; to brighten; — with up; as, the room light up very well.

LIGHT Light, a. [Compar. Lighted; superl. Lightest.] Etym: [OE. light, liht, AS. liht, leóht; akin to D. ligt, G. leicht, OHG.lihti, Icel. l, Dan. let, Sw. lätt, Goth. leihts, and perh. to L. levis (cf. Levity), Gr. laghu light.

1. Having little, or comparatively little, weight; not tending to be the center of gravity with force; not heavy. These weights did not exert their natural gravity . . . insomuch that I could not guess which was light or heavy whilst I held them in my hand. Addison.

2. Not burdensome; easy to be lifted, borne, or carried by physical strength; as, a light burden, or load. Ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt. xi. 29. 30.

3. Easy to be endured or performed; not severe; not difficult; as, a light affliction or task. Chaucer. Light sufferings give us leisure to complain. Dryden.

4. Easy to be digested; not oppressive to the stomach; as, light food; also, containing little nutriment.

5. Not heavily armed; armed with light weapons; as, light troops; a troop of light horse.

6. Not encumbered; unembarrassed; clear of impediments; hence, active; nimble; swift. Unmarried men are best friends, best masters . . . but not always best subjects, for they are light to run away. Bacon.

7. Not heavily burdened; not deeply laden; not sufficiently ballasted; as, the ship returned light.

8. Slight; not important; as, a light error. Shak.

9. Well leavened; not heavy; as, light bread.

10. Not copious or heavy; not dense; not inconsiderable; as, a light rain; a light snow; light vapors.

11. Not strong or violent; moderate; as, a light wind.

12. Not pressing heavily or hard upon; hence, having an easy graceful manner; delicate; as, a light touch; a light style of execution.

13. Easy to admit influence; inconsiderate; easily influenced by trifling considerations; unsteady; unsettled; volatile; as, a light, vain person; a light mind. There is no greater argument of a light and inconsiderate person than profanely to scoff at religion. Tillotson.

14. Indulging in, or inclined to, levity; wanting dignity or solemnity; trifling; gay; frivolous; airy; unsubstantial. Seneca can not be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. Shak. Specimens of New England humor laboriously light and lamentably mirthful. Hawthorne.

15. Not quite sound or normal; somewhat impaired or deranged; dizzy; giddy. Are his wits safe Is he not light of brain Shak.

16. Easily bestowed; inconsiderately rendered. To a fair semblance doth light annex. Spenser.

17. Wanton; unchaste; as, a woman of light character. A light wife doth make a heavy husband. Shak.

18. Not of the legal, standard, or usual weight; clipped; diminished; as, light coin.

19. Loose; sandy; easily pulverized; as, a light soil. Light cavalry, Light horse (Mil.), light-armed soldiers mounted on strong and active horses. — Light eater, one who eats but little. — Light infantry, infantry soldiers selected and trained for rapid evolutions. — Light of foot. (a) Having a light step. (b) Fleet. — Light of heart, gay, cheerful. — Light oil (Chem.), the oily product, lighter than water, forming the chief part of the first distillate of coal tar, and consisting largely of benzene and toluene. — Light sails (Naut.), all the sails above the topsails, with, also, the studding sails and flying jib. Dana. — Light sleeper, one easily wakened. — Light weight, a prize fighter, boxer, wrestler, or jockey, who is below a standard medium weight. Cf. Feather weight, under Feather. [Cant] — To make light of, to treat as of little consequence; to slight; to disregard. — To set light by, to undervalue; to slight; to treat as of no importance; to despise.

LIGHT Light, adv.

Defn: Lightly; cheaply. Hooker.

LIGHT Light, v. t. Etym: [See Light not heavy, and cf. Light to alight, and Lighten to make less heavy.]

Defn: To lighten; to ease of a burden; to take off. [Obs.] From his head the heavy burgonet did light. Spenser.

LIGHT Light, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lighted or Lit (p. pr. & vb. n. Lighting.] Etym: [AS. lihtan to alight orig., to relieve (a horse) of the rider's burden, to make less heavy, fr. liht light. See Light not heavy, and cf. Alight, Lighten to make light.]

1. To dismount; to descend, as from a horse or carriage; to alight; - - with from, off, on, upon, at, in. When she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. Gen. xxiv. 64. Slowly rode across a withered heath, And lighted at a ruined inn. Tennyson.

2. To feel light; to be made happy. [Obs.] It made all their hearts to light. Chaucer.

3. To descend from flight, and rest, perch, or settle, as a bird or insect. [The bee] lights on that, and this, and tasteth all. Sir. J. Davies. On the tree tops a crested peacock lit. Tennyson.

4. To come down suddenly and forcibly; to fall; — with on or upon. On me, me only, as the source and spring Of all corruption, all the blame light due. Milton.

5. To come by chance; to happen; — with on or upon; formerly with into. The several degrees of vision, which the assistance of glasses (casually at first lit on) has taught us to conceive. Locke. They shall light into atheistical company. South. And here we lit on Aunt Elizabeth, And Lilia with the rest. Tennyson.

LIGHTABLE Light"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be lighted.

LIGHT-ARMED Light"-armed`, a.

Defn: Armed with light weapons or accouterments.

LIGHT-BOAT Light"-boat`, n.

Defn: Light-ship.

LIGHTE Light"e, obs. imp.

Defn: of Light, to alight. Chaucer.

LIGHTEN Light"en, v. i. Etym: [See Light to alight.]

Defn: To descend; to light. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us. Book of Common Prayer [Eng. Ed.]

LIGHTEN Light"en, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lightened; p. pr. & vb. n. Lightening.] Etym: [OE. lightenen. See Light to kindle, illuminate.]

1. To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to display a flash or flashes of lightning; to flash. This dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars As doth the lion. Shak.

2. To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.

LIGHTEN Light"en, v. t. Etym: [See Light to illuminate.]

1. To make light or clear; to light; to illuminate; as, to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets. [In this sense less common than light.] A key of fire ran all along the shore, And lightened all the river with a blaze. Dryden.

2. To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten. [In this sense less common than enlighten.] Lighten my spirit with one clear heavenly ray. Sir J. Davies.

3. To emit or disclose in, or as in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning. His eye . . . lightens forth Controlling majesty. Shak.

4. To free from trouble and fill with joy. They looked unto him, were lightened. Ps. xxxiv. 5.

LIGHTEN Light"en, v. t. Etym: [See Light not heavy.]

1. To make lighter, or less heavy; to reduce in weight; to relieve of part of a load or burden; as, to lighten a ship by unloading; to lighten a load or burden.

2. To make less burdensome or afflictive; to alleviate; as, to lighten the cares of life or the burden of grief.

3. To cheer; to exhilarate. Lighens my humor with his merry jests. Shak.

LIGHTER Light"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, lights; as, a lighter of lamps.

LIGHTER Light"er, n. Etym: [D. ligter, fr. ligt light. See Light not heavy.] (Naut.)

Defn: A large boat or barge, mainly, used in unloading or loading vessels which can not reach the wharves at the place of shipment or delivery. Lighter screw (Mach.), a screw for adjusting the distance between the stones in a grinding mill by raising or lowering the bridgetree.

LIGHTER Light"er, v. t.

Defn: To convey by a lighter, as to or from the shore; as, to lighter the cargo of a ship.

LIGHTERAGE Light"er*age, n.

