Chapter 78

||Le*ga"to (l*gä"t), a. [It., tied, joined, fr. legare to tie, bind, L. ||ligare.] (Mus.) Connected; tied; -- a term used when successive tones ||are to be produced in a closely connected, smoothly gliding manner. ||It is often indicated by a tie, thus &?;, &?;, or &?;, &?;, written ||over or under the notes to be so performed; -- opposed to staccato. || ||Leg`a*tor" (lg`*tôr"), n. [L., fr. legare: cf. OF. legateur. See ||Legacy.] (Law) A testator; one who bequeaths a legacy. Dryden. || ||Le`ga*tu"ra (l`g*t"r), n. [It. See Ligature.] (Mus.) A tie or brace; ||a syncopation. || Leg"a*ture (lg"*tr; 135), n. Legateship. [Obs.]

Lege (lj), v. t. [Abbrev. fr. allege to assert.] To allege; to assert. [Obs.] Bp. Fisher.

Lege"ment (-ment), n. See Ledgment.

Leg"end (lj"nd or l"jnd; 277), n. [OE. legende, OF. legende, F. légende, LL. legenda, fr. L. legendus to be read, fr. legere to read, gather; akin to Gr. le`gein to gather, speak. Cf. Collect, Dialogue, Lesson, Logic.]

1. That which is appointed to be read; especially, a chronicle or register of the lives of saints, formerly read at matins, and in the refectories of religious houses.

2. A story respecting saints; especially, one of a marvelous nature. Addison.

3. Any wonderful story coming down from the past, but not verifiable by historical record; a myth; a fable.

And in this legend all that glorious deed Read, whilst you arm you.

Fairfax.

4. An inscription, motto, or title, esp. one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon an heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.

Golden legend. See under Golden.

Leg"end, v. t. To tell or narrate, as a legend. Bp. Hall.

Leg"end*a*ry (lj"n*d*r), a. Of or pertaining to a legend or to legends; consisting of legends; like a legend; fabulous. "Legendary writers." Bp. Lloyd.

Legendary stories of nurses and old women.

Bourne.

Leg"end*a*ry, n. [Cf. OF. legendaire, LL. legendarius.] 1. A book of legends; a tale or narrative.

Read the Countess of Pembroke's "Arcadia," a gallant legendary full of pleasurable accidents.

James I.

2. One who relates legends. Bp. Lavington.

Leg"er (lj"r), n. [See Ledger.] 1. Anything that lies in a place; that which, or one who, remains in a place. [Obs.]

2. A minister or ambassador resident at a court or seat of government. [Written also lieger, leiger.] [Obs.]

Sir Edward Carne, the queen's leger at Rome.

Fuller.

3. A ledger.

Leg"er, a. Lying or remaining in a place; hence, resident; as, leger ambassador.

Leg"er, a. [F. léger, fr. LL. (assumed) leviarius, fr. L. levis light in weight. See Levity.] Light; slender; slim; trivial. [Obs. except in special phrases.] Bacon.

Leger line (Mus.), a line added above or below the staff to extend its compass; -- called also added line.

Leg`er*de*main" (lj`r*d*mn"), n. [F. léger light, nimble + de of + main hand, L. manus. See 3d Leger, and Manual.] Sleight of hand; a trick of sleight of hand; hence, any artful deception or trick.

He of legierdemayne the mysteries did know.

Spenser.

The tricks and legerdemain by which men impose upon their own souls.

South.

Leg`er*de*main"ist, n. One who practices sleight of hand; a prestidigitator.

Le*ger"i*ty (l*jr"*t), n. [F. légèreté. See 3d Leger.] Lightness; nimbleness. [Archaic] Shak.

Legge (lg), v. t. [See Lay, v. t. ] To lay. [Obs.]

Legge, v. t. [Abbrev. fr. alegge.] To lighten; to allay. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

Legged (lgd or lg"gd), a. [From Leg.] Having (such or so many) legs; -- used in composition; as, a long-legged man; a two- legged animal.

{ ||Leg`gi*a"dro (ld`j*ä"dr), ||Leg`gi*e"ro (ld`j*"r), } a. & adv. [It.] (Mus.) Light or graceful; in a light, delicate, and brisk style.

