Chapter 68

{ Lam"mer*geir (lm"mr*gr), Lam"mer*gei`er (-g`r), } n. [G. lämmergeier; lamm, pl. lämmer, lamb + geier vulture.] (Zoöl.) A very large vulture (Gypaëtus barbatus), which inhabits the mountains of Southern Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. When full-grown it is nine or ten feet in extent of wings. It is brownish black above, with the under parts and neck rusty yellow; the forehead and crown white; the sides of the head and beard black. It feeds partly on carrion and partly on small animals, which it kills. It has the habit of carrying tortoises and marrow bones to a great height, and dropping them on stones to obtain the contents, and is therefore called bonebreaker and ossifrage. It is supposed to be the ossifrage of the Bible. Called also bearded vulture and bearded eagle. [Written also lammergeyer.]

||Lam*nun"gui*a (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. lamina a scale + unguis a ||nail.] (Zoöl.) Same as Hyracoidea. || Lamp (?), n. [OE. (with excrescent p), fr. F. lame, L. lamina. See Lamina.] A thin plate or lamina. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Lamp (?), n. [F. lampe, L. lampas, -adis, fr. Gr. &?; , &?;, torch, fr. &?; to give light, to shine. Cf. Lampad, Lantern.] 1. A light-producing vessel, instrument or apparatus; especially, a vessel with a wick used for the combustion of oil or other inflammable liquid, for the purpose of producing artificial light.

2. Figuratively, anything which enlightens intellectually or morally; anything regarded metaphorically a performing the uses of a lamp.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Ps. cxix. 105.

Ages elapsed ere Homer's lamp appeared.

Cowper.

3. (Elec.) A device or mechanism for producing light by electricity. See Incandescent lamp, under Incandescent.

Æolipile lamp, a hollow ball of copper containing alcohol which is converted into vapor by a lamp beneath, so as to make a powerful blowpipe flame when the vapor is ignited. Weale. -- Arc lamp (Elec.), a form of lamp in which the voltaic arc is used as the source of light. -- Dëbereiner's lamp, an apparatus for the instantaneous production of a flame by the spontaneous ignition of a jet of hydrogen on being led over platinum sponge; -- named after the German chemist Döbereiner, who invented it. Called also philosopher's lamp. -- Flameless lamp, an aphlogistic lamp. -- Lamp burner, the part of a lamp where the wick is exposed and ignited. Knight. -- Lamp fount, a reservoir for oil, in a lamp. -- Lamp jack. See 2d Jack, n., 4 (l) & (n). -- Lamp shade, a screen, as of paper, glass, or tin, for softening or obstructing the light of a lamp. -- Lamp shell (Zoöl.), any brachiopod shell of the genus Terebratula and allied genera. The name refers to the shape, which is like that of an antique lamp. See Terebratula. -- Safety lamp, a miner's lamp in which the flame is surrounded by fine wire gauze, preventing the kindling of dangerous explosive gases; -- called also, from Sir Humphry Davy the inventor, Davy lamp. -- To smell of the lamp, to bear marks of great study and labor, as a literary composition.

Lam"pad (?), n. [Gr. &?; , &?;. See Lamp.] A lamp or candlestick. [R.]

By him who 'mid the golden lampads went.

Trench.

Lam"pa*dist (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?;, &?;, torch. See Lamp.] (Gr. Antiq.) One who gained the prize in the lampadrome.

Lam"pa*drome (?), n. [Gr. &?;; &?;, &?;, torch + &?; course, race, fr. &?; to run.] (Gr. Antiq.) A race run by young men with lighted torches in their hands. He who reached the goal first, with his torch unextinguished, gained the prize.

Lam"pas (?), n. [F. lampas.] An inflammation and swelling of the soft parts of the roof of the mouth immediately behind the fore teeth in the horse; -- called also lampers.

Lam"pate (?), n. [Cf. F. lampate.] (Chem.) A supposed salt of lampic acid. [Obs.]

