L

1. L is the twelfth letter of the English alphabet, and a vocal consonant. It is usually called a semivowel or liquid. Its form and value are from the Greek, through the Latin, the form of the Greek letter being from the Phoenician, and the ultimate origin prob. Egyptian. Etymologically, it is most closely related to r and u; as in pilgrim, peregrine, couch (fr. collocare), aubura (fr. LL. alburnus).

Note: At the end of monosyllables containing a single vowel, it is often doubled, as in fall, full, bell; but not after digraphs, as in foul, fool, prowl, growl, foal. In English words, the terminating syllable le is unaccented, the e is silent, and l is preceded by a voice glide, as in able, eagle, pronounced a''b'l, ''g'l. See Guide to Pronunciation, § 241.

2. As a numeral, L stands for fifty in the English, as in the Latin language. For 50 the Romans used the Chalcidian chi, I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

L L, n.

1. An extension at right angles to the length of a main building, giving to the ground plan a form resembling the letter L; sometimes less properly applied to a narrower, or lower, extension in the direction of the length of the main building; a wing. [Written also ell.]

2. (Mech.)

Defn: A short right-angled pipe fitting, used in connecting two pipes at right angles. [Written also ell.]

LA La, n. (Mus.) (a) A syllable applied to the sixth tone of the scale in music in solmization. (b) The tone A; — so called among the French and Italians.

LA La, interj. Etym: [Cf. Lo.]

1. Look; see; behold; — sometimes followed by you. [Obs.] Shak.

2. An exclamation of surprise; — commonly followed by me; as, La me! [Low]

LAAGER Laa"ger (lal"ger or lä"ger), n. [D., also leger. Cf. 2d Leaguer, Lair.]

Defn: A camp, esp. one with an inclosure of travelers' wagons for temporary defense. [South Africa]

Wagons . . . can be readily formed into a laager, a camp, by being drawn into a circle, with the oxen placed inside and so kept safe from the attacks of wild beasts. James Bryce.

LAAGER Laa"ger, v. t. & i. [From Laager, n.]

Defn: To form into, or camp in, a laager, or protected camp.

LAAS Laas, n.

Defn: A lace. See Lace. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LAB Lab, v. i. Etym: [Cf. OD. labben to babble.]

Defn: To prate; to gossip; to babble; to blab. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LAB Lab, n.

Defn: A telltale; a prater; a blabber. [Obs.] "I am no lab." Chaucer.

LABADIST Lab"a*dist, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: A follower of Jean de Labadie, a religious teacher of the 17th century, who left the Roman Catholic Church and taught a kind of mysticism, and the obligation of community of property among Christians.

LABARRAQUE'S SOLUTION La`bar`raque's" so*lu"tion. Etym: [From Labarraque, a Parisian apothecary.] (Med.)

Defn: An aqueous solution of hypochlorite of sodium, extensively used as a disinfectant.

LABARUM Lab"a*rum (, n.; pl. Labara. Etym: [L.]

Defn: The standard adopted by the Emperor Constantine after his conversion to Christianity. It is described as a pike bearing a silk banner hanging from a crosspiece, and surmounted by a golden crown. It bore a monogram of the first two letters (CHR) of the name of Christ in its Greek form. Later, the name was given to various modifications of this standard.

LABDANUM Lab"da*num, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Ladanum.

LABEFACTION Lab`e*fac"tion, n. Etym: [See Labefy.]

Defn: The act of labefying or making weak; the state of being weakened; decay; ruin. There is in it such a labefaction of all principles as may be injurious to morality. Johnson.

LABEFY Lab"e*fy, v. t. Etym: [L. labefacere; labare to totter + facere to make.]

Defn: To weaken or impair. [R.]

LABEL La"bel, n. Etym: [OF. label sort of ribbon or fringe, label in heraldry, F. lambeau shred, strip, rag; of uncertain origin; cf. L.labellum, dim. of labrum lip, edge, margin, G. lappen flap, patch, rag, tatter (cf. Lap of a dress), W. llab, llabed, label, flap, Gael. leab, leob, slice, shred, hanging lip.]

1. A tassel. [Obs.] Huloet. Fuller.

2. A slip of silk, paper, parchment, etc., affixed to anything, usually by an inscription, the contents, ownership, destination, etc.; as, the label of a bottle or a package.

3. A slip of ribbon, parchment, etc., attached to a document to hold the appended seal; also, the seal.

4. A writing annexed by way of addition, as a codicil added to a will.

5. (Her.)

Defn: A barrulet, or, rarely, a bendlet, with pendants, or points, usually three, especially used as a mark of cadency to distinguish an eldest or only son while his father is still living.

6. A brass rule with sights, formerly used, in connection with a circumferentor, to take altitudes. Knight.

7. (Gothic Arch.)

Defn: The name now generally given to the projecting molding by the sides, and over the tops, of openings in mediæval architecture. It always has a Arch. Pub. Soc.

8. In mediæval art, the representation of a band or scroll containing an inscription. Fairholt.

LABEL La"bel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Labeled or Labelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Labeling or Labelling.]

1. To affix a label to; to mark with a name, etc.; as, to label a bottle or a package.

2. To affix in or on a label. [R.]

LABELER La"bel*er, n.

Defn: One who labels. [Written also labeller.]

LABELLUM La*bel"lum, n.; pl. L. Labella, E. Labellums. Etym: [L., dim. of labrum lip.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The lower or apparently anterior petal of an orchidaceous flower, often of a very curious shape.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small appendage beneath the upper lip or labrum of certain insects.

LABENT La"bent, a. Etym: [L. labens, p. pr. of labi to slide, glide.]

Defn: Slipping; sliding; gliding. [R.]

LABIA La"bi*a, n. pl.

Defn: See Labium.

LABIAL La"bi*al, a. Etym: [LL. labialis, fr. L. labium lip: cf. F. labial. See Lip.]

1. Of or pertaining to the lips or labia; as, labial veins.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: Furnished with lips; as, a labial organ pipe.

3. (Phonetics) (a) Articulated, as a consonant, mainly by the lips, as b, p, m, w. (b) Modified, as a vowel, by contraction of the lip opening, as oo (food), o (old), etc., and as eu and u in French, and ö, ü in German. See Guide to Pronunciation,

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the labium; as, the labial palpi of insects. See Labium.

LABIAL La"bi*al, n.

1. (Phonetics)

Defn: A letter or character representing an articulation or sound formed or uttered chiefly with the lips, as b, p, w.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: An organ pipe that is furnished with lips; a flue pipe.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the scales which border the mouth of a fish or reptile.

LABIALISM La"bi*al*ism, n. (Phonetics)

Defn: The quality of being labial; as, the labialism of an articulation; conversion into a labial, as of a sound which is different in another language. J. Peile.

LABIALIZATION La`bi*al*i*za"tion, n. (Phonetics)

Defn: The modification of an articulation by contraction of the lip opening.

LABIALIZE La"bi*al*ize, v. t. (Phonetics)

Defn: To modify by contraction of the lip opening.

LABIALLY La"bi*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a labial manner; with, or by means of, the lips.

LABIATE La"bi*ate, v. t.

Defn: To labialize. Brewer.

LABIATE La"bi*ate, a. Etym: [NL. labiatus, fr. L. labium lip.] (Bot.) (a) Having the limb of a tubular corolla or calyx divided into two unequal parts, one projecting over the other like the lips of a mouth, as in the snapdragon, sage, and catnip. (b) Belonging to a natural order of plants (Labiatæ), of which the mint, sage, and catnip are examples. They are mostly aromatic herbs.

LABIATE La"bi*ate, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the order Labiatæ.

LABIATED La"bi*a`ted, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Labiate, a. (a).

LABIATIFLORAL; LABIATIFLORAL La`bi*a`ti*flo"ral, La`bi*a`ti*flo"ral, a. Etym: [Labiate + L. flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having labiate flowers, as the snapdragon.

LABIDOMETER Lab`i*dom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr.meter: cf. F. labidometre.] (Med.)

Defn: A forceps with a measuring attachment for ascertaining the size of the fetal head.

LABILE La"bile, a. Etym: [L. labilis apt to slip, fr. labi to slip.]

Defn: Liable to slip, err, fall, or apostatize. [Obs.] Cheyne.

LABILITY La*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Liability to lapse, err, or apostatize. [Archaic] Coleridge.

LABIMETER La*bim"e*ter, n. Etym: [Cf. F. labimetre.] (Med.)

Defn: See Labidometer.

LABIODENTAL La`bi*o*den"tal, a. Etym: [Labium + dental.] (Phonetics)

Defn: Formed or pronounced by the cooperation of the lips and teeth, as f and v. — n.

Defn: A labiodental sound or letter.

LABIONASAL La`bi*o*na"sal, a. Etym: [Labium + nasal.] (Phonetics)

Defn: Formed by the lips and the nose. — n.

Defn: A labionasal sound or letter.

LABIOPLASTY La"bi*o*plas`ty (la"bi*o*plas`ty), n. [Labium + -plasty.] (Surg.)

Defn: A plastic operation for making a new lip, or for replacing a lost tissue of a lip.

LABIOSE La"bi*ose`, a. Etym: [From Labium.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the appearance of being labiate; — said of certain polypetalous corollas.

LABIPALP La"bi*palp, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A labial palp.

LABIPALPUS La`bi*pal"pus, n.; pl. Labipalpi (. Etym: [NL. See Labium, and Palpus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the labial palpi of an insect. See Illust. under Labium.

LABIUM La"bi*um, n. ; pl. L. Labia, E. Labiums. Etym: [L.]

1. A lip, or liplike organ.

2. The lip of an organ pipe.

3. pl. (Anat.)

Defn: The folds of integument at the opening of the vulva.

4. (Zoöl.) (a) The organ of insects which covers the mouth beneath, and serves as an under lip. It consists of the second pair of maxillæ, usually closely united in the middle line, but bearing a pair of palpi in most insects. It often consists of a thin anterior part (ligula or palpiger) and a firmer posterior plate (mentum). (b) Inner margin of the aperture of a shell.

LABLAB Lab"lab, n. (Bot.)

Defn: an East Indian name for several twining leguminous plants related to the bean, but commonly applied to the hyacinth bean (Delichos Lablab).

LABOR La"bor, n. Etym: [OE. labour, OF. labour, laber, labur, F. labeur, L. labor; cf. Gr. labh to get, seize.] [Written also labour.]

1. Physical toil or bodily exertion, especially when fatiguing, irksome, or unavoidable, in distinction from sportive exercise; hard, muscular effort directed to some useful end, as agriculture, manufactures, and like; servile toil; exertion; work. God hath set Labor and rest, as day and night, to men Successive. Milton.

2. Intellectual exertion; mental effort; as, the labor of compiling a history.

3. That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort. Being a labor of so great a difficulty, the exact performance thereof we may rather wish than look for. Hooker.

4. Travail; the pangs and efforts of childbirth. The queen's in labor, They say, in great extremity; and feared She'll with the labor end. Shak.

5. Any pang or distress. Shak.

6. (Naut.)

Defn: The pitching or tossing of a vessel which results in the straining of timbers and rigging.

7. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A measure of land in Mexico and Texas, equivalent to an area of 177 Bartlett.

Syn. — Work; toil; drudgery; task; exertion; effort; industry; painstaking. See Toll.

LABOR La"bor, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Labored; p. pr. & vb. n. Laboring.] Etym: [OE. labouren, F. labourer, L. laborare. See Labor, n.] [Written also labour.]

1. To exert muscular strength; to exert one's strength with painful effort, particularly in servile occupations; to work; to toil. Adam, well may we labor still to dress This garden. Milton.

2. To exert one's powers of mind in the prosecution of any design; to strive; to take pains.

3. To be oppressed with difficulties or disease; to do one's work under conditions which make it especially hard, wearisome; to move slowly, as against opposition, or under a burden; to be burdened; — often with under, and formerly with of. The stone that labors up the hill. Granville. The line too labors,and the words move slow. Pope. To cure the disorder under which he labored. Sir W. Scott. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. xi. 28

4. To be in travail; to suffer the pangs of childbirth.

5. (Naut.)

Defn: To pitch or roll heavily, as a ship in a turbulent sea. Totten.

LABOR La"bor, v. t. Etym: [F. labourer, L. laborare.]

1. To work at; to work; to till; to cultivate by toil. The most excellent lands are lying fallow, or only labored by children. W. Tooke.

2. To form or fabricate with toil, exertion, or care. "To labor arms for Troy." Dryden.

3. To prosecute, or perfect, with effort; to urge streas, to labor a point or argument.

4. To belabor; to beat. [Obs.] Dryden.

LABORANT Lab"o*rant, n. Etym: [L.laborans, p. pr. of laborare to labor.]

Defn: A chemist. [Obs.] Boyle.

