The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 896
Le"the*on (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/.] (Med.) Sulphuric ether used as an an\'91sthetic agent. [R.]
Letheonize <Xpage=845>
Le"the*on*ize (?) , v. t. To subject to the influence of letheon. [R. or Obs.]
Lethiferous <Xpage=845>
Le*thif"er*ous (?) , a. [L. lethifer , letifer , fr. lethum , letum , death + ferre to bear, to bring: cf. F. l\'82thif\'8are .] Deadly; bringing death or destruction.
Lethy <Xpage=845>
Le"thy (?) , a. Lethean. [Obs.]
Marston.
Let-off <Xpage=845>
Let"-off` (?) , n. (Mach.) A device for letting off, releasing, or giving forth, as the warp from the cylinder of a loom.
Lette <Xpage=845>
Let"te (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Letted .] To let; to hinder. See Let , to hinder. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Letter <Xpage=845>
Let"ter (?) , n. [From Let to permit.] One who lets or permits; one who lets anything for hire.
Letter <Xpage=845>
Let"ter , n. [From Let to hinder.] One who retards or hinders. [Archaic.]
Letter <Xpage=845>
Let"ter , n. [OE. lettre , F. lettre , OF. letre , fr. L. littera , litera , a letter; pl., an epistle, a writing, literature, fr. linere , litum , to besmear, to spread or rub over; because one of the earliest modes of writing was by graving the characters upon tablets smeared over or covered with wax. Pliny, xiii. 11 . See Leniment , and cf. Literal .] 1. A mark or character used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the human organs of speech; a first element of written language.
And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. Luke xxiii. 38.
2. A written or printed communication; a message expressed in intelligible characters on something adapted to conveyance, as paper, parchment, etc.; an epistle.
The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and natural. Walsh.
3. A writing; an inscription. [Obs.]
None could expound what this letter meant. Chaucer.
4. Verbal expression; literal statement or meaning; exact signification or requirement.
We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law and the intention of the lawgiver. Jer. Taylor.
I broke the letter of it to keep the sense. Tennyson.
5. (Print.) A single type; type, collectively; a style of type.
Under these buildings . . . was the king's printing house, and that famous letter so much esteemed. Evelyn.
6. pl. Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters .
7. pl. A letter; an epistle. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Dead letter , Drop letter , etc. See under Dead , Drop , etc. -- Letter book , a book in which copies of letters are kept. -- Letter box , a box for the reception of letters to be mailed or delivered. -- Letter carrier , a person who carries letters; a postman; specif., an officer of the post office who carries letters to the persons to whom they are addressed, and collects letters to be mailed. -- Letter cutter , one who engraves letters or letter punches. -- Letter lock , a lock that can not be opened when fastened, unless certain movable lettered rings or disks forming a part of in are in such a position (indicated by a particular combination of the letters) as to permit the bolt to be withdrawn.
A strange lock that opens with AMEN. Beau. & Fl.
-- Letter paper , paper for writing letters on; especially, a size of paper intermediate between note paper and foolscap. See Paper . -- Letter punch , a steel punch with a letter engraved on the end, used in making the matrices for type. -- Letters of administration (Law) , the instrument by which an administrator or administratrix is authorized to administer the goods and estate of a deceased person. -- Letter of attorney , Letter of credit , etc. See under Attorney , Credit , etc. -- Letter of license , a paper by which creditors extend a debtor's time for paying his debts. -- Letters close ∨ clause (Eng. Law.) , letters or writs directed to particular persons for particular purposes, and hence closed or sealed on the outside; -- distinguished from letters patent . Burrill . -- Letters of orders (Eccl.) , a document duly signed and sealed, by which a bishop makes it known that he has regularly ordained a certain person as priest, deacon, etc. -- Letters patent , overt , ∨ open (Eng. Law) , a writing executed and sealed, by which power and authority are granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right; as, letters patent under the seal of England . -- Letter-sheet envelope , a stamped sheet of letter paper issued by the government, prepared to be folded and sealed for transmission by mail without an envelope. -- Letters testamentary (Law) , an instrument granted by the proper officer to an executor after probate of a will, authorizing him to act as executor. -- Letter writer . (a) One who writes letters. (b) A machine for copying letters . (c) A book giving directions and forms for the writing of letters.
Letter <Xpage=845>
Let"ter (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Lettered (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Lettering .] To impress with letters; to mark with letters or words; as, a book gilt and lettered .