{ Leg"ging (lg"gng), Leg"gin (lg"gn), } n. [From Leg.] A cover for the leg, like a long gaiter.

Leg"ging, a. & vb. n., from Leg, v. t.

Leg"gy (-g), a. Having long legs. Thackeray.

Leg"horn (-hôrn), n. A straw plaiting used for bonnets and hats, made from the straw of a particular kind of wheat, grown for the purpose in Tuscany, Italy; -- so called from Leghorn, the place of exportation.

Leg`i*bil"i*ty (lj`*bl"*t), n. The quality of being legible; legibleness. Sir. D. Brewster.

Leg"i*ble (lj"*b'l), a. [L. legibilis, fr. legere to read: cf. OF. legible. See Legend.] 1. Capable of being read or deciphered; distinct to the eye; plain; -- used of writing or printing; as, a fair, legible manuscript.

The stone with moss and lichens so overspread, Nothing is legible but the name alone.

Longfellow.

2. Capable of being discovered or understood by apparent marks or indications; as, the thoughts of men are often legible in their countenances.

Leg"i*ble*ness, n. The state or quality of being legible.

Leg"i*bly, adv. In a legible manner.

Le*gif"ic (l*jf"k), a. [L. lex, legis, law + - ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.] Of or pertaining to making laws.

Practically, in many cases, authority or legific competence has begun in bare power.

J. Grote.

Le"gion (l"jn), n. [OE. legioun, OF. legion, F. légion, fr. L. legio, fr. legere to gather, collect. See Legend.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A body of foot soldiers and cavalry consisting of different numbers at different periods, -- from about four thousand to about six thousand men, -- the cavalry being about one tenth.

2. A military force; an army; military bands.

3. A great number; a multitude.

Where one sin has entered, legions will force their way through the same breach.

Rogers.

4. (Taxonomy) A group of orders inferior to a class.

Legion of honor, an order instituted by the French government in 1802, when Bonaparte was First Consul, as a reward for merit, both civil and military.

Le"gion*a*ry (-*r), a. [L. legionarius: cf. F. légionnaire.] Belonging to a legion; consisting of a legion or legions, or of an indefinitely great number; as, legionary soldiers; a legionary force. "The legionary body of error." Sir T. Browne.

Le"gion*a*ry (l"jn**r), n.; pl. Legionaries (- rz). A member of a legion. Milton.

Le"gioned (l"jnd), a. Formed into a legion or legions; legionary. Shelley.

Le"gion*ry (l"jn*r), n. A body of legions; legions, collectively. [R.] Pollok.

Leg"is*late (lj"s*lt), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Legislated (- l`td); p. pr. & vb. n. Legislating (-l`tng).] [See Legislator.] To make or enact a law or laws.

Solon, in legislating for the Athenians, had an idea of a more perfect constitution than he gave them.

Bp. Watson (1805).

Leg`is*la"tion (-l"shn), n. [Cf. F. législation, L. legis latio. See Legislator.] The act of legislating; preparation and enactment of laws; the laws enacted.

Pythagoras joined legislation to his philosophy.

Lyttelton.

Leg"is*la*tive (lj"s*l*tv), a. [Cf. F. législatif.]

1. Making, or having the power to make, a law or laws; lawmaking; -- distinguished from executive; as, a legislative act; a legislative body.

The supreme legislative power of England was lodged in the king and great council, or what was afterwards called the Parliament.

Hume.

2. Of or pertaining to the making of laws; suitable to legislation; as, the transaction of legislative business; the legislative style.

Leg"is*la*tive*ly, adv. In a legislative manner.

Leg"is*la`tor (lj"s*l`tr), n. [L. legis lator, prop., a proposer of a law; lex, legis, law + lator a proposer, bearer, fr. latus, used as p. p. of ferre to bear: cf. F. législateur. See Legal, and Tolerate.] A lawgiver; one who makes laws for a state or community; a member of a legislative body.

The legislators in ancient and heroical times.

Bacon.

Many of the legislators themselves had taken an oath of abjuration of his Majesty's person and family.

E. Phillips.

Leg`is*la*to"ri*al (- l*t"r*al), a. Of or pertaining to a legislator or legislature.