Lamp"black` (?), n. [Lamp + black.] The fine impalpable soot obtained from the smoke of carbonaceous substances which have been only partly burnt, as in the flame of a smoking lamp. It consists of finely divided carbon, with sometimes a very small proportion of various impurities. It is used as an ingredient of printers' ink, and various black pigments and cements.

Lam"per eel` (?). (Zoöl.) See Lamprey.

Lam"pern (?), n. [See Lamprey.] (Zoöl.) The river lamprey (Ammocœtes, or Lampetra, fluviatilis).

The name is also applied to other river lampreys.

Lam"pers (?), n. See Lampas.

Lam"pic (?), a. [F. lampique, fr. lampe lamp. See Lamp.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or produced by, a lamp; -- formerly said of a supposed acid.

Lamp"ing (?), a. Shining; brilliant. [Obs.] "Lamping eyes." Spenser.

Lamp"less, a. Being without a lamp, or without light; hence, being without appreciation; dull.

Your ladies' eyes are lampless to that virtue.

Beau. & Fl.

Lamp"light` (?), n. Light from a lamp.

This world's artificial lamplights.

Owen Meredith.

Lamp"light`er (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, lights a lamp; esp., a person who lights street lamps.

2. (Zoöl.) The calico bass.

Lam*poon" (?), n. [F. lampon a drinking song, fr. lampons let us drink, -- the burden of such a song, fr. lamper to guzzle, to drink much and greedily; of German origin, and akin to E. lap to drink. Prob. so called because drinking songs often contain personal slander or satire.] A personal satire in writing; usually, malicious and abusive censure written only to reproach and distress.

Like her who missed her name in a lampoon, And grieved to find herself decayed so soon.

Dryden.

Lam*poon", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lampooned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lampooning.] To subject to abusive ridicule expressed in writing; to make the subject of a lampoon.

Ribald poets had lampooned him.

Macaulay.

Syn. -- To libel; defame; satirize; lash.

Lam*poon"er (?), n. The writer of a lampoon. "Libelers, lampooners, and pamphleteers." Tatler.

Lam*poon"ry (?), n. The act of lampooning; a lampoon, or lampoons.

Lamp"-post` (?), n. A post (generally a pillar of iron) supporting a lamp or lantern for lighting a street, park, etc.

Lam"prel (?), n. (Zoöl.) See Lamprey.

Lam"prey (?), n.; pl. Lampreys (#). [OE. lampreie, F. lamproie, LL. lampreda, lampetra, from L. lambere to lick + petra rock, stone. The lampreys are so called because they attach themselves with their circular mouths to rocks and stones, whence they are also called rocksuckers. See Lap to drink, Petrify.] (Zoöl.) An eel-like marsipobranch of the genus Petromyzon, and allied genera. The lampreys have a round, sucking mouth, without jaws, but set with numerous minute teeth, and one to three larger teeth on the palate (see Illust. of Cyclostomi). There are seven small branchial openings on each side. [Written also lamper eel, lamprel, and lampron.]

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The common or sea lamprey of America and Europe (Petromyzon marinus), which in spring ascends rivers to spawn, is considered excellent food by many, and is sold as a market fish in some localities. The smaller river lampreys mostly belong to the genus Ammocœles, or Lampetra, as A. fluviatilis, of Europe, and A. æpypterus of America. All lampreys attach themselves to other fishes, as parasites, by means of the suckerlike mouth.

Lam"pron (lm"prn), n. [Cf. OE. lampreon. See Lamprey.] (Zoöl.) See Lamprey.

Lam*py"rine (?), n. [See Lampyris.] (Zoöl.) An insect of the genus Lampyris, or family Lampyridæ. See Lampyris.

||Lam*py"ris (?), n. [L., glowworm, Gr. (&?;).] (Zoöl.) A genus of ||coleopterous insects, including the glowworms. || Lan"ark*ite (?), n. [From Lanarkshire, a county in Scotland.] (Min.) A mineral consisting of sulphate of lead, occurring either massive or in long slender prisms, of a greenish white or gray color.

