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LEMNIAN

closed in a spathe, but no perianth. The typical genus is Lemna (which see). The order is also called Pistiaceæ, from Pistia, another of the principal genera. The genera are few in number, the order comprising in all only about two dozen species. Those belonging to the genus Pistia are found floating in ponds in warm climates. P. Stratiotes, from its appearance called in the West Indies water-lettuce, propagates itself with great rapidity, and frequently covers ponds and tanks with a close mantle of verdure. Lemnian (lem'ni-an), a. Of or pertaining to Lemnos, an island in the Egean Sea. Lemnian earth, a kind of astringent medicinal earth, of a fatty consistence and reddish colour, used in the same cases as bole. It has the external appearance of clay, with a smooth surface resembling agate, especially in recent fractures. It removes impurities like soap. It was originally found in Lemnos, but occurs also in Bohemia, Russia, and India, resulting from decay of felspathic rocks, like kaolin, to which it is related. Called also Sphragide.

Lemniscata, Lemniscate (lem-nis-kā'ta, lem-nis'kat), n. [L. lemniscus, a ribbon; lemniscatus, adorned with ribbons.] In geom. the name given to a curve of the fourth degree, having the form of the figure 8, with both parts symmetrical, generated by the point to which a tangent to an equilateral hyperbola meets the perpendicular on it drawn from the centre. Lemniscus (lem-nis'kus), n. [L., a ribbon.] 1. In anc. costume, a various-coloured woollen fillet or ribbon pendant at the back part of the head, from diadems, crowns, &c.; it was likewise attached to prizes as a mark of additional honour.-2. A term applied to the minute ribbon-shaped appendages of the generative

pores in Echinorhyn- Ancient Lemniscus. chus.

Lemodipoda. Same as Læmodipoda (which see).

Lemon (lem'on), n. [Sp. limon, It. limone, Ar. laymun, Hind. limu, limbu.] 1. The fruit of Citrus Limonum, which grows in warm climates. It resembles the orange, but has a much more acid pulp, and furnishes a cooling acid juice, which forms an ingredient in some of our most delicious liquors.2. The tree that produces lemons, the Citrus Limonum, belonging to the nat. order Aurantiaceæ. It is a native of India, but has been introduced into Southern Europe. It is a knotty-wooded tree, of rather irregular growth, about 8 feet high, having pale foliage and white fragrant flowers.-Essential salt of lemons, the binoxalate of potash, or potash combined with oxalic acid, used for removing iron-moulds and ink stains from linen.-Sweet lemon, the Citrus lumia, cultivated in the south of Europe. Lemon (lem'on), a. pregnated with lemon. Lemonade (lem-on-ad), n. [Fr. limonade; Sp. limonada, from limon, lemon.] 1. A liquor consisting of lemon juice mixed with water and sweetened.

Belonging to or im

A Persian's heaven is eas'ly made,

'Tis but black eyes and lemonade. Moore. 2. An effervescent drink made of water and sugar flavoured with the juice or essence of lemons.

Lemon-grass (lem'on-gras), a. A name given to various species of the genus Andro

pogon, as 4. Nardus, A. citratus, and 4. Schoenanthus. These grasses yield a fragrant oil, hence the name. Lemon-juice (lem'on-jūs), n. The juice of the lemon. It is somewhat opaque and extremely sour, owing its acidity to citric and malic acids. It is much used, especially in the navy, as an antiscorbutic, and with bicarbonate of potash forms a pleasant effervescing drink.

Lemon-kali (lem'on-kä-li), n. A name sometimes given to the effervescing beverage formed by mixing lemon-juice with dissolved bicarbonate of potash.

Lemon-peel (lem'on-pel), n. The rind or skin of a lemon. When dried, preserved, and candied, it is used as a dessert, and as a flavouring ingredient by cooks and confectioners. It is reputed stomachic. Lemon-yellow (lem'on-yel-lö), n. A beautiful, vivid, light yellow colour. Lemur (le'mér), n. [L., a spectre: so called

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from its nocturnal habits and stealthy step.] A genus of nocturnal mammals, family Lemuridæ, of a small size, and somewhat re

Red Lemur (Lemur ruber).

sembling the fox in their elongated pointed head and sharp projecting muzzle. They inhabit Madagascar and the East Indian Islands.

Lemures (lem'u-rēz, in quotation from Milton pronounced lem'ürz), n. pl. [L] Spirits of the departed; ghosts; spectres. The Lars and Lemures moan with midnight plaint. Milton. Lemuridæ (le-mū'ri-dē), n. pl. A family of quadrumanous animals distinct from the monkeys and approaching the insectivores and rodents; the lemurs. The species have the nostrils curved or twisted, a claw instead of a nail upon the first finger of the foot, which, like the thumb, is opposable to the other digits. They are natives of Eastern Asia, Madagascar, and Africa, and live chiefly in forests, most of them climbing trees with the agility of monkeys.-Flyinglemur. See FLYING-LEMUR and GALEOPITHECUS.

Lena (lē'na), n. [L., a procuress.] A pro-
curess. My lean lena.' J. Webster.
Lend (lend), v.t. pret. & pp. lent; ppr. lend-
ing. [A. Sax. lænan, to lend, from læn, a
loan (from A. Sax. lihan, Goth. leihvan, O. H.G.
lihan, to lend); O. E. lene, leen, Prov. E. and
Sc. len; the d has intruded itself into the
word; comp. D. leenen, Dan. laane, Icel. lána,
Sw. laena, to lend. See LOAN.] 1. To grant
to another for temporary use; to furnish on
condition of the thing or its equivalent in
kind being returned; as, to lend a book; to
lend a sum of money, or a loaf of bread.-
2. To afford; to grant or furnish, in general;
as, to lend assistance; to lend an ear to a
discourse.

Cato, lend me for a while thy patience. Addison.
God in his mercy lend her grace. Tennyson.

3. To let for hire or compensation; as, to
lend a horse or gig.-4. To give, as a blow.
I bid them get up and move, or I'd lend them a
lick of the gig-whip.
C. Bronté.

5. With the reflexive pronoun, (a) to accommodate; to suit.

She wore a blue cloth dress, which lent itself to her exquisite figure. Shirley Brooks.

(b) To devote; to give up so as to be of assistance; as, he lent himself to the scheme. -To lend a hand, to assist. Lendable (lend'a-bl), a. Capable of being lent.

Lender (lend'êr), n. One who lends; especially, one who makes a trade of putting money to interest.

The borrower is servant to the lender. Prov. xxii. 7.

Lendes, Lends,t n. pl. [See LOIN.] The

loins Chaucer."

Lending (lend'ing), n. 1. The act of making a loan.-2. That which is lent or furnished; outward trappings not essential to the thing itself.

Off, off, you lendings! come, unbutton here. Shak. Lene, a. Lean. Chaucer. Lene,t v.t. To lend; to grant. Chaucer. He is our lady's messenger, God lene that he be true. Lene (lēn), a. [L. lenis, smooth.] In philol. smooth: said of certain mute or explosive consonants, as k, p, t.

Old ballad.

