Chapter 81

Leu*cop"y*rite (l*kp"*rt), n. [Leuco- + pyrites.] (Min.) A mineral of a color between white and steel-gray, with a metallic luster, and consisting chiefly of arsenic and iron.

Leu`cor*rhœ"a (l`kr*r"), n. [Leuco- + Gr. "rei^n to flow.] (Med.) A discharge of a white, yellowish, or greenish, viscid mucus, resulting from inflammation or irritation of the membrane lining the genital organs of the female; the whites. Dunglison.

||Leu"co*ryx (l"k*rks), n. [NL., from Gr. leyko`s + 'o`ryx a kind of ||gazelle.] (Zoöl.) A large antelope of North Africa (Oryx leucoryx), ||allied to the gemsbok. || Leu"co*scope (l"k*skp), n. [Leuco- + -scope.] (Physics) An instrument, devised by Professor Helmholtz, for testing the color perception of the eye, or for comparing different lights, as to their constituent colors or their relative whiteness.

Leu"co*soid (-soid), a. [NL. Leucosia, the typical genus (fr. Gr. leyko`s white) + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Like or pertaining to the Leucosoidea, a tribe of marine crabs including the box crab or Calappa.

Leu"co*sphere (-sfr), n. [Leuco- + sphere.] (Astron.) The inner corona. [R.]

Leu`co*tu"ric (l`k*t"rk), a. [Leuco- + allantoic + uric.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a nitrogenous organic substance of the uric acid group, called leucoturic acid or oxalantin. See Oxalantin.

Leu"cous (l"ks), a. [Gr. leyko`s.] White; -- applied to albinos, from the whiteness of their skin and hair.

Leu*cox"ene (l*kks"n), n. [Leuco- + Gr. xe`nos stranger.] (Min.) A nearly opaque white mineral, in part identical with titanite, observed in some igneous rocks as the result of the alteration of titanic iron.

Leu*kæ"mi*a (l*k"m*), n. Leucocythæmia.

Leuke (lk), a., Leuke"ness, n. See Luke, etc.

Leu"ko*plast (l"k*plst), n. (Bot.) See Leucoplast.

||Le*va"na (l*v"n), n. [L., fr. levare to raise.] (Rom. Myth.) A ||goddess who protected newborn infants. || Le"vant (l"vant), a. [F., p. pr. of lever to raise.] (Law) Rising or having risen from rest; -- said of cattle. See Couchant and levant, under Couchant.

Le*vant" (l*vnt"), n. [It. levante the point where the sun rises, the east, the Levant, fr. levare to raise, levarsi to rise: cf. F. levant. See Lever.] 1. The countries washed by the eastern part of the Mediterranean and its contiguous waters.

2. A levanter (the wind so called).

Le"vant (l"vant; 277), a. Eastern. [Obs.]

Forth rush the levant and the ponent winds.

Milton.

Le*vant" (l*vnt"), v. i. [Cf. Sp. levantar to raise, go from one place to another.] To run away from one's debts; to decamp. [Colloq. Eng.] Thackeray.

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Le*vant"er (l*vnt"r), n. [From Levant, v.] One who levants, or decamps. [Colloq. Eng.]

Le*vant"er, n. [From Levant, n.] A strong easterly wind peculiar to the Mediterranean. W. H. Russell.

Le*vant"ine (l*vnt"n or lv"ant*n; 277), a. [F. levantin, or It. levantino. See Levant, n.] Of or pertaining to the Levant. J. Spencer.

Le*vant"ine, n. 1. A native or inhabitant of the Levant.

2. [F. levantine, or It. levantina.] A stout twilled silk fabric, formerly made in the Levant.

||Le*va`ri fa"ci*as (l*v`r f"sh*s). [Law L., cause to be levied.] A ||writ of execution at common law. || Le*va"tion (l*v"shn), n. [L. levatio.] The act of raising; elevation; upward motion, as that produced by the action of a levator muscle.

Le*va"tor (l*v"tr), n. [NL., fr. L. levare to raise. See Lever, n.] 1. (Anat.) A muscle that serves to raise some part, as the lip or the eyelid.