LABORATORY Lab"o*ra*to*ry, n.; pl. Laboratories. Etym: [Shortened fr. elaboratory; cf. OF. elaboratoire, F. laboratoire. See Elaborate, Labor.] [Formerly written also elaboratory.]

Defn: The workroom of a chemist; also, a place devoted to experiments in any branch of natural science; as, a chemical, physical, or biological laboratory. Hence, by extension, a place where something is prepared, or some operation is performed; as, the liver is the laboratory of the bile.

LABOR DAY Labor Day.

Defn: In most of the States and Territories of the United States, a day, usually the first Monday of September, set aside as a legal holiday, in honor of, or in the interest of, workingmen as a class. Also, a similar holiday in Canada, Australia, etc.

LABORED La"bored, a.

Defn: Bearing marks of labor and effort; elaborately wrought; not easy or natural; as, labored poetry; a labored style.

LABOREDLY La"bored*ly, adv.

Defn: In a labored manner; with labor.

LABORER La"bor*er, n. Etym: [Written also labourer.]

Defn: One who labors in a toilsome occupation; a person who does work that requires strength rather than skill, as distinguished from that of an artisan.

LABORING La"bor*ing, a.

1. That labors; performing labor; esp., performing coarse, heavy work, not requiring skill also, set apart for labor; as, laboring days. The sleep of a laboring man is sweet. eccl. v. 12.

2. Suffering pain or grief. Pope. Laboring oar, the oar which requires most strength and exertion; often used figuratively; as, to have, or pull, the laboring oar in some difficult undertaking.

LABORIOUS La*bo"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. laboriosus,fr. labor labor: cf. F. laborieux.]

1. Requiring labor, perseverance, or sacrifices; toilsome; tiresome. Dost thou love watchings, abstinence, or toil, Laborious virtues all Learn these from Cato. Addison.

2. Devoted to labor; diligent; industrious; as, a laborious mechanic. — La*bo"ri*ous*ly, adv. — La*bo"ri*ous*ness, n.

LABORLESS La"bor*less, a.

Defn: Not involving labor; not laborious; easy.

LABOROUS La"bor*ous, a.

Defn: Laborious. [Obs.] Wyatt. — La"bor*ous*ly, adv. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.

LABOR-SAVING La"bor-sav`ing, a.

Defn: Saving labor; adapted to supersede or diminish the labor of men; as, laborsaving machinery.

LABORSOME La"bor*some, a.

1. Made with, or requiring, great labor, pains, or diligence. [Obs.] Shak.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: Likely or inclined to roll or pitch, as a ship in a heavy sea; having a tendency to labor.

LABRADOR Lab`ra*dor", n.

Defn: A region of British America on the Atlantic coast, north of Newfoundland. Labrador duck (Zoöl.), a sea duck (Camtolaimus Labradorius) allied to the eider ducks. It was formerly common on the coast of New England, but is now supposed to be extinct, no specimens having been reported since 1878. — Labrador feldspar. See Labradorite. — Labrador tea (Bot.), a name of two low, evergreen shrubs of the genus Ledum (L. palustre and L. latifolium), found in Northern Europe and America. They are used as tea in British America, and in Scandinavia as a substitute for hops.

LABRADORITE Lab"ra*dor`ite (, n. (Min.)

Defn: A kind of feldspar commonly showing a beautiful play of colors, and hence much used for ornamental purposes. The finest specimens come from Labrador. See Feldspar.

LABRAS La"bras, n. pl. Etym: [L.labrum; cf. It. labbro, pl. labbra.]

Defn: Lips. [Obs. & R.] Shak.

LABRET La"bret, n. [L. labrum lip.] (Anthropology)

Defn: A piece of wood, shell, stone, or other substance, worn in a perforation of the lip or cheek by many savages.

LABROID La"broid, a. Etym: [Labrus + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like the genus Labrus; belonging to the family Labridæ, an extensive family of marine fishes, often brilliantly colored, which are very abundant in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The tautog and cunner are American examples.

LABROSE La"brose`, a. Etym: [L. labrosus, fr. labrum lip.]

Defn: Having thick lips.

LABRUM La"brum, n.; pl. L. Labra, E. Labrums. Etym: [L.]

1. A lip or edge, as of a basin.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) An organ in insects and crustaceans covering the upper part of the mouth, and serving as an upper lip. See Illust. of Hymenoptera. (b) The external margin of the aperture of a shell. See Univalve.

LABRUS La"brus, n.; pl. Labri (-bri). Etym: [L., a sort of fish.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of marine fishes, including the wrasses of Europe. See Wrasse.

LABURNIC La*bur`nic, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, the laburnum.

LABURNINE La*bur`nine, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A poisonous alkaloid found in the unripe seeds of the laburnum.

LABURNUM La*bur"num, n. Etym: [L.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small leguminous tree (Cytisus Laburnum), native of the Alps. The plant is reputed to be poisonous, esp. the bark and seeds. It has handsome racemes of yellow blossoms.

Note: Scotch laburnum (Cytisus alpinus) is similar, but has smooth leaves; purple laburnum is C. purpureus.

LABYRINTH Lab"y*rinth, n. Etym: [L. labyrinthus, Gr. laby`rinthos: cf. F. labyrinthe.]

1. An edifice or place full of intricate passageways which render it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance; as, the Egyptian and Cretan labyrinths.

2. Any intricate or involved inclosure; especially, an ornamental maze or inclosure in a park or garden.

3. Any object or arrangement of an intricate or involved form, or having a very complicated nature. The serpent . . . fast sleeping soon he found, In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled. Milton. The labyrinth of the mind. Tennyson.

4. An inextricable or bewildering difficulty. I' the maze and winding labyrinths o' the world. Denham.

5. (Anat.)

Defn: The internal ear. See Note under Ear.

6. (Metal.)

Defn: A series of canals through which a stream of water is directed for suspending, carrying off, and depositing at different distances, the ground ore of a metal. Ure.

7. (Arch.)

Defn: A pattern or design representing a maze, — often inlaid in the tiled floor of a church, etc.

Syn. — Maze; confusion; intricacy; windings. — Labyrinth, Maze. Labyrinth, originally; the name of an edifice or excavation, carries the idea of design, and construction in a permanent form, while maze is used of anything confused or confusing, whether fixed or shifting. Maze is less restricted in its figurative uses than labyrinth. We speak of the labyrinth of the ear, or of the mind, and of a labyrinth of difficulties; but of the mazes of the dance, the mazes of political intrigue, or of the mind being in a maze.

LABYRINTHAL Lab`y*rin"thal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, a labyrinth; intricate; labyrinthian.

LABYRINTHIAN Lab`y*rin"thi*an (, a.

Defn: Intricately winding; like a labyrinth; perplexed; labyrinthal.

LABYRINTHIBRANCH Lab`y*rin"thi*branch, a. Etym: [See Labyrinth, and Branchia.] (Zoöl.)

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

Defn: One of the Labyrinthici.

LABYRINTHIC; LABYRINTHICAL Lab`y*rin"thic, Lab`y*rin`thic*al, a. Etym: [L. labyrinthicus: cf. F. labyrinthique.]

Defn: Like or pertaining to a labyrinth.

LABYRINTHICI Lab`y*rin"thi*ci, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Labyrinth.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of teleostean fishes, including the Anabas, or climbing perch, and other allied fishes.

Note: They have, connected with the gill chamber, a special cavity in which a labyrinthiform membrane is arranged so as to retain water to supply the gills while the fish leaves the water and travels about on land, or even climbs trees.

LABYRINTHIFORM Lab`y*rin"thi*form, a. Etym: [Labyrinth + -form: cf. F. labyrinthiforme.]

Defn: Having the form of a labyrinth; intricate.

LABYRINTHINE Lab`y*rin"thine, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or like, a labyrinth; labyrinthal.

LABYRINTHODON Lab`y*rin"tho*don, n. Etym: [Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of very large fossil amphibians, of the Triassic period, having bony plates on the under side of the body. It is the type of the order Labyrinthodonta. Called also Mastodonsaurus.

LABYRINTHODONT Lab`y*rin"tho*dont, a. (Paleon.)

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

Defn: One of the Labyrinthodonta.

LABYRINTHODONTA Lab`y*rin`tho*don"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Labyrinthodon.] (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct order of Amphibia, including the typical genus Labyrinthodon, and many other allied forms, from the Carboniferous, Permian, and Triassic formations. By recent writers they are divided into two or more orders. See Stegocephala.

LAC; LAKH Lac, Lakh (, n. Etym: [Hind. lak, lakh, laksh, Skr. laksha a mark, sign, lakh.]

Defn: One hundred thousand; also, a vaguely great number; as, a lac of rupees. [Written also lack.] [East Indies]

LAC Lac, n. Etym: [Per. lak; akin to Skr. laksha: cf. F. lague, It. & NL. lacca. Cf. Lake a color, Lacquer, Litmus.]

Defn: A resinous substance produced mainly on the banyan tree, but to some extent on other trees, by the Coccus lacca, a scale-shaped insect, the female of which fixes herself on the bark, and exudes from the margin of her body this resinous substance.

Note: Stick-lac is the substance in its natural state, incrusting small twigs. When broken off, and the coloring matter partly removed, the granular residuum is called seed-lac. When melted, and reduced to a thin crust, it is called shell-lac or shellac. Lac is an important ingredient in sealing wax, dyes, varnishes, and lacquers. Ceylon lac, a resinous exudation of the tree Croton lacciferum, resembling lac. — Lac dye, a scarlet dye obtained from stick-lac. — Lac lake, the coloring matter of lac dye when precipitated from its solutions by alum. — Mexican lac, an exudation of the tree Croton Draco.

LACCIC Lac"cic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. laccique.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to lac, or produced from it; as, laccic acid.

LACCIN Lac"cin, n. Etym: [Cf. F. laccine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow amorphous substance obtained from lac.

LACCOLITE; LACCOLITH Lac"co*lite, Lac"co*lith, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite, -lith.] (Geol.)

Defn: A mass of igneous rock intruded between sedimentary beds and resulting in a mammiform bulging of the overlying strata. — Lac`co*lit"ic, a.

LACE Lace (las), n. Etym: [OE. las, OF. laz, F. lacs, dim. lacet, fr. L. laqueus noose, snare; prob. akin to lacere to entice. Cf. Delight, Elicit, Lasso, Latchet.]

1. That which binds or holds, especially by being interwoven; a string, cord, or band, usually one passing through eyelet or other holes, and used in drawing and holding together parts of a garment, of a shoe, of a machine belt, etc. His hat hung at his back down by a lace. Chaucer. For striving more, the more in laces strong Himself he tied. Spenser.

2. A snare or gin, especially one made of interwoven cords; a net. [Obs.] Fairfax. Vulcanus had caught thee [Venus] in his lace. Chaucer.

3. A fabric of fine threads of linen, silk, cotton, etc., often ornamented with figures; a delicate tissue of thread, much worn as an ornament of dress. Our English dames are much given to the wearing of costlylaces. Bacon.

4. Spirits added to coffee or some other beverage. [Old Slang] Addison. Alencon lace, a kind of point lace, entirely of needlework, first made at Alencon in France, in the 17th century. It is very durable and of great beauty and cost. — Bone lace, Brussels lace, etc. See under Bone, Brussels, etc. — Gold lace, or Silver lace, lace having warp threads of silk, or silk and cotton, and a weft of silk threads covered with gold (or silver), or with gilt. — Lace leather, thin, oil-tanned leather suitable for cutting into lacings for machine belts. — Lace lizard (Zoöl.), a large, aquatic, Australian lizard (Hydrosaurus giganteus), allied to the monitors. — Lace paper, paper with an openwork design in imitation of lace. — Lace piece (Shipbuilding), the main piece of timber which supports the beak or head projecting beyond the stem of a ship. — Lace pillow, and Pillow lace. See under Pillow.

LACE Lace, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Laced (ast); p. pr. & vb. n. Lacing.]

1. To fasten with a lace; to draw together with a lace passed through eyelet holes; to unite with a lace or laces, or, figuratively. with anything resembling laces. Shak. When Jenny's stays are newly laced. Prior.

2. To adorn with narrow strips or braids of some decorative material; as, cloth laced with silver. Shak.

3. To beat; to lash; to make stripes on. [Colloq.] I'll lace your coat for ye. L'Estrange.

4. To add spirits to (a beverage). [Old Slang]

LACE Lace, v. i.

Defn: To be fastened with a lace, or laces; as, these boots lace.

LACE-BARK Lace"-bark`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A shrub in the West Indies (Lagetta Iintearia); — so called from the lacelike layers of its inner bark.

LACED Laced, a.

