The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 924
A labor of love , a labor undertaken on account of regard for some person, or through pleasure in the work itself, without expectation of reward. -- Free love , the doctrine or practice of consorting with one of the opposite sex, at pleasure, without marriage. See Free love . -- Free lover , one who avows or practices free love. -- In love , in the act of loving; -- said esp. of the love of the sexes; as, to be in love ; to fall in love . -- Love apple (Bot.) , the tomato. -- Love bird (Zo\'94l.) , any one of several species of small, short-tailed parrots, or parrakeets, of the genus Agapornis , and allied genera. They are mostly from Africa. Some species are often kept as cage birds, and are celebrated for the affection which they show for their mates. -- Love broker , a person who for pay acts as agent between lovers, or as a go-between in a sexual intrigue. Shak . -- Love charm , a charm for exciting love. Ld. Lytton . -- Love child . an illegitimate child. Jane Austen . -- Love day , a day formerly appointed for an amicable adjustment of differences. [Obs.] Piers Plowman . Chaucer . -- Love drink , a love potion; a philter. Chaucer . -- Love favor , something given to be worn in token of love. -- Love feast , a religious festival, held quarterly by some religious denominations, as the Moravians and Methodists, in imitation of the agap\'91 of the early Christians. -- Love feat , the gallant act of a lover. Shak . -- Love game , a game, as in tennis, in which the vanquished person or party does not score a point. -- Love grass . [G. liebesgras .] (Bot.) Any grass of the genus Eragrostis . -- Love-in-a-mist . (Bot.) (a) An herb of the Buttercup family ( Nigella Damascena ) having the flowers hidden in a maze of finely cut bracts . (b) The West Indian Passiflora f\'d2tida , which has similar bracts. -- Love-in-idleness (Bot.) , a kind of violet; the small pansy.
A little western flower, Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound; And maidens call it love-in-idleness . Shak.
-- Love juice , juice of a plant supposed to produce love. Shak . -- Love knot , a knot or bow, as of ribbon; -- so called from being used as a token of love, or as a pledge of mutual affection. Milman . -- Love lass , a sweetheart. -- Love letter , a letter of courtship. Shak . -- Love-lies-bleeding (Bot.) , a species of amaranth ( Amarantus melancholicus ). -- Love match , a marriage brought about by love alone. -- Love potion , a compounded draught intended to excite love, or venereal desire. -- Love rites , sexual intercourse. Pope -- Love scene , an exhibition of love, as between lovers on the stage. -- Love suit , courtship. Shak . -- Of all loves , for the sake of all love; by all means. [Obs.] "Mrs. Arden desired him of all loves to come back again." Holinshed . -- The god of love , ∨ Love god , Cupid. -- To make love to , to express affection for; to woo. "If you will marry, make your loves to me." Shak . -- To play for love , to play a game, as at cards, without stakes. "A game at piquet for love ." Lamb .
Syn. -- Affection; friendship; kindness; tenderness; fondness; delight.
Love <Xpage=871>
Love (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Loved (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Loving .] [AS. lufian . <?/. See Love , n. ] 1. To have a feeling of love for; to regard with affection or good will; as, to love one's children and friends; to love one's country; to love one's God.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matt. xxii. 37.
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self. Matt. xxii. 39.
2. To regard with passionate and devoted affection, as that of one sex for the other.
3. To take delight or pleasure in; to have a strong liking or desire for, or interest in; to be pleased with; to like; as, to love books; to love adventures.
Wit, eloquence, and poetry. Arts which I loved . Cowley.
Love <Xpage=871>
Love , v. i. To have the feeling of love; to be in love.
Loveable <Xpage=871>
Love"a*ble (?) , a. See Lovable .
Lovedrury <Xpage=871>
Love"*dru`ry , n. [ Love + OF. druerie. Cf. Druery .] Affection. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Lovee <Xpage=871>
Lov*ee" (?) , n. One who is loved. [Humorous] "The lover and lovee ."
Richardson.
Loveful <Xpage=871>
Love"ful (?) , a. Full of love. [Obs.]
