Chapter 911

Lit"a*ny (?) , n. ; pl. Litanies (#) . [OE. letanie , OF. letanie , F. litanie , L. litania , Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to pray, akin to <?/, <?/, to pray, <?/ prayer.] A solemn form of supplication in the public worship of various churches, in which the clergy and congregation join, the former leading and the latter responding in alternate sentences. It is usually of a penitential character.

Supplications . . . for the appeasing of God's wrath were of the Greek church termed litanies , and rogations of the Latin. Hooker.

Litarge <Xpage=859>

Lit"arge (?) , n. Litharge. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Litchi <Xpage=859>

Li"tchi` (?) , n. (Bot.) The fruit of a tree native to China ( Nephelium Litchi ). It is nutlike, having a rough but tender shell, containing an aromatic pulp, and a single large seed. In the dried fruit which is exported the pulp somewhat resembles a raisin in color and form. [Written also lichi , and lychee .]

-- lite (#) . See - lith .

Lite <Xpage=859>

Lite (?) , a. , adv., & n. Little. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Liter, Litre <Xpage=859>

Li"ter , Li"tre (?) , n. [F. litre , Gr. <?/ a silver coin.] A measure of capacity in the metric system, being a cubic decimeter, equal to 61.022 cubic inches, or 2.113 American pints, or 1.76 English pints.

Literacy <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*a*cy (?) , n. State of being literate.

Literal <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*al (?) , a. [F. lit\'82ral , litt\'82ral , L. litteralis , literalis , fr. littera , litera , a letter. See Letter .] 1. According to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical; as, the literal meaning of a phrase .

It hath but one simple literal sense whose light the owls can not abide. Tyndale .

2. Following the letter or exact words; not free.

A middle course between the rigor of literal translations and the liberty of paraphrasts. Hooker.

3. Consisting of, or expressed by, letters.

The literal notation of numbers was known to Europeans before the ciphers. Johnson.

4. Giving a strict or literal construction; unimaginative; matter-of fast; -- applied to persons.

Literal contract (Law) , contract of which the whole evidence is given in writing. Bouvier . -- Literal equation (Math.) , an equation in which known quantities are expressed either wholly or in part by means of letters; -- distinguished from a numerical equation .

Literal <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*al , n. Literal meaning. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne .

Literalism <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*al*ism (?) , n. 1. That which accords with the letter; a mode of interpreting literally; adherence to the letter.

2. (Fine Arts) The tendency or disposition to represent objects faithfully, without abstraction, conventionalities, or idealization.

Literalist <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*al*ist , n. One who adheres to the letter or exact word; an interpreter according to the letter.

Literalty <Xpage=859>

Lit`er*al"ty (?) , n. [Cf. F. litt\'82ralit\'82 .] The state or quality of being literal.

Sir T. Browne.

Literalization <Xpage=859>

Lit`er*al*i*za"tion (?) , n. The act of literalizing; reduction to a literal meaning.

Literalize <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*al*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Literalized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Literalizing (?) .] To make literal; to interpret or put in practice according to the strict meaning of the words; -- opposed to spiritualize ; as, to literalize Scripture .

Literalizer <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*al*i`zer (?) , n. A literalist.

Literally <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*al*ly , adv. 1. According to the primary and natural import of words; not figuratively; as, a man and his wife can not be literally one flesh .

2. With close adherence to words; word by word.

So wild and ungovernable a poet can not be translated literally . Dryden.

Literalness <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*al*ness , n. The quality or state of being literal; literal import .

Literary <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*a*ry (?) , a. [L. litterarius , literarius ,fr. littera , litera , a letter: cf. F. litt\'82raire . See Letter .]

1. Of or pertaining to letters or literature; pertaining to learning or learned men; as, literary fame; a literary history; literary conversation.

He has long outlived his century, the term commonly fixed as the test of literary merit. Johnson.

2. Versed in, or acquainted with, literature; occupied with literature as a profession; connected with literature or with men of letters; as, a literary man .

In the literary as well as fashionable world. Mason.

Literary property . (a) Property which consists in written or printed compositions . (b) The exclusive right of publication as recognized and limited by law. <--- e.g. a copyright -->

Literate <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*ate (?) , a. [L. litteratus , literatus . See Letter .] Instructed in learning, science, or literature; learned; lettered.

