Chapter 77

Leave"-tak`ing (?), n. Taking of leave; parting compliments. Shak.

Leav"i*ness (?), n. [Fr. Leaf.] Leafiness.[Obs.]

Leav"ings, n. pl. 1. Things left; remnants; relics.

2. Refuse; offal.

Leav"y (?), a. Leafy. [Obs.] Chapman.

{ Leb"an, Leb"ban } (?), n. Coagulated sour milk diluted with water; -- a common beverage among the Arabs. Also, a fermented liquor made of the same.

Le*ca"ma (?), n. (Zoöl.) The hartbeest.

Le*can"o*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. leka`nh bowl or basin + -mancy.] Divination practiced with water in a basin, by throwing three stones into it, and invoking the demon whose aid was sought.

Lec`a*no"ric (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an organic acid which is obtained from several varieties of lichen (Lecanora, Roccella, etc.), as a white, crystalline substance, and is called also orsellic, or diorsellinic acid, lecanorin, etc.

Lec`a*no"rin (?), n. (Chem.) See Lecanoric.

Lech (?), v. t. [F. lécher. See Lick.] To lick. [Obs.]

Le*che" (?), n. See water buck, under 3d Buck.

Lech"er (?), n. [OE. lechur, lechour, OF. lecheor, lecheur, gormand, glutton, libertine, parasite, fr. lechier to lick, F. lécher; of Teutonic origin. See Lick.] A man given to lewdness; one addicted, in an excessive degree, to the indulgence of sexual desire, or to illicit commerce with women.

Lech"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lechered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lechering.] To practice lewdness.

Lech"er*er (?), n. See Lecher, n. Marston.

Lech"er*ous (?), a. Like a lecher; addicted to lewdness; lustful; also, lust-provoking. "A lecherous thing is wine." Chaucer. -- Lech"er*ous*ly, adv. -- Lech"er*ous*ness, n.

Lech"er*y (?), n. [OE. lecherie, OF. lecherie. See Lecher.] 1. Free indulgence of lust; lewdness.

2. Selfish pleasure; delight. [Obs.] Massinger.

Lec"i*thin (?), n. [Gr. le`kiqos the yolk of an egg.] (Physiol. Chem.) A complex, nitrogenous phosphorized substance widely distributed through the animal body, and especially conspicuous in the brain and nerve tissue, in yolk of eggs, and in the white blood corpuscles.

Lec"tern (?), n. See Lecturn.

||Lec*ti"ca (?), n.; pl. Lecticæ (#). [L.] (Rom. Antiq.) A kind of ||litter or portable couch. || Lec"tion (?), n. [L. lectio, fr. legere, lectum, to read. See lesson, Legend.] 1. (Eccl.) A lesson or selection, esp. of Scripture, read in divine service.

2. A reading; a variation in the text.

We ourselves are offended by the obtrusion of the new lections into the text.

De Quincey.

Lec"tion*a*ry (?), n.; pl. -ries (#). [LL. lectionarium, lectionarius : cf. F. lectionnaire.] (Eccl.) A book, or a list, of lections, for reading in divine service.

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Lec"tor (lk"tr), n. [L. See Lection.] (Eccl.) A reader of lections; formerly, a person designated to read lessons to the illiterate.

Lec"tu*al (-t*al), a. [LL. lectualis, fr. L. lectus bed.] (Med.) Confining to the bed; as, a lectual disease.

Lec"ture (-tr; 135), n. [F. lecture, LL. lectura, fr. L. legere, lectum, to read. See Legend.] 1. The act of reading; as, the lecture of Holy Scripture. [Obs.]

2. A discourse on any subject; especially, a formal or methodical discourse, intended for instruction; sometimes, a familiar discourse, in contrast with a sermon.

3. A reprimand or formal reproof from one having authority.

4. (Eng. Universities) A rehearsal of a lesson.

Lec"ture, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lectured (-trd); p. pr. & vb. n. Lecturing.] 1. To read or deliver a lecture to.