Lene (lẽn), n A smooth mute or explosive consonant; as, k, p, t, and the like. Lenger,t a. compar. Longer. Chaucer. Length (length), n. [A. Sax. length, from lang, long. See LONG.] 1. The longest measure of any object, in distinction from depth, thickness, breadth, or width; the extent of anything material from end to end; the

LENITIVE

greatest extension of a body; the longest line which can be drawn through a body, parallel to its sides; as, the length of a church or of a ship; the length of a rope or line; a geometrical line is length without breadth. 2. A certain extent; a portion of space considered as measured in the direction of its length or longest measurement: with a plural. Large lengths of seas and shores.' Shak.-3. Long continuance; indefinite duration.

May heaven, great monarch, still augment your bliss With length of days, and every day like this. Dryden.

4. Detail or amplification; extension or enlargement; as, to pursue a subject to a great length.-5. Distance.

He had marched to the length of Exeter.

Clarendon.

-At length, (a) at or in the full extent; as, let the name be inserted at length. (b) At last; after a long period; at the end or conclusion.

Length (length), v.t. To extend; to lengthen.

When your eyes have done their part,

Thought must length it in the heart. Daniel. Lengthen (length'n), v.t. To make long or longer; to extend in length; as, (a) to extend lineally; to elongate; as, to lengthen a line. (b) To extend in time; to protract; to contínue in duration; as, to lengthen life.

What if I please to lengthen out his date? Dryden. (c) To extend as regards verbal matter; to expand; to prolong; as, to lengthen a discourse or a dissertation. (c) To draw out in pronunciation; as, to lengthen a sound or a syllable. [This verb is often followed by out, which may be sometimes emphatical, but in general is useless.] Lengthen (length'n), v.i. To grow longer; to extend in length; as, a hempen rope contracts when wet, and lengthens when dry. Drags at each remove a lengthening chain. Goldsmith. Lengthful (length'ful), a. Of great length in measure; long.

The state of

The driver whirls his lengthful thong. Pope. Lengthily (length'i-li), adv. In a lengthy manner; at great length or extent. Lengthiness (length'i-nes), n. being lengthy; prolixity. Lengthways, Lengthwise (length'waz, length'wiz), adv. In the direction of the length; in a longitudinal direction. Lengthy (length'i), a. Having length; long or moderately long, sometimes with the idea of tediousness attached; not short; not brief: applied chiefly to discourses, writings, arguments, proceedings, &c.; as, a lengthy sermon; a lengthy dissertation.

toms.

Murray has sent or will send a double copy of the Bride and Giaour-in the last one some lengthy additions-pray accept them according to old cusByron. These would be details too lengthy. Jefferson. Lenience (lē'ni-ens), n. Same as Leniency. The quality of Leniency (le'ni-en-si), n. being lenient; mildness; gentleness; lenity. Lenient (lē'ni-ent),a. [L. leniens, from lenio, to soften, from lenis, soft, mild.] 1. Softening; mitigating; assuasive. Lenient of grief.' Milton.

Time, that on all things lays his lenient hand,
Yet tames not this.
Pope.

2. Relaxing; emollient.

Oils relax the fibres, are lenient, balsamic.
Arbuthnot.

3. Acting without rigour or severity; mild; gentle; merciful; clement; as, to be lenient towards an offender. Lenient (lē'ni-ent), n. That which softens or assuages; an emollient. Leniently (lē'ni-ent-li), adv. In a lenient manner; mitigatingly; assuagingly. Lenify (len'i-fi), v.t. [L. lenis, soft, mild, and facio, to make.] To assuage; to soften; to mitigate. To lenify the pain.' Dryden. [Rare.]

Leniment (len'i-ment), n. [L. lenimentum, from lenio, to soften.] An assuasive. Lenitive (len'it-iv), a. [Fr. lénitif, from L. lenio, to soften, lenis, mild.] Having the quality of softening or mitigating, as pain or acrimony; assuasive; emollient. Lenitive (len'it-iv), n. 1. A medicine or application that has the quality of easing pain; that which softens or mitigates.-2. That which tends to allay passion or excitement; a palliative.

There is one sweet lenitive at least for evils, which Nature holds out; so I took it kindly at her hands and fell asleep. Sterne.

LENITIVENESS

Lenitiveness (len'it-iv-nes), n. The quality of being lenitive or emollient. Lenitudet (len'i-tüd), n. Lenity. Blount. Lenity (len'i-ti), n. [L. lenitas, from lenis, mild, soft.] Mildness of temper; gentleness; softness; tenderness; mercy; as, young offenders may be treated with lenity.

severe.

His exceeding lenity disposes us to be somewhat Macaulay. SYN. Gentleness, kindness, tenderness, softness, humanity, clemency, mercy. Leno (lē'no), n. A kind of cotton gauze thinner and clearer than book-muslin, used for window-blinds.

Lenocinantt (lē-nos'in-ant), a. [L. lenocinans, lenocinantis, ppr. of lenocinor, to pander. See LENOCINIUM.] Given to lewdness.

Lenocinium (lē-nō-sin'i-um). [L., from leno, a pander.] In Scots law, the connivance of the husband at his wife's adultery, and his participation in the profits of her prostitution, or his lending himself in any way, directly or indirectly, to his own and her disgrace.

Lens (lenz), n. pl. Lenses (lenz'ez). [L. lens, a lentil.] A transparent substance, usually glass, so formed that rays of light passing through it are made to change their direction, and to magnify or diminish objects at a certain distance. Lenses are double-convex, or convex on both sides; double-concave, or concave on both sides; plano-convex, or plano-concave, that is, with one side plane and the other convex or concave, or convex on one side and concave on the other.

a

If the convexity be greater

(100))}]

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than the cavity, or if the two surfaces would meet if produced, the lens is called a meniscus; and if the concavity be greater than the convexity, the lens is termed concavoconvex.- Crystalline lens or humour, the middle humour of the eye, which is shaped like a double-convex lens. See CRYSTALLINE and EYE.-Coddington lens, or grooved sphere, a lens which consists of a sphere of glass divided into two portions by a deeplycut circular groove, which is filled up with opaque matter.-Stanhope lens, a lens of small diameter with two convex faces of different radii, and inclosed in a metallic tube. -Multiplying lens, a lens one side of which is plane and the other convex, but made up of a number of plane faces inclined to one another, each of which presents a separate image of the object viewed through it, so that the object is, as it were, multiplied. Polyzonal lens. See POLYZONAL. Lent (lent), pp. of lend.

Lent (lent), a. [L. lentus, slow, gentle.] Slow; gentle; mild.

Lent (lent), n. [A. Sax. lencten, lengten, spring, lencten-fæsten, spring fast, Lent; D. lente, G. lenz, spring; perhaps from A. Sax. lang, leng, long, longer, because the days become longer in spring.] A fast of forty days, beginning at Ash-Wednesday and continuing till Easter, observed by some Christian churches in commemoration of the forty days' fast of Christ.

Lent (lent). Same as Lento.

Lentando (len-tan'dō). [It.] In music, slackening; retarding: a direction to sing or play the notes over which it is written with increasing slowness.

Lentement, Lentamente (länt-män, lenta-men'tā), adv. [Fr. and It., slowly.] In music, an instruction prefixed to a movement showing that it is to be performed in slow time.

Lenten (lent'en), a. Pertaining to Lent; used in Lent; spare; plain; not abundant or ostentatious; as, a lenten salad. 'Lenten entertainment.' Shak.