Leg"is*la`tor*ship (lj"s*l`tr*shp), n. The office of a legislator. Halifax.

{ Leg"is*la`tress (-trs), Leg"is*la`trix (-trks), } n. A woman who makes laws. Shaftesbury.

Leg"is*la`ture (lj"s*l`tr; 135), n. [Cf. F. législature.] The body of persons in a state or kingdom invested with power to make and repeal laws; a legislative body.

Without the concurrent consent of all three parts of the legislature, no law is, or can be, made.

Sir M. Hale.

The legislature of Great Britain consists of the Lords and Commons, with the king or queen, whose sanction is necessary to every bill before it becomes a law. The legislatures of most of the United States consist of two houses or branches; but the sanction or consent of the governor is required to give their acts the force of law, or a concurrence of two thirds of the two houses after he has refused his sanction and assigned his objections.

Le"gist (l"jst), n. [F. légiste, LL. legista, fr. L. lex, legis, law. See Legal.] One skilled in the laws; a writer on law. Milman. J. Morley.

Le*git"im (l*j"m), n. [See Legitimate, a.] (Scots Law) The portion of movable estate to which the children are entitled upon the death of the father.

Le*git"i*ma*cy (-*m*s), n. [See Legitimate, a.] The state, or quality, of being legitimate, or in conformity with law; hence, the condition of having been lawfully begotten, or born in wedlock.

The doctrine of Divine Right, which has now come back to us, like a thief from transportation, under the alias of Legitimacy.

Macaulay.

Le*git"i*mate (-mt), a. [LL. legitimatus, p. p. of legitimare to legitimate, fr. L. legitimus legitimate. See Legal.] 1. Accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements; lawful; as, legitimate government; legitimate rights; the legitimate succession to the throne; a legitimate proceeding of an officer; a legitimate heir.

2. Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock.

3. Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions.

4. Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors.

Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic.

Macaulay.

5. Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference.

Le*git"i*mate (-mt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legitimated (- m`td); p. pr. & vb. n. Legitimating (-m`tng).] To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; esp., to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means; as, to legitimate a bastard child.

To enact a statute of that which he dares not seem to approve, even to legitimate vice.

Milton.

Le*git"i*mate*ly (-mt*l), adv. In a legitimate manner; lawfully; genuinely.

Le*git"i*mate*ness, n. The state or quality of being legitimate; lawfulness; genuineness.

Le*git`i*ma"tion (-m"shn), n. [Cf. F. légitimation.]

1. The act of making legitimate.

The coining or legitimation of money.

East.

2. Lawful birth. [R.] Shak.

Le*git"i*ma*tist (l*jt"*m*tst), n. See Legitimist.

Le*git"i*ma*tize (-tz), v. t. To legitimate.

Le*git"i*mism (-mz'm), n. The principles or plans of legitimists.

Le*git"i*mist (-mst), n. [Cf. F. légitimiste.] 1. One who supports legitimate authority; esp., one who believes in hereditary monarchy, as a divine right.

2. Specifically, a supporter of the claims of the elder branch of the Bourbon dynasty to the crown of France.

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Le*git"i*mize (l*jt"*mz), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legitimized (-mzd); p. pr. & vb. n. Legitimizing.] To legitimate.

Leg"less (lg"ls), a. Not having a leg.

Le"go-lit"er*a*ry (l"g- lt"r**r), a. [See Legal, and Literary.] Pertaining to the literature of law.

Le`gu*le"ian (l`g*l"yan), a. [L. leguleius pettifogger, fr. lex, legis, law.] Lawyerlike; legal. [R.] "Leguleian barbarism." De Quincey. -- n. A lawyer.

Leg"ume (lg"m or l*gm"), n. [F. légume, L. legumen, fr. legere to gather. So called because they may be gathered without cutting. See Legend.] 1. (Bot.) A pod dehiscent into two pieces or valves, and having the seed attached at one suture, as that of the pea.

In the latter circumstance, it differs from a siliqua, in which the seeds are attached to both sutures. In popular use, a legume is called a pod, or cod; as, pea pod, or peas cod.