La"na*ry (?), n. [L. lanaria, fr. lanarius belonging to wool, lana wool.] A place for storing wool.

{ La"nate (?), La"na*ted (?), } [L. lanatus, fr. lana wool, down.] Wooly; covered with fine long hair, or hairlike filaments.

Lan"ca*shire boil"er (?). A steam boiler having two flues which contain the furnaces and extend through the boiler from end to end.

Lan`cas*te"ri*an (?), a. Of or pertaining to the monitorial system of instruction followed by Joseph Lancaster, of England, in which advanced pupils in a school teach pupils below them.

Lance (lns), n. [OE. lance, F. lance, fr. L. lancea; cf. Gr. lo`gchh. Cf. Launch.] 1. A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen, and often decorated with a small flag; also, a spear or harpoon used by whalers and fishermen.

A braver soldier never couched lance.

Shak.

2. A soldier armed with a lance; a lancer.

3. (Founding) A small iron rod which suspends the core of the mold in casting a shell.

4. (Mil.) An instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home.

5. (Pyrotech.) One of the small paper cases filled with combustible composition, which mark the outlines of a figure.

Free lance, in the Middle Ages, and subsequently, a knight or roving soldier, who was free to engage for any state or commander that purchased his services; hence, a person who assails institutions or opinions on his own responsibility without regard to party lines or deference to authority. -- Lance bucket (Cavalry), a socket attached to a saddle or stirrup strap, in which to rest the but of a lance. -- Lance corporal, same as Lancepesade. -- Lance knight, a lansquenet. B. Jonson. -- Lance snake (Zoöl.), the fer-de-lance. -- Stink-fire lance (Mil.), a kind of fuse filled with a composition which burns with a suffocating odor; -- used in the counter operations of miners. -- To break a lance, to engage in a tilt or contest.

Lance, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lanced (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Lancing (?).] 1. To pierce with a lance, or with any similar weapon.

Seized the due victim, and with fury lanced Her back.

Dryden.

2. To open with a lancet; to pierce; as, to lance a vein or an abscess.

3. To throw in the manner of a lance. See Lanch.

Lance" fish` (?). (Zoöl.) A slender marine fish of the genus Ammodytes, especially Ammodytes tobianus of the English coast; -- called also sand lance.

{ Lance"gay`, Lance"gaye` } (?), n. [OF. lancegaie, corrupted from the same source as E. assagai, under the influence of F. lance lance. See Assagai.] A kind of spear anciently used. Its use was prohibited by a statute of Richard II. Nares.

In his hand a launcegay, A long sword by his side.

Chaucer.

Lance"let (?), n. [Lance + - let.] (Zoöl.) 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.

Lance"ly, a. Like a lance. [R.] Sir P. Sidney.

Lan"ce*o*lar (?), a. [L. lanceola a little lance, dim. of lancea lance: cf. F. lancéolaire.] (Bot.) Lanceolate.

{ Lan"ce*o*late (?), Lan"ce*o*la`ted (?) } a. [L. lanceolatus: cf. F. lancéolé. See Lanceolar.] (Bot. & Zoöl.) Rather narrow, tapering to a point at the apex, and sometimes at the base also; as, a lanceolate leaf.

Lance`pe*sade" (?), n. [F. lancepessade, lanspessade, anspessade, It. lancia spezzata a broken lance or demilance, a demilance roan, a light horseman, bodyguard.] An assistant to a corporal; a private performing the duties of a corporal; -- called also lance corporal.

Lan"cer (?), n. [Cf. F. lancier.] 1. One who lances; one who carries a lance; especially, a member of a mounted body of men armed with lances, attached to the cavalry service of some nations. Wilhelm.

2. A lancet. [Obs.]

3. pl. (Dancing) A set of quadrilles of a certain arrangement. [Written also lanciers.]

Lan"cet (?), n. [F. lancette, dim. of lance lance. See Lance.] 1. A surgical instrument of various forms, commonly sharp-pointed and two-edged, used in venesection, and in opening abscesses, etc.

