The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 871
Lab"lab (?) , n. (Bot.) an East Indian name for several twining leguminous plants related to the bean, but commonly applied to the hyacinth bean ( Delichos Lablab ).
Labor <Xpage=821>
La"bor (?) , n. [OE. labour , OF. labour , laber , labur , F. labeur , L. labor ; cf. Gr. <?/ to take, Skr. labh to get, seize.] [Written also labour .] 1. Physical toil or bodily exertion, especially when fatiguing, irksome, or unavoidable, in distinction from sportive exercise; hard, muscular effort directed to some useful end, as agriculture, manufactures, and like; servile toil; exertion; work.
God hath set Labor and rest, as day and night, to men Successive. Milton.
2. Intellectual exertion; mental effort; as, the labor of compiling a history .
3. That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort.
Being a labor of so great a difficulty, the exact performance thereof we may rather wish than look for. Hooker.
4. Travail; the pangs and efforts of childbirth.
The queen's in labor , They say, in great extremity; and feared She'll with the labor end. Shak.
5. Any pang or distress.
Shak.
6. (Naut.) The pitching or tossing of a vessel which results in the straining of timbers and rigging.
7. [Sp.] A measure of land in Mexico and Texas, equivalent to an area of 177<frac17/ acres.
Bartlett.
Syn. -- Work; toil; drudgery; task; exertion; effort; industry; painstaking. See Toll .
Labor <Xpage=821>
La"bor , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Labored (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Laboring .] [OE. labouren , F. labourer , L. laborare . See Labor , n. ] [Written also labour .] 1. To exert muscular strength; to exert one's strength with painful effort, particularly in servile occupations; to work; to toil.
Adam, well may we labor still to dress This garden. Milton.
2. To exert one's powers of mind in the prosecution of any design; to strive; to take pains.
3. To be oppressed with difficulties or disease; to do one's work under conditions which make it especially hard, wearisome; to move slowly, as against opposition, or under a burden; to be burdened; -- often with under , and formerly with of .
The stone that labors up the hill. Granville.
The line too labors ,and the words move slow. Pope.
To cure the disorder under which he labored . Sir W. Scott.
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. xi. 28
4. To be in travail; to suffer the pangs of childbirth.
5. (Naut.) To pitch or roll heavily, as a ship in a turbulent sea.
Totten.
Labor <Xpage=821>
La"bor , v. t. [F. labourer , L. laborare .] 1. To work at; to work; to till; to cultivate by toil.
The most excellent lands are lying fallow, or only labored by children. W. Tooke.
2. To form or fabricate with toil, exertion, or care. "To labor arms for Troy."
Dryden.
3. To prosecute, or perfect, with effort; to urge stre<?/uously; as, to labor a point or argument .
4. To belabor; to beat. [Obs.]
Dryden.
Laborant <Xpage=821>
Lab"o*rant (?) , n. [L. laborans , p . pr . of laborare to labor.] A chemist. [Obs.]
Boyle.
Laboratory <Xpage=821>
Lab"o*ra*to*ry (?) , n. ; pl. Laboratories (#) . [Shortened fr. elaboratory ; cf. OF. elaboratoire , F. laboratoire . See Elaborate , Labor. ] [Formerly written also elaboratory. ] The workroom of a chemist; also, a place devoted to experiments in any branch of natural science; as, a chemical, physical, or biological laboratory . Hence, by extension, a place where something is prepared, or some operation is performed; as, the liver is the laboratory of the bile .
Labored <Xpage=821>
La"bored (?) , a. Bearing marks of labor and effort; elaborately wrought; not easy or natural; as, labored poetry; a labored style.
Laboredly <Xpage=821>
La"bored*ly , adv. In a labored manner; with labor.
Laborer <Xpage=821>
La"bor*er (?) , n. [Written also labourer .] One who labors in a toilsome occupation; a person who does work that requires strength rather than skill, as distinguished from that of an artisan .
Laboring <Xpage=821>
La"bor*ing , a. 1. That labors; performing labor; esp., performing coarse, heavy work, not requiring skill also, set apart for labor; as, laboring days .
The sleep of a laboring man is sweet. eccl. v. 12.
2. Suffering pain or grief.
Pope.
Laboring oar , the oar which requires most strength and exertion; often used figuratively; as, to have, or pull, the laboring oar in some difficult undertaking.
