| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| law-fall | noun | Depression of the jaw; hence, depression of spirits. |
| labadist | noun | 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. |
| labdanum | noun | See Ladanum. |
| labelled | of Label | |
| labeling | present participle & vb. noun | of Label |
| labellum | noun | The lower or apparently anterior petal of an orchidaceous flower, often of a very curious shape., A small appendage beneath the upper lip or labrum of certain insects. |
| labially | adverb | In a labial manner; with, or by means of, the lips. |
| labiated | adjective | Same as Labiate, a. (a). |
| lability | noun | Liability to lapse, err, or apostatize. |
| laboring | present participle & vb. noun | of Labor, That labors; performing labor; esp., performing coarse, heavy work, not requiring skill also, set apart for labor; as, laboring days., Suffering pain or grief. |
| laborant | noun | A chemist. |
| laborous | adjective | Laborious. |
| labrador | noun | A region of British America on the Atlantic coast, north of Newfoundland. |
| laburnic | adjective | Of, pertaining to, or derived from, the laburnum. |
| laburnum | noun | 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. |
| lacerate | verb t. | 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., Alt. of Lacerated |
| lacertus | noun | A bundle or fascicle of muscular fibers. |
| lacewing | noun | Any one of several species of neuropterous insects of the genus Chrysopa and allied genera. They have delicate, lacelike wings and brilliant eyes. Their larvae are useful in destroying aphids. Called also lace-winged fly, and goldeneyed fly. |
| lacrymal | noun | Alt. of Lacrymal, See Lachrymatory., See Lachrymatory, n., and Lachrymal, a. |
| laciniae | plural | of Lacinia |
| lacinula | noun | A diminutive lacinia. |
| lackaday | interj. | Alack the day; alas; — an expression of sorrow, regret, dissatisfaction, or surprise. |
| lackeyed | imp. & past participle | of Lackey |
| laconian | adjective | Of or pertaining to Laconia, a division of ancient Greece; Spartan., An inhabitant of Laconia; esp., a Spartan. |
| laconism | noun | A vigorous, brief manner of expression; laconic style., An instance of laconic style or expression. |
| laconize | verb i. | To imitate the manner of the Laconians, especially in brief, pithy speech, or in frugality and austerity. |
| lacrosse | noun | 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. |
| lactamic | adjective | Pertaining to, or designating, an amido acid related to lactic acid, and called also amido-propionic acid. |
| lacteous | adjective | Milky; resembling milk., Lacteal; conveying chyle; as, lacteous vessels. |
| lactific | adjective | Alt. of Lactifical |
| lactonic | adjective | Of, pertaining to, or derived from, lactone., Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained by the oxidation of milk sugar (lactose). |
| lactucic | adjective | Pertaining to, or derived from, the juice of the Lactuca virosa; — said of certain acids. |
| lactucin | noun | A white, crystalline substance, having a bitter taste and a neutral reaction, and forming one of the essential ingredients of lactucarium. |
| lacunars | plural | of Lacunar |
| lacunose | adjective | Alt. of Lacunous |
| lacunous | adjective | Furrowed or pitted; having shallow cavities or lacunae; as, a lacunose leaf. |
| ladleful | noun | A quantity sufficient to fill a ladle. |
| ladybird | noun | Any one of numerous species of small beetles of the genus Coccinella and allied genera (family Coccinellidae); — called also ladybug, ladyclock, lady cow, lady fly, and lady beetle. Coccinella seplempunctata in one of the common European species. See Coccinella. |
| ladyfish | noun | A large, handsome oceanic fish (Albula vulpes), found both in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; — called also bonefish, grubber, French mullet, and macabe., A labroid fish (Harpe rufa) of Florida and the West Indies. |
| ladyhood | noun | The state or quality of being a lady; the personality of a lady. |
| ladylike | adjective | Like a lady in appearance or manners; well-bred., Becoming or suitable to a lady; as, ladylike manners., Delicate; tender; feeble; effeminate. |
| ladylove | noun | A sweetheart or mistress. |
| ladyship | noun | The rank or position of a lady; — given as a title (preceded by her or your). |
| lagenian | adjective | Like, or pertaining to, Lagena, a genus of Foraminifera having a straight, chambered shell. |
| lagopous | adjective | Having a dense covering of long hair, like the foot of a hare. |
| laically | adverb | As a layman; after the manner of a layman; as, to treat a matter laically. |
| lakeweed | noun | The water pepper (Polygonum Hydropiper), an aquatic plant of Europe and North America. |
| lamantin | noun | The manatee. |
| lamasery | noun | A monastery or convent of lamas, in Thibet, Mongolia, etc. |
| lambaste | verb t. | To beat severely. |
| lambdoid | adjective | Shaped like the Greek letter lambda (/); as, the lambdoid suture between the occipital and parietal bones of the skull. |
| lamblike | adjective | Like a lamb; gentle; meek; inoffensive. |
| lambskin | noun | The skin of a lamb; especially, a skin dressed with the wool on, and used as a mat. Also used adjectively., A kind of woolen. |
| lamellae | plural | of Lamella |
| lamellas | plural | of Lamella |
| lamellar | adjective | Flat and thin; lamelliform; composed of lamellae. |
| lameness | noun | The condition or quality of being lame; as, the lameness of an excuse or an argument. |
| lamented | imp. & past participle | of Lament, Mourned for; bewailed. |
| lamenter | noun | One who laments. |
| lamentin | noun | See Lamantin. |
| laminary | adjective | Laminar. |
| laminate | adjective | Consisting of, or covered with, laminae, or thin plates, scales, or layers, one over another; laminated., To cause to separate into thin plates or layers; to divide into thin plates., To form, as metal, into a thin plate, as by rolling., To separate into laminae. |
| lampless | adjective | Being without a lamp, or without light; hence, being without appreciation; dull. |
| lampreys | plural | of Lamprey |
| lampyris | noun | A genus of coleopterous insects, including the glowworms. |
| lancegay | noun | Alt. of Lancegaye |
| lancelet | noun | A small fishlike animal (Amphioxus lanceolatus), remarkable for the rudimentary condition of its organs. It is the type of the class Leptocardia. See Amphioxus, Leptocardia. |
| lanching | present participle & vb. noun | of Lanch |
| landfall | noun | A sudden transference of property in land by the death of its owner., Sighting or making land when at sea. |
| landlady | noun | A woman having real estate which she leases to a tenant or tenants., The mistress of an inn or lodging house. |
| landless | adjective | Having no property in land. |
| landlock | verb t. | To inclose, or nearly inclose, as a harbor or a vessel, with land. |
| landlord | noun | The lord of a manor, or of land; the owner of land or houses which he leases to a tenant or tenants., The master of an inn or of a lodging house. |