1. The price paid for conveyance of goods on a lighter.

2. The act of unloading into a lighter, or of conveying by a lighter.

LIGHTERMAN Light"er*man, n.; pl. Lightermen (.

Defn: A person employed on, or who manages, a lighter.

LIGHT-FINGERED Light"-fin`gered, a.

Defn: Dexterous in taking and conveying away; thievish; pilfering; addicted to petty thefts. Fuller.

LIGHT-FOOT; LIGHT-FOOTED Light"-foot`, Light"-foot`ed, a.

Defn: Having a light, springy step; nimble in running or dancing; active; as, light-foot Iris. Tennyson.

LIGHTFUL Light"ful, a.

Defn: Full of light; bright. [R.] "Lightful presence." Marston.

LIGHT-HANDED Light"-hand`ed, a. (Naut.)

Defn: Not having a full complement of men; as, a vessel light-handed.

LIGHT-HEADED Light"-head`ed, a.

1. Disordered in the head; dilirious. Walpole.

2. Thoughtless; heedless; volatile; unsteady; fickle; loose. "Light- headed, weak men." Clarendon. — Light"-head`ed*ness, n.

LIGHT-HEARTED Light"-heart"ed, a.

Defn: Free from grief or anxiety; gay; cheerful; merry. — Light"-heart`ed*ly, adv. — Light"-heart"ed*ness, n.

LIGHT-HEELED Light"-heeled`, a.

Defn: Lively in walking or running; brisk; light-footed.

LIGHT-HORSEMAN Light"-horse`man, n.; pl. -men (.

1. A soldier who serves in the light horse. See under 5th Light.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A West Indian fish of the genus Ephippus, remarkable for its high dorsal fin and brilliant colors.

LIGHTHOUSE Light"house` n.; pl.Lighthouses (.

Defn: A tower or other building with a powerful light at top, erected at the entrance of a port, or at some important point on a coast, to serve as a guide to mariners at night; a pharos.

LIGHTING Light"ing, n. (Metal.)

Defn: A name sometimes applied to the process of annealing metals.

LIGHT-LEGGED Light"-legged`, a.

Defn: Nimble; swift of foot. Sir P. Sidney.

LIGHTLESS Light"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of light; dark. Shak.

LIGHTLY Light"ly, adv.

1. With little weight; with little force; as, to tread lightly; to press lightly. Yet shall thy grave with rising flowers be drest, And the green turf lie lightly on thy breast. Pope. Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear Touched lightly. Milton.

2. Swiftly; nimbly; with agility. So mikle was that barge, it might not lightly sail. R. of Brunne. Watch what thou seest and lightly bring me word. Tennyson.

3. Without deep impression. The soft ideas of the cheerful note, Lightly received, were easily forgot. Prior.

4. In a small degree; slightly; not severely. At the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun . . . and afterward did more grievously afflict her. Is. ix. 1.

5. With little effort or difficulty; easily; readily. That lightly come, shall lightly go. Old Proverb. They come lightly by the malt, and need not spare it. Sir W. Scott.

6. Without reason, or for reasons of little weight. Flatter not the rich, neither do thou willingly or lightly appear before great personages. Jer. Taylor.

7. Commonly; usually. [Obs.] Bp. Fisher. The great thieves of a state are lightly the officers of the crown. B. Jonson.

8. Without dejection; cheerfully. "Seeming to bear it lightly." Shak.

9. Without heed or care; with levity; gayly; airily. Matrimony . . . is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly. Book of Common Prayer [Eng. Ed.].

10. Not chastely; wantonly. Swift.

LIGHTMAN Light"man, n. ; pl. -men (

Defn: A man who carries or takes care of a light. T. Brown.

LIGHT-MINDED Light"-mind`ed, a.

Defn: Unsettled; unsteady; volatile; not considerate. — Light"-mind`ed*ness, n.

LIGHTNESS Light"ness, n. Etym: [From Light not heavy.]

Defn: The state, condition, or quality, of being light or not heavy; buoyancy; levity; fickleness; delicacy; grace.

Syn. — Levity; volatility; instability; inconstancy; unsteadiness; giddiness; flightiness; airiness; gayety; liveliness; agility; nimbleness; sprightliness; briskness; swiftness; ease; facility.

LIGHTNESS Light"ness, n. Etym: [From Light bright.]

1. Illumination, or degree of illumination; as, the lightness of a room. Chaucer.

2. Absence of depth or of duskiness in color; as, the lightness of a tint; lightness of complexion.

LIGHTNING Light"ning, n. Etym: [For lightening, fr. lighten to flash.]

1. A discharge of atmospheric electricity, accompanied by a vivid flash of light, commonly from one cloud to another, sometimes from a cloud to the earth. The sound produced by the electricity in passing rapidly through the atmosphere constitutes thunder.

2. The act of making bright, or the state of being made bright; enlightenment; brightening, as of the mental powers. [R.] Ball lightning, a rare form of lightning sometimes seen as a globe of fire moving from the clouds to the earth. — Chain lightning, lightning in angular, zigzag, or forked flashes. — Heat lightning, more or less vivid and extensive flashes of electric light, without thunder, seen near the horizon, esp. at the close of a hot day. — Lightning arrester (Telegraphy), a device, at the place where a wire enters a building, for preventing injury by lightning to an operator or instrument. It consists of a short circuit to the ground interrupted by a thin nonconductor over which lightning jumps. Called also lightning discharger. — Lightning bug (Zoöl.), a luminous beetle. See Firefly. — Lightning conductor, a lightning rod. — Lightning glance, a quick, penetrating glance of a brilliant eye. — Lightning rod, a metallic rod set up on a building, or on the mast of a vessel, and connected with the earth or water below, for the purpose of protecting the building or vessel from lightning. — Sheet lightning, a diffused glow of electric light flashing out from the clouds, and illumining their outlines. The appearance is sometimes due to the reflection of light from distant flashes of lightning by the nearer clouds.

LIGHTNING Light"ning, vb. n.

Defn: Lightening. [R.]

LIGHT-O'-LOVE Light"-o'-love`, n.

1. An old tune of a dance, the name of which made it a proverbial expression of levity, especially in love matters. Nares. "Best sing it to the tune of light-o'-love." Shak.

2. Hence: A light or wanton woman. Beau. & Fl.

LIGHTROOM Light"room`, n.

Defn: A small room from which the magazine of a naval vessel is lighted, being separated from the magazine by heavy glass windows.

LIGHTS lights, n. pl. Etym: [So called from their lightness.]

Defn: The lungs of an animal or bird; — sometimes coarsely applied to the lungs of a human being.

LIGHT-SHIP Light"-ship`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: A vessel carrying at the masthead a brilliant light, and moored off a shoal or place of dangerous navigation as a guide for mariners.

LIGHTSOME Light"some, a.

1. Having light; lighted; not dark or gloomy; bright. White walls make rooms more lightsome than black. Bacon.

2. Gay; airy; cheering; exhilarating. That lightsome affection of joy. Hooker. — Light"some*ly, adv. — Light"some*ness, n. Happiness may walk soberly in dark attire, as well as dance lightsomely in a gala dress. Hawthorne.

LIGHTSTRUCK Light"*struck`, a. (Photog.)

Defn: Damaged by accidental exposure to light; light-fogged; — said of plates or films.

LIGHTWEIGHT Light"weight`, n. One of less than average weight; specif.: (a) In boxing, wrestling, etc., one weighingnot more than 133 pounds (U. S. amateur rules 135 pounds, Eng. 140 pounds). (b) A person of small impotance or mental ability. [Colloq., Chiefly U. S.]