The literate now chose their emperor, as the military chose theirs. Landor.

Literate <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*ate , n. 1. One educated, but not having taken a university degree; especially, such a person who is prepared to take holy orders. [Eng.]

2. A literary man.

Literati <Xpage=859>

Lit`e*ra"ti (?) , n. pl. [See Literatus .] Learned or literary men. See Literatus .

Shakespearean commentators, and other literati . Craik.

Literatim <Xpage=859>

Lit`e*ra"tim (?) , adv. [LL., fr. L. litera , litera , letter.] Letter for letter.

Literation <Xpage=859>

Lit`er*a"tion (?) , n. [L. littera , litera , letter.] The act or process of representing by letters.

Literator <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*a`tor (?) , n. [L. litterator , literator . See Letter .] 1. One who teaches the letters or elements of knowledge; a petty schoolmaster.

Burke.

2. A person devoted to the study of literary trifles, esp. trifles belonging to the literature of a former age.

That class of subjects which are interesting to the regular literator or black-letter " bibliomane," simply because they have once been interesting. De Quincey.

3. A learned person; a literatus.

Sir W. Hamilton.

Literature <Xpage=859>

Lit"er*a*ture (?) , n. [F. litt\'82rature , L. litteratura , literatura , learning, grammar, writing, fr. littera , litera , letter. See Letter .] 1. Learning; acquaintance with letters or books.

2. The collective body of literary productions, embracing the entire results of knowledge and fancy preserved in writing; also, the whole body of literary productions or writings upon a given subject, or in reference to a particular science or branch of knowledge, or of a given country or period; as, the literature of Biblical criticism; the literature of chemistry.

3. The class of writings distinguished for beauty of style or expression, as poetry, essays, or history, in distinction from scientific treatises and works which contain positive knowledge; belles-lettres.

4. The occupation, profession, or business of doing literary work.

Lamp.

Syn. -- Science; learning; erudition; belles-lettres. See Science . -- Literature , Learning , Erudition . Literature , in its widest sense, embraces all compositions in writing or print which preserve the results of observation, thought, or fancy; but those upon the positive sciences (mathematics, etc.) are usually excluded. It is often confined, however, to belles-lettres , or works of taste and sentiment, as poetry, eloquence, history, etc., excluding abstract discussions and mere erudition. A man of literature (in this narrowest sense) is one who is versed in belles-lettres ; a man of learning excels in what is taught in the schools, and has a wide extent of knowledge, especially, in respect to the past; a man of erudition is one who is skilled in the more recondite branches of learned inquiry.

The origin of all positive science and philosophy, as well as of all literature and art, in the forms in which they exist in civilized Europe, must be traced to the Greeks. Sir G. Lewis.

Learning thy talent is, but mine is sense. Prior.

Some gentlemen, abounding in their university erudition , fill their sermons with philosophical terms. Swift.

Literatus <Xpage=859>

Lit`e*ra"tus (?) , n. ; pl. Literati (#) . [L. litteratus , literatus .] A learned man; a man acquainted with literature; -- chiefly used in the plural .

Now we are to consider that our bright ideal of a literatus may chance to be maimed. De Quincey.

-lith, -lite <Xpage=859>

-lith (?) , -lite (?) . Combining forms fr. Gr. li`qos a stone ; -- used chiefly in naming minerals and rocks.

Lith <Xpage=859>

Lith (?) , obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Lie , to recline, for lieth .

Chaucer.

Lith <Xpage=859>

Lith (?) , n. [AS. li<?/ .] A joint or limb; a division; a member; a part formed by growth, and articulated to, or symmetrical with, other parts.

Chaucer.

Lith\'91mia <Xpage=859>

Li*th\'91"mi*a (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ stone + <?/ blood.] (Med.) A condition in which uric (lithic) acid is present in the blood.

Lithagogue <Xpage=859>

Lith"a*gogue (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ stone + <?/ leading.] (Med.) A medicine having, or supposed to have, the power of expelling calculous matter with the urine.

Hooper.

Litharge <Xpage=859>

Lith"arge (?) , n. [OE. litarge , F. litharge , L. lithargyrus , Gr. <?/ the scum or foam of silver; <?/ stone + <?/ silver. Litharge is found in silverbearing lead ore.] (Chem.) 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 .