| landmark | noun | A mark to designate the boundary of land; any , mark or fixed object (as a marked tree, a stone, a ditch, or a heap of stones) by which the limits of a farm, a town, or other portion of territory may be known and preserved., Any conspicuous object on land that serves as a guide; some prominent object, as a hill or steeple. |
| landskip | noun | A landscape. |
| landslip | noun | Alt. of Landslide |
| landsmen | plural | of Landsman |
| landsman | noun | One who lives on the land; — opposed to seaman., A sailor on his first voyage. |
| landward | adverb & adjective | Toward the land. |
| landwehr | noun | That part of the army, in Germany and Austria, which has completed the usual military service and is exempt from duty in time of peace, except that it is called out occasionally for drill. |
| langarey | noun | One of numerous species of long-winged, shrikelike birds of Australia and the East Indies, of the genus Artamus, and allied genera; called also wood swallow. |
| langrage | noun | Alt. of Langrel |
| langsyne | adverb & noun | Long since; long ago. |
| language | noun | Any means of conveying or communicating ideas; specifically, human speech; the expression of ideas by the voice; sounds, expressive of thought, articulated by the organs of the throat and mouth., The expression of ideas by writing, or any other instrumentality., The forms of speech, or the methods of expressing ideas, peculiar to a particular nation., The characteristic mode of arranging words, peculiar to an individual speaker or writer; manner of expression; style., The inarticulate sounds by which animals inferior to man express their feelings or their wants., The suggestion, by objects, actions, or conditions, of ideas associated therewith; as, the language of flowers., The vocabulary and phraseology belonging to an art or department of knowledge; as, medical language; the language of chemistry or theology., A race, as distinguished by its speech., To communicate by language; to express in language. |
| languish | verb i. | To become languid or weak; to lose strength or animation; to be or become dull, feeble or spiritless; to pine away; to wither or fade., To assume an expression of weariness or tender grief, appealing for sympathy., To cause to droop or pine., See Languishiment. |
| lanifice | noun | Anything made of wool. |
| lankness | noun | The state or quality of being lank. |
| lanneret | noun m. | A long-tailed falcon (Falco lanarius), of Southern Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa, resembling the American prairie falcon. |
| lantanum | noun | See Lanthanum. |
| lanthorn | noun | See Lantern. |
| lapboard | noun | A board used on the lap as a substitute for a table, as by tailors. |
| lapelled | adjective | Furnished with lapels. |
| lapicide | noun | A stonecutter. |
| lapidary | noun | An artificer who cuts, polishes, and engraves precious stones; hence, a dealer in precious stones., A virtuoso skilled in gems or precious stones; a connoisseur of lapidary work., Of or pertaining to the art of cutting stones, or engraving on stones, either gems or monuments; as, lapidary ornamentation., Of or pertaining to monumental inscriptions; as, lapidary adulation. |
| lapidate | verb t. | To stone. |
| lapidify | verb t. | To convert into stone or stony material; to petrify., To become stone or stony. |
| lapidist | noun | A lapidary. |
| lappeted | imp. & past participle | of Lappet |
| lapponic | adjective | Laplandish; Lappish. |
| lapsable | adjective | Lapsible. |
| lapsible | adjective | Liable to lapse. |
| lapsided | adjective | See Lopsided. |
| lapstone | noun | A stone for the lap, on which shoemakers beat leather. |
| laqueary | adjective | Using a noose, as a gladiator. |
| larboard | noun | The left-hand side of a ship to one on board facing toward the bow; port; — opposed to starboard., On or pertaining to the left-hand side of a vessel; port; as, the larboard quarter. |
| larcener | noun | Alt. of Larcenist |
| larderer | noun | One in charge of the larder. |
| largesse | adjective | Liberality; generosity; bounty., A present; a gift; a bounty bestowed. |
| lariated | imp. & past participle | of Lariat |
| larkspur | noun | A genus of ranunculaceous plants (Delphinium), having showy flowers, and a spurred calyx. They are natives of the North Temperate zone. The commonest larkspur of the gardens is D. Consolida. The flower of the bee larkspur (D. elatum) has two petals bearded with yellow hairs, and looks not unlike a bee. |
| larruped | imp. & past participle | of Larrup |
| larvalia | noun pl. | An order of Tunicata, including Appendicularia, and allied genera; — so called because certain larval features are retained by them through life. Called also Copelata. See Appendicularia. |
| larvated | adjective | Masked; clothed as with a mask. |
| lascious | adjective | Loose; lascivious. |
| lasslorn | Forsaken by a lass. | |
| lassoing | present participle & vb. noun | of Lasso |
| latching | present participle & vb. noun | of Latch, A loop or eye formed on the head rope of a bonnet, by which it is attached to the foot of a sail; — called also latch and lasket. |
| latchkey | noun | A key used to raise, or throw back, the latch of a door, esp. a night latch. |
| lateness | noun | The state, condition, or quality, of being late; as, the lateness of his arrival; the lateness of the hour; the lateness of the season. |
| latently | adverb | In a secret or concealed manner; invisibly. |
| laterite | noun | An argillaceous sandstone, of a red color, and much seamed; — found in India. |
| latewake | noun | See Lich wake, under Lich. |
| lateward | adjective & adverb | Somewhat late; backward. |
| lathered | imp. & past participle | of Lather |
| lathwork | noun | Same as Lathing. |
| latibula | plural | of Latibulum |
| latinism | noun | A Latin idiom; a mode of speech peculiar to Latin; also, a mode of speech in another language, as English, formed on a Latin model. |
| latinist | noun | One skilled in Latin; a Latin scholar. |
| latinity | noun | The Latin tongue, style, or idiom, or the use thereof; specifically, purity of Latin style or idiom. |
| latinize | verb t. | To give Latin terminations or forms to, as to foreign words, in writing Latin., To bring under the power or influence of the Romans or Latins; to affect with the usages of the Latins, especially in speech., To make like the Roman Catholic Church or diffuse its ideas in; as, to Latinize the Church of England., To use words or phrases borrowed from the Latin., To come under the influence of the Romans, or of the Roman Catholic Church. |
| latitant | adjective | Lying hid; concealed; latent. |
| latitude | noun | Extent from side to side, or distance sidewise from a given point or line; breadth; width., Room; space; freedom from confinement or restraint; hence, looseness; laxity; independence., Extent or breadth of signification, application, etc.; extent of deviation from a standard, as truth, style, etc., Extent; size; amplitude; scope., Distance north or south of the equator, measured on a meridian., The angular distance of a heavenly body from the ecliptic. |
| latterly | adverb | Lately; of late; recently; at a later, as distinguished from a former, period. |