2. (Surg.) A surgical instrument used to raise a depressed part of the skull.

Leve (lv), a. Dear. See Lief. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Leve, n. & v. Same as 3d & 4th Leave. [Obs.]

Leve, v. i. To live. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Leve, v. t. [OE., fr. AS. lfan, abbrev. fr. gelfan. See Believe.] To believe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Leve, v. t. [OE. leven, AS. lfan, lfan. See Leave permission.] To grant; -- used esp. in exclamations or prayers followed by a dependent clause. [Obs.]

God leve all be well.

Chaucer.

Lev"ee (lv"; often lv*" in U. S.), n. [F. lever, fr. lever to raise, se lever to rise. See Lever, n.] 1. The act of rising. " The sun's levee." Gray.

2. A morning assembly or reception of visitors, -- in distinction from a soirée, or evening assembly; a matinée; hence, also, any general or somewhat miscellaneous gathering of guests, whether in the daytime or evening; as, the president's levee.

In England a ceremonious day reception, when attended by both ladies and gentlemen, is called a drawing-room.

Lev"ee, v. t. To attend the levee or levees of.

He levees all the great.

Young.

Lev"ee, n. [F. levée, fr. lever to raise. See Lever, and cf. Levy.] An embankment to prevent inundation; as, the levees along the Mississippi; sometimes, the steep bank of a river. [U. S.]

Lev"ee, v. t. To keep within a channel by means of levees; as, to levee a river. [U. S.]

||Le*vée" en` masse" (le*v" äN` ms"). [F.] See Levy in mass, under ||Levy, n. || Leve"ful (lv"fl), a. [Leve, n. + -ful.] Allowable; permissible; lawful. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Lev"el (lv"l), n. [OE. level, livel, OF. livel, F. niveau, fr. L. libella level, water level, a plumb level, dim. of libra pound, measure for liquids, balance, water poise, level. Cf. Librate, Libella.] 1. A line or surface to which, at every point, a vertical or plumb line is perpendicular; a line or surface which is everywhere parallel to the surface of still water; -- this is the true level, and is a curve or surface in which all points are equally distant from the center of the earth, or rather would be so if the earth were an exact sphere.

2. A horizontal line or plane; that is, a straight line or a plane which is tangent to a true level at a given point and hence parallel to the horizon at that point; -- this is the apparent level at the given point.

3. An approximately horizontal line or surface at a certain degree of altitude, or distance from the center of the earth; as, to climb from the level of the coast to the level of the plateau and then descend to the level of the valley or of the sea.

After draining of the level in Northamptonshire.

Sir M. Hale.

Shot from the deadly level of a gun.

Shak.

4. Hence, figuratively, a certain position, rank, standard, degree, quality, character, etc., conceived of as in one of several planes of different elevation.

Providence, for the most part, sets us on a level.

Addison.

Somebody there of his own level.

Swift.

Be the fair level of thy actions laid As temperance wills and prudence may persuade.

Prior.

5. A uniform or average height; a normal plane or altitude; a condition conformable to natural law or which will secure a level surface; as, moving fluids seek a level.

When merit shall find its level.

F. W. Robertson.

6. (Mech. & Surv.) (a) An instrument by which to find a horizontal line, or adjust something with reference to a horizontal line. (b) A measurement of the difference of altitude of two points, by means of a level; as, to take a level.

7. A horizontal passage, drift, or adit, in a mine.

Air level, a spirit level. See Spirit level (below). -- Box level, a spirit level in which a glass-covered box is used instead of a tube. -- Carpenter's level, Mason's level, either the plumb level or a straight bar of wood, in which is imbedded a small spirit level. -- Level of the sea, the imaginary level from which heights and depths are calculated, taken at a mean distance between high and low water. -- Line of levels, a connected series of measurements, by means of a level, along a given line, as of a railroad, to ascertain the profile of the ground. -- Plumb level, one in which a horizontal bar is placed in true position by means of a plumb line, to which it is at right angles. -- Spirit level, one in which the adjustment to the horizon is shown by the position of a bubble in alcohol or ether contained in a nearly horizontal glass tube, or a circular box with a glass cover. -- Surveyor's level, a telescope, with a spirit level attached, and with suitable screws, etc., for accurate adjustment, the whole mounted on a tripod, for use in leveling; -- called also leveling instrument. -- Water level, an instrument to show the level by means of the surface of water in a trough, or in upright tubes connected by a pipe.