Lithargyrum <Xpage=859>

Li*thar"gy*rum (?) , n. [NL. See Litharge .] (Old Chem.) Crystallized litharge, obtained by fusion in the form of fine yellow scales.

Lithate <Xpage=859>

Lith"ate (?) , n. (Old Med. Chem.) A salt of lithic or uric acid; a urate. [Obs.] [Written also lithiate .]

Lithe <Xpage=859>

Lithe (?) , v. i. & i. [Icel <?/. See Listen .] To listen or listen to; to hearken to. [Obs.]

P. Plowman.

Lithe <Xpage=859>

Lithe , a. [AS. <?/, for <?/ tender, mild, gentle; akin to G. lind , gelind , OHG. lindi , Icel. linr , L. lenis soft, mild, lentus flexible, and AS. linnan to yield. Cf. Lenient .] 1. Mild; calm; as, lithe weather . [Obs.]

2. Capable of being easily bent; pliant; flexible; limber; as, the elephant's lithe proboscis .

Milton.

Lithe <Xpage=859>

Lithe , v. t. [AS. <?/. See Lithe , a. ] To smooth; to soften; to palliate. [Obs.]

Lithely <Xpage=859>

Lithe"ly , adv. In a lithe, pliant, or flexible manner.

Litheness <Xpage=859>

Lithe"ness , n. The quality or state of being lithe; flexibility; limberness.

Lither <Xpage=859>

Li"ther (?) , a. [AS. <?/ bad, wicked.] Bad; wicked; false; worthless; slothful. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Not lither in business, fervent in spirit. Bp. Woolton.

&hand; Professor Skeat thinks " the lither sky" as found in Shakespeare's Henry VI. ((Part I. IY. YII., 21) means the stagnant or pestilential sky.

-- Li"ther*ly , adv. [Obs.] . -- Li"ther*ness , n. [Obs.]

Litherly <Xpage=859>

Li"ther*ly , a. Crafty; cunning; mischievous; wicked; treacherous; lazy. [Archaic]

He [the dwarf] was waspish, arch, and litherly . Sir W. Scott.

Lithesome <Xpage=859>

Lithe"some (?) , a. [See Lithe , a. , and cf. Lissom .] Pliant; limber; flexible; supple; nimble; lissom.

-- Lithe"some*ness , n.

Lithia <Xpage=859>

Lith"i*a (?) , n. [NL., from Gr. <?/ stone.] (Chem.) The oxide of lithium; a strong alkaline caustic similar to potash and soda, but weaker. See Lithium .

Lithia emerald . See Hiddenite .

Lithiasis <Xpage=859>

Li*thi"a*sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ stone.] (Med.) The formation of stony concretions or calculi in any part of the body, especially in the bladder and urinary passages.

Dunglison.

Lithic <Xpage=859>

Lith"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ of or belonging to stones, fr. <?/ stone: cf. F. lithique .] 1. Of or pertaining to stone; as, lithic architecture .

2. (Med.) Pertaining to the formation of uric-acid concretions (stone) in the bladder and other parts of the body; as, lithic diathesis .

LIthic acid (Old Med. Chem.) , uric acid. See Uric acid , under Uric .

Lithic <Xpage=859>

Lith"ic , n. (Med.) A medicine which tends to prevent stone in the bladder.

Lithic <Xpage=859>

Lith"ic , a. [From Lithium .] (Chem.) Pertaining to or denoting lithium or some of its compounds.

Frankland.

Lithiophilite <Xpage=859>

Lith`i*oph"i*lite (?) , n. [ Lithium + Gr. <?/ friend.] (Min.) A phosphate of manganese and lithium; a variety of triphylite.

<page="860"> Page 860

Lithium <Xpage=860>

Lith"i*um (?) , n. [NL., from Gr.<?/ of stone, fr. <?/ stone.] (Chem.) A metallic element of the alkaline group, occurring in several minerals, as petalite, spodumene, lepidolite, triphylite, etc., and otherwise widely disseminated, though in small quantities.

&hand; When isolated it is a soft, silver white metal, tarnishing and oxidizing very rapidly in the air. It is the lightest solid element known, specific gravity being 0.59. Symbol Li. Atomic weight 7.0 So called from having been discovered in a mineral.

Litho <Xpage=860>

Lith"o (?) A combining form from Gr. <?/, stone .