| latticed | imp. & past participle | of Lattice |
| laudable | verb i. | Worthy of being lauded; praiseworthy; commendable; as, laudable motives; laudable actions; laudable ambition., Healthy; salubrious; normal; having a disposition to promote healing; not noxious; as, laudable juices of the body; laudable pus. |
| laudably | adverb | In a laudable manner. |
| laudanum | noun | Tincture of opium, used for various medical purposes. |
| laudator | noun | One who lauds., An arbitrator. |
| laughing | present participle & vb. noun | of Laugh, from Laugh, v. i. |
| laughter | verb i. | A movement (usually involuntary) of the muscles of the face, particularly of the lips, with a peculiar expression of the eyes, indicating merriment, satisfaction, or derision, and usually attended by a sonorous and interrupted expulsion of air from the lungs. See Laugh, v. i. |
| launched | imp. & past participle | of Launch |
| laureate | adjective | Crowned, or decked, with laurel., One crowned with laurel; a poet laureate., To honor with a wreath of laurel, as formerly was done in bestowing a degree at the English universities. |
| laureled | adjective | Crowned with laurel, or with a laurel wreath; laureate. |
| laurinol | noun | Ordinary camphor; — so called in allusion to the family name (Lauraceae) of the camphor trees. See Camphor. |
| lavation | noun | A washing or cleansing. |
| lavatory | adjective | Washing, or cleansing by washing., A place for washing., A basin or other vessel for washing in., A wash or lotion for a diseased part., A place where gold is obtained by washing. |
| lavature | noun | A wash or lotion. |
| lavement | noun | A washing or bathing; also, a clyster. |
| lavender | noun | An aromatic plant of the genus Lavandula (L. vera), common in the south of Europe. It yields and oil used in medicine and perfumery. The Spike lavender (L. Spica) yields a coarser oil (oil of spike), used in the arts., The pale, purplish color of lavender flowers, paler and more delicate than lilac. |
| laverock | noun | The lark. |
| lavished | imp. & past participle | of Lavish |
| lavisher | noun | One who lavishes. |
| lavishly | adverb | In a lavish manner. |
| lav/sium | noun | A supposed new metallic element. It is said to have been discovered in pyrites, and some other minerals, and to be of a silver-white color, and malleable. |
| lawgiver | noun | One who makes or enacts a law or system of laws; a legislator. |
| lawmaker | noun | A legislator; a lawgiver. |
| lawsonia | noun | An Asiatic and North African shrub (Lawsonia inermis), with smooth oval leaves, and fragrant white flowers. Henna is prepared from the leaves and twigs. In England the shrub is called Egyptian privet, and in the West Indies, Jamaica mignonette. |
| lawyerly | adjective | Like, or becoming, a lawyer; as, lawyerlike sagacity. |
| laxation | noun | The act of loosening or slackening, or the state of being loosened or slackened. |
| laxative | adjective | Having a tendency to loosen or relax., Having the effect of loosening or opening the intestines, and relieving from constipation; — opposed to astringent., A laxative medicine. See the Note under Cathartic. |
| layering | noun | A propagating by layers. |
| laystall | noun | A place where rubbish, dung, etc., are laid or deposited., A place where milch cows are kept, or cattle on the way to market are lodged. |
| lazarist | noun | Alt. of Lazarite |
| lazarite | noun | One of the Congregation of the Priests of the Mission, a religious institute founded by Vincent de Paul in 1624, and popularly called Lazarists or Lazarites from the College of St. Lazare in Paris, which was occupied by them until 1792. |
| lazaroni | noun pl. | See Lazzaroni. |
| laziness | noun | The state or quality of being lazy. |
| lazulite | noun | A mineral of a light indigo-blue color, occurring in small masses, or in monoclinic crystals; blue spar. It is a hydrous phosphate of alumina and magnesia. |
| lazyback | noun | A support for the back, attached to the seat of a carriage. |
| leaching | present participle & vb. noun | of Leach |
| leadsmen | plural | of Leadsman |
| leadsman | noun | The man who heaves the lead. |
| leadwort | noun | A genus of maritime herbs (Plumbago). P. Europaea has lead-colored spots on the leaves, and nearly lead-colored flowers. |
| leafless | adjective | Having no leaves or foliage; bearing no foliage. |
| leaguing | present participle & vb. noun | of League |
| leanness | noun | The condition or quality of being lean. |
| leapfrog | noun | A play among boys, in which one stoops down and another leaps over him by placing his hands on the shoulders of the former. |
| learning | present participle & vb. noun | of Learn, The acquisition of knowledge or skill; as, the learning of languages; the learning of telegraphy., The knowledge or skill received by instruction or study; acquired knowledge or ideas in any branch of science or literature; erudition; literature; science; as, he is a man of great learning. |
| leasable | adjective | Such as can be leased. |
| leashing | present participle & vb. noun | of Leash |
| leathern | adjective | Made of leather; consisting of. leather; as, a leathern purse. |
| leathery | adjective | Resembling leather in appearance or consistence; tough. |
| leavened | imp. & past participle | of Leaven |
| leavings | noun pl. | Things left; remnants; relics., Refuse; offal. |
| lechered | imp. & past participle | of Lecher |
| lecherer | noun | See Lecher, n. |
| lecithin | noun | A complex, nitrogenous phosphorized substance widely distributed through the animal body, and especially conspicuous in the brain and nerve tissue, in yolk of eggs, and in the white blood corpuscles. |
| lecticae | plural | of Lectica |
| lectured | imp. & past participle | of Lecture |
| lecturer | noun | One who lectures; an assistant preacher. |
| lecythis | noun | A genus of gigantic trees, chiefly Brazilian, of the order Myrtaceae, having woody capsules opening by an apical lid. Lecythis Zabucajo yields the delicious sapucaia nuts. L. Ollaria produces the monkey-pots, its capsules. Its bark separates into thin sheets, like paper, used by the natives for cigarette wrappers. |
| ledgment | noun | A string-course or horizontal suit of moldings, such as the base moldings of a building., The development of the surface of a body on a plane, so that the dimensions of the different sides may be easily ascertained. |
| leeboard | noun | A board, or frame of planks, lowered over the side of a vessel to lessen her leeway when closehauled, by giving her greater draught. |
| leeching | present participle & vb. noun | of Leech |
| left-off | adjective | Laid aside; cast-off. |
| leftward | adverb | Toward or on the left side. |
| legacies | plural | of Legacy |
| legalism | noun | Strictness, or the doctrine of strictness, in conforming to law. |
| legalist | noun | One who practices or advocates strict conformity to law; in theology, one who holds to the law of works. See Legal, 2 (a). |
| legality | noun | The state or quality of being legal; conformity to law., A conformity to, and resting upon, the letter of the law. |