Lev"el (lv"l), a. 1. Even; flat; having no part higher than another; having, or conforming to, the curvature which belongs to the undisturbed liquid parts of the earth's surface; as, a level field; level ground; the level surface of a pond or lake.

Ample spaces o'er the smooth And level pavement.

Milton.

2. Coinciding or parallel with the plane of the horizon; horizontal; as, the telescope is now level.

3. Even with anything else; of the same height; on the same line or plane; on the same footing; of equal importance; -- followed by with, sometimes by to.

Young boys and girls Are level now with men; the odds is gone.

Shak.

Everything lies level to our wish.

Shak.

4. Straightforward; direct; clear; open.

A very plain and level account.

M. Arnold.

5. Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial; as, a level head; a level understanding. [Colloq.] " A level consideration." Shak.

6. (Phonetics) Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection. H. Sweet.

Level line (Shipbuilding), the outline of a section which is horizontal crosswise, and parallel with the rabbet of the keel lengthwise. -- Level surface (Physics), an equipotential surface at right angles at every point to the lines of force.

Lev"el, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leveled (-ld) or Levelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Leveling or Levelling.] 1. To make level; to make horizontal; to bring to the condition of a level line or surface; hence, to make flat or even; as, to level a road, a walk, or a garden.

2. To bring to a lower level; to overthrow; to topple down; to reduce to a flat surface; to lower.

And their proud structures level with the ground.

Sandys.

He levels mountains and he raises plains.

Dryden.

3. To bring to a horizontal position, as a gun; hence, to point in taking aim; to aim; to direct.

Bertram de Gordon, standing on the castle wall, leveled a quarrel out of a crossbow.

Stow.

4. Figuratively, to bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.; as, to level all the ranks and conditions of men.

5. To adjust or adapt to a certain level; as, to level remarks to the capacity of children.

For all his mind on honor fixed is, To which he levels all his purposes.

Spenser.

Lev"el, v. i. 1. To be level; to be on a level with, or on an equality with, something; hence, to accord; to agree; to suit. [Obs.]

With such accommodation and besort As levels with her breeding.

Shak.

2. To aim a gun, spear, etc., horizontally; hence, to aim or point a weapon in direct line with the mark; fig., to direct the eye, mind, or effort, directly to an object.

The foeman may with as great aim level at the edge of a penknife.

Shak.

The glory of God and the good of his church . . . ought to be the mark whereat we also level.

Hooker.

She leveled at our purposes.

Shak.

Lev"el*er (-r), n. [Written also leveller.] 1. One who, or that which, levels.

2. One who would remove social inequalities or distinctions; a socialist.

Lev"el*ing, n. [Written also levelling.] 1. The act or operation of making level.

2. (Surveying) The art or operation of using a leveling instrument for finding a horizontal line, for ascertaining the differences of level between different points of the earth's surface included in a survey, for establishing grades, etc., as in finding the descent of a river, or locating a line of railroad.

Leveling instrument. See Surveyor's level, under Level, n. -- Leveling staff, a graduated rod or staff used in connection with a leveling instrument for measuring differences of level between points.

Lev"el*ism (-z'm), n. The disposition or endeavor to level all distinctions of rank in society.

Lev"el*ly, adv. In an even or level manner.

Lev"el*ness, n. The state or quality of being level.

Lev"en (lv"en), n. [See Levin.] Lightning. [Obs.]

Wild thunder dint and fiery leven.

Chaucer.

Lev"er (l"vr), a. [Old compar. of leve or lief.] More agreeable; more pleasing. [Obs.] Chaucer.

To be lever than. See Had as lief, under Had.