Sylvester.
Loveless <Xpage=871>
Love"less , a. 1. Void of love; void of tenderness or kindness.
Milton. Shelton.
2. Not attracting love; unattractive.
These are ill-favored to see to; and yet, as loveless as they be, they are not without some medicinable virtues. Holland.
Lovelily <Xpage=871>
Love"li*ly (?) , adv. [From Lovely .] In manner to excite love; amiably. [R.]
Otway.
Loveliness <Xpage=871>
Love"li*ness , n. [From Lovely .] The state or quality of being lovely.
If there is such a native loveliness in the sex as to make them victorious when in the wrong, how resistless their power when they are on the side of truth! Spectator.
Lovelock <Xpage=871>
Love"lock` (?) , n. A long lock of hair hanging prominently by itself; an earlock; -- worn by men of fashion in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.
Burton.
A long lovelock and long hair he wore. Sir W . Scott .
Lovelorn <Xpage=871>
Love"lorn` (?) , a. Forsaken by one's love.
The lovelorn nightingale. Milton.
Lovely <Xpage=871>
Love"ly (?) , a. [ Compar. Lovelier (?) ; superl. Loveliest .] [AS. luflic .] 1. Having such an appearance as excites, or is fitted to excite, love; beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner. " Lovely to look on." Piers Plowman .
Not one so fair of face, of speech so lovely . Robert of Brunne.
If I had such a tire, this face of mine Were full as lovely as is this of hers. Shak.
2. Lovable; amiable; having qualities of any kind which excite, or are fitted to excite, love or friendship.
A most lovely gentlemanlike man. Shak.
3. Loving; tender. [Obs.] "A lovely kiss."
Shak.
Many a lovely look on them he cast. Chaucer.
4. Very pleasing; -- applied loosely to almost anything which is not grand or merely pretty; as, a lovely view; a lovely valley; a lovely melody.
Indeed these fields Are lovely , lovelier not the Elysian lawns. Tennyson.
Syn. -- Beautiful; charming; delightful; delectable; enchanting; lovable; amiable.
Lovely <Xpage=871>
Love"ly , adv. In a manner to please, or to excite love. [Obs. or R.]
Tyndale.
Love-making <Xpage=871>
Love"-mak`ing (?) , n. Courtship.
Bacon.
Lovemonger <Xpage=871>
Love"mon`ger (?) , n. One who deals in affairs of love. [Obs.]
Shak.
Lover <Xpage=871>
Lov"er (?) , n. 1. One who loves; one who is in love; -- usually limited, in the singular, to a person of the male sex.
Gower.
Love is blind, and lovers can not see The pretty follies that themselves commit. Shak.
2. A friend; one strongly attached to another; one who greatly desires the welfare of any person or thing; as, a lover of his country .
I slew my best lover for the good of Rome. Shak.
3. One who has a strong liking for anything, as books, science, or music. "A lover of knowledge." T. Burnet .
<page="872"> Page 872
Lover, Lovery <Xpage=872>
Lo"ver (?) , Lo"ver*y (?) , n. See Louver . [Obs.]
Bp. Hall.
Loverwise <Xpage=872>
Lo"ver*wise` (?) , adv. As lovers do.
As they sat down here loverwise . W. D. Howells.
Love-sick <Xpage=872>
Love"-sick` (?) , a. 1. Languishing with love or amorous desire; as, a love-sick maid .
To the dear mistress of my love-sick mind. Dryden.
2. Originating in, or expressive of, languishing love.
Where nightingales their love-sick ditty sing. Dryden.
Love-sickness <Xpage=872>
Love"-sick`ness , n. The state of being love-sick.
Lovesome <Xpage=872>
Love"some (?) , a. [AS. lufsum .] Lovely. [Obs.]
Loving <Xpage=872>
Lov"ing (?) , a. 1. Affectionate.
The fairest and most loving wife in Greece. Tennyson.
2. Expressing love or kindness; as, loving words .
Loving-kindness <Xpage=872>
Lov"ing-kind"ness (?) , n. Tender regard; mercy; favor.