Lettered <Xpage=845>
Let"tered (?) , a. 1. Literate; educated; versed in literature. " Are you not lettered ?"
Shak.
The unlettered barbarians willingly accepted the aid of the lettered clergy, still chiefly of Roman birth, to reduce to writing the institutes of their forefathers. Milman.
2. Of or pertaining to learning or literature; learned. " A lettered education."
Collier.
3. Inscribed or stamped with letters.
Addison.
Letterer <Xpage=845>
Let"ter*er (?) , n. One who makes, inscribes, or engraves, alphabetical letters.
Lettering <Xpage=845>
Let"ter*ing , n. 1. The act or business of making, or marking with, letters, as by cutting or painting.
2. The letters made; as, the lettering of a sign .
Letterless <Xpage=845>
Let"ter*less (?) , a. 1. Not having a letter.
2. Illiterate. [Obs.]
E. Waterhouse.
Lettern <Xpage=845>
Let"tern (?) , n. See Lecturn .
Letterpress <Xpage=845>
Let"ter*press" (?) , n. Print; letters and words impressed on paper or other material by types; -- often used of the reading matter in distinction from the illustrations.
Letterpress printing, printing directly from type, in distinction from printing from plates.
Letterure <Xpage=845>
Let"ter*ure (?) , n. Letters; literature. [Obs.] "To teach him letterure and courtesy."
Chaucer.
Letterwood <Xpage=845>
Let"ter*wood` (?) , n. (Bot.) The beautiful and highly elastic wood of a tree of the genus Brosimum ( B. Aubletii ), found in Guiana; -- so called from black spots in it which bear some resemblance to hieroglyphics; also called snakewood , and leopardwood . It is much used for bows and for walking sticks.
Lettic <Xpage=845>
Let"tic (?) , a. (a) Of or pertaining to the Letts; Lettish . (b) Of or pertaining to a branch of the Slavic family, subdivided into Lettish, Lithuanian, and Old Prussian. -- n. (a) The language of the Letts; Lettish. (b) The language of the Lettic race, including Lettish, Lithuanian, and Old Prussian.
Lettish <Xpage=845>
Let"tish (?) , a. Of or pertaining to the Letts. -- n. The language spoken by the Letts. See Lettic .
Lettrure <Xpage=845>
Let"trure (?) , n. See Letterure . [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Letts <Xpage=845>
Letts (?) , n. pl. ; sing. Lett (<?/) . (Ethnol.) An Indo-European people, allied to the Lithuanians and Old Prussians, and inhabiting a part of the Baltic provinces of Russia.
Lettuce <Xpage=845>
Let"tuce (?) , n. [OE. letuce , prob. through Old French from some Late Latin derivative of L. lactuca lettuce, which, according to Varro, is fr. lac , lactis , milk, on account of the milky white juice which flows from it when it is cut: cf. F. laitue . Cf. Lacteal , Lactucic .] (Bot.) A composite plant of the genus Lactuca ( L. sativa ), the leaves of which are used as salad. Plants of this genus yield a milky juice, from which lactucarium is obtained. The commonest wild lettuce of the United States is L. Canadensis .
Hare's lettuce , Lamb's lettuce . See under Hare , and Lamb . -- Lettuce opium . See Lactucarium . -- Sea lettuce , certain papery green seaweeds of the genus Ulva .
Letuary <Xpage=845>
Let"u*a*ry (?) , n. Electuary. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Letup <Xpage=845>
Let"*up` (?) . n. [See Let to forbear.] Abatement; also, cessation; as, it blew a gale for three days without any let-up . [Colloq.]
Leuc- <Xpage=845>
Leuc- (?) . Same as Leuco- .
Leucadendron <Xpage=845>
Leu`ca*den"dron (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ white + <?/ tree.] (Bot.) A genus of evergreen shrubs from the Cape of Good Hope, having handsome foliage. Leucadendron argenteum is the silverboom of the colonists.
Leucaniline <Xpage=845>
Leu*can"i*line (?) , n. [ Leuc- + aniline .] (Chem.) A colorless, crystalline, organic base, obtained from rosaniline by reduction, and also from other sources. It forms colorless salts.
Leuch\'91mia <Xpage=845>
Leu*ch\'91"mi*a (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ white + <?/ blood.] (Med.) See Leucocyth\'91mia . -- Leu*ch\'91m"ic (#) , a. [Written also leuk\'91mia , leuk\'91mic .] <-- now (1990) mainly leukemia -->
Leucic, Leucinic <Xpage=845>
Leu"cic (?) , Leu*cin"ic (?) , a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from leucin, and called also oxycaproic acid .