Lev"er, adv. Rather. [Obs.] Chaucer.

For lever had I die than see his deadly face.

Spenser.

Le"ver (l"vr or lv"r; 277), n. [OE. levour, OF. leveor, prop., a lifter, fr. F. lever to raise, L. levare; akin to levis light in weight, E. levity, and perh. to E. light not heavy: cf. F. levier. Cf. Alleviate, Elevate, Leaven, Legerdemain, Levee, Levy, n.] 1. (Mech.) A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (the fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; -- used for transmitting and modifying force and motion. Specif., a bar of metal, wood, or other rigid substance, used to exert a pressure, or sustain a weight, at one point of its length, by receiving a force or power at a second, and turning at a third on a fixed point called a fulcrum. It is usually named as the first of the six mechanical powers, and is of three kinds, according as either the fulcrum F, the weight W, or the power P, respectively, is situated between the other two, as in the figures.

2. (Mach.) (a) A bar, as a capstan bar, applied to a rotatory piece to turn it. (b) An arm on a rock shaft, to give motion to the shaft or to obtain motion from it.

Compound lever, a machine consisting of two or more levers acting upon each other. -- Lever escapement. See Escapement. -- Lever jack. See Jack, n., 5. -- Lever watch, a watch having a vibrating lever to connect the action of the escape wheel with that of the balance. -- Universal lever, a machine formed by a combination of a lever with the wheel and axle, in such a manner as to convert the reciprocating motion of the lever into a continued rectilinear motion of some body to which the power is applied.

Lev"er*age (lv"r*j or l"vr*j), n. The action of a lever; mechanical advantage gained by the lever.

Leverage of a couple (Mech.), the perpendicular distance between the lines of action of two forces which act in parallel and opposite directions. -- Leverage of a force, the perpendicular distance from the line in which a force acts upon a body to a point about which the body may be supposed to turn.

Lev"er*et (lv"r*t), n. [F. levraut, dim. of lièvre hare, L. lepus. Cf. Leporine.] (Zoöl.) A hare in the first year of its age.

Lev"er*ock (-k), n. [See Lark.] A lark. [Scot.]

Lev"er*wood` (lv"r*wd`), n. (Bot.) The American hop hornbeam (Ostrya Virginica), a small tree with very tough wood.

Lev"e*sel (lv"*sl), n. [AS. leáf a leaf + sæl, sel, a room, a hall.] A leafy shelter; a place covered with foliage. [Obs.]

Behind the mill, under a levesel.

Chaucer.

Lev"et (lv"t), n. [Cf. F. lever to raise.] A trumpet call for rousing soldiers; a reveille. [Obs.] Hudibras.

Lev"i*a*ble (lv"**b'l), a. [From Levy to assess.] Fit to be levied; capable of being assessed and collected; as, sums leviable by course of law. Bacon.

Le*vi"a*than (l*v"*than), n. [Heb. livythn.]

1. An aquatic animal, described in the book of Job, ch. xli., and mentioned in other passages of Scripture.

It is not certainly known what animal is intended, whether the crocodile, the whale, or some sort of serpent.

2. The whale, or a great whale. Milton.

Lev"i*er (lv"*r), n. One who levies. Cartwright.

Lev"i*ga*ble (lv"*g*b'l), a. [See Levigate, v. t.] Capable of being levigated.

Lev"i*gate (-gt), a. [L. levigatus, p. p. of levigare to lighten, fr. lvis light.] Made less harsh or burdensome; alleviated. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.

Lev"i*gate (-gt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Levigated (- g`td); p. pr. & vb. n. Levigating.] [L. levigatus, p. p. of levigare to make smooth, fr. lvis smooth; akin to Gr. lei^os.] To make smooth in various senses: (a) To free from grit; to reduce to an impalpable powder or paste. (b) To mix thoroughly, as liquids or semiliquids. (c) To polish. (d) To make smooth in action. " When use hath levigated the organs." Barrow. (e) Technically, to make smooth by rubbing in a moist condition between hard surfaces, as in grinding pigments.