Who can read

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times epiphytes, with rosulate root-leaves (which are sometimes reduced to very small scales), and erect one-flowered scapes, or The simple (rarely branched) racemes. flowers (which are often large and handsome) are usually yellow, violet, or blue. There are four genera, of which Utricularia and Pinguicula are the best known, and about 180 species, natives of moist, warm, and temperate regions of both hemispheres. Lenticel, Lenticelle (len'ti-sel), n. [Fr. lenticelle, L. lenticula, dim. of lens, lentis, a lentil.] 1. In bot. (a) one of the small oval spots found on the surface of young stems, especially of dicotyledonous shrubs and trees, and erroneously supposed by some to be root-buds, and by others to be breathing pores. Microscopic examination shows that they are mere hypertrophal productions from the epiphlæum or outer layer of the bark, and have no connection with the liber or cambium. (b) A small lens-shaped gland on the under side of some leaves.-2. In anat. a lenticular gland.

Lenticellate (len'ti-sel-at), a. Pertaining to or having lenticels.

Lenticula (len-tik'ü-la), n. [See LENTICELS.] 1. In optics, a small lens.-2. In bot. a lenticel. See LENTICEL.-3. In med. a freckle; lentigo.

Lenticular (len-tik'ü-lér),a. [L. lenticularis, from lens, a lentil.] 1. Resembling a lentil in size or form.-2. Having the form of a double-convex lens, as the seeds of Amaranthus. Lenticular gland, in anat. a mucous follicle having the shape of a lentil, observed especially toward the base of the tongue.--Lenticular ganglion, the ophthalmic ganglion, a reddish-gray body near the bottom of the orbit of the eye at the outer side of the optic nerve.-Lenticular fever, fever attended with an eruption of small pimples.-Lenticular bed, in geol. a deposit in a shallow limited basin. Lenticularly (len-tik'u-lér-li), adv. manner of a lens; with a curve. Lenticule (len'ti-kül), n. Same as Lenticula. Lenticulite (len-tik'ü-lit), n. In geol. a fossil of a lenticular shape." Lentiform (len'ti-form), a. [L. lens, and forma, form.] Of the form of a lens; lenticular.

In the

Lentiginose (len-tij'in-ōs), a. In bot. cov

ered with minute dots as if dusted. Lentiginous (len-tij'in-us), a. [L. lentigo, a freckle, from L. lens, lentis, a lentil.] Pertaining to lentigo; freckly; scurfy; furfur

aceous.

Lentigo (len-ti'gō), n. [L.] In med. a freckly eruption on the skin.

Lentil (len'til), n. [Fr. lentille, from L. lens, lentis, a lentil.] A plant and its seed of the genus Ervum (E. lens, Linn.), belonging to the papilionaceous division of the nat. order Leguminosa. It is an annual plant, rising with weak stalks about 18 inches. The seeds, which are contained in a pod, are round, flat, and a little convex in the middle. It is cultivated for fodder and for its seeds, from which revalenta arabica is prepared. Lentiscus, Lentisk (len-tis'kus, len'tisk), n. [L., the mastich-tree.] A tree of the genus Pistacia, P. lentiscus (the mastichtree), a native of Arabia, Persia, Syria, and the south of Europe. It belongs to the nat. order Anacardiacea. The wood is of a pale brown, and resinous and fragrant. See MAS

TICH.

Lentitude + (len'ti-tūd), n. [L. lentus, slow.] Slowness.

'Their

Lentner, Lentiner (lent'ner, lent'i-nér), n. [From Lent, because taken during that season.] A kind of hawk. Iz. Walton. Lento (len'tō). [It.] In music, a direction indicating that the music to which the word is prefixed is to be performed slowly. Lenton,† n. The season of Lent. Chaucer. Lentor (lent'er), n. [L., from lentus, slow, tough, clammy; Fr. lenteur.] 1. Tenacity; viscousness; viscidity, as of fluids. clamminess and lentor.' Evelyn.-2. Slowness; delay; sluggishness. The lentor of eruptions not inflammatory.' Arbuthnot. Lentoust (lent'us), a. [L. lentus, slow, 'This thick.] Viscid; viscous; tenacious. spawn of a lentous and transparent body.' Sir T. Browne. L'envoi, L'envoy (läh-vwa), n. [Fr. See ENVOY.] 1. A sort of postscript appended to literary compositions, and serving either to recommend them to the attention of some particular person, or to enforce what we call the moral of them; an explanatory or commendatory postscript.

In thy pale face, dead eye, and lenten suit, The liberty thy ever-giving hand Hath bought for others? Beau, & FI. Lentibularies (len-tib'ü-lā”ri-ē-ē), n. pl. A small nat. order of monopetalous exogens, growing in water or in marshy places, some

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Long since

I looked for this l'envoy.

Massinger. Lenzinite (len'zin-it), n. [From Lenzius, a German mineralogist.] A variety of halloysite, a mineral of two kinds, the opaline and argillaceous. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina, and occurs usually in small masses of the size of a nut.

Leo (lē'ō), n. [L.] The Lion, the fifth sign of the zodiac. It contains ninety-five stars; one of them, of the first magnitude, in the breast of the Lion, is called Regulus, and Cor Leonis or Lion's Heart. It is marked thus -Leo Minor, the Little Lion, a constellation of the northern hemisphere containing fifty-three stars.

Leod, Lede,t n. [A. Sax. leód, leôda, a man. a countryman, leôde, people.] A man; a countryman; people; a nation.

Leon,t n. A lion. Chaucer. Leonese (le-o-nēz), n. sing. and pl. A native or inhabitant of Leon in Spain; in the plural, the inhabitants of Leon.

Leonese (le-o-nēz'), a. Of or pertaining to Leon in Spain, or its inhabitants. Leonhardite (le-on-härd'it), n. [After Professor von Leonhard.] A mineral, consisting chiefly of the hydrous silicate of alumina and lime, found in Hungary. Leonides (lē-on'i-dēz), n. pl. A name given to the group of meteors observed in the month of November each year, but occurring with extreme profusion about three times in a century: so called because they seem to radiate from the constellation Leo. Leonine (le'o-nin), a. [L. leoninus, from leo, lion.] Belonging to a lion; resembling a lion or partaking of his qualities; as, leonine fierceness or rapacity.

Leonine (le'o-nin), n. A counterfeit copper coin of the reign of Edward I., worth about a halfpenny, coined abroad and smuggled into England: so called from bearing the figure of a lion.

Leonine (le'o-nin), n. [From Leon or Leoninus, a canon of the order of St. Benedict in Paris in the twelfth century, who wrote largely in this measure.] A term applied to a certain Latin measure popular in the middle ages, consisting of hexameter and pentameter verses, rhyming at the middle and end. The following Latin version of The devil was sick,' &c., is a leonine couplet:

Dæmon languebat, monachus tunc esse volebat, Ast ubi convaluit, mansit ut ante fuit. Ovid practised this sort of versification, especially in his epistles; for example

Cultaque Oreste Taurica terra Dea. Lines having a similar character are not rare in English poetry:

From my wings are shaken the dews that waken
The sweet birds every one,
When rocked to rest on their mother's breast,
As she dances about the sun.