2. pl. The fruit of leguminous plants, as peas, beans, lupines; pulse.

||Le*gu"men (l*g"mn), n.; pl. L. Legumina (- m*n), E. Legumens (-mnz). ||[L.] Same as Legume. || Le*gu"min (-mn), n. [Cf. F. légumine.] (Physiol. Chem.) An albuminous substance resembling casein, found as a characteristic ingredient of the seeds of leguminous and grain-bearing plants.

Le*gu"mi*nous (-m*ns), a. [Cf. F. légumineux.] 1. Pertaining to pulse; consisting of pulse.

2. (Bot.) Belonging to, or resembling, a very large natural order of plants (Leguminosæ), which bear legumes, including peas, beans, clover, locust trees, acacias, and mimosas.

Lei"ger (l"jr), n. [See Leger, and Ledger.] See Leger, n., 2. [Obs.] Shak.

Lei*ot"ri*chan (l*t"r*kan), a. Of or pertaining to the Leiotrichi. - - n. One of the Leiotrichi.

||Lei*ot"ri*chi (-k), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. lei^os smooth + qri`x, ||tricho`s, hair.] (Anthropol.) The division of mankind which embraces ||the smooth-haired races. || Lei*ot"ri*chous (-ks), a. [See Leiotrichi.] (Anthropol.) Having smooth, or nearly smooth, hair.

||Lei*po"a (l*p"), n. [NL.] (Zoöl.) A genus of Australian gallinaceous ||birds including but a single species (Leipoa ocellata), about the ||size of a turkey. Its color is variegated, brown, black, white, and ||gray. Called also native pheasant. || It makes large mounds of sand and vegetable material, in which its eggs are laid to be hatched by the heat of the decomposing mass.

Lei`po*thym"ic (l`p*thm"k), a. See Lipothymic.

{ Leis"ter, Lis"ter } (ls"tr), n. A spear armed with three or more prongs, for striking fish. [Scotland]

Lei"sur*a*ble (l"zhr**b'l; 135), a. [See Leisure.]

1. Leisurely. [Obs.] Hooker.

2. Vacant of employment; not occupied; idle; leisure; as leisurable hours. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Lei"sur*a*bly, adv. At leisure. [Obs.]

Lei"sure (l"zhr; 135), n. [OE. leisere, leiser, OF. leisir, F. loisir, orig., permission, fr. L. licere to be permitted. See License.] 1. Freedom from occupation or business; vacant time; time free from employment.

The desire of leisure is much more natural than of business and care.

Sir W. Temple.

2. Time at one's command, free from engagement; convenient opportunity; hence, convenience; ease.

He sighed, and had no leisure more to say.

Dryden.

At leisure. (a) Free from occupation; not busy. (b) In a leisurely manner; at a convenient time.

Lei"sure, a. Unemployed; as, leisure hours.

Lei"sured (l"zhrd), a. Having leisure. "The leisured classes." Gladstone.

Lei"sure*ly (l"zhr*l), a. Characterized by leisure; taking abundant time; not hurried; as, a leisurely manner; a leisurely walk.

Lei"sure*ly, adv. In a leisurely manner. Addison.

||Leit"mo*tif" (lt"m*tf"), n. [G.] (Mus.) See Leading motive, under ||Leading, a. || Le"man (l"man or lm"an; 277), n. [OE. lemman, lefman; AS. leóf dear + mann man. See Lief, and Man.] A sweetheart, of either sex; a gallant, or a mistress; -- usually in a bad sense. [Archaic] Chaucer. Spenser. Shak.

Leme (lm), n. [OE. leem, leme, leam, AS. leóma light, brightness; akin to E. light, n. &radic;122.] A ray or glimmer of light; a gleam. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Leme, v. i. To shine. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

Lem"ma (lm"m), n.; pl. L. Lemmata (-m*t), E. Lemmas (-mz). [L. lemma, Gr. lh^mma anything received, an assumption or premise taken for granted, fr. lamba`nein to take, assume. Cf. Syllable.] A preliminary or auxiliary proposition demonstrated or accepted for immediate use in the demonstration of some other proposition, as in mathematics or logic.

Lem"man (lm"man), n. A leman. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Lem"ming (lm"mng), n. [Nor. lemming, lemende; cf. Sw. lemel, Lapp. lummik.] (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of small arctic rodents of the genera Myodes and Cuniculus, resembling the meadow mice in form. They are found in both hemispheres.