Lev"i*gate (-gt), a. [L. levigatus, p. p.] Made smooth, as if polished.

Lev`i*ga"tion (lv`*g"shn), n. [L. levigatio a smoothing: cf. F. lévigation.] The act or operation of levigating.

Lev"in (lv"n), n. [Etymol. uncertain. Cf. Leven.] Lightning. [Obs.] Spenser.

Levin brand, a thunderbolt. [Obs.] Spenser.

Lev"in*er (-r), n. (Zoöl.) A swift hound.

Le"vir (l"vr), n. [L.] A husband's brother; -- used in reference to levirate marriages.

{ Lev"i*rate (lv"*rt), Lev`i*rat"ic*al (-rt"*kal), } a. [L. levir a husband's brother, brother- in-law; akin to Gr. dah`r: cf. F. lévirat leviration.] Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with, a law of the ancient Israelites and other tribes and races, according to which a woman, whose husband died without issue, was married to the husband's brother.

The firstborn son of a leviratical marriage was reckoned and registered as the son of the deceased brother.

Alford.

Lev`i*ra"tion (lv`*r"shn), n. Levirate marriage or marriages. Kitto.

||Lev`i*ros"tres (-rs"trz), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. levis light + rostrum ||beak.] (Zoöl.) A group of birds, including the hornbills, ||kingfishers, and related forms. || Lev"i*tate (lv"*tt), v. i. [L. levitas, -atis, lightness. See Levity.] To rise, or tend to rise, as if lighter than the surrounding medium; to become buoyant; -- opposed to gravitate. Sir. J. Herschel.

Lev"i*tate, v. t. (Spiritualism) To make buoyant; to cause to float in the air; as, to levitate a table. [Cant]

Lev`i*ta"tion (-t"shn), n. [L. levis light in weight.]

1. Lightness; buoyancy; act of making light. Paley.

2. The act or process of making buoyant.

Le"vite (l"vt), n. [L. Levites, Gr. Leyi:`ths, fr. Heb. Levi, one of the sons of Jacob.] 1. (Bib. Hist.) One of the tribe or family of Levi; a descendant of Levi; esp., one subordinate to the priests (who were of the same tribe) and employed in various duties connected with the tabernacle first, and afterward the temple, such as the care of the building, bringing of wood and other necessaries for the sacrifices, the music of the services, etc.

2. A priest; -- so called in contempt or ridicule.

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Le*vit"ic*al (l*vt"*kal), a. [L. Leviticus, Gr. Leyitiko`s.] 1. Of or pertaining to a Levite or the Levites.

2. Priestly. " Levitical questions." Milton.

3. Of or pertaining to, or designating, the law contained in the book of Leviticus. Ayliffe.

Levitical degrees, degrees of relationship named in Leviticus, within which marriage is forbidden.

Le*vit"ic*al*ly, adv. After the manner of the Levites; in accordance with the levitical law.

Le*vit"i*cus (-*ks), n. [See Levitical.] The third canonical book of the Old Testament, containing the laws and regulations relating to the priests and Levites among the Hebrews, or the body of the ceremonial law.

Lev"i*ty (lv"*t), n. [L. levitas, fr. levis light in weight; akin to levare to raise. See Lever, n.] 1. The quality of weighing less than something else of equal bulk; relative lightness, especially as shown by rising through, or floating upon, a contiguous substance; buoyancy; -- opposed to gravity.

He gave the form of levity to that which ascended; to that which descended, the form of gravity.

Sir. W. Raleigh.

This bubble by reason of its comparative levity to the fluidity that incloses it, would ascend to the top.

Bentley.

2. Lack of gravity and earnestness in deportment or character; trifling gayety; frivolity; sportiveness; vanity. " A spirit of levity and libertinism." Atterbury.

He never employed his omnipotence out of levity.

Calamy.

3. Lack of steadiness or constancy; disposition to change; fickleness; volatility.

The levity that is fatigued and disgusted with everything of which it is in possession.

Burke.