Laborious <Xpage=821>
La*bo"ri*ous (?) , a. [L. laboriosus ,fr. labor labor: cf. F. laborieux .] 1. Requiring labor, perseverance, or sacrifices; toilsome; tiresome.
Dost thou love watchings, abstinence, or toil, Laborious virtues all ? Learn these from Cato. Addison.
2. Devoted to labor; diligent; industrious; as, a laborious mechanic .
-- La*bo"ri*ous*ly , adv. -- La*bo"ri*ous*ness , n.
Laborless <Xpage=821>
La"bor*less (?) , a. Not involving labor; not laborious; easy.
<page="822"> Page 822
Laborous <Xpage=822>
La"bor*ous (?) , a. Laborious. [Obs.] Wyatt . -- La"bor*ous*ly , adv. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot .
Labor-saving <Xpage=822>
La"bor-sav`ing (?) , a. Saving labor; adapted to supersede or diminish the labor of men; as, laborsaving machinery .
Laborsome <Xpage=822>
La"bor*some (?) , a. 1. Made with, or requiring, great labor, pains, or diligence. [Obs.]
Shak.
2. (Naut.) Likely or inclined to roll or pitch, as a ship in a heavy sea; having a tendency to labor.
Labrador <Xpage=822>
Lab`ra*dor" (?) , n. A region of British America on the Atlantic coast, north of Newfoundland.
Labrador duck (Zo\'94l.) , a sea duck ( Camtolaimus Labradorius ) allied to the eider ducks. It was formerly common on the coast of New England, but is now supposed to be extinct, no specimens having been reported since 1878. -- Labrador feldspar . See Labradorite . -- Labrador tea (Bot.) , a name of two low, evergreen shrubs of the genus Ledum ( L. palustre and L. latifolium ), found in Northern Europe and America. They are used as tea in British America, and in Scandinavia as a substitute for hops.
Labradorite <Xpage=822>
Lab"ra*dor`ite (<?/) , n. (Min.) A kind of feldspar commonly showing a beautiful play of colors, and hence much used for ornamental purposes. The finest specimens come from Labrador. See Feldspar .
Labras <Xpage=822>
La"bras (?) , n. pl. [L. labrum ; cf. It. labbro , pl. labbra .] Lips. [Obs. & R.]
Shak.
Labroid <Xpage=822>
La"broid (?) , a. [ Labrus + -oid .] (Zo\'94l.) Like the genus Labrus; belonging to the family Labrid\'91 , an extensive family of marine fishes, often brilliantly colored, which are very abundant in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The tautog and cunner are American examples.
Labrose <Xpage=822>
La"brose` (?) , a. [L. labrosus , fr. labrum lip.] Having thick lips.
Labrum <Xpage=822>
La"brum (?) , n. ; pl. L. Labra (#) , E. Labrums (#) . [L.] 1. A lip or edge, as of a basin.
2. (Zo\'94l.) (a) An organ in insects and crustaceans covering the upper part of the mouth, and serving as an upper lip. See Illust . of Hymenoptera . (b) The external margin of the aperture of a shell. See Univalve .
Labrus <Xpage=822>
La"brus (?) , n. ; pl. Labri (-br&imac;) . [L., a sort of fish.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of marine fishes, including the wrasses of Europe. See Wrasse .
Laburnic <Xpage=822>
La*bur`nic (?) , a. Of, pertaining to, or derived from, the laburnum.
La-burnine <Xpage=822>
La-bur`nine (?) , n. (Chem.) A poisonous alkaloid found in the unripe seeds of the laburnum.
Laburnum <Xpage=822>
La*bur"num (?) , n. [L.] (Bot.) 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.
&hand; Scotch laburnum ( Cytisus alpinus ) is similar, but has smooth leaves; purple laburnum is C. purpureus .
Labyrinth <Xpage=822>
Lab"y*rinth (?) , n. [L. labyrinthus , Gr. laby`rinthos : cf. F. labyrinthe .] 1. An edifice or place full of intricate passageways which render it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance; as, the Egyptian and Cretan labyrinths . <-- said to be from from the ax symbol of the "labyrinth" at Knossos, Crete -- a multistoried royal palace with labyrinthine passages between rooms. -->
2. Any intricate or involved inclosure; especially, an ornamental maze or inclosure in a park or garden.
3. Any object or arrangement of an intricate or involved form, or having a very complicated nature.
The serpent . . . fast sleeping soon he found, In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled. Milton.