2. (Metal.) An iron bar used for tapping a melting furnace. Knight.

Lancet arch (Arch.), a pointed arch, of which the width, or span, is narrow compared with the height. -- Lancet architecture, a name given to a style of architecture, in which lancet arches are common; -- peculiar to England and 13th century. -- Lancet fish. (Zoöl.) (a) A large, voracious, deep- sea fish (Alepidosaurus ferox), having long, sharp, lancetlike teeth. (b) The doctor, or surgeon fish.

Lance"wood` (?), n. (Bot.) A tough, elastic wood, often used for the shafts of gigs, archery bows, fishing rods, and the like. Also, the tree which produces this wood, Duguetia Quitarensis (a native of Guiana and Cuba), and several other trees of the same family (Anonaseæ).

Australian lancewood, a myrtaceous tree (Backhousia Australis).

Lanch (lnch), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lanched (lncht); p. pr. & vb. n. Lanching. See Launch, Lance.] To throw, as a lance; to let fly; to launch.

See Whose arm can lanch the surer bolt.

Dryden & Lee.

Lan*cif"er*ous (?), a. [Lance + -ferous.] Bearing a lance.

Lan"ci*form (?), a. [Lance + -form: cf. F. lanciforme.] Having the form of a lance.

Lan"ci*nate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lancinated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lancinating (?).] [L. lancinatus, p. p. of lancinare to fear.] To tear; to lacerate; to pierce or stab. De Quincey.

Lan"ci*na`ting, a. Piercing; seeming to pierce or stab; as, lancinating pains (i.e., severe, darting pains).

Lan`ci*na"tion (?), n. A tearing; laceration. "Lancinations of the spirit." Jer. Taylor.

Land (lnd), n. Urine. See Lant. [Obs.]

Land, n. [AS. land, lond; akin to D., G., Icel., Sw., Dan., and Goth. land. ] 1. The solid part of the surface of the earth; - - opposed to water as constituting a part of such surface, especially to oceans and seas; as, to sight land after a long voyage.

They turn their heads to sea, their sterns to land.

Dryden.

2. Any portion, large or small, of the surface of the earth, considered by itself, or as belonging to an individual or a people, as a country, estate, farm, or tract.

Go view the land, even Jericho.

Josh. ii. 1.

Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay.

Goldsmith.

In the expressions "to be, or dwell, upon land," "to go, or fare, on land," as used by Chaucer, land denotes the country as distinguished from the town.

A poor parson dwelling upon land [i.e., in the country].

Chaucer.

3. Ground, in respect to its nature or quality; soil; as, wet land; good or bad land.

4. The inhabitants of a nation or people.

These answers, in the silent night received, The king himself divulged, the land believed.

Dryden.

5. The mainland, in distinction from islands.

6. The ground or floor. [Obs.]

Herself upon the land she did prostrate.

Spenser.

7. (Agric.) The ground left unplowed between furrows; any one of several portions into which a field is divided for convenience in plowing.

8. (Law) Any ground, soil, or earth whatsoever, as meadows, pastures, woods, etc., and everything annexed to it, whether by nature, as trees, water, etc., or by the hand of man, as buildings, fences, etc.; real estate. Kent. Bouvier. Burrill.

9. (Naut.) The lap of the strakes in a clinker-built boat; the lap of plates in an iron vessel; -- called also landing. Knight.

10. In any surface prepared with indentations, perforations, or grooves, that part of the surface which is not so treated, as the level part of a millstone between the furrows, or the surface of the bore of a rifled gun between the grooves.