LIGHTWEIGHT Light"weight`, a.

Defn: Light in weight, as a coin; specif., applied to a man or animal who is a lightweight.

LIGHT-WINGED Light"-winged`, a.

Defn: Having light and active wings; volatile; fleeting. Shak.

LIGHTWOOD Light"wood`, n.

Defn: Pine wood abounding in pitch, used for torches in the Southern United States; pine knots, dry sticks, and the like, for kindling a fire quickly or making a blaze.

LIGHTY Light"y, a.

Defn: Illuminated. [Obs.] Wyclif.

LIGHT YEAR Light year. (Astron.)

Defn: The distance over which light can travel in a year's time; — used as a unit in expressing stellar distances. It is more than 63,000 times as great as the distance from the earth to the sun.

LIGN-ALOES Lign`-al"oes, n. Etym: [OE. ligne aloes, fr. L. lignum wood + aloe aloe.]

1. Aloes wood, or agallochum. See Agallochum.

2. A fragrant tree mentioned in the Bible. Num. xxiv. 6.

LIGNEOUS Lig"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. ligneus, fr. lignum wood. Cf. Lignous.]

Defn: Made of wood; consisting of wood; of the nature of, or resembling, wood; woody. It should be tried with shoots of vines and roots of red roses; for it may be they, being of a moreligneous nature, will incorporate with the tree itself. Bacon. Ligneous marble, wood coated or prepared so as to resemble marble.

LIGNIFEROUS Lig*nif`er*ous, a. Etym: [L. lignifer; lignum wood + ferre to bear: cf. F. lignifère.]

Defn: Yielding or producing wood.

LIGNIFICATION Lig`ni*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lignification. See Lignify.] (Bot.)

Defn: A change in the character of a cell wall, by which it becomes harder. It is supposed to be due to an incrustation of lignin.

LIGNIFORM Lig"ni*form, a. Etym: [L. lignum wood + -form: cf. F. ligniforme.]

Defn: Like wood.

LIGNIFY Lig"ni*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lignified; p. pr. & vb. n. Lignifying.] Etym: [L. lignum wood + -fy: cf. F. lignifier.] (Bot.)

Defn: To convert into wood or into a ligneous substance.

LIGNIFY Lig"ni*fy, v. i. (Bot.)

Defn: To become wood.

LIGNIN Lig"nin, n. Etym: [L. lignum wood: cf. F. lignine.] (Bot.)

Defn: A substance characterizing wood cells and differing from cellulose in its conduct with certain chemical reagents.

Note: Recent authors have distinguished four forms of this substance, naming them lignose, lignin, lignone, and lignireose.

LIGNIPERDOUS Lig`ni*per"dous, a. Etym: [L. lignum wood + perdere to destroy: cf. F. ligniperde.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Wood-destroying; — said of certain insects.

LIGNIREOSE Lig*nir"e*ose`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Lignin.

LIGNITE Lig"nite, n. Etym: [L. lignum wood: cf. F. lignite.] (Min.)

Defn: Mineral coal retaining the texture of the wood from which it was formed, and burning with an empyreumatic odor. It is of more recent origin than the anthracite and bituminous coal of the proper coal series. Called also brown coal, wood coal.

LIGNITIC Lig*nit"ic, a.

Defn: Containing lignite; resembling, or of the nature of, lignite; as, lignitic clay. Lignitic group. See Laramie group.

LIGNITIFEROUS Lig`ni*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Lignite + -ferous.]

Defn: Producing or containing lignite; lignitic.

LIGNOCERIC Lig`no*cer"ic, a. Etym: [L. lignum wood + cera wax.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid of the formic acid series, found in the tar, wax, or paraffine obtained by distilling certain kinds of wood, as the beech.

LIGNONE Lig"none`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Lignin.

LIGNOSE; LIGNOUS Lig*nose`, Lig"nous, a. Etym: [L. lignosus, fr. lignum wood: cf. F. ligneux. Cf. Ligneous.]

Defn: Ligneous. [R.] Evelyn.

LIGNOSE Lig"nose`, n.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: See Lignin.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: An explosive compound of wood fiber and nitroglycerin. See Nitroglycerin.

LIGNUM RHODIUM Lig"num rho"di*um. Etym: [NL., fr. L. lignum wood + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The fragrant wood of several shrubs and trees, especially of species of Rhodorhiza from the Canary Islands, and of the West Indian Amyris balsamifera.

LIGNUM-VITAE Lig"num-vi"tae, n. Etym: [L., wood of life; lignum wood + vita, genitive vitæ, life.] (Bot.)

Defn: A tree (Guaiacum officinale) found in the warm latitudes of America, from which the guaiacum of medicine is procured. Its wood is very hard and heavy, and is used for various mechanical purposes, as for the wheels of ships' blocks, cogs, bearings, and the like. See Guaiacum.

Note: In New Zealand the Metrosideros buxifolia is called lignum- vitæ, and in Australia a species of Acacia. The bastard lignum-vitæ is a West Indian tree (Sarcomphalus laurinus).

LIGROIN Lig"ro*in, n.

Defn: A trade name applied somewhat indefinitely to some of the volatile products obtained in refining crude petroleum. It is a complex and variable mixture of several hydrocarbons, generally boils below 170º Fahr., and is more inflammable than safe kerosene. It is used as a solvent, as a carburetant for air gas, and for illumination in special lamps.

LIGSAM Lig"sam, n. Etym: [Cf. D. liggen to lie, E. lie to be prostrate, and E. flotsam, jetsam, or ligan.]

Defn: Same as Ligan. Brande & C.

LIGULA Lig"u*la, n.; pl. L. Ligulæ, E. Ligulas. Etym: [L., a little tongue. See Ligule.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: See Ligule.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) The central process, or front edge, of the labium of insects. It sometimes serves as a tongue or proboscis, as in bees. [See Illust. under Labium, and Hymenoptera.] (b) A tongue-shaped lobe of the parapodia of annelids. See Parapodium.

LIGULATE; LIGULATED Lig"u*late, Lig"u*la`ted, a. Etym: [Cf. F. ligulé. See Ligule, and cf. Lingulate.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Like a bandage, or strap; strap-shaped.

2. Composed of ligules. Ligulate flower, a species of compound flower, the florets of which have their corollets flat, spreading out toward the end, with the base only tubular.

LIGULE Lig"ule, n. Etym: [L.ligula, little tongue, dim of lingua tongue : cf. F. ligule.]

1. (Bot.) (a) The thin and scarious projection from the upper end of the sheath of leaf of grass. (b) A strap-shaped corolla of flowers of Compositæ.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: A band of white matter in the wall of fourth ventricle of the brain.

LIGULIFLOROUS Lig`u*li*flo"rous, a. Etym: [Ligule + L. flos, floris, a flower.] (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing only ligulate flowers; — said of a large suborder of composite plants, such as the dandelion, hawkweed, etc.

LIGURE Lig"ure, n. Etym: [L. ligurius, Gr. leshem.]

Defn: A kind of precious stone. The third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. Ex. xxviii. 19.

LIGUSTRIN Li*gus"trin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A bitter principle found in the bark of the privet (Ligustrum vulgare), and extracted as a white crystalline substance with a warm, bitter taste; — called also ligustron.

LIKABLE Lik"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be liked; such as to attract liking; as, a likable person. Thackeray.