| legalize | verb t. | To make legal., To interpret or apply in a legal spirit. |
| legatary | noun | A legatee. |
| legatine | adjective | Of or pertaining to a legate; as, legatine power., Made by, proceeding from, or under the sanction of, a legate; as, a legatine constitution. |
| legation | noun | The sending forth or commissioning one person to act for another., A legate, or envoy, and the persons associated with him in his mission; an embassy; or, in stricter usage, a diplomatic minister and his suite; a deputation., The place of business or official residence of a diplomatic minister at a foreign court or seat of government., A district under the jurisdiction of a legate. |
| legatura | noun | A tie or brace; a syncopation. |
| legature | noun | Legateship. |
| legement | noun | See Ledgment. |
| legerity | noun | Lightness; nimbleness. |
| leggiero | adjective & adverb | Light or graceful; in a light, delicate, and brisk style. |
| legioned | adjective | Formed into a legion or legions; legionary. |
| legionry | noun | A body of legions; legions, collectively. |
| legumina | plural | of Legumen |
| legumens | plural | of Legumen |
| leisured | adjective | Having leisure. |
| lemnisci | plural | of Lemniscus |
| lemonade | noun | A beverage consisting of lemon juice mixed with water and sweetened. |
| lemurine | adjective | Lemuroid. |
| lemuroid | adjective | Like or pertaining to the lemurs or the Lemuroidea., One of the Lemuroidea. |
| lendable | adjective | Such as can be lent. |
| lengthen | verb t. | To extent in length; to make longer in extent or duration; as, to lengthen a line or a road; to lengthen life; — sometimes followed by out., To become longer. |
| lenience | noun | Alt. of Leniency |
| leniency | noun | The quality or state of being lenient; lenity; clemency. |
| leniment | noun | An assuasive. |
| lenitive | adjective | Having the quality of softening or mitigating, as pain or acrimony; assuasive; emollient., A medicine or application that has the quality of easing pain or protecting from the action of irritants., A mild purgative; a laxative., That which softens or mitigates; that which tends to allay passion, excitement, or pain; a palliative. |
| lenitude | noun | The quality or habit of being lenient; lenity. |
| lentando | adjective | Slackening; retarding. Same as Rallentando. |
| lenticel | noun | One of the small, oval, rounded spots upon the stem or branch of a plant, from which the underlying tissues may protrude or roots may issue, either in the air, or more commonly when the stem or branch is covered with water or earth., A small, lens-shaped gland on the under side of some leaves. |
| lepadite | noun | Same as Lepadoid. |
| lepadoid | noun | A stalked barnacle of the genus Lepas, or family Lepadidae; a goose barnacle. Also used adjectively. |
| leperize | verb t. | To affect with leprosy. |
| leperous | adjective | Leprous; infectious; corrupting; poisonous. |
| lepidine | noun | An organic base, C9H6.N.CH3, metameric with quinaldine, and obtained by the distillation of cinchonine. |
| lepidote | adjective | Alt. of Lepidoted |
| leporine | adjective | Of or pertaining to a hare; like or characteristic of, a hare. |
| lessened | imp. & past participle | of Lessen |
| lessener | noun | One who, or that which, lessens. |
| lessoned | imp. & past participle | of Lesson |
| lethargy | noun | Morbid drowsiness; continued or profound sleep, from which a person can scarcely be awaked., A state of inaction or indifference., To lethargize. |
| lettered | imp. & past participle | of Letter, Literate; educated; versed in literature., Of or pertaining to learning or literature; learned., Inscribed or stamped with letters. |
| letterer | noun | One who makes, inscribes, or engraves, alphabetical letters. |
| lettrure | noun | See Letterure. |
| leucinic | adjective | Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from leucin, and called also oxycaproic acid. |
| leucitic | adjective | Containing leucite; as, leucitic rocks. |
| leuconic | adjective | Pertaining to, or designating, a complex organic acid, obtained as a yellowish white gum by the oxidation of croconic acid. |
| leucoryx | noun | A large antelope of North Africa (Oryx leucoryx), allied to the gemsbok. |
| levanter | verb | One who levants, or decamps., A strong easterly wind peculiar to the Mediterranean. |
| levation | noun | The act of raising; elevation; upward motion, as that produced by the action of a levator muscle. |
| levelled | of Level | |
| leveling | present participle & vb. noun | of Level, The act or operation of making level., The art or operation of using a leveling instrument for finding a horizontal line, for ascertaining the differences of level between different points of the earth’s surface included in a survey, for establishing grades, etc., as in finding the descent of a river, or locating a line of railroad. |
| levelism | noun | The disposition or endeavor to level all distinctions of rank in society. |
| leverage | noun | The action of a lever; mechanical advantage gained by the lever. |
| leverock | noun | A lark. |
| leviable | adjective | Fit to be levied; capable of being assessed and collected; as, sums leviable by course of law. |
| levigate | adjective | Made less harsh or burdensome; alleviated., To make smooth in various senses, To free from grit; to reduce to an impalpable powder or paste., To mix thoroughly, as liquids or semiliquids., To polish., To make smooth in action., Technically, to make smooth by rubbing in a moist condition between hard surfaces, as in grinding pigments., Made smooth, as if polished. |
| levirate | adjective | Alt. of Leviratical |
| levitate | verb i. | To rise, or tend to rise, as if lighter than the surrounding medium; to become buoyant; — opposed to gravitate., To make buoyant; to cause to float in the air; as, to levitate a table. |
| levulose | noun | A sirupy variety of sugar, rarely obtained crystallized, occurring widely in honey, ripe fruits, etc., and hence called also fruit sugar. It is called levulose, because it rotates the plane of polarization to the left. |
| levynite | noun | A whitish, reddish, or yellowish, transparent or translucent mineral, allied to chabazite. |
| lewdster | noun | A lewd person. |
| lewisson | noun | An iron dovetailed tenon, made in sections, which can be fitted into a dovetail mortise; — used in hoisting large stones, etc., A kind of shears used in cropping woolen cloth. |
| libament | noun | Libation. |
| libation | noun | The act of pouring a liquid or liquor, usually wine, either on the ground or on a victim in sacrifice, in honor of some deity; also, the wine or liquid thus poured out. |
| libatory | adjective | Pertaining to libation. |
| libelled | of Libel | |
| libeling | present participle & vb. noun | of Libel |
| libelant | noun | One who libels; one who institutes a suit in an ecclesiastical or admiralty court. |
| libelist | noun | A libeler. |
| li bella | noun | A small balance., A level, or leveling instrument. |
| libelous | adjective | Containing or involving a libel; defamatory; containing that which exposes some person to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule; as, a libelous pamphlet. |