2. To reprove formally and with authority.

Lec"ture, v. i. To deliver a lecture or lectures.

Lec"tur*er (-r), n. One who lectures; an assistant preacher.

Lec"ture*ship, n. The office of a lecturer.

Lec"turn (lk"trn), n. [LL. lectrinum, fr. lectrum; cf. L. legere, lectum, to read.] A choir desk, or reading desk, in some churches, from which the lections, or Scripture lessons, are chanted or read; hence, a reading desk. [Written also lectern and lettern.] Fairholt.

||Lec"y*this (ls"*ths), n. [NL., fr. Gr. 3 an oil flask.] (Bot.) A ||genus of gigantic trees, chiefly Brazilian, of the order Myrtaceæ, ||having woody capsules opening by an apical lid. Lecythis Zabucajo ||yields the delicious sapucaia nuts. L. Ollaria produces the ||monkey-pots, its capsules. Its bark separates into thin sheets, like ||paper, used by the natives for cigarette wrappers. || Led (ld), imp. & p. p. of Lead.

Led captain. An obsequious follower or attendant. [Obs.] Swift. -- Led horse, a sumpter horse, or a spare horse, that is led along.

{ Led"en (ld"'n), Led"den (-d'n) } n. [AS. lden, lden, language, speech. Cf. Leod.] Language; speech; voice; cry. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.

Ledge (lj), n. [Akin to AS. licgan to lie, Icel. liggja; cf. Icel. lögg the ledge or rim at the bottom of a cask. See Lie to be prostrate.] [Formerly written lidge.] 1. A shelf on which articles may be laid; also, that which resembles such a shelf in form or use, as a projecting ridge or part, or a molding or edge in joinery.

2. A shelf, ridge, or reef, of rocks.

3. A layer or stratum.

The lowest ledge or row should be of stone.

Sir H. Wotton.

4. (Mining) A lode; a limited mass of rock bearing valuable mineral.

5. (Shipbuilding) A piece of timber to support the deck, placed athwartship between beams.

Ledge"ment (lj"ment), n. See Ledgment.

Ledg"er(lj"r), n. [Akin to D. legger layer, daybook (fr. leggen to lay, liggen to lie), E. ledge, lie. See Lie to be prostrate.] 1. A book in which a summary of accounts is laid up or preserved; the final book of record in business transactions, in which all debits and credits from the journal, etc., are placed under appropriate heads. [Written also leger.]

2. (Arch.) (a) A large flat stone, esp. one laid over a tomb. Oxf. Gloss. (b) A horizontal piece of timber secured to the uprights and supporting floor timbers, a staircase, scaffolding, or the like. It differs from an intertie in being intended to carry weight. [Written also ligger.]

Ledger bait, fishing bait attached to a floating line fastened to the bank of a stream, pond, etc. Walton. J. H. Walsh. -- Ledger blade, a stationary shearing blade in a machine for shearing the nap of cloth. -- Ledger line. See Leger line, under 3d Leger, a. -- Ledger wall (Mining), the wall under a vein; the foot wall. Raymond.

Ledg"ment (-ment), n. (Arch.) (a) A string-course or horizontal suit of moldings, such as the base moldings of a building. Oxf. Gloss. (b) The development of the surface of a body on a plane, so that the dimensions of the different sides may be easily ascertained. Gwilt. [Written also ledgement, legement, and ligement.]

Ledg"y (-), a. Abounding in ledges; consisting of a ledge or reef; as, a ledgy island.

Lee (l), v. i., To lie; to speak falsely. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Lee, n.; pl. Lees (lz). [F. lie, perh. fr. L. levare to lift up, raise. Cf. Lever.] That which settles at the bottom, as of a cask of liquor (esp. wine); sediment; dregs; -- used now only in the plural. [Lees occurs also as a form of the singular.] "The lees of wine." Holland.

A thousand demons lurk within the lee.

Young.

The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of.

Shak.