LIKE Like, a. [Compar. Liker; superl. Likest.] Etym: [OE. lik, ilik, gelic, AS. gelic, fr. pref. ge- + lic body, and orig. meaning, having the same body, shape, or appearance, and hence, like; akin to OS. gilik, D. gelijk, G. gleich, OHG. gilih, Icel. likr, glikr, Dan. lig, Sw. lik, Goth. galeiks, OS. lik body, D. lijk, G. leiche, Icel. lik, Sw. lik, Goth. leik. The English adverbial ending-ly is from the same adjective. Cf. Each, Such, Which.]

1. Having the same, or nearly the same, appearance, qualities, or characteristics; resembling; similar to; similar; alike; — often with in and the particulars of the resemblance; as, they are like each other in features, complexion, and many traits of character. 'The as like you As cherry is to cherry. Shak. Like master, like man. Old Prov. He giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes. Ps. cxlvii. 16.

Note: To, which formerly often followed like, is now usually omitted.

2. Equal, or nearly equal; as, fields of like extent. More clergymen were impoverished by the late war than ever in the like space before. Sprat.

3. Having probability; affording probability; probable; likely. [Likely is more used now.] Shak. But it is like the jolly world about us will scoff at the paradox of these practices. South. Many were not easy to be governed, nor like to conform themselves to strict rules. Clarendon.

4. Inclined toward; disposed to; as, to feel like taking a walk. Had like (followed by the infinitive), had nearly; came little short of. Had like to have been my utter overthrow. Sir W. Raleigh Ramona had like to have said the literal truth, . . . but recollected herself in time. Mrs. H. H. Jackson. Like figures (Geom.), similar figures.

Note: Like is used as a suffix, converting nouns into adjectives expressing resemblance to the noun; as, manlike, like a man; childlike, like a child; godlike, like a god, etc. Such compounds are readily formed whenever convenient, and several, as crescentlike, serpentlike, hairlike, etc., are used in this book, although, in some cases, not entered in the vocabulary. Such combinations as bell-like, ball-like, etc., are hyphened.

LIKE Like, n.

1. That which is equal or similar to another; the counterpart; an exact resemblance; a copy. He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again. Shak.

2. A liking; a preference; inclination; — usually in pl.; as, we all have likes and dislikes.

LIKE Like, adv. Etym: [AS. gelice. See Like, a.]

1. In a manner like that of; in a manner similar to; as, do not act like him. He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. Job xii. 25.

Note: Like, as here used, is regarded by some grammarians as a preposition.

2. In a like or similar manner. Shak. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Ps. ciii. 13.

3. Likely; probably. "Like enough it will." Shak.

LIKE Like, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Liked; p. pr. & vb. n. Liking.] Etym: [OE. liken to please, AS. lician, gelician, fr.gelic. See Like, a.]

1. To suit; to please; to be agreeable to. [Obs.] Cornwall him liked best, therefore he chose there. R. of Gloucester. I willingly confess that it likes me much better when I find virtue in a fair lodging than when I am bound to seek it in an ill-favored creature. Sir P. Sidney.

2. To be pleased with in a moderate degree; to approve; to take satisfaction in; to enjoy. He proceeded from looking to liking, and from liking to loving. Sir P. Sidney.

3. To liken; to compare.[Obs.] Like me to the peasant boys of France. Shak.

LIKE Like, v. i.

1. To be pleased; to choose. He may either go or stay, as he best likes. Locke.

2. To have an appearance or expression; to look; to seem to be (in a specified condition). [Obs.] You like well, and bear your years very well. Shak.

3. To come near; to avoid with difficulty; to escape narrowly; as, he liked to have been too late. Cf. Had like, under Like, a. [Colloq.] He probably got his death, as he liked to have done two years ago, by viewing the troops for the expedition from the wall of Kensington Garden. Walpole. To like of, to be pleased with. [Obs.] Massinger.

LIKEABLE Like"a*ble (lik"a*b'l), a.

Defn: See Likable.

LIKEHOOD Like"hood, n.

Defn: Likelihood. [Obs.] South.

LIKELIHOOD Like"li*hood, n. Etym: [Likely + -hood.]

1. Appearance; show; sign; expression. [Obs.] What of his heart perceive you in his face By any likelihood he showed to-day Shak.

2. Likeness; resemblance. [Obs.] There is no likelihood between pure light and black darkness, or between righteousness and reprobation. Sir W. Raleigh.

3. Appearance of truth or reality; probability; verisimilitude. Tennyson.

LIKELINESS Like"li*ness, n.

1. Likelihood; probability.

2. Suitableness; agreeableness. [Obs.]

LIKELY Like"ly, a. [Compar. Likelier; superl. Likeliest.] Etym: [That is, like-like. See Like, a.]

1. Worthy of belief; probable; credible; as, a likely story. It seems likely that he was in hope of being busy and conspicuous. Johnson.

2. Having probability; having or giving reason to expect; — followed by the infinitive; as, it is likely to rain.

3. Similar; like; alike. [Obs.] Spenser.

4. Such as suits; good-looking; pleasing; agreeable; handsome. Shak. Milton.

5. Having such qualities as make success probable; well adapted to the place; promising; as, a likely young man; a likely servant.

LIKELY Like"ly, adv.

Defn: In all probability; probably. While man was innocent he was likely ignorant of nothing that imported him to know. Glanvill.

LIKE-MINDED Like"-mind`ed, a.

Defn: Having a like disposition or purpose; of the same mind. Tillotson.

LIKEN Lik"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Likened; p. pr. & vb. n. Likening.] Etym: [OE. liknen. See Like, a.]

1. To allege, or think, to be like; to represent as like; to compare; as, to liken life to a pilgrimage. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. Matt. vii. 24.

2. To make or cause to be like. [R.] Brougham.

LIKENESS Like"ness, n. Etym: [AS. gelicnes.]

1. The state or quality of being like; similitude; resemblance; similarity; as, the likeness of the one to the other is remarkable.

2. Appearance or form; guise. An enemy in the likeness of a friend. L'Estrange.

3. That which closely resembles; a portrait. [How he looked] the likenesses of him which still remain enable us to imagine. Macaulay.

4. A comparison; parable; proverb. [Obs.] He said to them, Soothly ye shall say to me this likeness, Leech, heal thyself. Wyclif (Luke iv. 23).

Syn. — Similarity; parallel; similitude; representation; portrait; effigy.

LIKEROUS; LIKEROUSNESS Lik"er*ous, a., Lik"er*ous*ness, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Lickerish, Lickerishness. Chaucer.

LIKEWISE Like"wise`, adv. & conj. Etym: [See Wise, n.]

Defn: In like manner; also; moreover; too. See Also. Go, and do thou likewise. Luke x. 37. For he seeth that wise men die; likewise the fool and the brutish person perish. Ps. xlix. 10.

LIKIN Li"kin`, n. [Written also lekin.] [ Chin. li kin; li the thousandth part of a tael + kin money.]

Defn: A Chinese provincial tax levied at many inland stations upon imports or articles in transit.

"Likin," which used to be regarded as illegal, as one of the many, "squeezes" imposed by the mandarins, is, in Jamieson's opinion, just as legal as any other form of taxation. A. R. Colquhoun.

LIKING Lik"ing, p. a.

Defn: Looking; appearing; as, better or worse liking. See Like, to look. [Obs.] Chaucer. Why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort Dan. i. 10.