1. Fastened with a lace or laces; decorated with narrow strips or braid. See Lace, v. t.

2. Decorated with the fabric lace. A shirt with laced ruffles. Fielding. Laced mutton, a prostitute. [Old slang] — Laced stocking, a strong stocking which can be tightly laced; — used in cases of weak legs, varicose veins, etc. Dunglison.

LACEDAEMONIAN Lac`e*dæ*mo"ni*an, a. Etym: [L. Lacedamonius, Gr. Lakedaimo`nios, fr. Lakedai`mwn Lacedæmon.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Lacedæmon or Sparta, the chief city of Laconia in the Peloponnesus. — n.

Defn: A Spartan. [Written also Lacedemonian.]

LACEMAN Lace"man, n.; pl. Lacemen (.

Defn: A man who deals in lace.

LACERABLE Lac"er*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. lacerabilis: cf. F. lacérable.]Etym:

Defn: That can be lacerated or torn.

LACERATE Lac"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lacerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Lacerating ().] Etym: [L. laceratus, p. p. of lacerare to lacerate, fr. lacer mangled, lacerated; cf. Gr. slay.]

Defn: To tear; to rend; to separate by tearing; to mangle; as, to lacerate the flesh. Hence: To afflict; to torture; as, to lacerate the heart.

LACERATE; LACERATED Lac"er*ate, Lac"er*a`ted, p. a. Etym: [L. laceratus, p. p.]

1. Rent; torn; mangled; as, a lacerated wound. By each other's fury lacerate Southey.

2. (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Jagged, or slashed irregularly, at the end, or along the edge.

LACERATION Lac`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L.laceratio: cf. F. lacération.]

1. The act of lacerating.

2. A breach or wound made by lacerating. Arbuthnot.

LACERATIVE Lac"er*a*tive, a.

Defn: Lacerating, or having the power to lacerate; as, lacerative humors. Harvey.

LACERT La"cert, n. Etym: [OE. lacerte. See Lacertus.]

Defn: A muscle of the human body. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LACERTA La*cer"ta, n. Etym: [L. lacertus the arm.]

Defn: A fathom. [Obs.] Domesday Book.

LACERTA La*cer"ta, n. Etym: [L. a lizard. See Lizard.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of lizards. See Lizard.

Note: Formerly it included nearly all the known lizards. It is now restricted to certain diurnal Old World species, like the green lizard (Lacerta viridis) and the sand lizard (L. agilis), of Europe.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: The Lizard, a northern constellation.

LACERTIAN La*cer"tian, a. Etym: [Cf. F. lacertien.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like a lizard; of or pertaining to the Lacertilia. — n.

Defn: One of the Lacertilia.

LACERTILIA Lac`er*til"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L.lacertus a lizard.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of Reptilia, which includes the lizards.

Note: They are closely related to the snakes, and life the latter, usually have the body covered with scales or granules. They usually have eyelids, and most of then have well-formed legs; but in some groups (amphisbæna, glass-snake, etc.) the legs are wanting and the body is serpentlike. None are venomous, unless Heloderma be an exception. The order includes the chameleons, the Cionocrania, or typical lizards, and the amphisbænas. See Amphisbæna, Gecko, Gila monster, and Lizard.

LACERTILIAN Lac`er*til"i*an (-an), a. & n.

Defn: Same as Lacertian.

LACERTILOID La*cer"ti*loid, a. Etym: [Lacertilia + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or belonging to the Lacertilia.

LACERTINE La*cer"tine, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Lacertian.

LACERTUS La*cer"tus, n.; pl. Lacerti (-ti). Etym: [L., the upper arm.] (Anat.)

Defn: A bundle or fascicle of muscular fibers.

LACEWING Lace"wing`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of neuropterous insects of the genus Chrysopa and allied genera. They have delicate, lacelike wings and brilliant eyes. Their larvæ are useful in destroying aphids. Called also lace-winged fly, and goldeneyed fly.

LACE-WINGED Lace"-winged`, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having thin, transparent, reticulated wings; as, the lace- winged flies.

LACHES; LACHE Lach"es, Lache, n. Etym: [OF. lachesse, fr. lache lax, indolent, F. lâche, ultimately fr. L. laxus loose, lax. See Lax.] (Law)

Defn: Neglect; negligence; remissness; neglect to do a thing at the proper time; delay to assert a claim. It ill became him to take advantage of such a laches with the eagerness of a shrewd attorney. Macaulay.

LACHRYMABLE Lach"ry*ma*ble, a. Etym: [L. lacrimabilis, fr. lacrima a tear.]

Defn: Lamentable. Martin Parker.

LACHRYMAE CHRISTI Lach"ry*mæ Chris"ti. Etym: [L., lit., Christ's tears.]

Defn: A rich, sweet, red Neapolitan wine.

LACHRYMAL Lach"ry*mal (, a. Etym: [Cf. F. lacrymal. See Lachrymose.]

1. Of or pertaining to tears; as, lachrymal effusions.

2. (Anat.) (a) Pertaining to, or secreting, tears; as, the lachrymal gland. (b) Pertaining to the lachrymal organs; as, lachrymal bone; lachrymal duct.

LACHRYMAL Lach"ry*mal, n.

Defn: See Lachrymatory.

LACHRYMALS Lach"ry*mals, n. pl. [See Lachrymal.]

Defn: Tears; also, lachrymal feelings or organs. [Colloq.]

People go to the theaters to have . . . their risibles and lachrymals set agoing. The Lutheran.

LACHRYMARY Lach"ry*ma*ry, a.

Defn: Containing, or intended to contain, tears; lachrymal. Addison.

LACHRYMATE Lach"ry*mate (-mat), v. i.

Defn: To weep. [R.] Blount.

LACHRYMATION Lach`ry*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. lacrimatio, from lacrimare to shed tears, fr. lacrima tear.]

Defn: The act of shedding tears; weeping.

LACHRYMATORY Lach"ry*ma*to*ry, n.; pl. -ries. Etym: [Cf. F. lacrymatoire.] (Antiq.)

Defn: A "tear-bottle;" a narrow-necked vessel found in sepulchers of the ancient Romans; — so called from a former notion that the tears of the deceased person's friends were collected in it. Called also lachrymal or lacrymal.

LACHRYMIFORM Lach"ry*mi*form, a, Etym: [L.lacrima tear + -form; cf. F. lacrymiforme.]

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

LACHRYMOSE Lach"ry*mose`, a. Etym: [L. lacrymosus, better lacrimosus, fr. lacrima, lacruma (also badly spelt lachryma) a tear, for older dacrima, akin to E. tear. See Tear the secretion.]

Defn: Generating or shedding tears; given to shedding tears; suffused with tears; tearful. You should have seen his lachrymose visnomy. Lamb. — Lach"ry*mose`ly, adv.

LACING La"cing, n.

1. The act of securing, fastening, or tightening, with a lace or laces.

2. A lace; specifically (Mach.), a thong of thin leather for uniting the ends of belts.

3. A rope or line passing through eyelet holes in the edge of a sail or an awning to attach it to a yard, gaff, etc.

4. (Bridge Building)

Defn: A system of bracing bars, not crossing each other in the middle, connecting the channel bars of a compound strut. Waddell.

LACINIA La*cin"i*a, n.; pl. L. Laciniæ. Etym: [L., the lappet or flap of a garment.]

1. (Bot.) (a) One of the narrow, jagged, irregular pieces or divisions which form a sort of fringe on the borders of the petals of some flowers. (b) A narrow, slender portion of the edge of a monophyllous calyx, or of any irregularly incised leaf.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The posterior, inner process of the stipes on the maxillæ of insects.

LACINIATE; LACINIATED La*cin"i*ate, La*cin"i*a"ted, a. Etym: [See Lacinia.]

1. Fringed; having a fringed border.

2. (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Cut into deep, narrow, irregular lobes; slashed.

LACINIOLATE La*cin"i*o*late, a. Etym: [See Lacinia.] (Bot.)

Defn: Consisting of, or abounding in, very minute laciniæ.

LACINULA La*cin"u*la, n.; pl. Lacinulæ, E. Lacinulas. Etym: [NL.] (Bot.)

Defn: A diminutive lacinia.

LACK Lack, n. Etym: [OE. lak; cf. D. lak slander, laken to blame, OHG. lahan, AS. leán.]

1. Blame; cause of blame; fault; crime; offense. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. Deficiency; want; need; destitution; failure; as, a lack of sufficient food. She swooneth now and now for lakke of blood. Chaucer. Let his lack of years be no impediment. Shak.

LACK Lack, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lacked; p. pr. & vb. n. Lacking.]

1. To blame; to find fault with. [Obs.] Love them and lakke them not. Piers Plowman.

2. To be without or destitute of; to want; to need. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. James i. 5.

LACK Lack, v. i.

1. To be wanting; often, impersonally, with of, meaning, to be less than, short, not quite, etc. What hour now I think it lacks of twelve. Shak. Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty. Gen. xvii. 28.

2. To be in want. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger. Ps. xxxiv. 10.

LACK Lack, interj. Etym: [Cf. Alack.]

Defn: Exclamation of regret or surprise. [Prov. Eng.] Cowper.

LACKADAISICAL Lack`a*dai"si*cal, a. Etym: [From Lackadaisy, interj.]

Defn: Affectedly pensive; languidly sentimental. — Lack`a*dai"si*cal*ly, adv.

LACKADAISY Lack"a*dai`sy, interj. Etym: [From Lackaday, interj.]

Defn: An expression of languor.

LACKADAISY Lack"a*dai`sy, a.

Defn: Lackadaisical.

LACKADAY Lack"a*day`, interj. Etym: [Abbreviated from alackaday.]

Defn: Alack the day; alas; — an expression of sorrow, regret, dissatisfaction, or surprise.

LACKBRAIN Lack"brain`, n.

Defn: One who is deficient in understanding; a witless person. Shak.

LACKER Lack"er, n.

Defn: One who lacks or is in want.

LACKER Lack"er, n. & v.

Defn: See Lacquer.

LACKEY Lack"ey, n.; pl. Lackeys. Etym: [F. laquais; cf. Sp. & Pg. lacayo; of uncertain origin; perh. of German origin, and akin to E.lick, v.]

Defn: An attending male servant; a footman; a servile follower. Like a Christian footboy or a gentleman's lackey. Shak. Lackey caterpillar (Zoöl.), the caterpillar, or larva, of any bombycid moth of the genus Clisiocampa; — so called from its party- colored markings. The common European species (C. neustria) is striped with blue, yellow, and red, with a white line on the back. The American species (C. Americana and C. sylvatica) are commonly called tent caterpillars. See Tent caterpillar,under Tent. — Lackey moth (Zoöl.), the moth which produces the lackey caterpillar.

LACKEY Lack"ey, v. t.

Defn: To attend as a lackey; to wait upon. A thousand liveried angels lackey her. Milton.

LACKEY Lack"ey, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lackeyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Lackeying.]

Defn: To act or serve as lackey; to pay servile attendance.

LACKLUSTER; LACKLUSTRE Lack"lus`ter, Lack"lus`tre, n.

Defn: A want of luster. — a.

Defn: Wanting luster or brightness. "Lackluster eye." Shak.

LACMUS Lac"mus, n.

Defn: See Litmus.

LACONIAN La*co"ni*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Laconia, a division of ancient Greece; Spartan. — n.

Defn: An inhabitant of Laconia; esp., a Spartan.

LACONIC; LACONICAL La*con"ic, La*con"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. Laconicus Laconian, Gr. laconique.]

1. Expressing much in few words, after the manner of the Laconians or Spartans; brief and pithy; brusque; epigrammatic. In this sense laconic is the usual form. I grow laconic even beyond laconicism; for sometimes I return only yes, or no, to questionary or petitionary epistles of half a yard long. Pope. His sense was strong and his style laconic. Welwood.

2. Laconian; characteristic of, or like, the Spartans; hence, stern or severe; cruel; unflinching. His head had now felt the razor, his back the rod; all that laconical discipline pleased him well. Bp. Hall.

Syn. — Short; brief; concise; succinct; sententious; pointed; pithy. — Laconic, Concise. Concise means without irrelevant or superfluous matter; it is the opposite of diffuse. Laconic means concise with the additional quality of pithiness, sometimes of brusqueness.

LACONIC La*con"ic, n.

Defn: Laconism. [Obs.] Addison.

LACONICAL La*con"ic*al, a.

Defn: See Laconic, a.

LACONICALLY La*con"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a laconic manner.

LACONICISM La*con"I*cism, n.

Defn: Same as Laconism. Pope.

LACONISM Lac"o*nism, n. Etym: [Gr. laconisme.]

1. A vigorous, brief manner of expression; laconic style.

2. An instance of laconic style or expression.

LACONIZE Lac"o*nize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Laconized; p. pr. & vb. n. Laconizing.] Etym: [Gr. Laconic.]