| liberate | adjective | To release from restraint or bondage; to set at liberty; to free; to manumit; to disengage; as, to liberate a slave or prisoner; to liberate the mind from prejudice; to liberate gases. |
| librated | imp. & past participle | of Librate |
| libretti | plural | of Libretto |
| libretto | noun | A book containing the words of an opera or extended piece of music., The words themselves. |
| licensed | imp. & past participle | of License, Having a license; permitted or authorized by license; as, a licensed victualer; a licensed traffic. |
| licensee | noun | The person to whom a license is given. |
| licenser | noun | One who gives a license; as, a licenser of the press. |
| lichened | adjective | Belonging to, or covered with, lichens. |
| lichenic | adjective | Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, lichens. |
| lichenin | noun | A substance isomeric with starch, extracted from several species of moss and lichen, esp. from Iceland moss. |
| lichwale | noun | The gromwell. |
| lichwort | noun | An herb, the wall pellitory. See Pellitory. |
| licorice | noun | A plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza (G. glabra), the root of which abounds with a sweet juice, and is much used in demulcent compositions., The inspissated juice of licorice root, used as a confection and for medicinal purposes. |
| licorous | adjective | See Lickerish. |
| liefsome | adjective | Pleasing; delightful. |
| liegance | noun | Same as Ligeance. |
| liegemen | plural | of Liegeman |
| liegeman | noun | Same as Liege, n., 2. |
| lienculi | plural | of Lienculus |
| lientery | noun | A diarrhea, in which the food is discharged imperfectly digested, or with but little change. |
| lifeboat | noun | A strong, buoyant boat especially designed for saving the lives of shipwrecked people. |
| lifehold | noun | Land held by a life estate. |
| lifeless | adjective | Destitute of life, or deprived of life; not containing, or inhabited by, living beings or vegetation; dead, or apparently dead; spiritless; powerless; dull; as, a lifeless carcass; lifeless matter; a lifeless desert; a lifeless wine; a lifeless story. |
| lifelike | adjective | Like a living being; resembling life; giving an accurate representation; as, a lifelike portrait. |
| lifelong | adjective | Lasting or continuing through life. |
| lifemate | noun | Companion for life. |
| lifesome | adjective | Animated; sprightly. |
| lifetime | noun | The time that life continues. |
| liftable | adjective | Such as can be lifted. |
| ligament | noun | Anything that ties or unites one thing or part to another; a bandage; a bond., A tough band or plate of dense, fibrous, connective tissue or fibrocartilage serving to unite bones or form joints., A band of connective tissue, or a membranous fold, which supports or retains an organ in place; as, the gastrophrenic ligament, connecting the diaphragm and stomach. |
| ligation | noun | The act of binding, or the state of being bound., That which binds; bond; connection. |
| ligature | noun | The act of binding., Anything that binds; a band or bandage., A thread or string for tying the blood vessels, particularly the arteries, to prevent hemorrhage., A thread or wire used to remove tumors, etc., The state of being bound or stiffened; stiffness; as, the ligature of a joint., Impotence caused by magic or charms., A curve or line connecting notes; a slur., A double character, or a type consisting of two or more letters or characters united, as ae, /, /., To ligate; to tie. |
| ligeance | noun | The connection between sovereign and subject by which they were mutually bound, the former to protection and the securing of justice, the latter to faithful service; allegiance. |
| ligement | noun | See Ledgment. |
| lighting | present participle & vb. noun | of Light, of Light, A name sometimes applied to the process of annealing metals. |
| lightful | adjective | Full of light; bright. |
| lightman | noun | A man who carries or takes care of a light. |
| ligneous | adjective | Made of wood; consisting of wood; of the nature of, or resembling, wood; woody. |
| lignitic | adjective | Containing lignite; resembling, or of the nature of, lignite; as, lignitic clay. |
| ligulate | adjective | Alt. of Ligulated |
| likeable | adjective | See Likable. |
| likehood | noun | Likelihood. |
| likening | present participle & vb. noun | of Liken |
| likeness | noun | The state or quality of being like; similitude; resemblance; similarity; as, the likeness of the one to the other is remarkable., Appearance or form; guise., That which closely resembles; a portrait., A comparison; parable; proverb. |
| likerous | noun | Alt. of Likerousness |
| likewise | noun | In like manner; also; moreover; too. See Also. |
| lilywort | noun | Any plant of the Lily family or order. |
| limacina | noun | A genus of small spiral pteropods, common in the Arctic and Antarctic seas. It contributes to the food of the right whales. |
| limaille | noun | Filings of metal. |
| limation | noun | The act of filing or polishing. |
| limature | noun | The act of filing., That which is filed off; filings. |
| limbered | imp. & past participle | of Limber |
| limbless | adjective | Destitute of limbs. |
| limbmeal | adverb | Piecemeal. |
| limekiln | noun | A kiln or furnace in which limestone or shells are burned and reduced to lime. |
| limenean | adjective | Of or pertaining to Lima, or to the inhabitants of Lima, in Peru., A native or inhabitant of Lima. |
| liminess | noun | The state or quality of being limy. |
| limiting | present participle & vb. noun | of Limit |
| limitary | verb t. | Placed at the limit, as a guard., Confined within limits; limited in extent, authority, power, etc., Limiting, or tending to limit; restrictive., That which serves to limit; a boundary; border land., A limiter. See Limiter, 2. |
| limitate | verb t. | Bounded by a distinct line. |
| limitive | adjective | Involving a limit; as, a limitive law, one designed to limit existing powers. |
| limitour | noun | See Limiter, 2. |
| lim naea | noun | A genus of fresh-water air-breathing mollusks, abundant in ponds and streams; — called also pond snail. |
| limoniad | noun | A nymph of the meadows; — called also Limniad. |
| limonite | noun | Hydrous sesquioxide of iron, an important ore of iron, occurring in stalactitic, mammillary, or earthy forms, of a dark brown color, and yellowish brown powder. It includes bog iron. Also called brown hematite. |
| limpness | noun | The quality or state of being limp. |
| linament | noun | Lint; esp., lint made into a tent for insertion into wounds or ulcers. |
| linarite | noun | A hydrous sulphate of lead and copper occurring in bright blue monoclinic crystals. |
| linchpin | noun | A pin used to prevent the wheel of a vehicle from sliding off the axletree. |
| lincture | noun | Alt. of Linctus |
| lineally | adverb | In a lineal manner; as, the prince is lineally descended from the Conqueror. |
| linearly | adverb | In a linear manner; with lines. |
| lineated | adjective | Marked with lines., Marked longitudinally with depressed parallel lines; as, a lineate leaf. |