LIKING Lik"ing, n.

1. The state of being pleasing; a suiting. See On liking, below. [Obs. or Prov. End.]

2. The state of being pleased with, or attracted toward, some thing or person; hence, inclination; desire; pleasure; preference; — often with for, formerly with to; as, it is an amusement I have no liking for. If the human intellect hath once taken a liking to any doctrine, . . . it draws everything else into harmony with that doctrine, and to its support. Bacon.

3. Appearance; look; figure; state of body as to health or condition. [Archaic] I shall think the worse of fat men, as long as I have an eye to make difference of men's liking. Shak. Their young ones are in good liking. Job. xxxix. 4. On liking, on condition of being pleasing to or suiting; also, on condition of being pleased with; as, to hold a place of service on liking; to engage a servant on liking. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Would he be the degenerate scion of that royal line . . . to be a king on liking and on sufferance Hazlitt.

LILAC Li"lac, n. [Also lilach.] Etym: [Sp. lilac, lila, Ar.lilak, fr. Per. lilaj, lilanj, lilang, nilaj, nil, the indigo plant, or from the kindred lilak bluish, the flowers being named from the color. Cf. Anil.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A shrub of the genus Syringa. There are six species, natives of Europe and Asia. Syringa vulgaris, the common lilac, and S. Persica, the Persian lilac, are frequently cultivated for the fragrance and beauty of their purplish or white flowers. In the British colonies various other shrubs have this name.

2. A light purplish color like that of the flower of the purplish lilac. California lilac (Bot.), a low shrub with dense clusters of purplish flowers (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus).

LILACIN Lil"a*cin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Syringin.

LILIACEOUS Lil`i*a"ceous, a. Etym: [L. liliaceus, fr. lilium lily. See Lily.] (Bot.) (a) Of or pertaining to a natural order of which the lily, tulip, and hyacinth are well-known examples. (b) Like the blossom of a lily in general form.

LILIAL Lil"i*al, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a general resemblance to lilies or to liliaceous plants.

LILIED Lil"ied, a.

Defn: Covered with, or having many, lilies. By sandy Ladon's lilied banks. Milton.

LILL Lill, v. i.

Defn: To loll. [Obs. or Prov.] Spenser.

LILLIPUTIAN Lil`li*pu"tian, n.

1. One belonging to a very diminutive race described in Swift's "Voyage to Lilliput."

2. Hence:

Defn: A person or thing of very small size.

LILLIPUTIAN Lil`li*pu"tian, a.

1. Of or having to the imaginary island of Lilliput described by Swift, or to its inhabitants.

2. Hence:

Defn: Of very small size; diminutive; dwarfed.

LILLY-PILLY Lil"ly-pil`ly, n. (Bot.)

Defn: An Australian myrtaceous tree (Eugenia Smithii), having smooth ovate leaves, and panicles of small white flowers. The wood is hard and fine-grained.

LILT Lilt, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Norw. lilla, lirla, to sing in a high tone.]

1. To do anything with animation and quickness, as to skip, fly, or hop. [Prov. Eng.] Wordsworth.

2. To sing cheerfully. [Scot.]

LILT Lilt, v. t.

Defn: To utter with spirit, animation, or gayety; to sing with spirit and liveliness. A classic lecture, rich in sentiment, With scraps of thundrous epic lilted out By violet-hooded doctors. Tennyson.

LILT Lilt, n.

1. Animated, brisk motion; spirited rhythm; sprightliness. The movement, the lilt, and the subtle charm of the verse. F. Harrison.

2. A lively song or dance; a cheerful tune. The housewife went about her work, or spun at her wheel, with a lilt upon her lips. J. C. Shairp.

LILY Lil"y, n.; pl. Lilies. Etym: [AS. lilie, L. lilium, Gr. Flower-de- luce.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant and flower of the genus Lilium, endogenous bulbous plants, having a regular perianth of six colored pieces, six stamens, and a superior three-celled ovary.

Note: There are nearly fifty species, all found in the North Temperate zone. Lilium candidum and L. longiflorum are the common white lilies of gardens; L. Philadelphicum is the wild red lily of the Atlantic States. L. Chalcedonicum is supposed to be the "lily of the field" in our Lord's parable; L. auratum is the great gold-banded lily of Japan.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to handsome flowering plants of several genera, having some resemblance in color or form to a true lily, as Pancratium, Crinum, Amaryllis, Nerine, etc.

3. That end of a compass needle which should point to the north; — so called as often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de- lis. But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west. Sir T. Browne. African lily (Bot.), the blue-flowered Agapanthus umbellatus. — Atamasco lily (Bot.), a plant of the genus Zephyranthes (Z. Atamasco), having a white and pink funnelform perianth, with six petal-like divisions resembling those of a lily. Gray. — Blackberry lily (Bot.), the Pardanthus Chinensis, the black seeds of which form a dense like a blackberry. — Bourbon lily (Bot.), Lilium candidum. See Illust. — Butterfly lily. (Bot.) Same as Mariposa lily, in the Vocabulary. — Lily daffodil (Bot.), a plant of the genus Narcissus, and its flower. — Lily encrinite (Paleon.), a fossil encrinite, esp. Encrinus liliiformis. See Encrinite. — Lily hyacinth (Bot.), a plant of the genus Hyacinthus. — Lily iron, a kind of harpoon with a detachable head of peculiar shape, used in capturing swordfish. — Lily of the valley (Bot.), a low perennial herb (Convallaria majalis), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers. — Lily pad, the large floating leaf of the water lily. [U. S.] Lowell. — Tiger lily (Bot.), Lilium tigrinum, the sepals of which are blotched with black. — Turk's-cap lily (Bot.) Lilium Martagon, a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily, L. superbum. — Water lily (Bot.), the Nymphæa, a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [See Illust. of Nymphæa.]

LILY-HANDED Lil"y-hand`ed, a.

Defn: Having white, delicate hands.

LILY-LIVERED Lil"y-liv`ered, a.

Defn: White-livered; cowardly.

LILYWORT Lil"y*wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the Lily family or order. Lindley.

LIM Lim, n. Etym: [See Limb.]

Defn: A limb. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LIMA Li"ma, n.

Defn: The capital city of Peru, in South America. Lima bean. (Bot.) (a) A variety of climbing or pole bean (Phaseolus lunatus), which has very large flattish seeds. (b) The seed of this plant, much used for food. — Lima wood (Bot.), the beautiful dark wood of the South American tree Cæsalpinia echinata.

LIMACEOUS Li*ma"ceous, a. Etym: [L. limax, limacis, slug, snail: cf. F. limacé.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or like, Limax, or the slugs.

LIMACINA Lim`a*ci"na, n. Etym: [NL., From L. limax, limacis, a slug.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of small spiral pteropods, common in the Arctic and Antarctic seas. It contributes to the food of the right whales.

LIMACON Li`ma`con", n. Etym: [F. limacon, lit., a snail.] (Geom.)

Defn: A curve of the fourth degree, invented by Pascal. Its polar equation is r = a cos + b.

LIMAILLE Li"maille, n. Etym: [F., fr. limer to file. See Limation.]

Defn: Filings of metal. [Obs.] "An ounce . . . of silver lymaille." Chaucer.

LIMAN Li"man, n. Etym: [F. limon, fr. L. limus slime.]

Defn: The deposit of slime at the mouth of a river; slime.