Lee, n. [OE. lee shelter, Icel. hl, akin to AS. hleó, hleów, shelter, protection, OS. hlèo, D. lij lee, Sw. lä, Dan. læ.] 1. A sheltered place; esp., a place protected from the wind by some object; the side sheltered from the wind; shelter; protection; as, the lee of a mountain, an island, or a ship.

We lurked under lee.

Morte d'Arthure.

Desiring me to take shelter in his lee.

Tyndall.

2. (Naut.) That part of the hemisphere, as one stands on shipboard, toward which the wind blows. See Lee, a.

By the lee, To bring by the lee. See under By, and Bring. -- Under the lee of, on that side which is sheltered from the wind; as, to be under the lee of a ship.

Lee, a. (Naut.) Of or pertaining to the part or side opposite to that against which the wind blows; -- opposed to weather; as, the lee side or lee rail of a vessel.

Lee gauge. See Gauge, n. (Naut.) -- Lee shore, the shore on the lee side of a vessel. -- Lee tide, a tide running in the same direction that the wind blows. -- On the lee beam, directly to the leeward; in a line at right angles to the length of the vessel and to the leeward.

Lee"board` (l"brd`), n. A board, or frame of planks, lowered over the side of a vessel to lessen her leeway when closehauled, by giving her greater draught.

Leech (lch), n. See 2d Leach.

Leech, v. t. See Leach, v. t.

Leech, n. [Cf. LG. leik, Icel. lk, Sw. lik boltrope, stående liken the leeches.] (Naut.) The border or edge at the side of a sail. [Written also leach.]

Leech line, a line attached to the leech ropes of sails, passing up through blocks on the yards, to haul the leeches by. Totten. -- Leech rope, that part of the boltrope to which the side of a sail is sewed.

Leech, n. [OE. leche, læche, physician, AS. lce; akin to Fries. ltza, OHG. lhh, Icel. læknari, Sw. läkare, Dan. læge, Goth. lkeis, AS. lcnian to heal, Sw. läka, Dan. læge, Icel. lækna, Goth. lkinn.] 1. A physician or surgeon; a professor of the art of healing. [Written also leach.] [Archaic] Spenser.

Leech, heal thyself.

Wyclif (Luke iv. 23).

2. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous genera and species of annulose worms, belonging to the order Hirudinea, or Bdelloidea, esp. those species used in medicine, as Hirudo medicinalis of Europe, and allied species.

In the mouth of bloodsucking leeches are three convergent, serrated jaws, moved by strong muscles. By the motion of these jaws a stellate incision is made in the skin, through which the leech sucks blood till it is gorged, and then drops off. The stomach has large pouches on each side to hold the blood. The common large bloodsucking leech of America (Macrobdella decora) is dark olive above, and red below, with black spots. Many kinds of leeches are parasitic on fishes; others feed upon worms and mollusks, and have no jaws for drawing blood. See Bdelloidea. Hirudinea, and Clepsine.

3. (Surg.) A glass tube of peculiar construction, adapted for drawing blood from a scarified part by means of a vacuum.

Horse leech, a less powerful European leech (Hæmopis vorax), commonly attacking the membrane that lines the inside of the mouth and nostrils of animals that drink at pools where it lives.

Leech, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leeched (lcht); p. pr. & vb. n. Leeching.] 1. To treat as a surgeon; to doctor; as, to leech wounds. [Archaic]

2. To bleed by the use of leeches.

Leech"craft` (-krft`), n. The art of healing; skill of a physician. [Archaic] Chaucer.

{ Leed, Leede (ld) }, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A caldron; a copper kettle. [Obs.] "A furnace of a leed." Chaucer.

Leef (lf), a. & adv. See Lief. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Leek (lk), n. [AS. leác; akin to D. look, G. lauch, OHG. louh, Icel. laukr, Sw. lök, Dan lög. Cf. Garlic.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Allium (A. Porrum), having broadly linear succulent leaves rising from a loose oblong cylindrical bulb. The flavor is stronger than that of the common onion.

Wild leek , in America, a plant (Allium tricoccum) with a cluster of ovoid bulbs and large oblong elliptical leaves.