| lingence | noun | A linctus. |
| lingered | imp. & past participle | of Linger |
| lingerer | noun | One who lingers. |
| linguist | noun | A master of the use of language; a talker., A person skilled in languages. |
| liniment | noun | A liquid or semiliquid preparation of a consistence thinner than an ointment, applied to the skin by friction, esp. one used as a sedative or a stimulant. |
| linkwork | noun | A fabric consisting of links made of metal or other material fastened together; also, a chain., Mechanism in which links, or intermediate connecting pieces, are employed to transmit motion from one part to another. |
| linnaean | adjective | Alt. of Linnean |
| linoleic | adjective | Pertaining to, or derived from, linoleum, or linseed oil; specifically (Chem.), designating an organic acid, a thin yellow oil, found combined as a salt of glycerin in oils of linseed, poppy, hemp, and certain nuts. |
| linoleum | noun | Linseed oil brought to various degrees of hardness by some oxidizing process, as by exposure to heated air, or by treatment with chloride of sulphur. In this condition it is used for many of the purposes to which India rubber has been applied., A kind of floor cloth made by laying hardened linseed oil mixed with ground cork on a canvas backing. |
| linstock | noun | A pointed forked staff, shod with iron at the foot, to hold a lighted match for firing cannon. |
| lintseed | noun | See Linseed. |
| lionhood | noun | State of being a lion. |
| lionized | imp. & past participle | of Lionize |
| lionlike | adjective | Like a lion; brave as a lion. |
| lionship | noun | The state of being a lion. |
| lipaemia | noun | A condition in which fat occurs in the blood. |
| liparian | noun | Any species of a family (Liparidae) of destructive bombycid moths, as the tussock moths. |
| liparite | noun | A quartzose trachyte; rhyolite. |
| lipogram | noun | A writing composed of words not having a certain letter or letters; — as in the Odyssey of Tryphiodorus there was no A in the first book, no B in the second, and so on. |
| liquable | verb i. | Capable of being melted. |
| liquidly | adverb | In a liquid manner; flowingly. |
| liquored | imp. & past participle | of Liquor |
| liripipe | noun | See Liripoop. |
| liripoop | noun | A pendent part of the old clerical tippet; afterwards, a tippet; a scarf; — worn also by doctors, learned men, etc., Acuteness; smartness; also, a smart trick or stratagem., A silly person. |
| listened | imp. & past participle | of Listen |
| listener | noun | One who listens; a hearkener. |
| listless | adjective | Having no desire or inclination; indifferent; heedless; spiritless. |
| litanies | plural | of Litany |
| literacy | noun | State of being literate. |
| literary | adjective | Of or pertaining to letters or literature; pertaining to learning or learned men; as, literary fame; a literary history; literary conversation., Versed in, or acquainted with, literature; occupied with literature as a profession; connected with literature or with men of letters; as, a literary man. |
| literate | adjective | Instructed in learning, science, or literature; learned; lettered., One educated, but not having taken a university degree; especially, such a person who is prepared to take holy orders., A literary man. |
| literati | noun pl. | Learned or literary men. See Literatus., of Literatus |
| litharge | noun | Lead monoxide; a yellowish red substance, obtained as an amorphous powder, or crystallized in fine scales, by heating lead moderately in a current of air or by calcining lead nitrate or carbonate. It is used in making flint glass, in glazing earthenware, in making red lead minium, etc. Called also massicot. |
| litherly | adjective | Crafty; cunning; mischievous; wicked; treacherous; lazy. |
| lithoxyl | noun | Petrified wood. |
| litigant | adjective | Disposed to litigate; contending in law; engaged in a lawsuit; as, the parties litigant., A person engaged in a lawsuit. |
| litigate | verb t. | To make the subject of a lawsuit; to contest in law; to prosecute or defend by pleadings, exhibition of evidence, and judicial debate in a court; as, to litigate a cause., To carry on a suit by judicial process. |
| littered | imp. & past participle | of Litter |
| littoral | adjective | Of or pertaining to a shore, as of the sea., Inhabiting the seashore, esp. the zone between high-water and low-water mark. |
| littress | noun | A smooth kind of cartridge paper used for making cards. |
| liturate | adjective | Having indistinct spots, paler at their margins., Spotted, as if from abrasions of the surface. |
| liturgic | Alt. of Liturgical | |
| livelily | adverb | In a lively manner. |
| livelode | noun | Course of life; means of support; livelihood. |
| livelong | adjective | Whole; entire; long in passing; — used of time, as day or night, in adverbial phrases, and usually with a sense of tediousness., Lasting; durable. |
| liveried | adjective | Wearing a livery. See Livery, 3. |
| livering | noun | A kind of pudding or sausage made of liver or pork. |
| liveries | plural | of Livery |
| lividity | noun | The state or quality of being livid. |
| livingly | adverb | In a living state. |
| livonian | adjective | Of or pertaining to Livonia, a district of Russia near the Baltic Sea. |
| livinian | noun | A native or an inhabitant of Livonia; the language (allied to the Finnish) of the Livonians. |
| lixivial | adjective | Impregnated with, or consisting of, alkaline salts extracted from wood ashes; impregnated with a salt or salts like a lixivium., Of the color of lye; resembling lye., Having the qualities of alkaline salts extracted from wood ashes. |
| lixivium | noun | A solution of alkaline salts extracted from wood ashes; hence, any solution obtained by lixiviation. |
| loadsman | noun | Alt. of Lodesman |
| lodesman | noun | A pilot., Same as Loadsman. |
| loadstar | noun | Alt. of Lodestar |
| lodestar | noun | A star that leads; a guiding star; esp., the polestar; the cynosure., Same as Loadstar. |
| loanable | adjective | Such as can be lent; available for lending; as, loanable funds; — used mostly in financial business and writings. |
| loathing | present participle & vb. noun | of Loathe, Extreme disgust; a feeling of aversion, nausea, abhorrence, or detestation. |
| loathful | adjective | Full of loathing; hating; abhorring., Causing a feeling of loathing; disgusting. |
| lobately | adverb | As a lobe; so as to make a lobe; in a lobate manner. |
| lobbying | present participle & vb. noun | of Lobby |
| lobbyist | noun | A member of the lobby; a person who solicits members of a legislature for the purpose of influencing legislation. |
| lobefoot | noun | A bird having lobate toes; esp., a phalarope. |
| lobeline | noun | A poisonous narcotic alkaloid extracted from the leaves of Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflata) as a yellow oil, having a tobaccolike taste and odor. |
| loblolly | noun | Gruel; porridge; — so called among seamen. |
| lobsided | adjective | See Lopsided. |
| lobulate | adjective | Alt. of Lobulated |
| localism | noun | The state or quality of being local; affection for a particular place., A method of speaking or acting peculiar to a certain district; a local idiom or phrase. |