Shelley.

Leoninely (le'o-nin-li), adv. In a leonine

manner; like a lion. Leontodon (le-on'tō-don), n. [Gr. leon, leontos, a lion, and odous, odontos, a tooth-in reference to the tooth-like divisions of the leaves.] A genus of plants of the nat. order Composite; lion's-tooth. As now defined it includes about forty species, several of which were formerly placed in separate genera. They are perennial (rarely annual) herbs, with entire or pinnate radical leaves, simple or sparingly branched leafless scapes, and yellow flowers. They are natives of Europe, Central and Western Asia, and Northern Africa, one (L. autumnale) being naturalized in North America. Leonurus (lē-o-nū'rus), n. [Gr. leon, a lion, and oura, a tail-in allusion to the appearance of the spike of flowers.] A genus of plants of the nat. order Labiatae. It includes about ten species, natives of Europe and extra-tropical Asia, one (L. Cardiaca) having spread throughout the world. They are erect herbs, with cut or lobed leaves, which are longer than the dense axillary whorls of sessile red or whitish flowers. L. Cardiaca (the, common motherwort) is more or less naturalized in Britain, growing in hedges and waste places.

Leopard (lep'ärd), n. [L. leo, lion, and pardus, a panther.] A carnivorous digitigrade mammal belonging to the genus Felis. It inhabits Central Africa, Persia, China, and India. The general colour of the leopard

LEOPARD'S-BANE

is yellowish fawn, which grows paler in the sides till it merges into the white of the under part of the body. Over the head, neck, back, and limbs are scattered black spots of various sizes, while the sides are

Leopard (Felis leopardus).

covered with numerous rose-shaped spots. The common leopard is the Felis leopardus; the hunting leopard or chetah, the Felis jubata, a useful and docile species which inhabits the greater part both of Asia and Africa. (See CHETAH.) Some naturalists regard the panther and leopard as varieties of the same species; others, following Cuvier, regard them as different species, designing the panther Felis pardus.

Leopard's-bane (lep'ärdz-ban), n. The English popular name of Doronicum Pardalianches, nat. order Compositæ. It is a robust plant, with large roughish leaves and conspicuous yellow flower-heads. It is said to have been used formerly to destroy leopards, wolves, and other wild animals. Leopard-wood (lep'ard-wyd), n. The wood of Brosimum Aublettii. Also said to be applied to a fancy-wood of the palm tribe. Leopart, Lepard, tn. A leopard. Chaucer. Lepadidæ (le-pad'i-dē), n. pl. The barnacles or goose-mussels, a family of cirriped crustaceans, free-swimming when in the larva state, but when adult attached by the antennae to submarine bodies. The antenna become developed into a long flexible muscular peduncle, bearing at its free end a calcareous shell, usually of five valves, which protects the principal organs and opens at will to admit of the protrusion of jointed and ciliated rudimentary limbs or tentacles, having near the base slender processes homologous with the gills of higher crustacea. The Lepadida are mostly hermaphrodite, but in some species the animal of the normal form is strictly female, having one or more males of minute size and more simple organization lodged inside its shell. In others which, though hermaphrodite, have the male organs less developed than the female, similar males are met with, and are termed complemental males. Lepadite (lep'a-dit), n. [L. lepas, Gr. lepas, a kind of shell-fish.] The barnacle, one of the Lepadida (which see).

Lepadogaster (lep'a-do-gas-tér), n. [Gr. lepas, lepados, a limpet, and gaster, the belly.] A genus of small acanthopterygious fishes which have the power of attaching themselves to rocks and other hard substances by means of a disk or sucker formed by the modification of the pectoral fins. Lepal (le'pal), n. In bot. a barren transformed

stamen.

Lepas (le'pas), n. [L. and Gr., a limpet.] A genus of cirripeds, of which the barnacle (L. anatifera) is an example. They adhere in clusters to rocks, shells, floating wood, &c. See LEPADIDE. Leper (lep'er), n. [Originally and properly leprosy, from Fr. lepre, leprosy, L. lepra, from Gr. lepra, leprosy, from lepros, scaly, lepos, a husk.] A person affected with leprosy. Lev. xiii. 45. Leperedt (lep'èrd), a. Affected with leprosy. Leperous (lep'èr-us), a. Leprous; causing leprosy.

Shak.

In the porches of my ears did pour The leperous distilment. Lepid (lep'id), a. [L. lepidus, pleasant.] Pleasant; jocose. Lepidium (lé-pid′i-um), n. [L.; Gr. lepidion, from lepis, lepidos, a scale.] An extensive genus of herbs or undershrubs of the nat. order Cruciferæ. They are simple or usually branched, of varied habit, with small racemes of white (very rarely yellow) flowers. About sixty to eighty species are recognized, natives of warm and temperate regions throughout the world, none being alpine or

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A fish

Of or

Lepidodendron (lep'id-ō-den-dron), n. [Gr. lepis, a shell, rind, or scale, and dendron, a tree.] An extinct genus of fossil plants of very frequent occurrence in the coal formation. The species are sometimes found of enormous size, fragments of stems occurring upwards of 40 feet in length. Their internal structure is intermediate between Coniferæ and Lycopodiacea. They preserve throughout the whole extent of the trunk the scars formed by the attachment of the petioles or leaf-stalks. Lepidoganoid (lep'id-ō-gan-oid), n. of the sub-order Lepidoganoidei. Lepidoganoid (lep'id-o-gan-oid), a. belonging to the Lepidoganoidei. Lepidoganoidei (lep'id-o-gan-oid"ē-i), n. pl. [Gr. lepis, lepidos, a scale, ganos, splendour, and eidos, resemblance.] A sub-order of ganoid fishes, distinguished from the placoganoid fishes by their external covering consisting of scales, and not, as in the latter, of plates. The best known living fishes belonging to the Lepidoganoidei are the bony pike and the polypterus. The fossil lepidoganoids begin to appear in the old red sandstone epoch, and are largely represented in the upper palæozoic strata. Lepidogaster (lep'i-dö-gas-ter), n. Same as Lepadogaster.

Lepidoid (lep'id-oid), n. [Gr. lepis, a scale, and eidos, form, shape, appearance.] One of the Lepidoidei, a family of extinct fossil fishes.

Lepidoidei (lep-i-doid'ē-i), n. pl. A family of extinct fossil fishes, found in the oolitic series, as also in the trias and carboniferous. The family was remarkable for its large rhomboidal bony ganoid scales, of great thickness, and covered with enamel. Lepidolite (lep'id-o-lit), n. [Gr. lepis, lepidos, a scale, and lithos, a stone.] A mineral found in scaly masses, ordinarily of a violet or lilac colour, allied to mica. Lepidolite is of a peach-blossom red colour, sometimes gray; massive and in small concretions. Lepidoptera (lep-id-op'tèr-a), n. pl. [Gr. lepis, a scale, and pteron, a wing.] The most beautiful of all the orders of insects,

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Lepidoptera.