The common Northern European lemming (Myodes lemmus) is remarkable for making occasional devastating migrations in enormous numbers from the mountains into the lowlands.

Lem"ni*an (lm"n*an), a. [L. Lemnius, fr. Lemnus, Gr. Lh^mnos.] Of or pertaining to the isle of Lemnos.

Lemnian bole, Lemnian earth, an aluminous earth of a grayish yellow color; sphragide; -- formerly sold as medicine, having astringent properties. -- Lemnian reddle, a reddle of firm consistence and deep red color; -- used by artificers in coloring.

{ Lem`nis*ca"ta (lm`ns*k"t), Lem*nis"cate (lm*ns"kt), } n. [L. lemniscatus adorned with ribbons, fr. lemniscus a ribbon hanging down, Gr. lhmni`skos.] (Geom.) A curve in the form of the figure 8, with both parts symmetrical, generated by the point in which a tangent to an equilateral hyperbola meets the perpendicular on it drawn from the center.

||Lem*nis"cus (lm*ns"ks), n.; pl. Lemnisci (- s). [L. See Lemniscata.] ||(Zoöl.) One of two oval bodies hanging from the interior walls of the ||body in the Acanthocephala. || Lem"on (lm"n), n. [F. limon, Per. lmn; cf. Ar. laimn, Sp. limon, It. limone. Cf. Lime a fruit.]

1. (Bot.) An oval or roundish fruit resembling the orange, and containing a pulp usually intensely acid. It is produced by a tropical tree of the genus Citrus, the common fruit known in commerce being that of the species C. Limonum or C. Medica (var. Limonum). There are many varieties of the fruit, some of which are sweet.

2. The tree which bears lemons; the lemon tree.

Lemon grass (Bot.), a fragrant East Indian grass (Andropogon Shœnanthus, and perhaps other allied species), which yields the grass oil used in perfumery. - - Lemon sole (Zoöl.), a yellow European sole (Solea aurantiaca). -- Salts of lemon (Chem.), a white crystalline substance, inappropriately named, as it consists of an acid potassium oxalate and contains no citric acid, which is the characteristic acid of lemon; -- called also salts of sorrel. It is used in removing ink stains. See Oxalic acid, under Oxalic. [Colloq.]

Lem`on*ade" (lm`n*d"), n. [F. limonade; cf. Sp. limonada, It. limonata. See Lemon.] A beverage consisting of lemon juice mixed with water and sweetened.

Le"mur (l"mr), n. [L., a ghost, specter. So called on account of its habit of going abroad by night.] (Zoöl.) One of a family (Lemuridæ) of nocturnal mammals allied to the monkeys, but of small size, and having a sharp and foxlike muzzle, and large eyes. They feed upon birds, insects, and fruit, and are mostly natives of Madagascar and the neighboring islands, one genus (Galago) occurring in Africa. The slow lemur or kukang of the East Indies is Nycticebus tardigradus. See Galago, Indris, and Colugo.

||Lem"u*res (lm"*rz; E. l"mrz), n. pl. [L. See Lemur.] Spirits or ||ghosts of the departed; specters. || The Lars and Lemures moan with midnight plaint.

Milton.

Le*mu"ri*a (l*m"r*), n. [So named from the supposition that it was the original home of the lemurs.] A hypothetical land, or continent, supposed by some to have existed formerly in the Indian Ocean, of which Madagascar is a remnant. Herschel.

Lem"u*rid (lm"*rd), a. & n. (Zoöl.) Same as Lemuroid.

{ Le*mu"ri*dous (l*m"r*ds), Lem"u*rine (lm"*rn or *rn), } a. (Zoöl.) Lemuroid.

Lem"u*roid (lm"*roid), a. [Lemur + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Like or pertaining to the lemurs or the Lemuroidea. -- n. One of the Lemuroidea.

||Lem`u*roi"de*a (lm`*roi"d*), n. pl. [NL. See Lemur, and -oid.] ||(Zoöl.) A suborder of primates, including the lemurs, the aye-aye, ||and allied species. [Written also Lemuroida.] || ||Le"na (l"n), n. [L.] A procuress. J. Webster. || Lend (lnd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lent (lnt); p. pr. & vb. n. Lending.] [OE. lenen, AS. lnan, fr. ln loan; akin to G. lehnen to lend. See Loan.] 1. To allow the custody and use of, on condition of the return of the same; to grant the temporary use of; as, to lend a book; -- opposed to borrow.