Syn. -- Inconstancy; thoughtlessness; unsteadiness; inconsideration; volatility; flightiness. -- Levity, Volatility, Flightiness. All these words relate to outward conduct. Levity springs from a lightness of mind which produces a disregard of the proprieties of time and place.Volatility is a degree of levity which causes the thoughts to fly from one object to another, without resting on any for a moment. Flightiness is volatility carried to an extreme which often betrays its subject into gross impropriety or weakness. Levity of deportment, of conduct, of remark; volatility of temper, of spirits; flightiness of mind or disposition.

Le"vo- (l"v-). A prefix from L. laevus, meaning: (a) Pertaining to, or toward, the left; as, levorotatory. (b) (Chem. & Opt.) Turning the plane of polarized light to the left; as, levotartaric acid; levoracemic acid; levogyratory crystals, etc. [Written also lævo-.]

Le`vo*gy"rate (-j"rt), a. [Levo- + gyrate.] (Chem. & Physics) Turning or twisting the plane of polarization towards the left, as levulose, levotartaric acid, etc. [Written also lævogyrate.]

Le`vo*ro"ta*to*ry (-r"t*t*r), a. [Levo- + rotatory.] (Chem. & Physics) Turning or rotating the plane of polarization towards the left; levogyrate, as levulose, left-handed quartz crystals, etc. [Written also lævorotatory.]

Lev"u*lin (lv"*ln), n. (Chem.) A substance resembling dextrin, obtained from the bulbs of the dahlia, the artichoke, and other sources, as a colorless, spongy, amorphous material. It is so called because by decomposition it yields levulose. [Written also lævulin.]

Lev`u*lin"ic (-ln"k), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or denoting, an acid (called also acetyl-propionic acid), C5H8O3, obtained by the action of dilute acids on various sugars (as levulose). [Written also lævulinic.]

Lev`u*lo"san (-l"san), n. (Chem.) An unfermentable carbohydrate obtained by gently heating levulose.

Lev"u*lose` (lv"*ls`), n. [See Levo-.] (Chem.) A sirupy variety of sugar, rarely obtained crystallized, occurring widely in honey, ripe fruits, etc., and hence called also fruit sugar. It is called levulose, because it rotates the plane of polarization to the left. [Written also lævulose.]>

It is obtained, together with an equal quantity of dextrose, by the inversion of ordinary cane or beet sugar, and hence, as being an ingredient of invert sugar, is often so called. It is fermentable, nearly as sweet as cane sugar, and is metameric with dextrose. Cf. Dextrose.

Lev"y (-), n.; pl. Levies (-z). [A contr. of elevenpence or elevenpenny bit.] A name formerly given in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia to the Spanish real of one eighth of a dollar (or 12½ cents), valued at eleven pence when the dollar was rated at 7s. 6d.

Lev"y, n. [F. levée, fr. lever to raise. See Lever, and cf. Levee.] 1. The act of levying or collecting by authority; as, the levy of troops, taxes, etc.

A levy of all the men left under sixty.

Thirlwall.

2. That which is levied, as an army, force, tribute, etc. " The Irish levies." Macaulay.

3. (Law) The taking or seizure of property on executions to satisfy judgments, or on warrants for the collection of taxes; a collecting by execution.

Levy in mass [F. levée en masse], a requisition of all able-bodied men for military service.

Lev"y, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Levied (lv"d); p. pr. & vb. n. Levying.] 1. To raise, as a siege. [Obs.] Holland.

2. To raise; to collect; said of troops, to form into an army by enrollment, conscription, etc.

Augustine . . . inflamed Ethelbert, king of Kent, to levy his power, and to war against them.

Fuller.

3. To raise or collect by assessment; to exact by authority; as, to levy taxes, toll, tribute, or contributions.

If they do this . . . my ransom, then, Will soon be levied.

Shak.

4. (Law) (a) To gather or exact; as, to levy money. (b) To erect, build, or set up; to make or construct; to raise or cast up; as, to levy a mill, dike, ditch, a nuisance, etc. [Obs.] Cowell. Blackstone. (c) To take or seize on execution; to collect by execution.