LIMATION Li*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. limatus, p. p. of limare to file, fr. lima file : cf. F. limation.]

Defn: The act of filing or polishing.

LIMATURE Li"ma*ture, n. Etym: [L. limatura. See Limation.]

1. The act of filing.

2. That which is filed off; filings. Johnson.

LIMAX Li"max, n. Etym: [L.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of airbreathing mollusks, including the common garden slugs. They have a small rudimentary shell. The breathing pore is on the right side of the neck. Several species are troublesome in gardens. See Slug.

LIMB Limb, n. Etym: [OE. lim, AS. lim; akin to Icel. limr limb, lim branch of a tree, Sw. & Dan. lem limb; cf. also AS. li, OHG. lid, gilid, G. glied, Goth. lipus. Cf. Lith, Limber.]

1. A part of a tree which extends from the trunk and separates into branches and twigs; a large branch.

2. An arm or a leg of a human being; a leg, arm, or wing of an animal. A second Hector for his grim aspect, And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. Shak.

3. A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else. Shak. That little limb of the devil has cheated the gallows. Sir W. Scott.

4. An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock. Limb of the law, a lawyer or an officer of the law. [Colloq.] Landor.

LIMB Limb, v. t.

1. To supply with limbs. [R.] Milton.

2. To dismember; to tear off the limbs of.

LIMB Limb, n. Etym: [L. limbus border. Cf. Limbo, Limbus.]

Defn: A border or edge, in certain special uses. (a) (Bot.) The border or upper spreading part of a monopetalous corolla, or of a petal, or sepal; blade. (b) (Astron.) The border or edge of the disk of a heavenly body, especially of the sun and moon. (c) The graduated margin of an arc or circle, in an instrument for measuring angles.

LIMBAT Lim"bat, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: A cooling periodical wind in the Isle of Cyprus, blowing from the northwest from eight o'clock, A. M., to the middle of the day or later.

LIMBATE Lim"bate, a. Etym: [L. limbatus, fr. limbus border, edge. See Limbus.] (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Bordered, as when one color is surrounded by an edging of another.

LIMBEC Lim"bec, n. Etym: [Abbrev. of alembic.]

Defn: An alembic; a still. [Obs.] Spenser. Shak.

LIMBEC Lim"bec, v. t.

Defn: To distill. [Obs.] Dryden.

LIMBED Limbed, a.

Defn: Having limbs; — much used in composition; as, large-limbed; short-limbed. Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms, Limbed and full grown. Milton.

LIMBER Lim"ber, n. Etym: [For limmer, Icel. limar branches, boughs, pl. of lim; akin to E. limb. See Limb a branch.]

1. pl.

Defn: The shafts or thills of a wagon or carriage. [Prov. Eng.]

2. (Mil.)

Defn: The detachable fore part of a gun carriage, consisting of two wheels, an axle, and a shaft to which the horses are attached. On top is an ammunition box upon which the cannoneers sit.

3. pl. (Naut.)

Defn: Gutters or conduits on each side of the keelson to afford a passage for water to the pump well. Limber boards (Naut.), short pieces of plank forming part of the lining of a ship's floor immediately above the timbers, so as to prevent the limbers from becoming clogged. — Limber box or chest (Mil.), a box on the limber for carrying ammunition. — Limber rope, Limber chain or Limber clearer (Naut.), a rope or chain passing through the limbers of a ship, by which they may be cleared of dirt that chokes them. Totten. — Limber strake (Shipbuilding), the first course of inside planking next the keelson.

LIMBER Lim"ber v. t. [imp. & p. p. Limbered; p. pr. & vb. n. Limbering.] (Mil.)

Defn: To attach to the limber; as, to limber a gun. To limber up, to change a gun carriage into a four-wheeled vehicle by attaching the limber.

LIMBER Lim"ber, a. Etym: [Akin to lim, a. Limp, a.]

Defn: Easily bent; flexible; pliant; yielding. Milton. The bargeman that doth row with long and limber oar. Turbervile.

LIMBER Lim"ber, v. t.

Defn: To cause to become limber; to make flexible or pliant. Richardson.

LIMBERNESS Lim"ber*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being limber; flexibleness. Boyle.

LIMBLESS Limb"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of limbs.

LIMBMEAL Limb"meal`, adv. Etym: [See Limb, and Piecemeal.]

Defn: Piecemeal. [Obs.] "To tear her limbmeal." Shak.

LIMBO; LIMBUS Lim"bo, Lim"bus, n. Etym: [L. limbus border, edge in limbo on the border. Cf. Limb border.]

1. (Scholastic Theol.)

Defn: An extramundane region where certain classes of souls were supposed to await the judgment. As far from help as Limbo is from bliss. Shak. A Limbo large and broad, since called The Paradise of fools. Milton.

Note: The limbus patrum was considered as a place for the souls of good men who lived before the coming of our Savior. The limbus infantium was said to be a similar place for the souls of unbaptized infants. To these was added, in the popular belief, the limbus fatuorum, or fool's paradise, regarded as a receptacle of all vanity and nonsense.

2. Hence: Any real or imaginary place of restraint or confinement; a prison; as, to put a man in limbo.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: A border or margin; as, the limbus of the cornea. Etym: Jamaican E limba to bend, fr. E. limber (1950)]. Often performed at celebrations, such as weddings. (1950-1996)

LIMBOUS Lim"bous, a. Etym: [See Limbus.] (Anat.)

Defn: With slightly overlapping borders; — said of a suture.

LIMBURG CHEESE; LIMBURGER; LIMBURGER CHEESE Lim"burg cheese, Lim"burg*er, n., Lim"burg*er cheese.

Defn: A soft cheese made in the Belgian province of Limburg (Limbourg), and usually not eaten until the curing has developed a peculiar and, to most people, unpleasant odor.

LIME Lime, n. Etym: [See Leam a string.]

Defn: A thong by which a dog is led; a leash. Halliwell.

LIME Lime, n. Etym: [Formerly line, for earlier lind. See Linden.] (Bot.)

Defn: The linden tree. See Linden.

LIME Lime, n. Etym: [F. lime; of Persian origin. See Lemon.] (Bot.)

Defn: A fruit allied to the lemon, but much smaller; also, the tree which bears it. There are two kinds; Citrus Medica, var. acida which is intensely sour, and the sweet lime (C. Medica, var. Limetta) which is only slightly sour.

LIME Lime, n. Etym: [AS. lim; akin to D. lijm, G. leim, OHG. lim, L. limus mud, linere to smear, and E. loam. . Cf. Loam, Liniment.]

1. Birdlime. Like the lime That foolish birds are caught with. Wordsworth.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Oxide of calcium; the white or gray, caustic substance, usually called quicklime, obtained by calcining limestone or shells, the heat driving off carbon dioxide and leaving lime. It develops great heat when treated with water, forming slacked lime, and is an essential ingredient of cement, plastering, mortar, etc.CaO

Note: Lime is the principal constituent of limestone, marble, chalk, bones, shells, etc. Caustic lime, calcium hydrate or slacked lime; also, in a less technical sense, calcium oxide or quicklime. — Lime burner, one who burns limestone, shells, etc., to make lime. — Lime light. See Calcium light under Calcium. — Lime pit, a limestone quarry. — Lime rod, Lime twig, a twig smeared with birdlime; hence, that which catches; a snare. Chaucer.

LIME Lime, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Limed; p. pr. & vb. n. Liming.] Etym: [Cf. AS. geliman to glue or join together. See Lime a viscous substance.]