1. Butterfly-Hipparchia galathea, marbled white butterfly. 2, Hawk-moth or sphinx-Macroglossa stellatarum, humming-bird hawk-moth. 3. MothAbraxas grossalariata, magpie moth. 4, Palpi and spiral mouth of butterfly. 5, Antenna-, Butter fly's; &, Sphinx's; c, Moth's. 6, Portion of wing of cabbage-butterfly, with part of the scales removed. 7, Scales of do, magnified.

comprising the butterflies and moths. From the former being active by day, and the latter mostly towards twilight or at night, the butterflies are known as the diurnal, the moths as the crepuscular or nocturnal divisions. All have four membranous wings, covered more or less completely with modified hairs or scales. The mouth is entirely suctorial, the maxillæ being converted into a tube, and the mandibles rudimentary. The metamorphosis is complete. The larva are termed caterpillars, and are provided with masticatory organs fitted for dividing solid substances. They possess false legs in addition to the three pairs proper to the adult, and have attached to the upper lip a tubular organ or spinneret, by which silken threads can be manufactured. Lepidopteral, Lepidopterous (lep-id-op'tér-al, lep-id-op'ter-us), a. Of or belonging to the Lepidoptera. Lepidosiren (lep'id-o-si"ren), n. [Gr. lepis, lepidos, a scale, and seirēn, a siren. ] A

LEPROSY

genus of fishes forming the order Dipnoi; the mud-fish. There are two species, the L. paradoxus and the L. annectens, the former found in the large intertropical rivers of Western Africa, the latter in the Amazon and other rivers of South America. During the dry season they lie packed in

Lepidosiren annectens.

the mud of their native rivers, the peculiar nature of their respiratory organs enabling them to support this mode of existence. See DIPNOI.

Lepidosis (lep-i-dō'sis), n. [Gr. lepis, lepidos, a scale.] In med. an efflorescence of scales over different parts of the body. Called also Scale-skin. Lepidosteida (lep'id-os-te'i-dē), n. pl. [Sce LEPIDOSTEUS.] A small family of ganoid fishes containing few species and only one genus, Lepidosteus (which see). Lepidosteus (lep-id-os'te-us), n. [Gr. lepis, lepidos, a scale, and osteón, a bone.] A genus of fishes with bony polished or ganoid scales, and hence known by the name of bony-pikes. This genus belongs to the family Lepidosteida and order Ganoidei, of which it is one of the few living representatives. They are only found in North America, and resemble many of the mesozoic fossil genera more than any other living

fishes.

Lepidote, Lepidoted (lep'i-dot, lep'i-doted), a. [Gr. lepidotos, scaly, from lepis, a scale.] In bot. covered with scurfy scaly spots; leprous.

[From

Lepidotini (lep'i-do-ti"ni), n. pl. Lepidotus.] A synonym of Lepidoidei. Lepidotus (lep-i-do'tus), n. [Gr. lepis, tepidos, a scale.] A fossil fish of the Wealden formation, characterized by large, thick, rhomboidal, enamelled scales, and hemispherical or obtusely conical teeth.

Lepis (lep'is), n. [Gr. lepis, a scale.] In bot. a thin flat membranous process or scale, attached by its middle, and having a lacerated irregular margin, such as covers the foliage of the oleaster. Lepismida (le-pis'mi-dě), n. pl. [Gr. lepisma, a husk, and eidos, resemblance.] A family of wingless insects, belonging to the order Thysanura, having the abdomen fringed with a series of movable appendages, which assist the legs in locomotion, and furnished at its extremity with three caudal bristles, which are used in leaping. It includes the genera Lepisma proper and Machile. Brande.

Leporida (le-por'i-dē), n. pl. [L. lepus, leporis, a hare, and Gr. eidos, resemblance.] The hare tribe, or the family of rodents of which the genus Lepus is the type. The dentition is very peculiar, there being four upper incisors, two of these being small ones, situated immediately behind the normal pair.

Leporine (lep'or-in or lep'or-in), a. [L. leporinus, from lepus, a hare.] Pertaining to a hare; having the nature or qualities of the hare.

Lepped + (lept), pp. Leaped. Spenser. Lepraria (le-pra'ri-a), n. [L. lepra, leprosy, the plants on which the species grow appearing as if affected with leprosy.] A former generic term for lichens in which the crust is broken up into a dusty mass, occasionally mixed with a few threads. The yellow powdery and white patches on the oak are examples.

Leprose (lep'rōs), a. In bot. having a scurfy

appearance.

Leprosity (le-pros'i-ti), n. The state of being leprous.

Leprosy (lep'rō-si), n. [O. Fr. leprosie. See LEPER. A name given to several different diseases. Elephantiasis is sometimes called Arabic leprosy. Regarding the leprosy of the Jews nothing certain is known. The term was probably applied to various inveterate cutaneous diseases, especially those of a chronic or contagious order. The name is now frequently restricted by medical writers to the Greek or tubercular leprosy which

LEPROUS

prevailed during the middle ages, and is still met with in Iceland, the Orkney and Shetland Islands, Norway and Sweden, as well as in Africa, the East and West Indies, and many tropical islands. The disease is characterized by dusky red or livid tubercles of various sizes on the face, ears, and extremities; thickened or rugose state of the skin, with loss of its sensibility, falling off of the hair, excepting that of the scalp; hoarse, nasal, or lost voice; ozana, ulcerations of the surface, and extreme fetor; while in some severe cases the fingers and toes drop off. The causes of this disease are uncertain, but poor living, uncleanliness, disuse of salt, and exposure to cold and damp are its constant attendants. Its cure is always uncertain, and, in advanced cases, improbable.

Leprous (lep'rus), a. [L. leprosus; Fr. lẻpreux. See LEPER.] 1. Infected with leprosy; covered with white scales.

His hand was leprous as snow.

Ex. iv. 6.

2. In bot. covered with a sort of scurfiness, as crustaceous lichens; lepidote. Leprously (lep'rus-li), adv. In a leprous

manner.

Leprousness (lep'rus-nes), n. The state of being leprous.

Leptocardii (lep'tō-kär-di-i), n. pl. [Gr. leptos, slender, and kardia, the heart.] The name given by Müller to the order of fishes comprising the lancelet, now called Pharyngobranchii.

Leptodactyl, Leptodactyle (lep-to-dak'til), n. [Gr. leptos, slender, and daktylos, a toe.] A bird or other animal having slender toes.

Leptodactylous (lep-to-dak'til-us), a. [Gr. leptos, slender, and daktylos, a finger.] Having slender toes.

Leptolepis (lep-tol'e-pis), n. [Gr. leptos, smooth, and lepis, a scale.] A genus of small sauroid fossil fishes found in the lias and oolite.

Leptology (lep-tol'o-ji), n. [Gr. leptologialeptos, small, and logos, discourse. ] A minute and tedious discourse on trifling things. Leptospermum (lẹp-tō-spèr'mum), n. [Gr. leptos, smooth, and sperma, seed.] A large genus of New Zealand and Australian trees and shrubs of the nat. order Myrtaceæ. They have small leathery dotted leaves and white flowers. Captain Cook's crew used the leaves of L. lanigerum for tea, and they are said to improve the flavour of beer. Lepus (le'pus), n. [L., a hare.] 1. A genus of rodents, comprising the hare and rabbit. See HARE, RABBIT.-2. In astron, the Hare, a southern constellation containing nineteen stars. It is situated directly under Orion.