| locality | noun | The state, or condition, of belonging to a definite place, or of being contained within definite limits., Position; situation; a place; a spot; esp., a geographical place or situation, as of a mineral or plant., Limitation to a county, district, or place; as, locality of trial., The perceptive faculty concerned with the ability to remember the relative positions of places. |
| localize | verb t. | To make local; to fix in, or assign to, a definite place. |
| locating | present participle & vb. noun | of Locate |
| location | noun | The act or process of locating., Situation; place; locality., That which is located; a tract of land designated in place., A leasing on rent., A contract for the use of a thing, or service of a person, for hire., The marking out of the boundaries, or identifying the place or site of, a piece of land, according to the description given in an entry, plan, map, etc. |
| locative | adjective | Indicating place, or the place where, or wherein; as, a locative adjective; locative case of a noun., The locative case. |
| lockless | adjective | Destitute of a lock. |
| locofoco | noun | A friction match., A nickname formerly given to a member of the Democratic party. |
| loculate | adjective | Divided into compartments. |
| loculose | adjective | Alt. of Loculous |
| loculous | adjective | Divided by internal partitions into cells, as the pith of the pokeweed. |
| locustic | adjective | Pertaining to, or derived from, the locust; — formerly used to designate a supposed acid. |
| locution | noun | Speech or discourse; a phrase; a form or mode of expression. |
| locutory | noun | A room for conversation; especially, a room in monasteries, where the monks were allowed to converse. |
| lodgment | verb | The act of lodging, or the state of being lodged., A lodging place; a room., An accumulation or collection of something deposited in a place or remaining at rest., The occupation and holding of a position, as by a besieging party; an instrument thrown up in a captured position; as, to effect a lodgment. |
| lodicule | noun | One of the two or three delicate membranous scales which are next to the stamens in grasses. |
| log-chip | noun | A thin, flat piece of board in the form of a quadrant of a circle attached to the log line; — called also log-ship. See 2d Log, n., 2. |
| logician | noun | A person skilled in logic. |
| logistic | adjective | Alt. of Logistical |
| logogram | noun | A word letter; a phonogram, that, for the sake of brevity, represents a word; as, |, i. e., t, for it. Cf. Grammalogue. |
| logotype | noun | A single type, containing two or more letters; as, ae, Ae, /, /, /, etc. ; — called also ligature. |
| log-ship | noun | A part of the log. See Log-chip, and 2d Log, n., 2. |
| loitered | imp. & past participle | of Loiter |
| loiterer | noun | One who loiters; an idler., An idle vagrant; a tramp. |
| lollardy | noun | The doctrines or principles of the Lollards. |
| lollipop | noun | A kind of sugar confection which dissolves easily in the mouth. |
| lomonite | noun | Same as Laumontite. |
| londoner | noun | A native or inhabitant of London. |
| loneness | noun | Solitude; seclusion. |
| lonesome | superl. | Secluded from society; not frequented by human beings; solitary., Conscious of, and somewhat depressed by, solitude; as, to feel lonesome. |
| longbeak | noun | The American redbellied snipe (Macrorhamphus scolopaceus); — called also long-billed dowitcher. |
| longboat | noun | Formerly, the largest boat carried by a merchant vessel, corresponding to the launch of a naval vessel. |
| longeval | adjective | Long-loved; longevous. |
| longhand | noun | The written characters used in the common method of writing; — opposed to shorthand. |
| longhorn | noun | A long-horned animal, as a cow, goat, or beetle. See Long-horned. |
| longlegs | noun | A daddy longlegs. |
| longness | noun | Length. |
| longnose | noun | The European garfish. |
| longsome | adjective | Extended in length; tiresome. |
| longspun | adjective | Spun out, or extended, to great length; hence, long-winded; tedious. |
| longspur | noun | Any one of several species of fringilline birds of the genus Calcarius (or Plectrophanes), and allied genera. The Lapland longspur (C. Lapponicus), the chestnut-colored longspur (C. ornatus), and other species, inhabit the United States. |
| longtail | noun | An animal, particularly a log, having an uncut tail. Cf. Curtail. Dog. |
| longways | adverb | Lengthwise. |
| longwise | adverb | Lengthwise. |
| lookdown | noun | See Moonfish (b). |
| loophole | noun | A small opening, as in the walls of fortification, or in the bulkhead of a ship, through which small arms or other weapons may be discharged at an enemy., A hole or aperture that gives a passage, or the means of escape or evasion. |
| loosened | imp. & past participle | of Loosen |
| loosener | noun | One who, or that which, loosens. |
| lopeared | adjective | Having ears which lop or hang down. |
| loppered | imp. & past participle | of Lopper |
| lopsided | adjective | Leaning to one side because of some defect of structure; as, a lopsided ship., Unbalanced; poorly proportioned; full of idiosyncrasies. |
| lordlike | adjective | Befitting or like a lord; lordly., Haughty; proud; insolent; arrogant. |
| lordling | noun | A little or insignificant lord. |
| lordosis | noun | A curvature of the spine forwards, usually in the lumbar region., Any abnormal curvature of the bones. |
| lordship | noun | The state or condition of being a lord; hence (with his or your), a title applied to a lord (except an archbishop or duke, who is called Grace) or a judge (in Great Britain), etc., Seigniory; domain; the territory over which a lord holds jurisdiction; a manor., Dominion; power; authority. |
| loresman | noun | An instructor. |
| loricata | noun pl. | A suborder of edentates, covered with bony plates, including the armadillos., The crocodilia. |
| loricate | verb t. | To cover with some protecting substance, as with lute, a crust, coating, or plates., Covered with a shell or exterior made of plates somewhat like a coat of mail, as in the armadillo., An animal covered with bony scales, as crocodiles among reptiles, and the pangolins among mammals. |
| lorikeet | noun | Any one numerous species of small brush-tongued parrots or lories, found mostly in Australia, New Guinea and the adjacent islands, with some forms in the East Indies. They are arboreal in their habits and feed largely upon the honey of flowers. They belong to Trichoglossus, Loriculus, and several allied genera. |
| losenger | noun | A flatterer; a deceiver; a cozener. |
| losingly | adverb | In a manner to incur loss. |
| lossless | adjective | Free from loss. |
| lothsome | adjective | See Loath, Loathly, etc. |
| lothario | noun | A gay seducer of women; a libertine. |
| loudness | noun | The quality or state of being loud. |
| lounging | present participle & vb. noun | of Lounge |
| loveable | adjective | See Lovable. |
| loveless | adjective | Void of love; void of tenderness or kindness., Not attracting love; unattractive. |