Leucin <Xpage=845>
Leu"cin (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ white.] (Physiol. Chem.) A white, crystalline, nitrogenous substance formed in the decomposition of albuminous matter by pancreatic digestion, by the action of boiling dilute sulphuric acid, and by putrefaction. It is also found as a constituent of various tissues and organs, as the spleen, pancreas, etc., and likewise in the vegetable kingdom. Chemically it is to be considered as amido-caproic acid. <-- now called "leucine", one of the essential amino acids (not synthesized by the human body, required component for proper nutrition). (CH3)2CH.CH2.CH(NH2)-COOH . L-leucine, the natural form, is present in most proteins. -->
Leucite <Xpage=845>
Leu"cite (?) , n. [Gr.<?/ white: cf. F. leucite .]
1. (Min.) A mineral having a glassy fracture, occurring in translucent trapezohedral crystals. It is a silicate of alumina and potash. It is found in the volcanic rocks of Italy, especially at Vesuvius.
2. (Bot.) A leucoplast.
Leucitic <Xpage=845>
Leu*cit"ic (?) , a. (Min.) Containing leucite; as, leucitic rocks .
Leucitoid <Xpage=845>
Leu"ci*toid (?) , n. [ Leucite + -oid .] (Crystallog.) The trapezohedron or tetragonal trisoctahedron; -- so called as being the form of the mineral leucite.
Leuco-, Leuc- <Xpage=845>
Leu"co- (?) , Leuc- (?) . [Gr. <?/ white.] A combining form signifying white , colorless ; specif. (Chem.) , denoting an extensive series of colorless organic compounds, obtained by reduction from certain other colored compounds; as, leuc aniline, leuc aurin, etc.
Leucocyte <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*cyte (?) , n. [ Leuco- + Cr. <?/ a hollow vessel.] (Physiol.) A colorless corpuscle, as one of the white blood corpuscles, or those found in lymph, marrow of hone, connective tissue, etc.
&hand; They all consist of more or less spherical masses of protoplasm, without any surrounding membrane or wall, and are capable of motion.
Leucocyth\'91mia, Leucocythemia <Xpage=845>
Leu`co*cy*th\'91"mi*a , Leu`co*cy*the"mi*a (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ white + <?/ a hollow vessel + <?/ blood.] (Med.) A disease in which the white corpuscles of the blood are largely increased in number, and there is enlargement of the spleen, or the lymphatic glands; leuch\'91mia.
Leucocytogenesis <Xpage=845>
Leu`co*cy`to*gen"e*sis (?) , n. [ Leucocyte + genesis .] (Physiol.) The formation of leucocytes.
Leucoethiopic <Xpage=845>
Leu`co*e`thi*op"ic (?) , a. [ Leuco- + Ethiopic .] White and black; -- said of a white animal of a black species, or the albino of the negro race.
Leucoethiops <Xpage=845>
Leu`co*e"thi*ops (?) , n. [ Leuco- + Aethiops .] An albino. [Also written leuc\'d2thiops .]
Leucoline <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*line (?) , n. [ Leuc- + L. ol eum oil.] (Chem.) A nitrogenous organic base from coal tar, and identical with quinoline. Cf. Quinoline .
Leucoma <Xpage=845>
Leu*co"ma (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr.<?/, fr. <?/ white.] (Med.) A white opacity in the cornea of the eye; -- called also albugo .
Leucomaine <Xpage=845>
Leu*co"ma*ine (?) , n. [ Leuco- + -maine , as in ptomaine .] (Physiol. Chem.) An animal base or alkaloid, appearing in the tissue during life; hence, a vital alkaloid, as distinguished from a ptomaine or cadaveric poison.
Leuconic <Xpage=845>
Leu*con"ic (?) , a. [ Leuc- + croc onic .] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a complex organic acid, obtained as a yellowish white gum by the oxidation of croconic acid.
Leucopathy <Xpage=845>
Leu*cop"a*thy (?) , n. [ Leuco- + Gr. <?/, <?/ to suffer.] The state of an albino, or of a white child of black parents.
Leucophane <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*phane (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ appearing bright or white; <?/ white + <?/ to show: cf. G. leukophan .] (Min.) A mineral of a greenish yellow color; it is a silicate of glucina, lime, and soda with fluorine. Called also leucophanite .