The

Leret (ler), a. Empty. See LEER.
Lernæadæ (lêr-në'a-dē), n. pl. A group of
parasitic suctorial crustaceans, of the order
Ichthyophthira or fish-lice, having the mouth
armed with piercing mandibles, and the
feet, jaws, and true legs undeveloped, found
attached to fishes. Some species penetrate
the skin, and feed on the viscera.
typical genus is Lernæa.
Lernæan, Lernean (lèr-nē’an), n. An indi-
vidual of the genus Lernæada.
Lerot (lē'rot), n. [Fr., dim. from loir, a dor-
mouse, from L. glis, gliris, a dormouse.] A
name of the garden dormouse (Myoxus ni-
tela), a little rodent which makes great
havoc among fruit. It hibernates in win-
ter, six or seven crowding into one cell.
Lese,t n. A leash. Chaucer.

Lese,t a. [A. Sax. leás, false.] False; lying.
Chaucer.

Lese,t v.t.

To lose. Chaucer.

Lese Majesty (lēz' maj'es-ti), n. See LEZE
MAJESTY.

Lesion (lē'zhon), n. [L. læsio, from lado, to
hurt.] 1. A hurting; hurt; wound; injury.
2. In Scots law, the degree of harm or injury
done to the interests of a minor, or of a
person of weak capacity, necessary to entitle
him to reduce or set aside the deed by which
he has suffered.-3. In pathol. derangement;
disorder; any morbid change, either in the
exercise of functions or in the texture of
organs.

Lesst (les). For Unless. B. Jonson.
-Less (les). A terminating syllable appended
to many nouns, and thus forming adjectives,
is the A. Sax. -leas, Goth. -laus, Icel. -lauss,
O.Sax. -los, O. H. G. -laos, -lós, signifying liter-
ally loose from, and allied to the A. Sax.
lysan, lebsan, E. lose. It forms adjectives
denoting destitute of, void of, wanting; as,
a witless man, a man destitute of wit; child-

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less, without children; fatherless; faithless;
penniless; lawless; &c.

Less (les), a. [O.E. lesse, lasse, A. Sax. læs,
lassa (for læsra). Allied to Goth. lasivs,
weak (comp. lazy); the superl. least is a con-
tracted form of A. Sax. læsast, læsest. Little,
which serves as the positive, is from a
different root.] Smaller; not so large or
great; as, a less quantity or number; a
horse of less size or value; we are all
destined to suffer affliction in a greater
or less degree.

Less (les), adv. In a smaller or lower degree;
as, less bright or loud; less beautiful; less
obliging; less careful; the less a man praises
himself the more disposed are others to
praise him.

Less (les), n. 1. Not so much; a quantity not
so great as another quantity; anything be-
low a certain standard; as, he said he would
have all his rights and honours, and would
not be contented with less.

And the children of Israel did so, and gathered,
some more, some less.
Ex. xvi. 17.

2. A younger; an inferior.

The less is blessed of the better.
Heb. vii. 7.
No less, nothing of inferior consequence
or moment; nothing else.

He is no less than what we say he is. Shak.
Look for no less than death. Shak.
Less (les), v.t. To make less. Gower.
Lessee (les-se'), n. [From lease.] The person

to whom a lease is given, or who takes an
estate by lease.
Lessen (les'n), v.t. 1. To make less; to
diminish; to reduce in size, number, degree,
state, or quality; as, to lessen a kingdom or
its population; awkward manners tend to
lessen our respect for men of merit.-2. To
degrade; to reduce in dignity; to depreciate;
to disparage.

St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men
conspired to lessen it.
Atterbury.
Lessen (les'n), v. i. To become less; to
shrink; to contract in bulk, quantity,
number, or amount; to become less in
degree; to decrease; to diminish. 'Listen
to the lessening music.' Tennyson.
Lesser (les'èr), a. [A double compar.
from less.] Less; smaller.

By the same reason may a man in the state of nature
punish the lesser breaches of that law. Locke.
God made... the lesser light to rule the night.
Gen. i. 16.
[The use of this form of the comparative of
little is not so common as that of the form
less, but it is almost uniform after the defi-
nite article, and in antithesis to greater as
well as in certain special instances; as, in
Lesser Asia.]

Lesser (les'ér), adv.

Less.

Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him
Do call it valiant fury.
Shak.

Lesses (les'ez), n. [Fr. laissées, lit. leavings,
from laisser, to leave.] In hunting, the or-
dure or excrement of the boar, wolf, and
bear.

Lesson (les'n), n. [Fr. leçon; L. lectio, lec-
tionis, from L. lego, lectum, to pick up,
gather, or collect, to read.] 1. Anything
read or recited to a teacher by a pupil or
learner, or such a portion of a book as is
assigned by a preceptor to a pupil to be
learned at one time; something to be
learned.-2. Instruction conveyed to a pupil
at one time; as, to receive twelve lessons in
music; a half-hour lesson on the piano..
3. Anything learned or that may be learned
from experience.

O learn to love; the lesson is but plain. Shak.
4. A portion of Scripture read in divine ser-
vice; as, here endeth the first lesson.-
5. Precept; doctrine or notion inculcated.
Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, and
teach her not an evil lesson against thyself.
Ecclus. ix. 1.

6. Severe lecture; reproof; rebuke.
She would give her a lesson for walking so late.
Sir P. Sidney.

7. A musical composition written as an
exercise for an instrument.

Sir R. L'Estrange.

Those good laws were like good lessons set for a
flute out of tune.
Sir J. Davies.
Lesson (les'n), v.t. To teach; to instruct.
Children should be seasoned betimes, and lessoned
into a contempt and detestation of this vice.
Lessor (les-sor), n. [From lease.] One who
leases; the person who lets to a tenant for
a term of years, or gives a lease.
Lest (lest), conj. [0. E. leste, leoste, for les the,
shortened from A. Sax. thŷ læs the, the
less that, lest thý, by that the in the more,

LET

&c., las less, the, indeclinable relative.]
For fear that; in case; that... not.

Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest
ye die.
Gen. iii. 3.
Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
Jn. v. 14.
Lest (lest), v.i. To listen. Spenser.
Lest, n. [A form of lust.] Pleasure.
Chaucer.

Leste,t v.i. To list; to please: generally
used as an impersonal.

Leste,t a. Last. Chaucer.

Leste,t a. superl. Least. Chaucer.
Lestris (les'tris), n. [Gr. lestris, piratical,
from lestés, a robber, pirate.] A genus of
palmiped birds, distinguished from the true
gulls by their membranous nostrils being
larger, and opening nearer to the point and
edge of the beak; the tail is also pointed.
The L. parasiticus is the arctic gull, and
the L. catarrhactes the skua gull, the most
formidable of all the gull kind. They both
force gulls and other sea-birds to give up
their prey; hence their name.
Let (let), v.t. pret. & pp. let; ppr. letting.
[Common to the Teutonic languages, and ori-
ginally with reduplicated preterite. A. Sax.
lætan, letan, pret. leót, leolt, for lælôt (Goth.
lailot); D.laaten, Icel. láta, Goth letan, leitan,
G. lassen, to let, to permit, to let go, set free;
allied to E. late, and probably to L. lassus,
weary, exhausted.] 1. To permit; to allow;
to suffer; to give leave or power by a posi-
tive act, or negatively to withhold restraint;
not to prevent; as, a leaky ship lets water
enter into the hold. Let is now always
followed by the infinitive without the sign
to; and the examples of its use with the
infinitive preceded by to are rare even in
older English.