Ps. lxxxix. 33.
Lovingly <Xpage=872>
Lov"ing*ly , adv. With love; affectionately.
Lovingness <Xpage=872>
Lov"ing*ness , n. Affection; kind regard.
The only two bands of good will, loveliness and lovingness . Sir. P. Sidney.
Lovyer <Xpage=872>
Lov"yer (?) , n. A lover. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Low <Xpage=872>
Low (?) , obs , strong imp . of Laugh .
Chaucer.
Low <Xpage=872>
Low (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Lowed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Lowing .] [OE. lowen , AS. hl<?/wan ; akin to D. loeijen , OHG. hl<?/jan , hluojan .] To make the calling sound of cows and other bovine animals; to moo.
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea. Gray.
Low <Xpage=872>
Low , n. The calling sound ordinarily made by cows and other bovine animals.
Talking voices and the law of herds. Wordsworth.
Low <Xpage=872>
Low , n. [AS. hl\'bew ; akin to Goth. hlaiw a grave, hlains a hill, and to E. lean to incline.] A hill; a mound; a grave. [Obs. except in place names.]
Skeat.
Low <Xpage=872>
Low (?) , n. [Icel. log , logi ; akin to E. light , n. ] Fire; a flame; a light. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
Low <Xpage=872>
Low , v. i. To burn; to blaze. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Burns.
Low <Xpage=872>
Low (?) , a. [ Compar. Lower (?) ; superl. Lowest .] [OE. low , louh , lah , Icel. l\'begr ; akin to Sw. l \'86 g , Dan. lav , D. laag , and E. lie . See Lie to be prostrate.]
1. Occupying an inferior position or place; not high or elevated; depressed in comparison with something else; as, low ground; a low flight.
2. Not rising to the usual height; as, a man of low stature; a low fence.
3. Near the horizon; as, the sun is low at four o'clock in winter, and six in summer .
4. Sunk to the farthest ebb of the tide; as, low tide .
5. Beneath the usual or remunerative rate or amount, or the ordinary value; moderate; cheap; as, the low price of corn; low wages.
6. Not loud; as, a low voice; a low sound.
7. (Mus.) Depressed in the scale of sounds; grave; as, a low pitch; a low note.
8. (Phon.) Made, as a vowel, with a low position of part of the tongue in relation to the palate; as, <?/ (<?/m), <?/ (all) . See Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 5, 10, 11.
9. Near, or not very distant from, the equator; as, in the low northern latitudes .
10. Numerically small; as, a low number .
11. Wanting strength or animation; depressed; dejected; as, low spirits; low in spirits.
12. Depressed in condition; humble in rank; as, men of low condition; the lower classes.
Why but to keep ye low and ignorant ? Milton.
13. Mean; vulgar; base; dishonorable; as, a person of low mind; a low trick or stratagem.
14. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted or diction; as, a low comparison .
In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest wits of the heathen world are low and dull. Felton.
15. Submissive; humble. " Low reverence."
Milton.
16. Deficient in vital energy; feeble; weak; as, a low pulse; made low by sickness.
17. Moderate; not intense; not inflammatory; as, low heat; a low temperature; a low fever.
18. Smaller than is reasonable or probable; as, a low estimate .
19. Not rich, high seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple; as, a low diet .
&hand; Low is often used in the formation of compounds which require no special explanation; as, low- arched, low- browed, low- crowned, low- heeled, low- lying, low- priced, low- roofed, low- toned, low- voiced, and the like.