Give me that ring. I'll lend it thee, my dear, but have no power To give it from me.

Shak.

2. To allow the possession and use of, on condition of the return of an equivalent in kind; as, to lend money or some article of food.

Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.

Levit. xxv. 37.

3. To afford; to grant or furnish in general; as, to lend assistance; to lend one's name or influence.

Cato, lend me for a while thy patience.

Addison.

Mountain lines and distant horizons lend space and largeness to his compositions.

J. A. Symonds.

4. To let for hire or compensation; as, to lend a horse or gig.

This use of the word is rare in the United States, except with reference to money.

To lend a hand, to give assistance; to help. [Colloq.] -- To lend an ear or one's ears, to give attention.

Lend"a*ble (-*b'l), a. Such as can be lent. Sherwood.

Lend"er (-r), n. One who lends.

The borrower is servant to the lender.

Prov. xxii. 7.

Lend"es (lnd"z), n. pl. See Lends. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Lend"ing, n. 1. The act of one who lends.

2. That which is lent or furnished.

Lends (lndz), n. pl. [AS. lend, lenden; akin to D. & G. lende, OHG. lenti, Icel. lend, and perh to E. loin.] Loins. [Obs.] Wyclif.

Lene (ln), v. t. [See Lend.] To lend; to grant; to permit. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Le"ne (l"n), a. [L. lenis smooth.] (Phonetics) (a) Smooth; as, the lene breathing. (b) Applied to certain mute consonants, as p, k, and t (or Gr. &pi;, &kappa;, &tau;). W. E. Jelf.

Le"ne, n. (Phonetics) (a) The smooth breathing (spiritus lenis). (b) Any one of the lene consonants, as p, k, or t (or Gr. &pi;, &kappa;, &tau;). W. E. Jelf.

{ Leng"er (lng"r), Leng"est }, a. Longer; longest; -- obsolete compar. and superl. of long. Chaucer.

Length (lngth), n. [OE. lengthe, AS. lengð, fr. lang, long, long; akin to D. lengte, Dan. længde, Sw. längd, Icel. lengd. See Long, a. ] 1. The longest, or longer, dimension of any object, in distinction from breadth or width; extent of anything from end to end; the longest line which can be drawn through a body, parallel to its sides; as, the length of a church, or of a ship; the length of a rope or line.

2. A portion of space or of time considered as measured by its length; -- often in the plural.

Large lengths of seas and shores.

Shak.

The future but a length behind the past.

Dryden.

3. The quality or state of being long, in space or time; extent; duration; as, some sea birds are remarkable for the length of their wings; he was tired by the length of the sermon, and the length of his walk.

4. A single piece or subdivision of a series, or of a number of long pieces which may be connected together; as, a length of pipe; a length of fence.

5. Detail or amplification; unfolding; continuance as, to pursue a subject to a great length.

May Heaven, great monarch, still augment your bliss With length of days, and every day like this.

Dryden.

6. Distance.[Obs.]

He had marched to the length of Exeter.

Clarendon.

At length. (a) At or in the full extent; without abbreviation; as, let the name be inserted at length. (b) At the end or conclusion; after a long period. See Syn. of At last, under Last. -- At arm's length. See under Arm.

Length, v. t. To lengthen. [Obs.] Shak.

Length"en (-'n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lengthened (-'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Lengthening (-'n*ng).] To extent in length; to make longer in extent or duration; as, to lengthen a line or a road; to lengthen life; -- sometimes followed by out.

What if I please to lengthen out his date.

Dryden.

Length"en, v. i. To become longer. Locke.

Length"ful (-fl), a. Long. [Obs.] Pope.

Length"i*ly (-*l), adv. In a lengthy manner; at great length or extent.

Length"i*ness, n. The state or quality of being lengthy; prolixity.

{ Length"ways` (-wz`), Length"wise` (- wz`), } adv. In the direction of the length; in a longitudinal direction.