Defn: To imitate the manner of the Laconians, especially in brief, pithy speech, or in frugality and austerity.

LACQUER Lac"quer, n. Etym: [F. lacre a sort of sealing wax, Pg. lacte, fr. laca lac. See Lac the resin.] [Written also lacker.]

Defn: A varnish, consisting of a solution of shell-lac in alcohol, often colored with gamboge, saffron, or the like; — used for varnishing metals, papier-maché, and wood. The name is also given to varnishes made of other ingredients, esp. the tough, solid varnish of the Japanese, with which ornamental objects are made.

LACQUER Lac"quer, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lacquered; p. pr. & vb. n. Lacquering.]

Defn: To cover with lacquer. "Lacquer'd chair." Pope.

LACQUERER Lac"quer*er, n.

Defn: One who lacquers, especially one who makes a business of lacquering.

LACQUERING Lac"quer*ing, n.

Defn: The act or business of putting on lacquer; also, the coat of lacquer put on.

LACRIMOSO La`cri*mo"so, a. Etym: [It. See Lachrymose.] (Mus.)

Defn: Plaintive; — a term applied to a mournful or pathetic movement or style. Moore.

LACROSSE La*crosse", n. Etym: [F. la crosse, lit., the crosier, hooked stick. Cf. Crosier.]

Defn: A game of ball, originating among the North American Indians, now the popular field sport of Canada, and played also in England and the United States. Each player carries a long-handled racket, called a "crosse". The ball is not handled but caught with the crosse and carried on it, or tossed from it, the object being to carry it or throw it through one of the goals placed at opposite ends of the field.

LACRYMAL Lac"ry*mal, n. & a.

Defn: See Lachrymatory, n., and Lachrymal, a.

LACRYMARY; LACRYTORY; LACRYMOSE Lac"ry*ma*ry, Lac"ry*to*ry, Lac"ry*mose.

Defn: See Lachrymary, Lachrymatory, Lachrymose.

LACTAGE Lac"tage, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk: cf. F. laitage. See Lacteal.]

Defn: The produce of animals yielding milk; milk and that which is made from it.

LACTAM Lac"tam, n. Etym: [Lactone + amido.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of a series of anhydrides of an amido type, analogous to the lactones, as oxindol.

LACTAMIC Lac*tam"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an amido acid related to lactic acid, and called also amido-propionic acid.

LACTAMIDE Lac*tam"ide, n. Etym: [Lactic + amide.] (Chem.)

Defn: An acid amide derived from lactic acid, and obtained as a white crystalline substance having a neutral reaction. It is metameric with alanine.

LACTANT Lac"tant, a. Etym: [L. lactans, p. pr. of lactare to suck, fr. lac, lactis, milk.]

Defn: Suckling; giving suck.

LACTARENE Lac"ta*rene, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk.]

Defn: A preparation of casein from milk, used in printing calico.

LACTARY Lac"ta*ry, a. Etym: [l. lactarius, fr. lac, lactis, milk: cf. F. lactaire.]

Defn: Milky; full of white juice like milk. [Obs.] "Lactary or milky plants." Sir T. Browne.

LACTARY Lac"ta*ry, n.

Defn: a dairyhouse. [R.]

LACTATE Lac"tate, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk: cf. F. lactate.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of lactic acid.

LACTATION Lac*ta"tion, n.

Defn: A giving suck; the secretion and yielding of milk by the mammary gland.

LACTEAL Lac"te*al, a. Etym: [L. lacteus milky, fr. lac, lactis, milk. Cf. Galaxy, Lettuce.]

1. Pertaining to, or resembling, milk; milky; as, the lacteal fluid.

2. (Anat. & Physiol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or containing, chyle; as, the lacteal vessels.

LACTEAL Lac"te*al, n. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the lymphatic vessels which convey chyle from the small intestine through the mesenteric glands to the thoracic duct; a chyliferous vessel.

LACTEALLY Lac"te*al*ly, adv.

Defn: Milkily; in the manner of milk.

LACTEAN Lac"te*an, a. Etym: [See Lacteal.]

1. Milky; consisting of, or resembling, milk. "This lactean whiteness." Moxon.

2. (Anat. & Physiol.)

Defn: Lacteal; conveying chyle.

LACTEOUS Lac"te*ous, a. Etym: [See Lacteal.]

1. Milky; resembling milk. "The lacteous circle." Sir T. Browne.

2. Lacteal; conveying chyle; as, lacteous vessels.

LACTEOUSLY Lac"te*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lacteous manner; after the manner of milk.

LACTESCENCE Lac*tes"cence, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lactescence.]

1. The state or quality of producing milk, or milklike juice; resemblance to milk; a milky color. This lactescence does commonly ensue when . . . fair water is suddenly poured upon the solution. Boyle.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The latex of certain plants. See Latex.

LACTESCENT Lac*tes"cent, a. Etym: [L. lactescens, p. pr. of lactescere to turn to milk, incho. fr. lactere to be milky, fr. lac, lactis, milk: cf. F. lactescent.]

1. Having a milky look; becoming milky. [Obs.]

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Producing milk or a milklike juice or fluid, as the milkweed. See Latex.

LACTIC Lac"tic, a. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk: cf. F. lactique. See Lacteal, and cf. Galactic.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to milk; procured from sour milk or whey; as, lactic acid; lactic fermentation, etc. Lactic acid (Physiol. Chem.), a sirupy, colorless fluid, soluble in water, with an intensely sour taste and strong acid reaction. There are at least three isomeric modifications all having the formula C3H6O3. Sarcolactic or paralactic acid occurs chiefly in dead muscle tissue, while ordinary lactic acid results from fermentation. The two acids are alike in having the same constitution (expressed by the name ethylidene lactic acid), but the latter is optically inactive, while sarcolactic acid rotates the plane of polarization to the right. The third acid, ethylene lactic acid, accompanies sarcolactic acid in the juice of flesh, and is optically inactive. — Lactic ferment, an organized ferment (Bacterium lacticum or lactis), which produces lactic fermentation, decomposing the sugar of milk into carbonic and lactic acids, the latter, of which renders the milk sour, and precipitates the casein, thus giving rise to the so- called spontaneous coagulation of milk. — Lactic fermentation. See under Fermentation.

LACTIDE Lac"tide, n. Etym: [Lactic + anhydride.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white, crystalline substance, obtained from also, by extension, any similar substance.

LACTIFEROUS Lac*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [l. lac, lactis, milk + -ferous: cf. F. lactifère.]

Defn: Bearing or containing milk or a milky fluid; as, the lactiferous vessels, cells, or tissue of various vascular plants.

LACTIFIC; LACTIFICAL Lac*tif"ic, Lac*tif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk + facere to make.]

Defn: Producing or yielding milk.

LACTIFUGE Lac"ti*fuge, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk + fugare to expel.] (Med.)

Defn: A medicine to check the secretion of milk, or to dispel a supposed accumulation of milk in any part of the body.

LACTIM Lac"tim, n. Etym: [Lactic + imido.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of a series of anhydrides resembling the lactams, but of an imido type; as, isatine is a lactim. Cf. Lactam.

LACTIMIDE Lac*tim"ide, n. Etym: [Lactic + imide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white, crystalline substance obtained as an anhydride of alanine, and regarded as an imido derivative of lactic acid.

LACTIN Lac"tin, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk: cf. F. lactine. Cf. Galactin.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: See Lactose.

LACTOABUMIN Lac`to*a*bu"min, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk + E. albumin.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: The albumin present on milk, apparently identical with ordinary serum albumin. It is distinct from the casein of milk.

LACTOBUTYROMETER Lac`to*bu`ty*rom"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk + E. butyrometer.]

Defn: An instrument for determining the amount of butter fat contained in a given sample of milk.

LACTODENSIMETER Lac`to*den*sim"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk + E. densimeter.]

Defn: A form of hydrometer, specially graduated, for finding the density of milk, and thus discovering whether it has been mixed with water or some of the cream has been removed.

LACTOMETER Lac*tom"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis, milk + meter: cf. F. lactomètre. Cf. Galactometer.]

Defn: An instrument for estimating the purity or richness of milk, as a measuring glass, a specific gravity bulb, or other apparatus.

LACTONE Lac"tone, n. (Chem.)

Defn: One of a series of organic compounds, regarded as anhydrides of certain hydroxy acids. In general, they are colorless liquids, having a weak aromatic odor. They are so called because the typical lactone is derived from lactic acid.

LACTONIC Lac*ton"ic, a. Etym: [From Lactone.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, lactone.

LACTONIC Lac*ton"ic, a. Etym: [From Lactose.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained by the oxidation of milk sugar (lactose).

LACTOPROTEIN Lac`to*pro"te*in, n. Etym: [L.lac, lactis,milk + E. protein.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A peculiar albuminous body considered a normal constituent of milk.

LACTORY Lac"to*ry, a.

Defn: Lactiferous. [Obs.] "Lactory or milky plants." Sir T. Browne.

LACTOSCOPE Lac"to*scope, n. Etym: [L. lac, lactis + scope.]

Defn: An instrument for estimating the amount of cream contained in milk by ascertaining its relative opacity.

LACTOSE Lac"tose`, n.

1. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: Sugar of milk or milk sugar; a crystalline sugar present in milk, and separable from the whey by evaporation and crystallization. It has a slightly sweet taste, is dextrorotary, and is much less soluble in water than either cane sugar or glucose. Formerly called lactin.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: See Galactose.

LACTUCA Lac*tu"ca, n. Etym: [L., lettuce. See Lettuce.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of composite herbs, several of which are cultivated foe salad; lettuce.

LACTUCARIUM Lac`tu*ca"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. lactuca lettuce.]

Defn: The inspissated juice of the common lettuce, sometimes used as a substitute for opium.

LACTUCIC Lac*tu"cic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, the juice of the Lactuca virosa; — said of certain acids.

LACTUCIN Lac*tu"cin, n. Etym: [From Lactuca: cf. F. lactucine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white, crystalline substance, having a bitter taste and a neutral reaction, and forming one of the essential ingredients of lactucarium.

LACTUCONE Lac*tu"cone, n. Etym: [From Lactuca.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white, crystalline, tasteless substance, found in the milky sap of species of Lactuca, and constituting an essential ingredient of lactucarium.

LACTURAMIC Lac`tu*ram"ic (, a. Etym: [Lactic + urea + amic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an organic amido acid, which is regarded as a derivative of lactic acid and urea.

LACTYL Lac"tyl, n. Etym: [Lactic + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: An organic residue or radical derived from lactic acid.

LACUNA La*cu"na, n.; pl. L. Lacunæ; E. Lacunas. Etym: [L., ditch, pit, lake, orig., anything hollow. See Lagoon.]

1. A small opening; a small pit or depression; a small blank space; a gap or vacancy; a hiatus.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: A small opening; a small depression or cavity; a space, as a vacant space between the cells of plants, or one of the spaces left among the tissues of the lower animals, which serve in place of vessels for the circulation of the body fluids, or the cavity or sac, usually of very small size, in a mucous membrane.

LACUNAL; LACUNAR La*cu"nal, La*cu"nar, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or having, lacunæ; as, a lacunar circulation.

LACUNAR La*cu"nar, n.; pl. E. Lacunars, L. Lacunaria. Etym: [L.] (Arch.) (a) The ceiling or under surface of any part, especially when it consists of compartments, sunk or hollowed without spaces or bands between the panels. Gwilt (b) One of the sunken panels in such a ceiling.

LACUNE La*cune", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A lacuna. [R.] Landor.

LACUNOSE; LACUNOUS Lac"u*nose`, La*cu"nous, a. Etym: [L. lacunosus full of holes or hollows; cf. F. lacuneux. See Lacuna.] (Biol.)

Defn: Furrowed or pitted; having shallow cavities or lacunæ; as, a lacunose leaf.

LACUSTRAL; LACUSTRINE La*cus"tral, La*cus"trine, a. Etym: [L. lacus lake: cf. F. lacustral, lacustre.]

Defn: Found in, or pertaining to, lakes or ponds, or growing in them; as, lacustrine flowers. Lacustrine deposits (Geol.), the deposits which have been accumulated in fresh-water areas. — Lacustrine dwellings. See Lake dwellings, under Lake.

LACWORK Lac"work`, n.

Defn: Ornamentation by means of lacquer painted or carved, or simply colored, sprinkled with gold or the like; — said especially of Oriental work of this kind.

LAD Lad, obs. p. p.

Defn: of Lead, to guide Chaucer.

LAD Lad, n. Etym: [OE. ladde, of Celtic origin; cf. W. , Ir. lath. (. Cf. Lass.]

1. A boy; a youth; a stripling. "Cupid is a knavish lad." Shak. There is a lad here, which hath fire barley loaves and two small fishes. John vi. 9.