Land agent, a person employed to sell or let land, to collect rents, and to attend to other money matters connected with land. -- Land boat, a vehicle on wheels propelled by sails. -- Land blink, a peculiar atmospheric brightness seen from sea over distant snow-covered land in arctic regions. See Ice blink. -- Land breeze. See under Breeze. -- Land chain. See Gunter's chain. -- Land crab (Zoöl.), any one of various species of crabs which live much on the land, and resort to the water chiefly for the purpose of breeding. They are abundant in the West Indies and South America. Some of them grow to a large size. -- Land fish a fish on land; a person quite out of place. Shak. -- Land force, a military force serving on land, as distinguished from a naval force. -- Land, ho! (Naut.), a sailor's cry in announcing sight of land. -- Land ice, a field of ice adhering to the coast, in distinction from a floe. -- Land leech (Zoöl.), any one of several species of blood-sucking leeches, which, in moist, tropical regions, live on land, and are often troublesome to man and beast. -- Land measure, the system of measurement used in determining the area of land; also, a table of areas used in such measurement. -- Land, or House, of bondage, in Bible history, Egypt; by extension, a place or condition of special oppression. -- Land o' cakes, Scotland. -- Land of Nod, sleep. -- Land of promise, in Bible history, Canaan: by extension, a better country or condition of which one has expectation. -- Land of steady habits, a nickname sometimes given to the State of Connecticut. -- Land office, a government office in which the entries upon, and sales of, public land are registered, and other business respecting the public lands is transacted. [U.S.] -- Land pike. (Zoöl.) (a) The gray pike, or sauger. (b) The Menobranchus. -- Land service, military service as distinguished from naval service. -- Land rail. (Zoöl) (a) The crake or corncrake of Europe. See Crake. (b) An Australian rail (Hypotænidia Phillipensis); -- called also pectoral rail. -- Land scrip, a certificate that the purchase money for a certain portion of the public land has been paid to the officer entitled to receive it. [U.S.] -- Land shark, a swindler of sailors on shore. [Sailors' Cant] -- Land side (a) That side of anything in or on the sea, as of an island or ship, which is turned toward the land. (b) The side of a plow which is opposite to the moldboard and which presses against the unplowed land. -- Land snail (Zoöl.), any snail which lives on land, as distinguished from the aquatic snails are Pulmonifera, and belong to the Geophila; but the operculated land snails of warm countries are Diœcia, and belong to the Tænioglossa. See Geophila, and Helix. -- Land spout, a descent of cloud and water in a conical form during the occurrence of a tornado and heavy rainfall on land. - - Land steward, a person who acts for another in the management of land, collection of rents, etc. -- Land tortoise, Land turtle (Zoöl.), any tortoise that habitually lives on dry land, as the box tortoise. See Tortoise. -- Land warrant, a certificate from the Land Office, authorizing a person to assume ownership of a public land. [U.S.] -- Land wind. Same as Land breeze (above). -- To make land (Naut.), to sight land. To set the land, to see by the compass how the land bears from the ship. -- To shut in the land, to hide the land, as when fog, or an intervening island, obstructs the view.

Land (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Landed; p. pr. & vb. n. Landing.] 1. To set or put on shore from a ship or other water craft; to disembark; to debark.

I 'll undertake to land them on our coast.

Shak.

2. To catch and bring to shore; to capture; as, to land a fish.

3. To set down after conveying; to cause to fall, alight, or reach; to bring to the end of a course; as, he landed the quoit near the stake; to be thrown from a horse and landed in the mud; to land one in difficulties or mistakes.

Land, v. i. To go on shore from a ship or boat; to disembark; to come to the end of a course.

Lan"dam*man (?), n. [G. Landamman; land land, country + amimann bailiff. See Land, and Ambassador.] 1. A chief magistrate in some of the Swiss cantons.

2. The president of the diet of the Helvetic republic.

Lan"dau (?), n. [From the town Ladau in Germany; cf. F. landau. See Land, Island.] A four-wheeled covered vehicle, the top of which is divided into two sections which can be let down, or thrown back, in such a manner as to make an open carriage. [Written also landaw.]

Lan`dau*let" (?), n. [Cf. F. landaulet, dim, of landau. See Landau.] A small landau.

Land"ed (?), a. 1. Having an estate in land.

The House of Commons must consist, for the most part, of landed men.

Addison.

