Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Lāb'a-dist, n. p. 745(Eccl. Hist.) A follower of Jean de Labadie, a reformer of the seventeenth century. He held that the church should be a community of sanctified persons striving after perfection in holiness, but…Lāb'a-rūm, n. p. 745The standard borne before the Emperor Constantine after his conversion to Christianity. It was a long pike, having a transverse beam, to which was attached a silken vail, wrought with images of the…Lāb'da-nūm, n. p. 745See LADANUM.Lāb'/e-fāc'tion, n. p. 745The act of labefying, or making weak; the state of being weakened; decay; ruin. Then collecting himself, as it were to give a heavy stroke: “There is in it such a labefaction of all principles as may…Lāb'e-fy, v. t. p. 745To weaken or impair. [Obs.]Lā'bel, n. p. 745A tassel. [Obs.] Huloet. Fuller. 2. A narrow slip of silk, paper, parchment, &c., affixed to any thing, denoting its contents, ownership, and the like; as, the label of a bottle, or a package. 3. A…Lā'bel, v. t. p. 745To affix a label to.La-bĕl'lum, n. p. 745(Bot.) The front segment of a flower, especially of those of the Orchis family.Lā'bent, a. p. 745Sliding; gliding. [Rare.]Lā'be-o, n. p. 745(Ichth.) A genus of fishes having very thick and fleshy lips, found in Egypt and India.Lā'bi-al, a. p. 745Pertaining or belonging to the lips; as, labial veins. 2. (Pron.) Formed by the lips; uttered principally with the lips;—said of certain letters, as b, m, and p.Lā'bi-al, n. p. 745(Pron.) A letter or character representing an articulation or sound formed or uttered chiefly with the lips, as b, p, w.Lā'bi-al-ly, adv. p. 745In a labial manner; by the lips.Lā'bi-ate or Lā'bi-ā'ted, a. p. 745(Bot.) Having the limb of a tubular corolla or calyx divided into two unequal parts, one projecting over the other like the lips of a mouth, as in the mints. Gray.Lā′bile, a. p. 745Liable to err, fall, or apostatize. [Obs.] Cheyne.Lā'bi-o-dĕnt'al, a. p. 745(Pron.) Formed or pronounced by the co-operation of the lips and teeth, as f and v.Lā'bĭ-ŭm, n. p. 745A lip; especially, (a.) (Entom.) The organ of insects which covers the mouth from beneath, and represents the under lip. (b.) (Conch.) The inner lip of a shell, or that one nearest the axis. Brande.Lāb'lab, n. p. 745(Bot.) A genus of twining leguminous plants found in the tropics.Lā'bor, n. p. 745Physical toil or bodily exertion, especially when fatiguing, irksome, or unavoidable, in distinction from sportive exercise; hard, muscular effort directed to some useful end, as agriculture…Lā'bor, v. i. p. 745To exert muscular strength; to act or move with painful effort, particularly in servile occupations; to work; to toil. Adam, well may we labor still to dress This garden. Milton. 2. To exert one's…Lā'bor, v. t. p. 745To work at; to till; hence, to attain by labor; to foster or cultivate by toil. The most excellent lands are lying fallow, or only labored by children. Tooke. Labor that first palm of noble minds, A…Lăb'o-rant, n. p. 745A chemist. [Obs.] Boyle.Lăb'o-ra-to-ry, n. p. 745A place where operations and experiments in chemistry, pharmacy, pyrotechny, &c., are performed; the work-room of a chemist. 2. A place where any thing is prepared for use; as, the stomach is called…Lā'bored, a. p. 745Bearing marks of constraint in execution; — opposed to easy or free; as, a labored style.Lāʹbor-er, n. p. 745One who labors in a toilsome occupation; a man who does work that requires little skill, as distinguished from an artisan; — sometimes called a laboring man. [Written also labourer.]La-bō'ri-oüs, a. p. 745Requiring or employing labor, perseverance, or sacrifices; toilsome; tiresome. Dost thou love watchings, abstinence, or toil, Laborious virtues all? Learn these from Cato. Addison. 2. Devoted to…La-bō'ri-oüs-ly, adv. p. 745With labor, toil, or difficulty.La-bō'ri-oŭs-ness, n. p. 745The quality of being laborious, or attended with toil; toilsomeness; difficulty. 