Leucophlegmacy <Xpage=845>
Leu`co*phleg"ma*cy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/; <?/ white + <?/ phlegm: cf. F. leucophlegmasie .] (Med.) A dropsical habit of body, or the commencement of anasarca; paleness, with viscid juices and cold sweats.
Leucophlegmatic <Xpage=845>
Leu`co*phleg*mat"ic (?) , a. [Cf. F. leucophlegmatique , Gr. <?/.] Having a dropsical habit of body, with a white bloated skin.
Leucophyll <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*phyll (?) , n. [ Leuco- + Gr. <?/ a leaf.] (Chem.) A colorless substance isomeric with chlorophyll, contained in parts of plants capable of becoming green.
Watts.
Leucophyllous <Xpage=845>
Leu*coph"yl*lous (?) , a. [Gr. <?/; <?/ white + <?/ a leaf.] (Bot.) Having white or silvery foliage.
Leucoplast, Leucoplastid <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*plast (?) , Leu`co*plas"tid (?) , n. [ Leuco- + Gr. <?/ to mold.] (Bot.) One of certain very minute whitish or colorless granules occurring in the protoplasm of plants and supposed to be the nuclei around which starch granules will form.
Leucopyrite <Xpage=845>
Leu*cop"y*rite (?) , n. [ Leuco- + pyrites .] (Min.) A mineral of a color between white and steel-gray, with a metallic luster, and consisting chiefly of arsenic and iron.
Leucorrh\'d2a <Xpage=845>
Leu`cor*rh\'d2"a (?) , n. [ Leuco- + Gr. "rei^n to flow.] (Med.) A discharge of a white, yellowish, or greenish, viscid mucus, resulting from inflammation or irritation of the membrane lining the genital organs of the female; the whites. <-- leukorrhea, leukorrhagia -->
Dunglison.
Leucoryx <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*ryx (?) , n. [NL., from Gr. <?/ + <?/ a kind of gazelle.] (Zo\'94l.) A large antelope of North Africa ( Oryx leucoryx ), allied to the gemsbok.
Leucoscope <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*scope (?) , n. [ Leuco- + -scope .] (Physics) An instrument, devised by Professor Helmholtz, for testing the color perception of the eye, or for comparing different lights, as to their constituent color or their relative whiteness.
Leucosoid <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*soid (?) , a. [NL. Leucosia , the typical genus (fr. Gr. <?/ white) + -oid .] (Zo\'94l.) Like or pertaining to the Leucosoidea , a tribe of marine crabs including the box crab or Calappa .
Leucosphere <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*sphere (?) , n. [ Leuco- + sphere .] (Astron.) The inner corona. [R.]
Leucoturic <Xpage=845>
Leu`co*tu"ric (?) , a. [ Leuco- + allan t oic + uric .] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a nitrogenous organic substance of the uric acid group, called leucoturic acid or oxalantin . See Oxalantin .
Leucous <Xpage=845>
Leu"cous (?) , a. [Gr. <?/.] White; -- applied to albinos, from the whiteness of their skin and hair.
Leucoxene <Xpage=845>
Leu*cox"ene (?) , n. [ Leuco- + Gr. xe`nos stranger.] (Min.) A nearly opaque white mineral, in part identical with titanite, observed in some igneous rocks as the result of the alteration of titanic iron.
Leuk\'91mia <Xpage=845>
Leu*k\'91"mi*a (?) , n. Leucocyth\'91mia.
Leuke, a., Leukeness <Xpage=845>
Leuke (?) , a. , Leuke"ness , n. See Luke , etc.
Leucoplast <Xpage=845>
Leu"co*plast (?) , n. (Bot.) See Leucoplast .
Levana <Xpage=845>
Le*va"na (?) , n. [L., fr. levare to raise.] (Rom. Myth.) A goddess who protected newborn infants.
Levant <Xpage=845>
Le"vant (?) , a. [F., p. pr. of lever to raise.] (Law) Rising or having risen from rest; -- said of cattle. See Couchant and levant , under Couchant .
Levant <Xpage=845>
Le*vant" (?) , n. [It. levante the point where the sum rises, the east, the Levant, fr. levare to raise, levarsi to rise: cf. F. levant . See Lever .] 1. The countries washed by the eastern part of the Mediterranean and its contiguous waters.
2. A levanter (the wind so called).
Levant <Xpage=845>