Leeme (lm), v. & n. See Leme. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Leep (lp), obs. strong imp. of Leap. Leaped.

Leer (lr), v. t. To learn. [Obs.] See Lere, to learn.

Leer, a. [OE. lere; akin to G. leer, OHG. & OS. lri.] [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Empty; destitute; wanting; as: (a) Empty of contents. "A leer stomach." Gifford. (b) Destitute of a rider; and hence, led, not ridden; as, a leer horse. B. Jonson. (c) Wanting sense or seriousness; trifling; trivolous; as, leer words.

Leer, n. An oven in which glassware is annealed.

Leer, n. [OE. lere cheek, face, look, AS. hleór cheek, face; akin to OS. hlear, hlior, OD. lier, Icel. hlr.] 1. The cheek. [Obs.] Holinshed.

2. Complexion; aspect; appearance. [Obs.]

A Rosalind of a better leer than you.

Shak.

3. A distorted expression of the face, or an indirect glance of the eye, conveying a sinister or immodest suggestion.

With jealous leer malign Eyed them askance.

Milton.

She gives the leer of invitation.

Shak.

Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer.

Pope.

Leer, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leered (lrd); p. pr. & vb. n. Leering.] To look with a leer; to look askance with a suggestive expression, as of hatred, contempt, lust, etc.; to cast a sidelong lustful or malign look.

I will leerupon him as a' comes by.

Shak.

The priest, above his book, Leering at his neighbor's wife.

Tennyson.

Leer, v. t. To entice with a leer, or leers; as, to leer a man to ruin. Dryden.

Leere (lr), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] Tape or braid; an ornament. Halliwell.

Leere side, the left side, as that on which a leere or ornament was worn. B. Jonson.

Leer"ing*ly, adv. In a leering manner.

Lees (lz), n. pl. Dregs. See 2d Lee.

Lees (ls), n. A leash. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Leese (lz), v. t. [See Lose.] To lose. [Obs.]

They would rather leese their friend than their jest.

Lord Burleigh.

Leese, v. t. [Cf. F. léser, L. laesus, p. p. of laedere.] To hurt. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Leet (lt), obs. imp. of Let, to allow. Chaucer.

Leet, n. [Cf. AS. hlt share, lot.] A portion; a list, esp. a list of candidates for an office. [Scot.]

Leet, n. [LL. leta. Cf. F. lit de justice a solemn sitting of the king in Parliament, L. lis, litis, a lawsuit, It., Sp., & Pg. lite.] (Eng. Hist.) A court-leet; the district within the jurisdiction of a court-leet; the day on which a court-leet is held. Shak.

The original intent of the court-leet was to view the frankpledges or freemen within the liberty; hence called the view of frankpledge. Latterly it has fallen into almost entire disuse. Burrill. Warren's Blackstone.

Leet ale, a feast or merrymaking in time of leet. [Obs.]

Leet, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoöl.) The European pollock.

Leet"man (-man), n.; pl. Leetmen (-men). One subject to the jurisdiction of a court-leet.

Lee"ward (l"wrd or l"rd), a. (Naut.) Pertaining to, or in the direction of, the part or side toward which the wind blows; -- opposed to windward; as, a leeward berth; a leeward ship. -- n. The lee side; the lee. -- adv. Toward the lee.

Lee"way` (l"w`), n. (Naut.) The lateral movement of a ship to the leeward of her course; drift.

Left (lft), imp. & p. p. of Leave.

Left, a. [OE. left, lift, luft; akin to Fries. leeft, OD. lucht, luft; cf. AS. left (equiv. to L. inanis), lyftdl palsy; or cf. AS. lf weak.] Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action of the limbs is usually weaker than on the other side; -- opposed to right, when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the left hand, or arm; the left ear. Also said of the corresponding side of the lower animals.