2. A companion; a comrade; a mate. Lad's love. (Bot.) See Boy's love, under Boy.

LADANUM Lad"a*num, n. Etym: [L. ladanum, ledanum, Fr. (ladan, laden. Cf. Laudanum.]

Defn: A gum resin gathered from certain Oriental species of Cistus. It has a pungent odor and is chiefly used in making plasters, and for fumigation. [Written also labdanum.]

LADDE Lad"de, obs. imp.

Defn: of Lead, to guide. Chaucer.

LADDER Lad"der, n. Etym: [OE. laddre, AS. hl, hl; akin to OFries. hladder, OHG.leitara, G. leiter, and from the root of E. lean, v. (Lean, v. i., and cf. Climax.]

1. A frame usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened cross strips or rounds forming steps. Some the engines play, And some, more bold, mount ladders to the fire. Dryden.

2. That which resembles a ladder in form or use; hence, that by means of which one attains to eminence. Lowliness is young ambition's ladder. Shak. Fish ladder. See under Fish. — Ladder beetle (Zoöl.), an American leaf beetle (Chrysomela scalaris). The elytra are silvery white, striped and spotted with green; the under wings are rose-colored. It feeds upon the linden tree. — Ladder handle, an iron rail at the side of a vertical fixed ladder, to grasp with the hand in climbing. — Ladder shell (Zoöl.), a spiral marine shell of the genus Scalaria. See Scalaria.

LADDIE Lad"die, n.

Defn: A lad; a male sweetheart. [Scot.]

LADE Lade, v. t. [imp. Laded; p. p. Laded, Laded (; p. pr. & vb. n. Lading.] Etym: [AS. hladan to heap, load, draw (water); akin to D. & G. laden to load, OHG. hladan, ladan, Icel. hla, Sw. ladda, Dan. lade, Goth. afhlapan. Cf. Load, Ladle, Lathe for turning, Last a load.]

1. To load; to put a burden or freight on or in; — generally followed by that which receives the load, as the direct object. And they laded their asses with the corn. Gen. xlii. 26.

2. To throw in out. with a ladle or dipper; to dip; as, to lade water out of a tub, or into a cistern. And chides the sea that sunders him from thence, Saying, he'll lade it dry to have his way. Shak.

3. (Plate Glass Manuf.)

Defn: To transfer (the molten glass) from the pot to the forming table.

LADE Lade, v. i. Etym: [See Lade, v. t.]

1. To draw water. [Obs.]

2. (Naut.)

Defn: To admit water by leakage, as a ship, etc.

LADE Lade, n. Etym: [Prov. E., a ditch or drain. Cf. Lode, Lead to conduct.]

1. The mouth of a river. [Obs.] Bp. Gibson.

2. A passage for water; a ditch or drain. [Prov. Eng.]

LADEMAN Lade"man, n.

Defn: One who leads a pack horse; a miller's servant. [Obs. or Local]

LADEN Lad"en, p. & a.

Defn: Loaded; freighted; burdened; as, a laden vessel; a laden heart. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity. Is. i. 4. A ship laden with gold. Shak.

LADIED La"died, a.

Defn: Ladylike; not rough; gentle. [Obs.] "Stroked with a ladied land." Feltham.

LADIES' EARDROPS La"dies' ear`drops`. (Bot.)

Defn: The small-flowered Fuchsia (F. coccinea), and other closely related species.

LADIFY La"di*fy, v. t. Etym: [Lady + -fy.]

Defn: To make a lady of; to make ladylike. [Obs.] Massinger.

LADIN La*din", n. Etym: [From L. Latinus Latin. See Latin]

Defn: A Romansch dialect spoken in some parts of Switzerland and the Tyrol.

LADING Lad"ing, n.

1. The act of loading.

2. That which lades or constitutes a load or cargo; freight; burden; as, the lading of a ship. Bill of lading. See under Bill.

LADINO La*di"no, n.; pl. Ladinos. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: One of the half-breed descendants of whites and Indians; a mestizo; — so called throughout Central America. They are usually of a yellowish orange tinge. Am. Cyc.

LADKIN Lad"kin, n.

Defn: A little lad. [R.] Dr. H. More.

LADLE La"dle, n. Etym: [AS.hlædel, fr. hladan to load, drain. See Lade, v. t.]

1. A cuplike spoon, often of large size, with a long handle, used in lading or dipping. When the materials of glass have been kept long in fusion, the mixture casts up the superfluous salt, which the workmen take off with ladles. Boyle.

2. (Founding)

Defn: A vessel to carry liquid metal from the furnace to the mold.

3. The float of a mill wheel; — called also ladle board.

4. (Gun.) (a) An instrument for drawing the charge of a cannon. (b) A ring, with a handle or handles fitted to it, for carrying shot. Ladle wood (Bot.), the wood of a South African tree (Cassine Colpoon), used for carving.

LADLE La"dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ladled; p. pr. & vb. n. Ladling.]

Defn: To take up and convey in a ladle; to dip with, or as with, a ladle; as, to ladle out soup; to ladle oatmeal into a kettle.

LADLEFUL La"dle*ful, n.; pl. Ladlefuls (.

Defn: A quantity sufficient to fill a ladle.

LADRONE La*drone", n. Etym: [Sp. ladron, L. latro servant, robber, Gr. (

Defn: A robber; a pirate; hence, loosely, a rogue or rascal.

LADY La"dy, n.; pl. Ladies. Etym: [OE. ladi, læfdi, AS. hl, hl; AS. hlaf loaf + a root of uncertain origin, possibly akin to E. dairy. See Loaf, and cf. Lord.]

1. A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family; a mistress; the female head of a household. Agar, the handmaiden of Sara, whence comest thou, and whither goest thou The which answered, Fro the face of Sara my lady. Wyclif (Gen. xvi. 8.).

2. A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress; — a feminine correlative of lord. "Lord or lady of high degree." Lowell. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, . . . We make thee lady. Shak.

3. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a sweetheart. The soldier here his wasted store supplies, And takes new valor from his lady's eyes. Waller.

4. A woman of social distinction or position. In England, a title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by right.

5. A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman; — the feminine correlative of gentleman.

6. A wife; — not now in approved usage. Goldsmith.

7. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster; — so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates. Ladies' man, a man who affects the society of ladies. — Lady altar, an altar in a lady chapel. Shipley. — Lady chapel, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. — Lady court, the court of a lady of the manor. — Lady crab (Zoöl.), a handsomely spotted swimming crab (Platyonichus ocellatus) very common on the sandy shores of the Atlantic coast of the United States. — Lady fern. (Bot.) See Female fern, under Female, and Illust. of Fern. — Lady in waiting, a lady of the queen's household, appointed to wait upon or attend the queen. — Lady Mass, a Mass said in honor of the Virgin Mary. Shipley. Lady of the manor, a lady having jurisdiction of a manor; also, the wife of a manor lord. Lady's maid, a maidservant who dresses and waits upon a lady. Thackeray. — Our Lady, the Virgin Mary.

LADY La"dy, a.

Defn: Belonging or becoming to a lady; ladylike. "Some lady trifles." Shak.

LADYBIRD La"dy*bird`, n. Etym: [Equiv. to, bird of Our Lady.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of small beetles of the genus Coccinella and allied genera (family Coccinellidæ); — called also ladybug, ladyclock, lady cow, lady fly, and lady beetle. Coccinella seplempunctata in one of the common European species. See Coccinella.

Note: The ladybirds are usually more or less hemispherical in form, with a smooth, polished surface, and often colored red, brown, or black, with small spots of brighter colors. Both the larvæ and the adult beetles of most species feed on aphids, and for this reason they are very beneficial to agriculture and horticulture.

LADYBUG La"dy*bug`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Ladybird.

LADYCLOCK La"dy*clock`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Ladyrird.

LADY DAY La"dy` day

Defn: The day of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, March 25. See Annunciation.

LADY DAY La"dy` Day` (da).

Defn: The day of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, March 25. See Annunciation.

LADYFISH La"dy*fish`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) A large, handsome oceanic fish (Albula vulpes), found both in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; — called also bonefish, grubber, French mullet, and macabé. (b) A labroid fish (Harpe rufa) of Florida and the West Indies.

LADYHOOD La"dy*hood, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being a lady; the personality of a lady.

LADY-KILLER La"dy-kill`er, n.

Defn: A gallant who captivates the hearts of women. "A renowned dandy and lady-killer." Blackw. Mag.

LADY-KILLING La"dy-kill`ing, n.

Defn: The art or practice of captivating the hearts of women. Better for the sake of womankind that this dangerous dog should leave off lady-killing. Thackeray.

LADYKIN La"dy*kin, n. Etym: [Lady + -kin.]

Defn: A little lady; — applied by the writers of Queen Elizabeth's time, in the abbreviated form Lakin, to the Virgin Mary.

Note: The diminutive does not refer to size, but is equivalent to "dear." Brewer.

LADYLIKE La"dy*like`, a.

1. Like a lady in appearance or manners; well-bred. She was ladylike, too, after the manner of the feminine gentility of those days. Hawthorne.

2. Becoming or suitable to a lady; as, ladylike manners. "With fingers ladylike." Warner.

3. Delicate; tender; feeble; effeminate. Too ladylike a long fatigue to bear. Dryden.

LADYLIKENESS La"dy*like`ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being ladylike.

LADYLOVE La"dy*love`, n.

Defn: A sweetheart or mistress.

LADY'S BEDSTRAW La"dy's bed"straw`, (Bot.)

Defn: The common bedstraw (Galium verum); also, a slender-leaved East Indian shrub (Pharnaceum Mollugo), with white flowers in umbels.

LADY'S BOWER La"dy's bow"er. (Bot.)

Defn: A climbing plant with fragrant blossoms (Clematis vitalba).

Note: This term is sometimes applied to other plants of the same genus.

LADY'S CLOTH La"dy's cloth`

Defn: A kind of broadcloth of light weight, used for women's dresses, cloaks, etc.

LADY'S COMB La"dy's comb", (Bot.)

Defn: An umbelliferous plant (Scandix Pecten-Veneris), its clusters of long slender fruits remotely resembling a comb.

LADY'S CUSHION La"dy's cush"ion, (Bot.)

Defn: An herb growing in dense tufts; the thrift (Armeria vulgaris).

LADY'S FINGER La"dy's fin"ger,

1. pl. (Bot.)

Defn: The kidney vetch.

2. (Cookery)

Defn: A variety of small cake of about the dimensions of a finger.

3. A long, slender variety of the potato.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the branchiæ of the lobster.

LADY'S GARTERS La"dy's gar"ters. (Bot.)

Defn: Ribbon grass.

LADY'S HAIR La"dy's hair". (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Briza (B. media); a variety of quaking grass.

LADYSHIP La"dy*ship, n.

Defn: The rank or position of a lady; — given as a title (preceded by her or your.) Your ladyship shall observe their gravity. B. Jonson.

LADY'S LACES La"dy's la"ces. (Bot.)

Defn: A slender climbing plant; dodder.

LADY'S LOOKING-GLASS La"dy's look"ing-glass`. (Bot.)

Defn: See Venus's looking-glass, under Venus.

LADY'S MANTLE La"dy's man"tle. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of rosaceous herbs (Alchemilla), esp. the European A. vulgaris, which has leaves with rounded and finely serrated lobes.

LADY'S SEAL La"dy's seal".(Bot.) (a) The European Solomon's seal (Polygonatum verticillatum). (b) The black bryony (Tamus communis).

LADY'S SLIPPER La"dy's slip"per. (Bot.)

Defn: Any orchidaceous plant of the genus Cypripedium, the labellum of which resembles a slipper. Less commonly, in the United States, the garden balsam (Impatiens Balsamina).

LADY'S SMOCK La"dy's smock". (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Cardamine (C. pratensis); cuckoo flower.

LADY'S THIMBLE La"dy's thim"ble. (Bot.)

Defn: The harebell.

LADY'S THUMB La"dy's thumb". (Bot.)

Defn: An annual weed (Polygonum Persicaria), having a lanceolate leaf with a dark spot in the middle.

LADY'S TRACES; LADIES' TRESSES; LADIES TRESSES La"dy's tra"ces, La"dies' tress"es. (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to several species of the orchidaceous genus Spiranthes, in which the white flowers are set in spirals about a slender axis and remotely resemble braided hair.

LAELAPS Læ"laps, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. ( (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of huge, carnivorous, dinosaurian reptiles from the Cretaceous formation of the United States. They had very large hind legs and tail, and are supposed to have been bipedal. Some of the species were about eighteen feet high.

LAEMMERGEYER Laem"mer*gey`er, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Lammergeir.

LAEMODIPOD Læ*mod"i*pod, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Læmodipoda.