Pharaoh said, I will let you go. Ex. viii. 28.
When the ship was caught and could not bear up
into the wind, we let her drive. Acts xxvii. 15.
2. To cause; to make.

There's a letter for you, sir, . . . if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. Shak.

[In this sense the word let is pretty common in Old English with the infinitive not preceded by to, in constructions similar to those in which do is used with the infinitive in modern English. Thus Chaucer has

For which this noble Theseus anon Let senden after gentle Palamon; where let senden is equivalent to did send. See Abbott's Shaksperian Grammar, § 303.] 3. To lease; to grant possession and use for a compensation; as, to let an estate for a year; to let a house to a tenant; to let a room to lodgers: often followed by out; but the out is unnecessary.-4. To give out, as any work to be performed at a fixed rate; as, to let the works on a railway.-5. In the imperative mood, let has the following uses. (a) Followed by the first and third persons it expresses desire or wish; hence it is used in prayer and entreaty to superiors, and to those who have us in their power; as, let me not wander from thy commandments. Ps. cxix. 10. (b) Followed by the first person plural, let expresses exhortation or entreaty; as, rise, let us go. (c) Followed by the third person, it implies permission, desire, command, or concession, addressed to an inferior; as, let him go; let them remain.

Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear. Gen. i. 9.

O'er golden sands let rich Pactolus flow. Pope. -To let alone, to leave; to suffer to remain without intermeddling; as, let alone this idle project; let me alone. Adverbially used in the sense of not to take into account; not to mention. [Colloq. or vulgar.]

He's vurth a shilling a day; let alone the arrands.
Dickens.

I wouldn't turn out a badger to you, let alone a man. Dickens. -To let be, to suffer to be as at present; to suffer to go or to cease; to let alone. -To let blood, to open a vein and suffer the blood to flow out. To let down, (a) to permit to sink or fall; to lower.

She let them down by a cord through the window. Josh. ii. 15. (b) To soften in tempering, as tools, cutlery, &c.-To let drive or let fly, to send forth or discharge with violence, as an arrow, stone, &c.-To let go, to allow or suffer to go; to release from confinement; to relax hold of anything often, by a vulgar corruption, with of.

'Don't,' cried Oliver, struggling. Let go of me.' Dickens.

-To let in or into, (a) to permit or suffer to enter; to admit; as, open the door, let in

LET

my friend; we are not let into the secrets of the cabinet. (b) To place in as an insertion. (c) To cheat. Halliwell. To let loose, to

free from restraint; to permit to wander at large. To let off, (a) to allow to escape; to release, as from a penalty or an engagement. (b) To discharge, as an arrow; to fire, as a gun. To let out, (a) to suffer to escape. (b) To loosen; to extend; to enlarge; as, to let out a rope (by allowing it to slip); to let out a sail or a garment. (c) To lease or let to hire. (d) To give on contract. See above def. 4.-To let slide, to let alone; not to mind; to pay no more attention to. Let the world slide: sessa! Shak.

-To let slip, to let go; to let loose; to omit; to lose by negligence.-Let that flee stick to the wa', let that alone; say nothing about that. [Scotch.]-To let well alone, to forbear trying to improve that which is already in a satisfactory condition; to leave matters as they are.

Chaucer.

Let (let), v.i. 1. To forbear; to leave off.
That man is bounden to his observance
For Goddes sake to leten of his will.
When Collatine unwisely did not let
To praise the clear unmatched red and white.
Shak.

2. To be offered for hire; as, a house to let. 3. To yield a certain rent by being hired out; as, this house lets for £50 a year. -To let in, to leak; to admit water. To let on,

to make a disclosure; to betray knowledge:

as, don't let on about that; that is, don't mention it. [Scotch and American.] Let (let), n. A letting for hire.

Till this coach-house... gets a better let, we live here cheap. Dickens.

Let (let), v. t. pret. & pp. letted; ppr. letting. [A. Sax. lettan, to delay, to hinder, from let, late; comp. hinder, from hind.] To retard; to hinder; to impede; to interpose obstructions to.

Mine ancient wound is hardly whole, And lets me from the saddle. Tennyson.. Let (let), n. A retarding; hinderance; obstacle; impediment; delay.

[blocks in formation]

Let-abee (let-a-bë), n.

Let alone; forbear

ance: used chiefly in the phrase let-abee for let-abee, forbearance for forbearance; mutual forbearance. [Scotch.]

Letch (lech), n. [See following verb.] An almost stagnant ditch. [Provincial.] Letch (lech), v.t. [A. Sax. leccan, to wet, to moisten. See LEAK.] To wash, as ashes, by percolation, or causing water to pass through them, and thus to separate from them the alkali. The water thus charged with alkali is called lye. Written also Leach. Letch (lech), v.i. To pass through by percolation. Written also Leach. Letch (lech), n. 1. A quantity of wood ashes through which water letches or passes, and thus imbibes the alkali.-2. A letch-tub.

Letch (lech), n. [See LECH, LECHER.] Strong desire; passion.

Some people have a letch for unmasking impostors, and for avenging the wrongs of others. De Quincey. Letch-tub (lech'tub), n. A wooden vessel or tub in which ashes are letched. Sometimes written Leach-tub.

Letchy (lech'i), a. Allowing water to percolate through: said of gravelly and sandy soils.

Lete, n. The river Lethe. Chaucer. Letgame, n. [Let, hinderance, and game, sport, play.] A hinderer of pleasure. Chau

cer.

Lethal (le'thal), a. [L. lethalis, letalis, mortal, from letum, death.] Deadly; mortal; fatal.

Could not your heavenly charms, your tuneful voice,
Have sooth'd the rage of rueful fate, and stay'd
The lethal blow?
W. Richardson.

Lethality (le-thal'i-ti), n. Mortality.

The certain punishment being preferable to the doubtful lethality of the fetish. Atkins. Lethargic, Lethargical (le-thär'jik, lethar'jik-al), a. [L. lethargicus; Gr. lethargikos, from lethargos, drowsiness. See LETHARGY.] 1. Affected with lethargy; morbidly inclined to sleep; extremely drowsy; dull; heavy.

Sparta, Sparta, why in slumbers
Lethargic dost thou lie?

Byron.

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2. Pertaining to, resembling, or caused by lethargy; as, lethargic sleep. Lethargically (le-thär'jik-al-li), adv. In a lethargic manner.

Mr. Muzzy was not only unwieldy, but so lethar gically stupid, that he fell asleep even in musical assemblies. Lord Corke.

Lethargicalness, Lethargicness (le-thär'jik-al-nes, le-thär'jik-nes), n. The state or quality of being lethargic; morbid or unnatural sleepiness or drowsiness. Lethargize (leth'är-jiz), v. t. pret. & pp. lethargized; ppr. lethargizing. To render lethargic.

All bitters are poison, and act by stilling, and depressing, and lethargizing the irritability." Coleridge.