Left bank of a river, that which is on the left hand of a person whose face is turned downstream. -- Left bower. See under 2d Bower. -- Left center, the members whose sympathies are, in the main, with the members of the Left, but who do not favor extreme courses, and on occasions vote with the government. They sit between the Center and the extreme Left. -- Over the left shoulder, or Over the left, an old but still current colloquialism, or slang expression, used as an aside to indicate insincerity, negation, or disbelief; as, he said it, and it is true, -- over the left.

Left, n. 1. That part of surrounding space toward which the left side of one's body is turned; as, the house is on the left when you face North.

Put that rose a little more to the left.

Ld. Lytton.

2. Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who are in the opposition; the advanced republicans and extreme radicals. They have their seats at the left-hand side of the presiding officer. See Center, and Right.

Left"-hand` (lft"hnd`), a. Situated on the left; nearer the left hand than the right; as, the left-hand side; the left-hand road.

Left-hand rope, rope laid up and twisted over from right to left, or against the sun; -- called also water- laid rope.

Left"-hand`ed, a. 1. Having the left hand or arm stronger and more dexterous than the right; using the left hand and arm with more dexterity than the right.

2. Clumsy; awkward; unlucky; insincere; sinister; malicious; as, a left-handed compliment.

The commendations of this people are not always left-handed and detractive.

Landor.

3. Having a direction contrary to that of the hands of a watch when seen in front; -- said of a twist, a rotary motion, etc., looked at from a given direction.

Left-handed marriage, a morganatic marriage. See Morganatic. -- Left-handed screw, a screw constructed to advance away from the observer, when turned, as in a nut, with a left-handed rotation. An ordinary wood screw is right-handed.

{ Left"-hand`ed*ness, Left"-hand`i*ness (- *ns), } n. The state or quality of being left-handed; awkwardness.

An awkward address, ungraceful attitudes and actions, and a certain left-handiness (if I may use the expression) proclaim low education.

Chesterfield.

Left"-off` (-f`; 115), a. Laid aside; cast-off.

Left"ward (-wrd), adv. Toward or on the left side.

Rightward and leftward rise the rocks.

Southey.

Le"ful (l"fl), a. See Leveful. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Leg (lg), n. [Icel. leggr; akin to Dan. læg calf of the leg, Sw. lägg.] 1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot.

2. That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of a pair of compasses or dividers.

3. The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers.

4. A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from drawing the leg backward in bowing. [Obs.]

He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he never received.

Fuller.

5. A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg. [Slang, Eng.]

6. (Naut.) The course and distance made by a vessel on one tack or between tacks.

7. (Steam Boiler) An extension of the boiler downward, in the form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to support the boiler; -- called also water leg.

8. (Grain Elevator) The case containing the lower part of the belt which carries the buckets.

9. (Cricket) A fielder whose position is on the outside, a little in rear of the batter.

A good leg (Naut.), a course sailed on a tack which is near the desired course. -- Leg bail, escape from custody by flight. [Slang] -- Legs of an hyperbola (or other curve) (Geom.), the branches of the curve which extend outward indefinitely. -- Legs of a triangle, the sides of a triangle; -- a name seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished by some appropriate term; as, the hypothenuse and two legs of a right-angled triangle. On one's legs, standing to speak. -- On one's last legs. See under Last. -- To have legs (Naut.), to have speed. -- To stand on one's own legs, to support one's self; to be independent.

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Leg (lg), v. t. To use as a leg, with it as object: (a) To bow. [Obs.] (b) To run. [Low]

Leg"a*cy (lg"*s), n.; pl. Legacies (- sz). [L. (assumed) legatia, for legatum, from legare to appoint by last will, to bequeath as a legacy, to depute: cf. OF. legat legacy. See Legate.] 1. A gift of property by will, esp. of money or personal property; a bequest. Also Fig.; as, a legacy of dishonor or disease.

2. A business with which one is intrusted by another; a commission; -- obsolete, except in the phrases last legacy, dying legacy, and the like.

My legacy and message wherefore I am sent into the world.

Tyndale.

He came and told his legacy.

Chapman.

Legacy duty, a tax paid to government on legacies. Wharton. -- Legacy hunter, one who flatters and courts any one for the sake of a legacy.