LAEMODIPODA Læ`mo*dip"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of amphipod Crustacea, in which the abdomen is small or rudimentary and the legs are often reduced to five pairs. The whale louse, or Cyamus, and Caprella are examples.

LAEMODIPODOUS Læ`mo*dip"o*dous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Læmodipoda.

LAETERE SUNDAY Læ*te"re Sun"day

Defn: . The fourth Sunday of Lent; — so named from the Latin word Lætare (rejoice), the first word in the antiphone of the introit sung that day in the Roman Catholic service.

LAEVIGATE Læv"i*gate, a. Etym: [See Levigate.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having a smooth surface, as if polished.

LAEVO- Læ"vo-

Defn: . A prefix. See Levo.

LAEVOROTATORY Læ"vo*ro"ta*to*ry, a.

Defn: Same as Levorotatory. Cf. Dextrorotatory.

LAEVULOSE Læv"u*lose`, n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Levulose.

LAFAYETTE La`fa`yette", n. (Zoöl.) (a) The dollar fish. (b) A market fish, the goody, or spot (Liostomus xanthurus), of the southern coast of the United States.

LAFT Laft, obs. p. p.

Defn: of Leave. Chaucer.

LAFTE Laf"te, obs. imp.

Defn: of Leave. Chaucer.

LAG Lag, a. Etym: [Of Celtic origin: cf. Gael. & Ir. lagweak, feeble, faint, W. llag, llac, slack, loose, remiss, sluggish; prob. akin to E. lax, languid.]

1. Coming tardily after or behind; slow; tardy. [Obs.] Came too lag to see him buried. Shak.

2. Last; long-delayed; — obsolete, except in the phrase lag end. "The lag end of my life." Shak.

3. Last made; hence, made of refuse; inferior. [Obs.] "Lag souls." Dryden.

LAG Lag, n.

1. One who lags; that which comes in last. [Obs.] "The lag of all the flock." Pope.

2. The fag-end; the rump; hence, the lowest class. The common lag of people. Shak.

3. The amount of retardation of anything, as of a valve in a steam engine, in opening or closing.

4. A stave of a cask, drum, etc.; especially (Mach.), one of the narrow boards or staves forming the covering of a cylindrical object, as a boiler, or the cylinder of a carding machine or a steam engine.

5. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Graylag. Lag of the tide, the interval by which the time of high water falls behind the mean time, in the first and third quarters of the moon; — opposed to priming of the tide, or the acceleration of the time of high water, in the second and fourth quarters; depending on the relative positions of the sun and moon. — Lag screw, an iron bolt with a square head, a sharp-edged thread, and a sharp point, adapted for screwing into wood; a screw for fastening lags.

LAG Lag, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lagged; p. pr. & vb. n. Lagging.]

Defn: To walk or more slowly; to stay or fall behind; to linger or loiter. "I shall not lag behind." Milton.

Syn. — To loiter; linger; saunter; delay; be tardy.

LAG Lag, v. t.

1. To cause to lag; to slacken. [Obs.] "To lag his flight." Heywood.

2. (Mach.)

Defn: To cover, as the cylinder of a steam engine, with lags. See Lag, n., 4.

LAG Lag, n.

Defn: One transported for a crime. [Slang, Eng.]

LAG Lag, v. t.

Defn: To transport for crime. [Slang, Eng.] She lags us if we poach. De Quincey.

LAGAN La"gan, n. & v.

Defn: See Ligan.

LAGARTO La*gar"to, n. Etym: [See Alligator.]

Defn: An alligator. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.

LAGENA La*ge"na, n.; pl. L. Lagenæ, E. Lagenas. Etym: [L., a flask; cf. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The terminal part of the cochlea in birds and most reptiles; an appendage of the sacculus, corresponding to the cochlea, in fishes and amphibians.

LAGENIAN La*ge"ni*an, a. Etym: [See Lagena.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like, or pertaining to, Lagena, a genus of Foraminifera having a straight, chambered shell.

LAGENIFORM La*ge"ni*form, a. Etym: [See Lagena, and -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Shaped like a bottle or flask; flag-shaped.

LAGER La"ger, n.

Defn: Lager beer.

LAGER BEER La"ger beer`. Etym: [G. lager bed, storehouse + bier beer. See Lair, and Beer.]

Defn: Originally a German beer, but now also made in immense quantities in the United States; — so called from its being laid up or stored for some months before use.

LAGER WINE La"ger wine`

Defn: . Wine which has been kept for some time in the cellar. Simmonds.

LAGGARD Lag"gard, a. Etym: [Lag + -ard.]

Defn: Slow; sluggish; backward.

LAGGARD Lag"gard, n.

Defn: One who lags; a loiterer.

LAGGER Lag"ger, n.

Defn: A laggard.

LAGGING Lag"ging, n.

1. (Mach.)

Defn: The clothing (esp., an outer, wooden covering), as of a steam cylinder, applied to prevent the radiation of heat; a covering of lags; — called also deading and cleading.

2. Lags, collectively; narrow planks extending from one rib to another in the centering of arches.

LAGGINGLY Lag"ging*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lagging manner; loiteringly.

LAGLY Lag"ly, adv.

Defn: Laggingly. [Prov. Eng.]

LAGNIAPPE; LAGNAPPE La*gniappe, La*gnappe", n. [Etym. uncertain.]

Defn: In Louisiana, a trifling present given to customers by tradesmen; a gratuity.

Lagniappe . . .is something thrown in, gratis, for good measure. Mark Twain.

LAGOMORPH Lag"o*morph, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Lagomorpha.

LAGOMORPHA Lag`o*mor"pha, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of rodents, including the hares. They have four incisors in the upper jaw. Called also Duplicidentata.

LAGOON La*goon", n. Etym: [It. or Sp. laguna, L. lacuna ditch, pool, pond,lacus lake. See Lake, and cf. Lacuna.] [Written also lagune.]

1. A shallow sound, channel, pond, or lake, especially one into which the sea flows; as, the lagoons of Venice.

2. A lake in a coral island, often occupying a large portion of its area, and usually communicating with the sea. See Atoll. Lagoon island, a coral island consisting of a narrow reef encircling a lagoon.

LAGOPHTHALMIA; LAGOPHTHALMOS Lag`oph*thal"mi*a, Lag`oph*thal"mos, n. Etym: [NL. lagophtalmia, fr. Gr. lagw`s hare + 'ofqalmo`s eye; — so called from the notion that a hare sleeps with his eyes open.] (Med.)

Defn: A morbid condition in which the eye stands wide open, giving a peculiar staring appearance.

LAGOPOUS La*go"pous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a dense covering of long hair, like the foot of a hare.

LAGTHING Lag"thing, n. [Norw. lagting, lagthing; lag company, society (akin to E. law, lay) + ting, thing, parliament. See Thing.]

Defn: See Legislatature, below.

LAGUNE La*gune", n.

Defn: See Lagoon.

LAIC; LAICAL La"ic, La"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. laicus: cf. F. laïque. See Lay laic.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a layman or the laity. "Laical literature." Lowell. An unprincipled, unedified, and laic rabble. Milton.

LAIC La"ic, n.

Defn: A layman. Bp. Morton.

LAICALITY La"ic*al"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being laic; the state or condition of a layman.

LAICALLY La"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: As a layman; after the manner of a layman; as, to treat a matter laically.

LAID Laid, imp. & p. p.

Defn: of Lay. Laid paper, paper marked with parallel lines or water marks, as if ribbed, from parallel wires in the mold. It is called blue laid, cream laid, etc., according to its color.

LAIDLY Laid"ly, a.

Defn: Ugly; loathsome. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] This laidly and loathsome worm. W. Howitt.

LAIN Lain, p. p.

Defn: of Lie, v. i.

LAINERE Lain"ere, n.

Defn: See Lanier. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LAIR Lair, n. Etym: [OE. leir, AS. leger; akin to D. leger, G. lager couch, lair, OHG. laga, Goth. ligrs, and to E. lie. See Lie to be prostrate, and cf. Layer, Leaguer.]

1. A place in which to lie or rest; especially, the bed or couch of a wild beast.

2. A burying place. [Scot.] Jamieson.

3. A pasture; sometimes, food. [Obs.] Spenser.

LAIRD Laird, n. Etym: [See Lord.]

Defn: A lord; a landholder, esp. one who holds land directly of the crown. [Scot.]

LAIRDSHIP Laird"ship, n.

Defn: The state of being a laird; an estate; landed property. [Scot.] Ramsay.

LAISM La"ism, n.

Defn: See Lamaism. [R.]

LAISSEZ FAIRE Lais`sez" faire". Etym: [F., let alone.]

Defn: Noninterference; — an axiom of some political economists, deprecating interference of government by attempts to foster or regulate commerce, manufactures, etc., by bounty or by restriction; as, the doctrine of laissez faire; the laissez faire system government.

LAITY La"i*ty, n. Etym: [See Lay, a.]

1. The people, as distinguished from the clergy; the body of the people not in orders. A rising up of the laity against the sacerdotal caste. Macaulay.

2. The state of a layman. [Obs.] Ayliffe.

3. Those who are not of a certain profession, as law or medicine, in distinction from those belonging to it.

LAKAO La*ka"o, n.

Defn: Sap green. [China]

LAKE Lake, n. Etym: [F. laque, fr. Per. See Lac.]

Defn: A pigment formed by combining some coloring matter, usually by precipitation, with a metallic oxide or earth, esp. with aluminium hydrate; as, madder lake; Florentine lake; yellow lake, etc.

LAKE Lake, n. Etym: [Cf. G. laken.]

Defn: A kind of fine white linen, formerly in use. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LAKE Lake, v. i. Etym: [AS. lacan, læcan, to spring, jump, lac play, sport, or fr. Icel. leika to play, sport; both akin to Goth. laikan to dance. sq. root120. Cf. Knowledge.]

Defn: To play; to sport. [Prov. Eng.]

LAKE Lake, n. Etym: [AS. lac, L. lacus; akin to AS. lagu lake, sea, Icel. lögr; OIr. loch; cf. Gr. Loch, Lough.]

Defn: A large body of water contained in a depression of the earth's surface, and supplied from the drainage of a more or less extended area.

Note: Lakes are for the most part of fresh water; the salt lakes, like the Great Salt Lake of Utah, have usually no outlet to the ocean. Lake dwellers (Ethnol.), people of a prehistoric race, or races, which inhabited different parts of Europe. Their dwellings were built on piles in lakes, a short distance from the shore. Their relics are common in the lakes of Switzerland. — Lake dwellings (Archæol.), dwellings built over a lake, sometimes on piles, and sometimes on rude foundations kept in place by piles; specifically, such dwellings of prehistoric times. Lake dwellings are still used by many savage tribes. Called also lacustrine dwellings. See Crannog. — Lake fly (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of dipterous flies of the genus Chironomus. In form they resemble mosquitoes, but they do not bite. The larvæ live in lakes. — Lake herring (Zoöl.), the cisco (Coregonus Artedii). — Lake poets, Lake school, a collective name originally applied in contempt, but now in honor, to Southey, Coleridge, and Wordsworth, who lived in the lake country of Cumberland, England, Lamb and a few others were classed with these by hostile critics. Called also lakers and lakists. — Lake sturgeon (Zoöl.), a sturgeon (Acipenser rubicundus), of moderate size, found in the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. It is used as food. — Lake trout (Zoöl.), any one of several species of trout and salmon; in Europe, esp. Salmo fario; in the United States, esp. Salvelinus namaycush of the Great Lakes, and of various lakes in New York, Eastern Maine, and Canada. A large variety of brook trout (S. fontinalis), inhabiting many lakes in New England, is also called lake trout. See Namaycush. — Lake whitefish. (Zoöl.) See Whitefish. — Lake whiting (Zoöl.), an American whitefish (Coregonus Labradoricus), found in many lakes in the Northern United States and Canada. It is more slender than the common whitefish.

LAKE-DWELLER Lake"-dwell`er, n.

Defn: See Lake dwellers, under Lake.

LAKELET Lake"let, n.

Defn: A little lake. Southey.

LAKER Lak"er, n. One that is connected with a lake or lakes, as in habitation, toil, etc.: (a) One of the poets of the Lake school. See Lake poets, under Lake, n. (b) (Zoöl.) A fish living in, or taken from, a lake, esp. the namaycush. (c) A lake steamer or canal boat.

The bridge tender . . . thought the Cowies "a little mite" longer than that laker. The Century.

LAKEWEED Lake"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The water pepper (Polygonum Hydropiper), an aquatic plant of Europe and North America.

LAKH Lakh, n.

Defn: Same as Lac, one hundred thousand.

LAKIN La"kin, n.

Defn: See Ladykin.

LAKKE Lak"ke, n. & v.

Defn: See Lack. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LAKY Lak"y, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a lake. Sir W. Scott.