2. Diligence; assiduity.Lā'bor-less, a. p. 745Not laborious; easily done.Lā'bor-sāv'ing, a. p. 745Saving labor; adapted to supersede or diminish the labor of men.Lā'bor-sôme, a. p. 745Made with great labor and diligence. [Obs.] “Laborsome petition.” Shak. 2. (Naut.) Likely or inclined to roll or pitch, as a ship in a heavy sea.Lā'brā, n. p. 745A lip. [Obs.] Shak.Lāb'ra-dōr-ite, n. p. 745(Min.) Labrador spar, a beautiful variety of opalescent feldspar, from Labrador.Lāb'ra-dōr Tēa p. 745A plant of two species of the genus Ledum (L. palustre and L. latifolia), possessing narcotic properties, used for a drink, and to render beer heady.Lā'brar, n. p. 745(Ichth.) A genus of fishes allied to the perch; the bass. See BASS.La-brōse', a. p. 745Having thick lips.Lā'brum, n. p. 745A lip or edge, as of a basin or dish. 2. (Entom.) An organ in insects covering the upper part of the mouth, and corresponding to the upper lip. 3. (Conch.) The outer lip of a shell, or that one…Lā'brus, n. p. 745(Ichth.) A genus of fishes, several species of which are characterized by an elegant and regular oval form and beautiful colors; the wrasse.La-bûr'num, n. p. 745(Bot.) A tree of the genus Cytisus, a native of the Alps, and much cultivated as an ornamental tree.Lăb'y-rinth, n. p. 745An edifice or place full of intricacies, or formed with winding passages, which render it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance; as, the Egyptian and the Cretan labyrinths. 2.…Lāb'y-rinth'al, a. p. 746Pertaining to, or resembling, a labyrinth.Lāb'y-rĭnth'i-an, a. p. 746Winding; intricate; perplexed.Lāb'y-rinth'ic or Lāb'y-rinth'ic-al, a. p. 746Like a labyrinth.Lāb'y-rinth'i-fōrm, a. p. 746Having the form of a labyrinth; intricate.Lāb'y-rinth'ine, a. p. 746Pertaining to, or like, a labyrinth.Lāb'y-rĭnth'o-dŏn, n. p. 746(Palæon.) A genus of extinct reptiles of a large size, so named from the labyrinthine texture of its tooth. They unite the form, and many of the characteristics, of the batrachians or frogs, with the…Lāb'y-rinth'o-dōnt, n. p. 746One of the family of reptiles to which the labyrinthodon belongs.Lăc, n. p. 746A resinous substance produced mainly upon the banyan tree, by the Coccus lacca, a scale-shaped insect, the female of which fixes itself on the bark, and exudes from the margin of the body this…Lăc, n. p. 746One hundred thousand; as, a lac of rupees. [Written also lack.] [East Indies.]Lāc'cic, a. p. 746(Chem.) Pertaining to lac, or produced from it; as, laccic acid.Lāe'cine, n. p. 746(Chem.) A substance obtained from shell-lac. It is brittle, yellow, translucent, and soluble in caustic potash and in sulphuric acid.Lāçe, n. p. 746That which binds or holds, especially by being interwoven; a string or cord, often plaited or otherwise ornamented. 2. A snare or gin, especially one made of interwoven cords; a net. [Obs.] Fairfax.…Lāce, v. t. p. 746To fasten with a lace or string. “When Jenny’s stays are newly laced.” Prior. 2. To adorn or deck with lace; as, cloth laced with silver. Shak. 3. To interweave or embellish with variegations or…Lāçe, v. i. p. 746To have a lace; to be fastened or tied with a lace or string.Lāçe'-bärk, n. p. 746(Bot.) A shrub in the West Indies (the Lagetto lintearia);—so called from the lace-like texture of its inner bark.Lāçe'-bōot, n. p. 746A boot which laces up at the side or in front.Lāçed, p. a. p. 746Fastened or set off by a lace or laces; furnished with lace. Laced coffee, coffee with spirits in it. Addison.—Laced mutton (set off with laces), a prostitute. [Obs.] Shak.Lāçe'man, n. p. 746A man who deals in lace. Addison.Lăç'er-a-ble, a. p. 746Capable of being lacerated or torn.Lăç'er-āte, v. t. p. 746To tear; to rend; to separate by violence or tearing; as, to lacerate the flesh; hence, to wound; to injure or afflict; as, to lacerate the heart.