Le"gal (l"gal), a. [L. legalis, fr. lex, legis, law; prob. orig., that which lies or is fixed (cf. L. lectus bed), and if so akin to E. lie, law: cf. F. légal. Cf. Lie to be prostrate, Loyal, Leal.] 1. Created by, permitted by, in conformity with, or relating to, law; as, a legal obligation; a legal standard or test; a legal procedure; a legal claim; a legal trade; anything is legal which the laws do not forbid.

2. (Theol.) (a) According to the law of works, as distinguished from free grace; or resting on works for salvation. (b) According to the old or Mosaic dispensation; in accordance with the law of Moses.

3. (Law) Governed by the rules of law as distinguished from the rules of equity; as, legal estate; legal assets. Bouvier. Burrill.

Legal cap. See under Cap. -- Legal tender. (a) The act of tendering in the performance of a contract or satisfaction of a claim that which the law prescribes or permits, and at such time and place as the law prescribes or permits. (b) That currency, or money, which the law authorizes a debtor to tender and requires a creditor to receive. It differs in different countries.

Syn. -- Lawful; constitutional; legitimate; licit; authorized. See Lawful.

Le"gal*ism (l"gal*z'm), n. Strictness, or the doctrine of strictness, in conforming to law.

Le"gal*ist, n. One who practices or advocates strict conformity to law; in theology, one who holds to the law of works. See Legal, 2 (a).

Le*gal"i*ty (l*gl"*t), n. [Cf. LL. legalitas, F. légalité. Cf. Loyalty.] 1. The state or quality of being legal; conformity to law.

2. (Theol.) A conformity to, and resting upon, the letter of the law.

Le`gal*i*za"tion (l`gal**z"shn), n. The act of making legal.

Le"gal*ize (l"gal*z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legalized (- zd); p. pr. & vb. n. Legalizing (- `zng).] [Cf. F. légaliser.] 1. To make legal.

2. (Theol.) To interpret or apply in a legal spirit.

Le"gal*ly, adv. In a legal manner.

Le*gan"tine (l*gn"tn), a. [Obs.] See Legatine.

Leg"a*ta*ry (lg"*t*r), n. [L. legatarius, fr. legaturius enjoined by a last will: cf. F. légataire. See Legacy.] A legatee. [R.] Ayliffe.

Leg"ate (lg"t), n. [OE. legat, L. legatus, fr. legare to send with a commission or charge, to depute, fr. lex, legis, law: cf. F. légat, It. legato. See Legal.] 1. An ambassador or envoy.

2. An ecclesiastic representing the pope and invested with the authority of the Holy See.

Legates are of three kinds: (a) Legates a latere, now always cardinals. They are called ordinary or extraordinary legates, the former governing provinces, and the latter class being sent to foreign countries on extraordinary occasions. (b) Legati missi, who correspond to the ambassadors of temporal governments. (c) Legati nati, or legates by virtue of their office, as the archbishops of Salzburg and Prague.

3. (Rom. Hist.) (a) An official assistant given to a general or to the governor of a province. (b) Under the emperors, a governor sent to a province.

Leg`a*tee" (lg`*t"), n. [See Legacy.] (Law) One to whom a legacy is bequeathed.

Leg"ate*ship (lg"t*shp), n. The office of a legate.

Leg"a*tine (-*tn), a. 1. Of or pertaining to a legate; as, legatine power. Holinshed.

2. Made by, proceeding from, or under the sanction of, a legate; as, a legatine constitution. Ayliffe.

Le*ga"tion (l*g"shn), n. [L. legatio: cf. F. légation, It. legazione. See Legate.] 1. The sending forth or commissioning one person to act for another. "The Divine legation of Moses." Bp. Warburton.

2. A legate, or envoy, and the persons associated with him in his mission; an embassy; or, in stricter usage, a diplomatic minister and his suite; a deputation.

3. The place of business or official residence of a diplomatic minister at a foreign court or seat of government.

4. A district under the jurisdiction of a legate.