LAKY Lak"y, a. Etym: [From Lake the pigment.]

Defn: Transparent; — said of blood rendered transparent by the action of some solvent agent on the red blood corpuscles.

LALLATION Lal*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. lallare to sing lalla, or lullaby: cf. F. lallation.]

Defn: An imperfect enunciation of the letter r, in which it sounds like l.

LALO La"lo, n.

Defn: The powdered leaves of the baobab tree, used by the Africans to mix in their soup, as the southern negroes use powdered sassafras. Cf. Couscous.

LAM Lam, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lammed; p. pr. & vb. n. Lamming.] Etym: [Icel. lemja to beat, or lama to bruise, both fr. lami, lama, lame. See Lame.]

Defn: To beat soundly; to thrash. [Obs. or Low] Beau. & Fl.

LAMA La"ma, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Llama.

LAMA La"ma, n. Etym: [Thibet. blama (pronounced lä''ma) a chief, a high priest.]

Defn: In Thibet, Mongolia, etc., a priest or monk of the belief called Lamaism. The Grand Lama, or Dalai Lama Etym: [lit., Ocean Lama], the supreme pontiff in the lamaistic hierarchy. See Lamaism.

LAMAIC La"ma*ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Lamaism.

LAMAISM La"ma*ism, n.

Defn: A modified form of Buddhism which prevails in Thibet, Mongolia, and some adjacent parts of Asia; — so called from the name of its priests. See 2d Lama.

LAMAIST; LAMAITE La"ma*ist, La"ma*ite n.

Defn: One who believes in Lamaism.

LAMAISTIC La`ma*is"tic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Lamaism.

LAMANTIN La*man"tin, n. Etym: [F. lamantin, lamentin, prob. from the name of the animal in the Antilles. Cf. Manater.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The manatee. [Written also lamentin, and lamantine.]

LAMARCKIAN La*marck"i*an, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or involved in, the doctrines of Lamarckianism.

LAMARCKIANISM La*marck"i*an*ism, n. (Biol.)

Defn: Lamarckism.

LAMARCKISM La"marck"ism, n. Etym: [From Lamarck, a distinguished French naturalist.] (Biol.)

Defn: The theory that structural variations, characteristic of species and genera, are produced in animals and plants by the direct influence of physical environments, and esp., in the case of animals, by effort, or by use or disuse of certain organs.

LAMASERY La"ma*ser*y, n. Etym: [See 2d Lama.]

Defn: A mo

LAMB Lamb, n. Etym: [AS. lamb; akin to D. & Dan. lam, G. & Sw. lamm, OS., Goth., & Icel. lamb.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The young of the sheep.

2. Any person who is as innocent or gentle as a lamb.

3. A simple, unsophisticated person; in the cant of the Stock Exchange, one who ignorantly speculates and is victimized. Lamb of God, The Lamb (Script.), the Jesus Christ, in allusion to the paschal lamb. The twelve apostles of the Lamb. Rev. xxi. 14. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John i. 29. — Lamb's lettuce (Bot.), an annual plant with small obovate leaves (Valerianella olitoria), often used as a salad; corn salad. [Written also lamb lettuce.] — Lamb's tongue, a carpenter's plane with a deep narrow bit, for making curved grooves. Knight. — Lamb's wool. (a) The wool of a lamb. (b) Ale mixed with the pulp of roasted apples; — probably from the resemblance of the pulp of roasted apples to lamb's wool. [Obs.] Goldsmith.

LAMB Lamb, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lambed; p. pr. & vb. n. Lambing.]

Defn: To bring forth a lamb or lambs, as sheep.

LAMBALE Lamb"ale`, n.

Defn: A feast at the time of shearing lambs.

LAMBASTE Lam*baste", v. t. Etym: [Lam + baste to beat.]

Defn: To beat severely. [Low] Nares.

LAMBATIVE Lam"ba*tive, a. Etym: [L. lambere to lick. See Lambent.]

Defn: Taken by licking with the tongue. "Sirups and lambative medicines." Sir T. Browne.

LAMBATIVE Lam"ba*tive, n.

Defn: A medicine taken by licking with the tongue; a lincture. Wiseman.

LAMBDA Lamb"da, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

1. The name of the Greek letter

2. (Anat.)

Defn: The point of junction of the sagittal and lambdoid sutures of the skull. Lambda moth (Zoöl.), a moth so called from a mark on its wings, resembling the Greek letter lambda (

LAMBDACISM Lamb"da*cism, n. Etym: [L. lambdacismus, Gr. la`mbda the letter lambda (

1. A fault in speaking or in composition, which consists in too frequent use of the letter l, or in doubling it erroneously.

2. A defect in pronunciation of the letter l when doubled, which consists in giving it a sound as if followed by y, similar to that of the letters lli in billion.

3. The use of the sound of l for that of r in pronunciation; lallation; as, Amelican for American.

LAMBDOID Lamb"doid, a. Etym: [Gr. la`mbda the letter lambda (e"i^dos shape.]

Defn: Shaped like the Greek letter lambda (as, the lambdoid suture between the occipital and parietal bones of the skull.

LAMBDOIDAL Lamb*doid"al, a.

Defn: Same as Lambdoid.

LAMBENT Lam"bent, a. Etym: [L. lambens, -enlis, p. pr. of lambere to lick; akin to lap. See Lap to drink by licking.]

1. Playing on the surface; touching lightly; gliding over. "A lambent flame." Dryden. "A lambent style." Beaconsfield.

2. Twinkling or gleaming; fickering. "The lambent purity of the stars." W. Irving.

LAMBERT PINE Lam"bert pine`. Etym: [So called from Lambert, an English botanist.] (Bot.)

Defn: The gigantic sugar pine of California and Oregon (Pinus Lambertiana). It has the leaves in fives, and cones a foot long. The timber is soft, and like that of the white pine of the Eastern States.

LAMBKILL Lamb"kill`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A small American ericaceous shrub (Kalmia angustifolia); — called also calfkill, sheepkill, sheep laurel, etc. It is supposed to poison sheep and other animals that eat it at times when the snow is deep and they cannot find other food.

LAMBKIN Lamb"kin, n.

Defn: A small lamb.

LAMBLIKE Lamb"like, a.

Defn: Like a lamb; gentle; meek; inoffensive.

LAMBOYS Lam"boys, n. pl. Etym: [Cf. F. lambeau. Cf. Label.] (Anc. Armor)

Defn: Same as Base, n., 19.

LAMBREQUIN Lam"bre*quin, n. Etym: [F. Cf. Lamboys, Label.]

1. A kind of pendent scarf or covering attached to the helmet, to protect it from wet or heat.

2. A leather flap hanging from a cuirass. Wilhelm.

3. A piece of ornament drapery or short decorative hanging, pendent from a shelf or from the casing above a window, hiding the curtain fixtures, or the like.

LAMBSKIN Lamb"skin`, n.

1. The skin of a lamb; especially, a skin dressed with the wool on, and used as a mat. Also used adjectively.

2. A kind of woolen.

LAMBSKINNET Lamb"skin`net", n.

Defn: See Lansquenet.

LAMB'S-QUARTERS Lamb's-quar"ters, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to several plants of the Goosefoot family, sometimes used as pot herbs, as Chenopodium album and Atriplex patulsa.

LAMDOIDAL Lam*doid"al, a.

Defn: Lambdoid. [R.]

LAME Lame, a. [Compar. Lamer; superl. Lamest.] Etym: [OE. lame, AS. lama; akin to D. lam, G. lahm,OHG., Dan., & Sw. lam, Icel. lami, Russ. lomate to break, lomota rheumatism.]

1. (a) Moving with pain or difficulty on account of injury, defect, or temporary obstruction of a function; as, a lame leg, arm, or muscle. (b) To some degree disabled by reason of the imperfect action of a limb; crippled; as, a lame man. "Lame of one leg." Arbuthnot. "Lame in both his feet." 2 Sam. ix. 13. "He fell, and became lame." 2 Sam. iv. 4.

2. Hence, hobbling; limping; inefficient; imperfect. "A lame endeavor." Barrow. O, most lame and impotent conclusion! Shak. Lame duck (stock Exchange), a person who can not fulfill his contracts. [Cant]

LAME Lame, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lamed; p. pr. & vb. n. Laming.]

Defn: To make lame. If you happen to let child fall and lame it. Swift.

LAMEL Lam"el, n.

Defn: See Lamella.

LAMELLA La*mel"la, n.; pl. L. Lamellæ, E. Lamellas. Etym: [L. lamella, dim. of lamina plate, leaf, layer: cf. F. lamelle. Cf. Lamina, Omelet.]

Defn: a thin plate or scale of anything, as a thin scale growing from the petals of certain flowers; or one of the thin plates or scales of which certain shells are composed.

LAMELLAR; LAMELLARLY Lam"el*lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. lamellaire.]

Defn: Flat and thin; lamelliform; composed of lamellæ. — Lam"el*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In thin plates or scales.

LAMELLARY Lam"el*la*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to lamella or to lamellæ; lamellar.

LAMELLATE; LAMELLATED Lam"el*late, Lam"el*la`ted, a. Etym: [See Lamella.]

Defn: Composed of, or furnished with, thin plates or scales. See Illust. of Antennæ.

LAMELLIBRANCH La*mel"li*branch, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Lamellibranchia. Also used adjectively.

LAMELLIBRANCHIA; LAMELLIBRANCHIATA La*mel`li*bran"chi*a, La*mel`li*bran`chi*a"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See lamella, and Branchia, Branchiate.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A class of Mollusca including all those that have bivalve shells, as the clams, oysters, mussels, etc.

Note: They usually have two (rarely but one) flat, lamelliform gills on each side of the body. They have an imperfectly developed head, concealed within the shell, whence they are called Acephala. Called also Conchifera, and Pelecypoda. See Bivalve.

LAMELLIBRANCHIATE Lam`el*li*bran"chi*ate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having lamellar gills; belonging to the Lamellibranchia. — n.

Defn: One of the Lamellibranchia.

LAMELLICORN La*mel"li*corn, a. Etym: [Lamella + L. cornu a horn: cf. F. lamellicorne. See Lamella.] (Zoöl.) (a) Having antennæ terminating in a group of flat lamellæ; — said of certain coleopterous insects. (b) Terminating in a group of flat lamellæ; — said of antennæ. — n.

Defn: A lamellicorn insect.

LAMELLICORNIA La*mel`li*cor"ni*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Lamellicorn.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of lamellicorn, plant-eating beetles; — called also Lamellicornes.

LAMELLIFEROUS Lam`el*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Lamella + -ferous: cf. F. lamellifère.]

Defn: Bearing, or composed of, lamellæ, or thin layers, plates, or scales; foliated.

LAMELLIFORM La*mel"li*form, a. Etym: [Lamella + -form : cf. F. lamelliforme.]

Defn: Thin and flat; scalelike; lamellar.

LAMELLIROSTRAL Lam`el*li*ros"tral, a. Etym: [Lamella + rostral : cf. F. lamellirostre.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a lamellate bill, as ducks and geese.

LAMELLIROSTRES La*mel`li*ros"tres, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Lamella, and Rostrum.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of birds embracing the Anseres and flamingoes, in which the bill is lamellate.

LAMELLOSE Lam"el*lose`, a. Etym: [Cf. F. lamelleux.]

Defn: Composed of, or having, lamellæ; lamelliform.

LAMELY Lame"ly, adv. Etym: [See Lame.]

Defn: An a lame, crippled, disabled, or imperfect manner; as, to walk lamely; a figure lamely drawn.

LAMENESS Lame"ness, n.

Defn: The condition or quality of being lame; as, the lameness of an excuse or an argument.

LAMENT La*ment", v. i. Etym: [F. lamenter, L. lamentari, fr. lamentum a lament.]

Defn: To express or feel sorrow; to weep or wail; to mourn. Jeremiah lamented for Josiah. 2 Chron. xxxv. 25. Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. John xvi. 20.

LAMENT La*ment", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lamented; p. pr. & vb. n. Lamenting.]

Defn: To mourn for; to bemoan; to bewail. One laughed at follies, one lamented crimes. Dryden.

Syn. — To deplore; mourn; bewail. See Deplore.

LAMENT La*ment", n. Etym: [L. lamentum. Cf. Lament, v.]

1. Grief or sorrow expressed in complaints or cries; lamentation; a wailing; a moaning; a weeping. Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. Milton.

2. An elegy or mournful ballad, or the like.

LAMENTABLE Lam"en*ta*ble, a. Etym: [L. lamentabilis : cf. F. lamentable.]

1. Mourning; sorrowful; expressing grief; as, a lamentable countenance. "Lamentable eye." Spenser.

2. Fitted to awaken lament; to be lamented; sorrowful; pitiable; as, a lamentable misfortune, or error. "Lamentable helplessness." Burke.