Lethargy (leth'ar-ji), n. [L. lethargia; Gr. lethargia-lethe, oblivion, and argos, idle, or more probably algos, pain, morbid affection, the being dissimilated to r on account of the in the previous part of the word.] 1. Unnatural sleepiness; morbid drowsiness; continued or profound sleep, from which a person can scarcely be awaked. 2. Dulness; inaction; inattention. Europe lay then under a deep lethargy. Atterbury.

Lethargy (leth'är-ji), v.t. To make lethargic or dull. [Rare.]

His notion weakens, his discernings
Are lethargied-Ha! waking? 'tis not so.

Shak

Lethe (le'the), n. [Gr. lethe, forgetfulness.

Akin L. lateo, to lie hid.] 1. In Greek myth. the river of oblivion; one of the streams of the infernal regions. Its waters possessed the quality of causing those who drank them to forget the whole of their former existence.-2. Oblivion; a draught of oblivion.

The conquering wine hath steep'd our sense In soft and delicate Lethe. Shak.

Lethet (lēth), n. [L. lethum, death.] Death. Here did'st thou fall; and here thy hunters stand, Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe. Shak. Lethean (le-the'an), a. Pertaining to the river Lethe; inducing forgetfulness or oblivion. If Death so taste lethean springs.' Tennyson.

Letheed (leth'ēd), pp. [A word coined by Shakspere from Lethe, the river of oblivion.] Oblivious; lethean. 'A letheed dulness. Letheon (le'the-on), n. [Gr. lethe, forgetfulness.] A name sometimes applied to sulphuric ether when used as an anesthetic. Letheonize (lē'the-on-iz), v.t. To subject to

the influence of letheon; to render unconscious or forgetful.

Lethiferous (le-thif'èr-us), a. [L. lethum, death, and fero, to bring.] Deadly; mortal; bringing death or destruction.

Those that are really lethiferous are but excres. cencies of sin. Dr. Robinson.

Lethy (leth'i), a. Causing oblivion or forgetfulness; lethean. [Rare.]

Lett (let), n. A native or inhabitant of the
Russian Baltic province of Livonia.
Letter (let'èr), n. One who lets or permits.
-Letter-go, one who lets go; a spendthrift;
a squanderer.

A provider slow
For his own good, a careless letter go
Of money.
B. Jonson.
Letter (let'èr), n. One who lets, retards, or
hinders.

See

Letter (let'èr), n. [Fr. lettre, L. litera, from lino, litum, to besmear, an early mode of writing being by graving the characters upon tablets smeared over with wax. LIQUOR.] 1. A mark or character, written, printed, engraved, or painted, used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the organs of speech.-2. A written or printed message; an epistle; a communication made by visible characters from one person to another at a distance.

I have a letter from her

Of such contents as you will wonder at. Shak. 3. Neither more nor less than what words literally express; literal or verbal meaning.

We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law, and the intentions of the lawgiver. Fer. Taylor. Tennyson.

Broke the letter of it to keep the sense.

4. In printing, a single type or character; also types collectively; as, plenty of letter; scarcity of letter.-5. pl. Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters. In the flowery walk of letters.' Tennyson.-Letter of attorney. See ATTORNEY.-Letter of credence. See CREDENCE, 2.-Letter of credit. See under CREDIT. -Letter of Marque. See MARQUE-Signet letter. See SIGNET.-Dead letter. See DEADLETTER.-Letters clause, in law, close letters, being usually closed or sealed up with the

LETTICE-CAP

royal signet or privy seal.-Letters patent or overt, a writing executed and sealed, by which power and authority are granted to a person to do some act or enjoy some right.--To run one's letters, in Scots law, to apply, as a prisoner, for trial at the Court of Justiciary, in cases when such trial could be brought on in that court before the circuit court sits in the locality in which he is imprisoned. Letter (let'ér), v. t. To impress or form letters on; as, to letter a book; a book gilt and lettered.

Letter-board (let'èr-bord), n. In printing, a board on which pages of types are placed for distribution, and also when they are not immediately wanted. Letter-book (let'ér-buk), n. A book in which a business man inserts copies of letters despatched by him.

Letter-box (let'ėr-boks), n. A box for receiving letters; a post-office box. Letter-carrier (let'èr-kar-i-ér), n. A man who carries about and delivers letters; a postman.

Letter-case (let'êr-kās), n. 1. A case for containing letters or epistles.-2. In printing, a case of letters or types. A contrivance, Letter-clip (let'ér-klip), n. generally in the form of a spring-clasp, for keeping letters or papers fast together. Letter-cutter (let'èr-kut-ér), n. One who cuts types.

Lettered (let'êrd), a. 1. Literate; educated; versed in literature or science. 'Lettered Rabbins." Prior.-2. Belonging to learning; suiting letters; as, a lettered retirement; lettered ease. - 3. Furnished, marked, or designated with letters; as, a lettered cut or illustration. Letter-founder (let'èr-found-er), n. who casts letters; a type-founder. Letter-foundry (let'èr-found-ri), n. A place where types are cast.

One

Lettering (let'ėr-ing), n. 1. The act of impressing letters.-2. The letters impressed or formed upon anything. Letterize (let'er-iz), v.i. To write letters or epistles. Lamb. [Rare.] Letterless (let'èr-les), a. Devoid of letters; illiterate; unlettered; not learned. A mere Waterhouse. daring letterless commander.' Letterling (let'èr-ling), n. A little letter. Letter-lock (let'èr-lok), n.

A lock whose bolt is surrounded by several rings having notches, through which a set of studs on the bolt must pass before the lock can be opened. These notches are so arranged as to prevent the passage of the bolt except when certain letters on a series of exterior rings are brought into line with each other so as to form a particular word or combination on which the lock has been set. Lettern (let'érn), n. See LECTERN. Letter-office (let'èr-of-fls), n. A place where letters are deposited and from which they are distributed.

Letter-paper (let'èr-pa-pèr), n. Paper for writing letters on.

Letterpress (let ́èr-pres), n. 1. Letters and words impressed on paper or other material by types; print.-2. Same as Copying-machine.

Letterpress (let'èr-pres), a. Consisting of, relating to, or employed in, type-printing; as, a letterpress printer; letterpress printing. Letter-sorter (let'ér-sort-ér), n. An assistant in a post-office who is engaged in arranging letters. Letter-wood (let'èr-wud), n. The heartwood of a tree of the genus Brosimum (B. Aubleti), belonging to the bread-fruit family (Artocarpacer), and a native of Guiana. It is extremely hard, of a beautiful brown colour with black spots, which have been compared to hieroglyphics; hence the name. It is used in cabinet-work for veneering only, its scarcity and costliness making it an article of rare and limited application. Letter-writer (let'èr-rit-ér), n. One who writes letters; a book which teaches the proper modes of writing letters; an instrument for copying letters.

Letticet (let'is), n. Same as Lattice. Lettice-capt (let'is-kap), n. [Probably a form of lettuce-cap, lettuce being a mild soporific and sedative.] A soporific in which lettuce was probably a leading ingredient. Bring in the lettice-cap. You must be shaved, sir, And then how suddenly we'll make you sleep. Beau. & FI

Lettice-capt (let'is-kap), n: [Comp. O. Fr. letice, a gray fur.] A kind of cap.

A lettice-cap it wears and beard not short.
Shippe of Safegarde (1569).

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