| lovelily | adverb | In manner to excite love; amiably. |
| lovelock | noun | A long lock of hair hanging prominently by itself; an earlock; — worn by men of fashion in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. |
| lovelorn | adjective | Forsaken by one’s love. |
| lovesome | adjective | Lovely. |
| lovingly | adverb | With love; affectionately. |
| lowering | present participle & vb. noun | of Lower, of Lower, Dark and threatening; gloomy; sullen; as, lowering clouds or sky. |
| loyalist | noun | A person who adheres to his sovereign or to the lawful authority; especially, one who maintains his allegiance to his prince or government, and defends his cause in times of revolt or revolution. |
| lozenged | adjective | Alt. of Lozenge-shaped |
| lubberly | adjective | Like a lubber; clumsy., Clumsily; awkwardly. |
| lubrical | adjective | Having a smooth surface; slippery., Lascivious; wanton; lewd. |
| lucchese | noun sing. & pl. | A native or inhabitant of Lucca, in Tuscany; in the plural, the people of Lucca. |
| lucernal | adjective | Of or pertaining to a lamp. |
| lucidity | noun | The quality or state of being lucid. |
| luciform | adjective | Having, in some respects, the nature of light; resembling light. |
| luckless | adjective | Being without luck; unpropitious; unfortunate; unlucky; meeting with ill success or bad fortune; as, a luckless gamester; a luckless maid. |
| lucrific | adjective | Producing profit; gainful. |
| luculent | adjective | Lucid; clear; transparent., Clear; evident; luminous., Bright; shining in beauty. |
| ludibund | adjective | Sportive. |
| lukewarm | adjective | Moderately warm; neither cold nor hot; tepid; not ardent; not zealous; cool; indifferent. |
| lumachel | noun | Alt. of Lumachella |
| lumbered | imp. & past participle | of Lumber |
| lumberer | noun | One employed in lumbering, cutting, and getting logs from the forest for lumber; a lumberman. |
| luminant | adjective | Luminous. |
| luminary | noun | Any body that gives light, especially one of the heavenly bodies., One who illustrates any subject, or enlightens mankind; as, Newton was a distinguished luminary. |
| luminate | verb t. | To illuminate. |
| luminous | adjective | Shining; emitting or reflecting light; brilliant; bright; as, the is a luminous body; a luminous color., Illuminated; full of light; bright; as, many candles made the room luminous., Enlightened; intelligent; also, clear; intelligible; as, a luminous mind. |
| lumpfish | noun | A large, thick, clumsy, marine fish (Cyclopterus lumpus) of Europe and America. The color is usually translucent sea green, sometimes purplish. It has a dorsal row of spiny tubercles, and three rows on each side, but has no scales. The ventral fins unite and form a ventral sucker for adhesion to stones and seaweeds. Called also lumpsucker, cock-paddle, sea owl. |
| lunacies | plural | of Lunacy |
| lunarian | noun | An inhabitant of the moon. |
| lunation | noun | The period of a synodic revolution of the moon, or the time from one new moon to the next; varying in length, at different times, from about 29/ to 29/ days, the average length being 29 d., 12h., 44m., 2.9s. |
| lunching | present participle & vb. noun | of Lunch |
| luncheon | noun | A lump of food., A portion of food taken at any time except at a regular meal; an informal or light repast, as between breakfast and dinner., To take luncheon. |
| lungfish | noun | Any fish belonging to the Dipnoi; — so called because they have both lungs and gills. |
| lungless | adjective | Being without lungs. |
| lungworm | noun | Any one of several species of parasitic nematoid worms which infest the lungs and air passages of cattle, sheep, and other animals, often proving fatal. The lungworm of cattle (Strongylus micrurus) and that of sheep (S. filaria) are the best known. |
| lungwort | noun | An herb of the genus Pulmonaria (P. officinalis), of Europe; — so called because the spotted appearance of the leaves resembles that of a diseased lung., Any plant of the genus Mertensia (esp. M. Virginica and M. Sibirica) plants nearly related to Pulmonaria. The American lungwort is Mertensia Virginica, Virginia cowslip. |
| luniform | adjective | Resembling the moon in shape. |
| lunulate | adjective | Alt. of Lunulated |
| lunulite | noun | Any bryozoan of the genus Lunulites, having a more or less circular form. |
| lupercal | adjective | Of or pertaining to the Lupercalia., A grotto on the Palatine Hill sacred to Lupercus, the Lycean Pan. |
| lupinine | noun | An alkaloid found in several species of lupine (Lupinus luteus, L. albus, etc.), and extracted as a bitter crystalline substance. |
| lupuline | noun | An alkaloid extracted from hops as a colorless volatile liquid. |
| lurching | present participle & vb. noun | of Lurch |
| luscious | adjective | Sweet; delicious; very grateful to the taste; toothsome; excessively sweet or rich., Cloying; fulsome., Gratifying a depraved sense; obscene. |
| lushburg | noun | See Lussheburgh. |
| lustring | of Lustre, A kind of glossy silk fabric. See Lutestring. | |
| lustless | adjective | Lacking vigor; weak; spiritless., Free from sexual lust. |
| lustrate | verb t. | To make clear or pure by means of a propitiatory offering; to purify. |
| lustrous | adjective | Bright; shining; luminous. |
| lustrums | plural | of Lustrum |
| lustwort | noun | See Sundew. |
| lutanist | noun | A person that plays on the lute. |
| lutation | noun | The act or method of luting vessels. |
| lutenist | noun | Same as Lutanist. |
| luteolin | noun | A yellow dyestuff obtained from the foliage of the dyer’s broom (Reseda luteola). |
| lutheran | adjective | Of or pertaining to Luther; adhering to the doctrines of Luther or the Lutheran Church., One who accepts or adheres to the doctrines of Luther or the Lutheran Church. |
| lutidine | noun | Any one of several metameric alkaloids, C5H3N.(CH3)2, of the pyridine series, obtained from bone oil as liquids, and having peculiar pungent odors. These alkaloids are also called respectively dimethyl pyridine, ethyl pyridine, etc. |
| lutulent | adjective | Muddy; turbid; thick. |
| luxating | present participle & vb. noun | of Luxate |
| luxation | noun | The act of luxating, or the state of being luxated; a dislocation. |
| luxurist | noun | One given to luxury. |
| luxuries | plural | of Luxury |
| lycopode | noun | Same as Lycopodium powder. See under Lycopodium. |
| lygodium | noun | A genus of ferns with twining or climbing fronds, bearing stalked and variously-lobed divisions in pairs. |
| lying-in | noun | The state attending, and consequent to, childbirth; confinement., The act of bearing a child. |
| lymhound | noun | A dog held in a leam; a bloodhound; a limehound. |
| lymphate | adjective | Alt. of Lymphated |
| lymphoid | adjective | Resembling lymph; also, resembling a lymphatic gland; adenoid; as, lymphoid tissue. |
| lymphoma | noun | A tumor having a structure resembling that of a lymphatic gland; — called also lymphadenoma. |
| lynching | present participle & vb. noun | of Lynch |
| lyricism | noun | A lyric composition. |
| lyterian | adjective | Terminating a disease; indicating the end of a disease. |