The labyrinth of the mind. Tennyson.
4. An inextricable or bewildering difficulty.
I' the maze and winding labyrinths o' the world . Denham.
5. (Anat.) The internal ear. See Note under Ear .
6. (Metal.) A series of canals through which a stream of water is directed for suspending, carrying off, and depositing at different distances, the ground ore of a metal.
Ure.
7. (Arch.) A pattern or design representing a maze, -- often inlaid in the tiled floor of a church, etc.
Syn. -- Maze; confusion; intricacy; windings. -- Labyrinth , Maze . Labyrinth , originally; the name of an edifice or excavation, carries the idea of design, and construction in a permanent form, while maze is used of anything confused or confusing, whether fixed or shifting. Maze is less restricted in its figurative uses than labyrinth . We speak of the labyrinth of the ear, or of the mind, and of a labyrinth of difficulties; but of the mazes of the dance, the mazes of political intrigue, or of the mind being in a maze .
Labyrinthal <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"thal (?) , a. Pertaining to, or resembling, a labyrinth; intricate; labyrinthian.
Labyrinthian <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"thi*an (<?/) , a. Intricately winding; like a labyrinth; perplexed; labyrinthal.
Labyrinthibranch <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"thi*branch (?) , a. [See Labyrinth , and Branchia .] (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the Labyrinthici. -- n. One of the Labyrinthici.
Labyrinthic, Labyrinthical <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"thic (?) , Lab`y*rin`thic*al (?) , a. [L. labyrinthicus : cf. F. labyrinthique .] Like or pertaining to a labyrinth.
Labyrinthici <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"thi*ci (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Labyrinth .] (Zo\'94l.) An order of teleostean fishes, including the Anabas, or climbing perch, and other allied fishes.
&hand; They have, connected with the gill chamber, a special cavity in which a labyrinthiform membrane is arranged so as to retain water to supply the gills while the fish leaves the water and travels about on land, or even climbs trees.
Labyrinthiform <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"thi*form (?) , a. [ Labyrinth + -form : cf. F. labyrinthiforme .] Having the form of a labyrinth; intricate.
Labyrinthine <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"thine (?) , a. Pertaining to, or like, a labyrinth; labyrinthal.
Labyrinthodon <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"tho*don (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ labyrinth + <?/, <?/, tooth.] (Paleon.) A genus of very large fossil amphibians, of the Triassic period, having bony plates on the under side of the body. It is the type of the order Labyrinthodonta. Called also Mastodonsaurus .
Labyrinthodont <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin"tho*dont (?) , a. (Paleon.) Of or pertaining to the Labyrinthodonta. -- n. One of the Labyrinthodonta.
Labyrinthodonta <Xpage=822>
Lab`y*rin`tho*don"ta (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Labyrinthodon .] (Paleon.) An extinct order of Amphibia, including the typical genus Labyrinthodon, and many other allied forms, from the Carboniferous, Permian, and Triassic formations. By recent writers they are divided into two or more orders. See Stegocephala .
Lac, Lakh <Xpage=822>
Lac (?) , Lakh (<?/) , n. [Hind. lak , l\'bekh , l\'beksh , Skr. laksha a mark, sign, lakh.] One hundred thousand; also, a vaguely great number; as, a lac of rupees . [Written also lack .] [East Indies]
Lac <Xpage=822>
Lac , n. [Per. lak ; akin to Skr. l\'beksh\'be : cf. F. lague , It. & NL. lacca . Cf. Lake a color, Lacquer , Litmus .] A resinous substance produced mainly on the banyan tree, but to some extent on other trees, by the Coccus lacca <-- now Laccifer lacca -->, a scale-shaped insect, the female of which fixes herself on the bark, and exudes from the margin of her body this resinous substance.
&hand; Stick-lac is the substance in its natural state, incrusting small twigs. When broken off, and the coloring matter partly removed, the granular residuum is called seed-lac . When melted, and reduced to a thin crust, it is called shell-lac or shellac . Lac is an important ingredient in sealing wax, dyes, varnishes, and lacquers.
Ceylon lac , a resinous exudation of the tree Croton lacciferum , resembling lac. -- Lac dye , a scarlet dye obtained from stick-lac. -- Lac lake , the coloring matter of lac dye when precipitated from its solutions by alum. -- Mexican lac , an exudation of the tree Croton Draco .