3. Miserable; pitiful; paltry; — in a contemptuous or Bp. Stillingfleet. — Lam"en*ta*ble*ness, n. — Lam"en*ta*bly, adv.

LAMENTATION Lam`en*ta"tion, n. Etym: [F. lamentation, L. lamentatio.]

1. The act of bewailing; audible expression of sorrow; wailing; moaning. In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation and weeping Matt. ii. 18.

2. pl. (Script.)

Defn: A book of the Old Testament attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, and taking its name from the nature of its contents.

LAMENTED La*ment"ed, a.

Defn: Mourned for; bewailed. This humble praise,lamented shade ! receive. Pope.

LAMENTER La*ment"er (, n.

Defn: One who laments.

LAMENTIN La*men"tin, n.

Defn: See Lamantin.

LAMENTING La*ment"ing, n.

Defn: Lamentation. Lamentings heard i' the air. Shak.

LAMENTINGLY La*ment"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lamenting manner.

LAMES Lames, n. pl. Etym: [F. lame a thin plate, L. lamina.] (Armor)

Defn: Small steel plates combined together so as to slide one upon the form a piece of armor.

LAMETTA La*met"ta, n. Etym: [Cf. It. lametta, dim of lama a thin plate.]

Defn: Foil or wire made of gold, silver, or brass. De Colange.

LAMIA La"mi*a, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A monster capable of assuming a woman's form, who was said to devour human beings or suck their blood; a vampire; a sorceress; a with.

LAMINA Lam"i*na, n.; pl. L. Lamella.

1. A thin plate or scale; a laying over another; — said of thin plates or platelike substances, as of bone or minerals.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The blade of a leaf; the broad, expanded portion of a petal or sepal of a flower. Gray.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A thin plate or scale; specif., one of the thin, flat processes composing the vane of a feather.

LAMINABILITY Lam`i*na*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being laminable.

LAMINABLE Lam"i*na*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being split into laminæ or thin plates, as mica; capable of being extended under pressure into a thin plate or strip. When a body can be readily extended in all directions under the hammer, it is said to be malleable; and when into fillets under the rolling press, it is said to be laminable. Ure.

LAMINAR; LAMINAL Lam"i*nar, Lam"i*nal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. laminaire. See Lamina]

Defn: In, or consisting of, thin plates or layers; having the form of a thin plate or lamina.

LAMINARIA Lam`i*na"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Lamina.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of great seaweeds with long and broad fronds; kelp, or devil's apron. The fronds commonly grow in clusters, and are sometimes from thirty to fifty feet in length. See Illust. of Kelp.

LAMINARIAN Lam`i*na"ri*an, a.

Defn: Pertaining to seaweeds of the genus Laminaria, or to that zone of the sea (from two to ten fathoms in depth) where the seaweeds of this genus grow.

LAMINARITE Lam"i*na*rite, n. Etym: [See Lamina.] (Paleon.)

Defn: A broad-leafed fossil alga.

LAMINARY Lam"i*na*ry, a.

Defn: Laminar.

LAMINATE Lam"i*nate, a. Etym: [See Lamina.]

Defn: Consisting of, or covered with, laminæ, or thin plates, scales, or layers, one over another; laminated.

LAMINATE Lam"i*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Laminated; p. pr. & vb. n. Laminating.] Etym: [See Lamina.]

1. To cause to separate into thin plates or layers; to divide into thin plates.

2. To form, as metal, into a thin plate, as by rolling.

LAMINATE Lam"i*nate, v. i.

Defn: To separate into laminæ.

LAMINATED Lam"i*na`ted, a.

Defn: Laminate. Laminated arch (Arch.), a timber arch made of layers of bent planks secured by treenails.

LAMINATING Lam"i*na`ting, a.

Defn: Forming, or separating into, scales or thin layers.

LAMINATION Lam`i*na"tion, n.

Defn: The process of laminating, or the state of being laminated.

LAMINIFEROUS Lam`i*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Lamina + -ferous.]

Defn: Having a structure consisting of laminæ, or thin layers.

LAMINIPLANTAR Lam`i*ni*plan"tar, a. Etym: [Lamina + L. planta sole of the foot.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the tarsus covered behind with a horny sheath continuous on both sides, as in most singing birds, except the larks.

LAMINITIS Lam`i*ni"tis, n. Etym: [NL. See Lamina, and -itis.] (Far.)

Defn: Inflammation of the laminæ or fleshy plates along the coffin bone of a horse; founder. Youatt.

LAMISH Lam"ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat lame. Wood.

LAMM Lamm, v. t.

Defn: See Lam.

LAMMAS Lam"mas, n. Etym: [AS. hlammesse, hlafmæsse, loaf mass, bread feast, or feast of first fruits; hlaf loaf + mæsse mass. See Loaf, and Mass religious service.]

Defn: The first day of August; — called also Lammas day, and Lammastide.

LAMMERGEIR; LAMMERGEIER Lam"mer*geir, Lam"mer*gei`er, n. Etym: [G. lämmergeier; lamm, pl. lämmer, lamb + geier vulture.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A very large vulture (Gypaëtus barbatus), which inhabits the mountains of Southern Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. When full- grown it is nine or ten feet in extent of wings. It is brownish black above, with the under parts and neck rusty yellow; the forehead and crown white; the sides of the head and beard black. It feeds partly on carrion and partly on small animals, which it kills. It has the habit of carrying tortoises and marrow bones to a great height, and dropping them on stones to obtain the contents, and is therefore called bonebreaker and ossifrage. It is supposed to be the ossifrage of the Bible. Called also bearded vulture and bearded eagle. [Written also lammergeyer.]

LAMNUNGUIA Lam*nun"gui*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. lamina a scale + unguis a nail.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Hyracoidea.

LAMP Lamp, n.Etym: [OE. (with excrescent p), fr. F. lame, L. lamina. See Lamina.]

Defn: A thin plate or lamina. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LAMP Lamp, n. Etym: [F. lampe, L. lampas, -adis, fr. Gr. Lampad, Lantern.]

1. A light-producing vessel, instrument or apparatus; especially, a vessel with a wick used for the combustion of oil or other inflammable liquid, for the purpose of producing artificial light.

2. Figuratively, anything which enlightens intellectually or morally; anything regarded metaphorically a performing the uses of a lamp. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Ps. cxix. 105. Ages elapsed ere Homer's lamp appeared. Cowper.

3. (Elec.)

Defn: A device or mechanism for producing light by electricity. See Incandescent lamp, under Incandescent. Æolipile lamp, a hollow ball of copper containing alcohol which is converted into vapor by a lamp beneath, so as to make a powerful blowpipe flame when the vapor is ignited. Weale. — Arc lamp (Elec.), a form of lamp in which the voltaic arc is used as the source of light. — Dëbereiner's lamp, an apparatus for the instantaneous production of a flame by the spontaneous ignition of a jet of hydrogen on being led over platinum sponge; — named after the German chemist Döbereiner, who invented it. Called also philosopher's lamp. — Flameless lamp, an aphlogistic lamp. — Lamp burner, the part of a lamp where the wick is exposed and ignited. Knight. — Lamp fount, a reservoir for oil, in a lamp. — Lamp jack. See 2d Jack, n., 4 (l) & (n). — Lamp shade, a screen, as of paper, glass, or tin, for softening or obstructing the light of a lamp. — Lamp shell (Zoöl.), any brachiopod shell of the genus Terebratula and allied genera. The name refers to the shape, which is like that of an antique lamp. See Terebratula. — Safety lamp, a miner's lamp in which the flame is surrounded by fine wire gauze, preventing the kindling of dangerous explosive gases; — called also, from Sir Humphry Davy the inventor, Davy lamp. — To smell of the lamp, to bear marks of great study and labor, as a literary composition.

LAMPAD Lam"pad, n. Etym: [Gr. Lamp.]

Defn: A lamp or candlestick. [R.] By him who 'mid the golden lampads went. Trench.

LAMPADIST Lam"pa*dist, n. Etym: [Gr. Lamp.] (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: One who gained the prize in the lampadrome.

LAMPADROME Lam"pa*drome, n. Etym: [Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A race run by young men with lighted torches in their hands. He who reached the goal first, with his torch unextinguished, gained the prize.

LAMPAS Lam"pas, n. Etym: [F. lampas.]

Defn: An inflammation and swelling of the soft parts of the roof of the mouth immediately behind the fore teeth in the horse; — called also lampers.

LAMPATE Lam"pate, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lampate.] (Chem.)

Defn: A supposed salt of lampic acid. [Obs.]

LAMPBLACK Lamp"black`, n. Etym: [Lamp + black.]

Defn: The fine impalpable soot obtained from the smoke of carbonaceous substances which have been only partly burnt, as in the flame of a smoking lamp. It consists of finely divided carbon, with sometimes a very small proportion of various impurities. It is used as an ingredient of printers' ink, and various black pigments and cements.

LAMPER EEL Lam"per eel`. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Lamprey.

LAMPERN Lam"pern, n. Etym: [See Lamprey.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The river lamprey (Ammocoetes, or Lampetra, fluviatilis).

Note: The name is also applied to other river lampreys.

LAMPERS Lam"pers, n.

Defn: See Lampas.

LAMPIC Lam"pic, a. Etym: [F. lampique, fr. lampe lamp. See Lamp.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or produced by, a lamp; — formerly said of a supposed acid.

LAMPING Lamp"ing, a.

Defn: Shining; brilliant. [Obs.] "Lamping eyes." Spenser.

LAMPLESS Lamp"less, a.

Defn: Being without a lamp, or without light; hence, being without appreciation; dull. Your ladies' eyes are lampless to that virtue. Beau. & Fl.

LAMPLIGHT Lamp"light`, n.

Defn: Light from a lamp. This world's artificial lamplights. Owen Meredith.

LAMPLIGHTER Lamp"light`er, n.

1. One who, or that which, lights a lamp; esp., a person who lights street lamps.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The calico bass.

LAMPOON Lam*poon", n. Etym: [F. lampon a drinking song, fr. lampons let us drink, — the burden of such a song, fr. lamper to guzzle, to drink much and greedily; of German origin, and akin to E. lap to drink. Prob. so called because drinking songs often contain personal slander or satire.]

Defn: A personal satire in writing; usually, malicious and abusive censure written only to reproach and distress. Like her who missed her name in a lampoon, And grieved to find herself decayed so soon. Dryden.

LAMPOON Lam*poon", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lampooned; p. pr. & vb. n. Lampooning.]

Defn: To subject to abusive ridicule expressed in writing; to make the subject of a lampoon. Ribald poets had lampooned him. Macaulay.

Syn. — To libel; defame; satirize; lash.

LAMPOONER Lam*poon"er, n.

Defn: The writer of a lampoon. "Libelers, lampooners, and pamphleteers." Tatler.

LAMPOONRY Lam*poon"ry, n.

Defn: The act of lampooning; a lampoon, or lampoons.

LAMP-POST Lamp"-post`, n.

Defn: A post (generally a pillar of iron) supporting a lamp or lantern for lighting a street, park, etc.

LAMPREL Lam"prel, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Lamprey.

LAMPREY Lam"prey, n. ; pl. Lampreys. Etym: [OE. lampreie, F. lamproie, LL. lampreda, lampetra, from L. lambere to lick + petra rock, stone. The lampreys are so called because they attach themselves with their circular mouths to rocks and stones, whence they are also called rocksuckers. See Lap to drink, Petrify.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An eel-like marsipobranch of the genus Petromyzon, and allied genera. The lampreys have a round, sucking mouth, without jaws, but set with numerous minute teeth, and one to three larger teeth on the palate (see Illust. of Cyclostomi). There are seven small branchial openings on each side. [Written also lamper eel, lamprel, and lampron.]

Note: The common or sea lamprey of America and Europe (Petromyzon marinus), which in spring ascends rivers to spawn, is considered excellent food by many, and is sold as a market fish in some localities. The smaller river lampreys mostly belong to the genus Ammocoeles, or Lampetra, as A. fluviatilis, of Europe, and A. æpypterus of America. All lampreys attach themselves to other fishes, as parasites, by means of the suckerlike mouth.

LAMPRON Lam"pron, n. Etym: [Cf. OE. lampreon. See Lamprey.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Lamprey.

LAMPYRINE Lam*py"rine, n. Etym: [See Lampyris.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An insect of the genus Lampyris, or family Lampyridæ. See Lampyris.

LAMPYRIS Lam*py"ris, n. Etym: [L., glowworm, Gr. ( (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of coleopterous insects, including the glowworms.

LANARKITE Lan"ark*ite, n. Etym: [From Lanarkshire, a county in Scotland.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral consisting of sulphate of lead, occurring either massive or in long slender prisms, of a greenish white or gray color.