Lithobilic <Xpage=860>

Lith`o*bil"ic (?) , a. [ Litho + bile .] (Chem.) Pertaining to or designating an organic acid of the tartaric acid series, distinct from lithofellic acid, but, like it, obtained from certain bile products, as bezoar stones.

Lithocarp <Xpage=860>

Lith"o*carp (?) , n. [ Litho- + Gr. <?/ fruit: cf. F. lithocarpe .] (Paleon.) Fossil fruit; a fruit petrified; a carpolite.

Lithochromatics <Xpage=860>

Lith`o*chro*mat"ics (?) , n. See Lithochromics .

Lithochromics <Xpage=860>

Lith`o*chro"mics (?) , n. [ Litho- + Gr. <?/ color.] The art of printing colored pictures on canvas from oil paintings on stone.

Lithoclast <Xpage=860>

Lith"o*clast (?) , n. [ Litho- + Gr. <?/ to break.] (Surg.) An instrument for crushing stones in the bladder.

Lithocyst <Xpage=860>

Lith"o*cyst (?) , n. [ Litho- + cyst .] (Zo\'94l.) A sac containing small, calcareous concretions ( otoliths ). They are found in many Medus\'91, and other invertebrates, and are supposed to be auditory organs.

Lithodome <Xpage=860>

Lith"o*dome (?) , n. [ Litho- + Gr. <?/ house: cf. F. lithodome .] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of several species of bivalves, which form holes in limestone, in which they live; esp., any species of the genus Lithodomus .

Lithodomous <Xpage=860>

Li*thod"o*mous (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Like, or pertaining to, Lithodomus; lithophagous.

Lithodomus <Xpage=860>

Li*thod"o*mus (?) , n. [NL. See Lithodome .] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of elongated bivalve shells, allied to the mussels, and remarkable for their ability to bore holes for shelter, in solid limestone, shells, etc. Called also Lithophagus .

&hand; These holes are at first very small and shallow, but are enlarged with the growth of the shell, sometimes becoming two or three inches deep and nearly an inch diameter.

Lithofellic <Xpage=860>

Lith"o*fel"lic (?) , a. [ Litho- + L. fel , fellis , gall.] (Physiol. Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a crystalline, organic acid, resembling cholic acid, found in the biliary intestinal concretions (bezoar stones) common in certain species of antelope.

Lithofracteur <Xpage=860>

Lith`o*frac"teur (?) , n. [F., fr. <?/ stone + L. frangere , fractum , to break.] An explosive compound of nitroglycerin. See Nitroglycerin .

Lithogenesy <Xpage=860>

Lith`o*gen"e*sy (?) , n. [ Litho- Gr. <?/ origin, generation: cf. F. lithog\'82n\'82sie . See Genesis .] The doctrine or science of the origin of the minerals composing the globe.

Lithogenous <Xpage=860>

Li*thog"e*nous (?) , a. [ Litho- + -genous .] Stone-producing; -- said of polyps which form coral.

Lithoglyph <Xpage=860>

Lith"o*glyph (?) , n. [Gr. <?/; <?/ stone + <?/ to engrave.] An engraving on a gem.

Lithoglypher <Xpage=860>

Li*thog"ly*pher (?) , n. One who curs or engraves precious stones.

Lithoglyphic <Xpage=860>

Lith`o*glyph"ic (?) , a. Of or pertaining to the art of cutting and engraving precious stones.

Lithoglyptics <Xpage=860>

Lith`o*glyp"tics (?) , n. The art of cutting and engraving gems.

Lithograph <Xpage=860>

Lith"o*graph (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Lithographed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Lithographing (?) .] [ Litho- + -graph : cf. F. lithographier .] To trace on stone by the process of lithography so as to transfer the design to paper by printing; as, to lithograph a design; to lithograph a painting. See Lithography .

Lithograph <Xpage=860>

Lith"o*graph , n. A print made by lithography.

Lithographer <Xpage=860>

Li*thog"ra*pher (?) , n. One who lithographs; one who practices lithography.

Lithographic, Lithographical <Xpage=860>

Lith`o*graph"ic (?) , Lith`o*graph"ic*al (?) , a. [Cf. F. lithographique .] Of or pertaining to lithography; made by lithography; as, the lithographic art; a lithographic picture.