Laccic <Xpage=822>
Lac"cic (?) , a. [Cf. F. laccique .] (Chem.) Pertaining to lac, or produced from it; as, laccic acid .
Laccin <Xpage=822>
Lac"cin (?) , n. [Cf. F. laccine .] (Chem.) A yellow amorphous substance obtained from lac.
Laccolite, Laccolith <Xpage=822>
Lac"co*lite (?) , Lac"co*lith (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ a cistern + -lite , -lith .] (Geol.) A mass of igneous rock intruded between sedimentary beds and resulting in a mammiform bulging of the overlying strata. -- Lac`co*lit"ic (#) , a.
Lace <Xpage=822>
Lace (l\'bes) , n. [OE. las , OF. laz , F. lacs , dim. lacet , fr. L. laqueus noose, snare; prob. akin to lacere to entice. Cf. Delight , Elicit , Lasso , Latchet .] 1. That which binds or holds, especially by being interwoven; a string, cord, or band, usually one passing through eyelet or other holes, and used in drawing and holding together parts of a garment, of a shoe, of a machine belt, etc.
His hat hung at his back down by a lace . Chaucer.
For striving more, the more in laces strong Himself he tied. Spenser.
2. A snare or gin, especially one made of interwoven cords; a net. [Obs.]
Fairfax.
Vulcanus had caught thee [Venus] in his lace . Chaucer.
3. A fabric of fine threads of linen, silk, cotton, etc., often ornamented with figures; a delicate tissue of thread, much worn as an ornament of dress.
Our English dames are much given to the wearing of costly laces . Bacon.
4. Spirits added to coffee or some other beverage. [Old Slang]
Addison.
Alencon lace , a kind of point lace, entirely of needlework, first made at Alencon in France, in the 17th century. It is very durable and of great beauty and cost. -- Bone lace , Brussels lace , etc. See under Bone , Brussels , etc. -- Gold lace , ∨ Silver lace , lace having warp threads of silk, or silk and cotton, and a weft of silk threads covered with gold (or silver), or with gilt. -- Lace leather , thin, oil-tanned leather suitable for cutting into lacings for machine belts. -- Lace lizard (Zo\'94l.) , a large, aquatic, Australian lizard ( Hydrosaurus giganteus ), allied to the monitors. -- Lace paper , paper with an openwork design in imitation of lace. -- Lace piece (Shipbuilding) , the main piece of timber which supports the beak or head projecting beyond the stem of a ship. -- Lace pillow , ∧ Pillow lace . See under Pillow .
Lace <Xpage=822>
Lace , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Laced (\'best) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Lacing (?) .] 1. To fasten with a lace; to draw together with a lace passed through eyelet holes; to unite with a lace or laces, or, figuratively. with anything resembling laces.
Shak.
When Jenny's stays are newly laced . Prior.
2. To adorn with narrow strips or braids of some decorative material; as, cloth laced with silver .
Shak.
3. To beat; to lash; to make stripes on. [Colloq.]
I'll lace your coat for ye. L'Estrange.
4. To add spirits to (a beverage). [Old Slang]
Lace <Xpage=822>
Lace , v. i. To be fastened with a lace, or laces; as, these boots lace .
Lace-bark <Xpage=822>
Lace"-bark` (?) , n. (Bot.) A shrub in the West Indies ( Lagetta Iintearia ); -- so called from the lacelike layers of its inner bark.
Laced <Xpage=822>
Laced (?) , a. 1. Fastened with a lace or laces; decorated with narrow strips or braid. See Lace , v. t.
2. Decorated with the fabric lace.
A shirt with laced ruffles. Fielding.
Laced mutton , a prostitute. [Old slang] -- Laced stocking , a strong stocking which can be tightly laced; -- used in cases of weak legs, varicose veins, etc. Dunglison.
Laced\'91monian <Xpage=822>
Lac`e*d\'91*mo"ni*an (?) , a. [L. Lacedamonius , Gr. Lakedaimo`nios , fr. Lakedai`mwn Laced\'91mon.] Of or pertaining to Laced\'91mon or Sparta, the chief city of Laconia in the Peloponnesus. -- n. A Spartan. [Written also Lacedemonian .]
Laceman <Xpage=822>
Lace"man (?) , n. ; pl. Lacemen (<?/) . A man who deals in lace.
Lacerable <Xpage=822>