2. Consisting in real estate or land; as, landed property; landed security.

Land"er (?), n. 1. One who lands, or makes a landing. "The lander in a lonely isle." Tennyson.

2. (Mining) A person who waits at the mouth of the shaft to receive the kibble of ore.

Land"fall (?), n. 1. A sudden transference of property in land by the death of its owner.

2. (Naut.) Sighting or making land when at sea.

A good landfall (Naut.), the sighting of land in conformity with the navigator's reckoning and expectation.

Land"flood` (?), n. An overflowing of land by river; an inundation; a freshet. Clarendon.

Land"grave` (?), n. [G. landgraf; land land + graf earl, count; cf. D. landgraaf, F. landgrave.] A German nobleman of a rank corresponding to that of an earl in England and of a count in France.

The title was first adopted by some German counts in the twelfth century, to distinguish themselves from the inferior counts under their jurisdiction. Three of them were princes of the empire.

Land*gra"vi*ate (?), n. [Cf. F. landgraviat.] 1. The territory held by a landgrave.

2. The office, jurisdiction, or authority of a landgrave.

Land"gra*vine (?), n. [G. landgräfin; cf. D. landgravin.] The wife of a landgrave.

Land"hold`er (?), n. A holder, owner, or proprietor of land. -- Land"hold`ing, n. & a.

Land"ing, a. Of, pertaining to, or used for, setting, bringing, or going, on shore.

Landing charges, charges or fees paid on goods unloaded from a vessel. -- Landing net, a small, bag-shaped net, used in fishing to take the fish from the water after being hooked. -- Landing stage, a floating platform attached at one end to a wharf in such a manner as to rise and fall with the tide, and thus facilitate passage between the wharf and a vessel lying beside the stage. -- Landing waiter, a customhouse officer who oversees the landing of goods, etc., from vessels; a landwaiter.

Land"ing, n. 1. A going or bringing on shore.

2. A place for landing, as from a ship, a carriage. etc.

3. (Arch.) The level part of a staircase, at the top of a flight of stairs, or connecting one flight with another.

Landing place. me as Landing, n., 2 and 3.

Land"la`dy (?), n.; pl. Landladies (#). [Cf. Landlord.] 1. A woman having real estate which she leases to a tenant or tenants.

2. The mistress of an inn or lodging house.

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Land"leap`er (?), n. See Landlouper.

Land"less (?), a. Having no property in land.

Land"lock` (?), v. t. To inclose, or nearly inclose, as a harbor or a vessel, with land.

Land"locked` (?), a. 1. Inclosed, or nearly inclosed, by land.

2. (Zoöl.) Confined to a fresh- water lake by reason of waterfalls or dams; -- said of fishes that would naturally seek the sea, after spawning; as, the landlocked salmon.

Land"lo`per (?), n. Same as Landlouper.

Land"lord` (?), n. [See Land, and Lord.] 1. The lord of a manor, or of land; the owner of land or houses which he leases to a tenant or tenants.

2. The master of an inn or of a lodging house.

Upon our arrival at the inn, my companion fetched out the jolly landlord.

Addison.

Land"lord`ism (?), n. The state of being a landlord; the characteristics of a landlord; specifically, in Great Britain, the relation of landlords to tenants, especially as regards leased agricultural lands. J. S. Mill.

Land"lord`ry (?), n. The state of a landlord. [Obs.]

Land"loup`er (?), n. [D. landlooper, lit., landrunner; land land + loopen to run. See Land, and Leap.] A vagabond; a vagrant. [Written also landleaper and landloper.] "Bands of landloupers." Moltey.

Land"loup`ing, a. Vagrant; wandering about.

Land"lub`ber (?), n. [Prop. fr. land + lubber, or possibly corrupted fr. laudlouper.] (Naut.) One who passes his life on land; -- so called among seamen in contempt or ridicule.

Land"man (?), n.; pl. Landmen (&?;). 1. A man who lives or serves on land; -- opposed to seaman.

2. (Eng.) An occupier of land. Cowell.