1. To smear with a viscous substance, as birdlime. These twigs, in time, will come to be limed. L'Estrange.

2. To entangle; to insnare. We had limed ourselves With open eyes, and we must take the chance. Tennyson.

3. To treat with lime, or oxide or hydrate of calcium; to manure with lime; as, to lime hides for removing the hair; to lime sails in order to whiten them. Land may be improved by draining, marling, and liming. Sir J. Child.

4. To cement. "Who gave his blood to lime the stones together." Shak.

LIMEHOUND Lime"hound`, n. Etym: [Lime a leash + hound.]

Defn: A dog used in hunting the wild boar; a leamer. Spenser.

LIMEKILN Lime"kiln`, n.

Defn: A kiln or furnace in which limestone or shells are burned and reduced to lime.

LIMELIGHT Lime"light`, n. (Theat.)

Defn: That part of the stage upon which the limelight as cast, usually where the most important action is progressing or where the leading player or players are placed and upon which the attention of the spectators is therefore concentrated. Hence, consspicuous position before the public; as, politicians who are never happy except in the limelight.

LIMENEAN Li*men"e*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Lima, or to the inhabitants of Lima, in Peru. — n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Lima.

LIMER Lim"er, n.

Defn: A limehound; a limmer. Chaucer.

LIMERICK Lim"er*ick, n. [Said to be from a song with the same verse construction, current in Ireland, the refrain of which contains the place name Limerick.]

Defn: A nonsense poem of five anapestic lines, of which lines 1, 2, and 5 are of there feet, and rime, and lines 3 and 4 are of two feet, and rime; as —

There was a young lady, Amanda, Whose Ballades Lyriques were quite fin de Siècle, I deem But her Journal Intime Was what sent her papa to Uganda.

LIMESTONE Lime"stone`, n.

Defn: A rock consisting chiefly of calcium carbonate or carbonate of lime. It sometimes contains also magnesium carbonate, and is then called magnesian or dolomitic limestone. Crystalline limestone is called marble.

LIME TWIG Lime twig

Defn: . See under 4th Lime.

LIME-TWIGGED Lime"-twigged`, a.

Defn: Beset with snares; insnared, as with birdlime. L. Addison.

LIMEWATER Lime"wa`ter, n.

Defn: Water impregnated with lime; esp., an artificial solution of lime for medicinal purposes.

LIMICOLAE Li*mic"o*læ, n. pl. Etym: [L. limicola a dweller in the mud; limus mud + colere to dwell.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of shore birds, embracing the plovers, sandpipers, snipe, curlew, etc. ; the Grallæ.

LIMICOLINE Li*mic"o*line, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Shore-inhabiting; of or pertaining to the Limicolæ.

LIMINESS Lim"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being limy.

LIMIT Lim"it, n. Etym: [From L. limes, limitis: cf. F.limite; -or from E. limit, v. See Limit, v. t.]

1. That which terminates, circumscribes, restrains, or confines; the bound, border, or edge; the utmost extent; as, the limit of a walk, of a town, of a country; the limits of human knowledge or endeavor. As eager of the chase, the maid Beyond the forest's verdant limits strayed. Pope.

2. The space or thing defined by limits. The archdeacon hath divided it Into three limits very equally. Shak.

3. That which terminates a period of time; hence, the period itself; the full time or extent. The dateless limit of thy dear exile. Shak. The limit of your lives is out. Shak.

4. A restriction; a check; a curb; a hindrance. I prithee, give no limits to my tongue. Shak.

5. (Logic & Metaph.)

Defn: A determining feature; a distinguishing characteristic a differentia.

6. (Math.)

Defn: A determinate quantity, to which a variable one continually approaches, and may differ from it by less than any given difference, but to which, under the law of variation, the variable can never become exactly equivalent. Elastic limit. See under Elastic. — Prison limits, a definite, extent of space in or around a prison, within which a prisoner has liberty to go and come.

Syn. — Boundary; border; edge; termination; restriction; bound; confine.

LIMIT Lim"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Limited; p. pr. & vb. n. Limiting.] Etym: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

Defn: To apply a limit to, or set a limit for; to terminate, circumscribe, or restrict, by a limit or limits; as, to limit the acreage of a crop; to limit the issue of paper money; to limit one's ambitions or aspirations; to limit the meaning of a word. Limiting parallels (Astron.), those parallels of latitude between which only an occultation of a star or planet by the moon, in a given case, can occur.

LIMIT Lim"it, v. i.

Defn: To beg, or to exercise functions, within a certain limited region; as, a limiting friar. [Obs.]

LIMITABLE Lim"it*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being limited.

LIMITANEOUS Lim`i*ta"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. limitancus. See Limit, v. t.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a limit. [Obs.]

LIMITARIAN Lim`i*ta"ri*an, a.

Defn: Tending to limit.

LIMITARY Lim"i*ta*ry, a. Etym: [L.limitaris. See Limit , v. t.]

1. Placed at the limit, as a guard. "Proud limitary cherub." Milton.

2. Confined within limits; limited in extent, authority, power, etc. "The limitary ocean." Trench. The poor, limitary creature calling himself a man of the world. De Quincey.

3. Limiting, or tending to limit; restrictive. Doctrines limitary, if not subversive of the papal power. Milman.

LIMITARY Lim"i*ta*ry, n.; pl. -ries (.

1. That which serves to limit; a boundary; border land. [Obs.] Fuller.

2. A limiter. See Limiter, 2.

LIMITATE Lim"i*tate, a. Etym: [L. limitatus, p. p. of limitare to limit. See Limit, v. t. ]

Defn: Bounded by a distinct line.

LIMITATION Lim`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. limitatio: cf. F. Limitation. See Limit, v. t.]

1. The act of limiting; the state or condition of being limited; as, the limitation of his authority was approved by the council. They had no right to mistake the limitation . . . of their own faculties, for an inherent limitation of the possible modes of existence in the universe. J. S. Mill.

2. That which limits; a restriction; a qualification; a restraining condition, defining circumstance, or qualifying conception; as, limitations of thought. The cause of error is ignorance what restraints and limitations all principles have in regard of the matter whereunto they are applicable. Hooker.

3. A certain precinct within which friars were allowed to beg, or exercise their functions; also, the time during which they were permitted to exercise their functions in such a district. Chaucer. Latimer.

4. A limited time within or during which something is to be done. You have stood your limitation, and the tribunes Endue you with the people's voice. Shak.

5. (Law) (a) A certain period limited by statute after which the claimant shall not enforce his claims by suit. (b) A settling of an estate or property by specific rules. (c) A restriction of power; as, a constitutional limitation. Wharton. Bouvier. To know one's own limitations, to know the reach and limits of one's abilities. A. R. Wallace.

LIMITED Lim"it*ed, a.

Defn: Confined within limits; narrow; circumscribed; restricted; as, our views of nature are very limited. Limited company, a company in which the liability of each shareholder is limited by the number of shares he has taken, so that he can not be called on to contribute beyond the amount of his shares. [Eng.] Mozley & W.

LIMITEDLY Lim"it*ed*ly, adv.

Defn: With limitation.

LIMITEDNESS lim"it*ed*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being limited.

LIMITER Lim"it*er, n.

1. One who, or that which, limits.

2. A friar licensed to beg within certain bounds, or whose duty was limited to a certain district. [Formerly written also limitour.] Chaucer. A limitour of the Gray Friars, in the time of his limitation, preached many times, and had one sermon at all times. Latimer.