Low Church . See High Church , under High . -- Low Countries , the Netherlands. -- Low German , Low Latin , etc. See under German , Latin , etc. -- Low life , humble life. -- Low milling , a process of making flour from grain by a single grinding and by siftings. -- Low relief . See Bas-relief . -- Low side window (Arch.) , a peculiar form of window common in medi\'91val churches, and of uncertain use. Windows of this sort are narrow, near the ground, and out of the line of the windows, and in many different situations in the building. -- Low spirits , despondency. -- Low steam , steam having a low pressure. -- Low steel , steel which contains only a small proportion of carbon, and can not be hardened greatly by sudden cooling. -- Low Sunday , the Sunday next after Easter; -- popularly so called. -- Low tide , the farthest ebb of the tide; the tide at its lowest point; low water. -- Low water . (a) The lowest point of the ebb tide; a low stage of the in a river, lake, etc. (b) (Steam Boiler) The condition of an insufficient quantity of water in the boiler. -- Low water alarm ∨ indicator (Steam Boiler) , a contrivance of various forms attached to a boiler for giving warning when the water is low. -- Low water mark , that part of the shore to which the waters recede when the tide is the lowest. Bouvier . -- Low wine , a liquor containing about 20 percent of alcohol, produced by the first distillation of wash; the first run of the still; -- often in the plural.
Low <Xpage=872>
Low , n. (Card Playing) The lowest trump, usually the deuce; the lowest trump dealt or drawn.
Low <Xpage=872>
Low , adv. 1. In a low position or manner; not aloft; not on high; near the ground.
2. Under the usual price; at a moderate price; cheaply; as, he sold his wheat low .
3. In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly.
4. In time approaching our own.
In that part of the world which was first inhabited, even as low down as Abraham's time, they wandered with their flocks and herds. Locke.
5. With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently; as, to speak low .
Addison.
The . . . odorous wind Breathes low between the sunset and the moon. Tennyson.
6. With a low musical pitch or tone.
Can sing both high and low . Shak.
7. In subjection, poverty, or disgrace; as, to be brought low by oppression, by want, or by vice .
Spenser.
8. (Astron.) In a path near the equator, so that the declination is small, or near the horizon, so that the altitude is small; -- said of the heavenly bodies with reference to the diurnal revolution; as, the moon runs low , that is, is comparatively near the horizon when on or near the meridian .
Low <Xpage=872>
Low (?) , v. t. To depress; to lower. [Obs.]
Swift.
Lowbell <Xpage=872>
Low"bell` (?) , n. [ Low a flame + bell .] 1. A bell used in fowling at night, to frighten birds, and, with a sudden light, to make them fly into a net.
The fowler's lowbell robs the lark of sleep. King.
2. A bell to be hung on the neck of a sheep.
A lowbell hung about a sheep's . . . neck. Howell.
Lowbell <Xpage=872>
Low"bell` , v. t. To frighten, as with a lowbell.
Lowborn <Xpage=872>
Low"born` (?) , a. Born in a low condition or rank; -- opposed to highborn .
Lowbred <Xpage=872>
Low"bred` (?) , a. Bred, or like one bred, in a low condition of life; characteristic or indicative of such breeding; rude; impolite; vulgar; as, a lowbred fellow; a lowbred remark.
Low-church <Xpage=872>
Low"-church` (?) , a. Not placing a high estimate on ecclesiastical organizations or forms; -- applied especially to Episcopalians, and opposed to high-church . See High Church , under High .
Low-churchism <Xpage=872>
Low"-church`ism (?) , n. The principles of the low-church party.
Low-churchman <Xpage=872>
Low"-church`man (?) , n. ; pl. -men (<?/) . One who holds low-church principles.
Low-churchmanship <Xpage=872>
Low"-church`man*ship , n. The state of being a low-churchman.
Lower <Xpage=872>
Low"er (?) , a. Compar. of Low , a. <-- irregular format -->
Lower <Xpage=872>
Low"er , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Lowered (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Lowering .] [From Low , a. ] 1. To let descend by its own weight, as something suspended; to let down; as, to lower a bucket into a well; to lower a sail or a boat ; sometimes, to pull down; as, to lower a flag .
Lowered softly with a threefold cord of love Down to a silent grave. Tennyson.
2. To reduce the height of; as, to lower a fence or wall; to lower a chimney or turret.
3. To depress as to direction; as, to lower the aim of a gun ; to make less elevated as to object; as, to lower one's ambition, aspirations, or hopes .
4. To reduce the degree, intensity, strength, etc., of; as, to lower the temperature of anything; to lower one's vitality; to lower distilled liquors.