LIMITIVE Lim"it*ive, a.

Defn: Involving a limit; as, a limitive law, one designed to limit existing powers. [R.]

LIMITLESS Lim"it*less, a.

Defn: Having no limits; unbounded; boundless. Davies (Wit's Pilgr.).

LIMITOUR Lim"it*our, n.

Defn: See Limiter, 2.

LIMMER Lim"mer, a.

Defn: Limber. [Obs.] Holland.

LIMMER Lim"mer, n. Etym: [F. limier. See Leamer.]

1. A limehound; a leamer.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A mongrel, as a cross between the mastiff and hound.

3. A low, base fellow; also, a prostitute. [Scot.] Thieves, limmers, and broken men of the Highlands. Sir W. Scott.

4. (Naut.)

Defn: A man rope at the side of a ladder.

LIMN Limn, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Limned; p. pr. & vb. n. Limning.] Etym: [OE. limnen, fr. luminen, for enluminen, F. enluminer to illuminate, to limn, LL. illuminare to paint. Illuminate, Luminous.]

1. To draw or paint; especially, to represent in an artistic way with pencil or brush. Let a painter carelessly limn out a million of faces, and you shall find them all different. Sir T. Browne.

2. To illumine, as books or parchments, with ornamental figures, letters, or borders.

LIM NAEA Lim *næ"a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of fresh-water air-breathing mollusks, abundant in ponds and streams; — called also pond snail. [Written also Lymnæa.]

LIMNER Lim"ner, n. Etym: [F. enlumineur, LL. illuminator. See Limn, and cf. Alluminor.]

Defn: A painter; an artist; esp.: (a) One who paints portraits. (b) One who illuminates books. [Archaic]

LIMNIAD Lim"ni*ad, n. Etym: [Gr. (Myth.)

Defn: See Limoniad.

LIMNING Lim"ning, n.

Defn: The act, process, or art of one who limns; the picture or decoration so produced. Adorned with illumination which we now call limning. Wood.

LIMOGES Li*moges", n.

Defn: A city of Southern France. Limoges enamel, a kind of enamel ware in which the enamel is applied to the whole surface of a metal plaque, vase, or the like, and painted in enamel colors. The art was brought to a high degree of perfection in Limoges in the 16th century. — Limoges ware. (a) Articles decorated with Limoges enamel. (b) Articles of porcelain, etc., manufactured at Limoges.

LIMONIAD Li*mo"ni*ad, n. Etym: [L. limoniades, pl., Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A nymph of the meadows; — called also Limniad.

LIMONIN Li*mo"nin, n. Etym: [From NL. Citrus Medica, var. Limonum, the scientific name of the lemon.] (Chem.)

Defn: A bitter, white, crystalline substance found in orange and lemon seeds.

LIMONITE Li"mon*ite, n. Etym: [Gr. limonite, G. limonit.] (Min.)

Defn: Hydrous sesquixoide of iron, an important ore of iron, occurring in stalactitic, mammillary, or earthy forms, of a dark brown color, yellowish brown powder. It includes bog iron. Also called brown hematite.

LIMOSIS Li*mo"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A ravenous appetite caused by disease; excessive and morbid hunger.

LIMOUS Li"mous, a. Etym: [L. limosus, fr. limus slime, mud.]

Defn: Muddy; slimy; thick. Sir T. Browne.

LIMOUSINE Li`mou*sine", n. [Cf. F. limousine a kind of cloak, fr. Limousin, an old province in central France.]

Defn: An automobile body with seats and permanent top like a coupé, and with the top projecting over the driver and a projecting front; also, an automobile with such a body.

LIMP Limp, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Limped; p. pr. & vb. n. Limping.] Etym: [Cf. AS. lemphealt lame, OHG. limphen to limp, be weak; perh. akin to E. lame, or to limp, a

Defn: To halt; to walk lamely. Also used figuratively. Shak.

LIMP Limp, n.

Defn: A halt; the act of limping.

LIMP Limp, n. (Ore Washing)

Defn: A scraper for removing poor ore or refuse from the sieve.

LIMP Limp, a. Etym: [Cf. Icel. limpa limpness, weakness, and E.lap, n., lop, v. t. Cf. Limber, a.]

1. Flaccid; flabby, as flesh. Walton.

2. Lacking stiffness; flimsy; as, a limp cravat.

LIMPER Limp"er, n.

Defn: One who limps.

LIMPET Lim"pet, n. Etym: [Prob. through French fr. L. lepas, -adis, Gr. (Zoöl.)

1. In a general sense, any hatshaped, or conical, gastropod shell.

2. Any one of many species of marine shellfish of the order Docoglossa, mostly found adhering to rocks, between tides.

Note: The common European limpets of the genus Patella (esp. P. vulgata) are extensively used as food. The common New England species is Acmæa testudinalis. Numerous species of limpets occur on the Pacific coast of America, some of them of large size.

3. Any species of Siphonaria, a genus of limpet-shaped Pulmonifera, living between tides, on rocks.

4. A keyhole limpet. See Fissurella.

LIMPID Lim"pid, a. Etym: [L.limpidus; akin to Gr. limpide. Cf. Lamp.]

Defn: Characterized by clearness or transparency; clear; as, a limpid stream. Springs which were clear, fresh, and limpid. Woodward.

Syn. — Clear; transparent; pellucid; lucid; pure; crystal; translucent; bright.

LIMPIDITY Lim*pid"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. limpiditas: cf. F. limpidité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being limpid.

LIMPIDNESS Lim"pid*ness, n.

Defn: Quality of being limpid; limpidity.

LIMPIN Lim"pin, n.

Defn: A limpet. [Obs.] Holland.

LIMPINGLY Limp"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a limping manner.

LIMPITUDE Limp"i*tude, n.

Defn: Limpidity. [Obs.]

LIMPKIN Limp"kin, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Either one of two species of wading birds of the genus Aramus, intermediate between the cranes and rails. The limpkins are remarkable for the great length of the toes. One species (A. giganteus) inhabits Florida and the West Indies; the other (A. scolopaceus) is found in South America. Called also courlan, and crying bird.

LIMPNESS Limp"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being limp.

LIMPSY; LIMSY Limp"sy, Lim"sy, a. Etym: [See Limp, a., and cf. W. llymsi having a fickle motion, weak. Cf. Flimsy.]

Defn: Limp; flexible; flimsy. [Local, U. S.]

LIMU Li"mu, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The Hawaiian name for seaweeds. Over sixty kinds are used as food, and have species names, as Limu Lipoa, Limu palawai, etc.

LIMULE Lim"ule, n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A limulus.

LIMULOIDEA Lim`u*loi"de*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Limulus, and -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of Merostomata, including among living animals the genus Limulus, with various allied fossil genera, mostly of the Carboniferous period. Called also Xiphosura.

Note: There are six pairs of leglike organs, surrounding the mouth, most of which terminate in claws; those of the first pair (probably mandibles) are the smallest; the others have the basal joints thickened and spinose, to serve as jaws, while the terminal joints serve as legs. This group is intermediate, in some characteristics, between crustaceans and certain arachnids (scorpions), but the respiration is by means of lamellate gills borne upon the five posterior abdominal appendages, which are flat and united in pairs by their inner edges, and are protected by the lidlike anterior pair, which also bear the genital orifices.