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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

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  1. Lau'mo-nite, n.p. 756(Min.) A mineral, usually transparent or translucent, of a white color and vitreous luster, and consisting chiefly of the hydrous silicate of alumina. Exposed to the air, it becomes opaque, and…
  2. Läunçe, v. t.p. 756See LANCE.
  3. Läunçe, n.p. 756A lance. [Obs.]
  4. Läunçe, n.p. 756A balance. [Obs.] Fortune all in equal launce doth sway. Spenser.
  5. Läunçe, n.p. 756(Ichth.) A species of sand-eel; the Ammodytes lancea. See SAND-EEL.
  6. Läunch, v. t.p. 756To cause to move or slide from the land into the water; as, to launch a ship. 2. To send forth or dispatch; to cut off from dependence; as, to launch one on the world. 3. To throw, as a spear or…
  7. Läunch, v. i.p. 756To go forth, as a ship into the water; as, to launch into the wide world. 2. To expatiate in language; as, to launch into a wide field of discussion.
  8. Läunch, n.p. 756The sliding or movement of a ship from the land into the water, on ways prepared for the purpose. 2. (Naut.) The largest size of boat belonging to a ship, being double-banked, and used for heavy…
  9. Laund, n.p. 756A lawn. [Obs.] Shak.
  10. Läun'der, n.p. 756A washerwoman. 2. (Mining.) A trough used by miners to receive the powdered ore from the box where it is beaten.
  11. Läun'der, v. t.p. 756To wash; to wet. [Obs.] Shak.
  12. Läun'der-er, n.p. 756A man who follows the business of washing clothes.
  13. Läun'dress, n.p. 756A female whose employment is to wash clothes; a washerwoman.
  14. Läun'dress, v. i.p. 756To practice washing. [Obs.] Blount.
  15. Läun'dry, n.p. 756A washing. 2. The place or room where clothes are washed.
  16. Lau'rȧ, n.p. 756A collection of several hermitages, the inhabitants of which lodged in cells removed at a certain distance from each other, but under the same superior.
  17. Lau're-ate, a.p. 756Decked or invested with laurel; as, laureate hearse. “To strew the laureate hearse where Lycid lies.” Milton. Soft on her lap her laureate son reclines. Pope. Poet laureate. (a.) One who received an…
  18. Lau're-āte, v. t.p. 756To honor with a wreath of laurel, as formerly was done in bestowing a degree at the English universities.
  19. Lau're-ate-shĭp, n.p. 756Office of a laureate.
  20. Lau're-ā'tion, n.p. 756The act of crowning with laurel, as in bestowing a degree.
  21. Lau'rel, n.p. 756(Bot.) An evergreen shrub, of the genus Laurus (L. nobilis), having aromatic leaves of a lanceolate shape, with clusters of small, yellowish-white flowers in their axils;—called also sweet-bay. The…
  22. Lau'reled, p. a.p. 756Crowned with laurel, or with a laurel wreath; laureate. [Written also laurelled.]
  23. Lau-rĕn'tian, a.p. 756(Geol.) The portion of the azoic rocks of Canada anterior to the Huronian. Dana.
  24. Lau'rer, n.p. 756The same as LAUREL. [Obs.] Chaucer.
  25. Lau'res-tĭne, n.p. 756(Bot.) The Viburnum tinus, an evergreen shrub or tree of the south of Europe, which flowers during the winter months.
  26. Lau-rĭf'er-oŭs, a.p. 756Producing, or bringing, laurel.
  27. Lau'rĭne, n.p. 756(Chem.) A fatty, acrid matter contained in the berries of the laurel.
  28. Lau'rus, n.p. 756(Bot.) A genus of plants including many species, most of which are fragrant or aromatic. L. nobilis is the laurel; L. camphora, the camphor-tree; L. cinnamomum, the cinnamon-tree; and L. sassafras…
  29. Laus'kraut, n.p. 756(Bot.) A plant of the genus Delphinium.
  30. Lau'tu, n.p. 756A band of cotton, twisted, and worn on the head of the Inca of Peru, as a badge of royalty.
  31. Lā'vȧ or Lä'vȧ, n.p. 756The melted rock ejected by a volcano from its top or fissured sides. It flows out in streams sometimes miles in length. Dana.
  32. Lava-millstone or Lava-warep. 756a hard and coarse basaltic millstone used in England, and brought from the banks of the Rhine. Simmons.—Lava-ware, a kind of cheap pottery made of iron slag cast into tiles, urns, table-tops, &c.…
  33. Lāv'a-ret, n.p. 756(Ichth.) A fish of the genus Salmo (S. lavaretus of Linnæus); a kind of salmon.
  34. La-văt'ic, a.p. 756Like lava, or composed of it. [Written also lavic.]
  35. La-vā'tion, n.p. 756A washing or cleansing. [Obs.] Helverell.
  36. Lāv'a-to-ry, a.p. 756Washing, or cleansing by washing.
  37. Lāv'a-to-ry, n.p. 756A place for washing. 2. A wash or lotion for a diseased part. 3. A place where gold is obtained by washing.
  38. Lāv'a-tūre, n.p. 756Wash or lotion. [Obs.] Holland.
  39. Lāve, v. t.p. 756(imp. & p. p. LAVED; p. pr. & vb. n. LAVING.) [Fr. laver, Pr. & Sp. lavar, It. & Lat. lavare, allied to Gr. λούειν.] To wash; to bathe. [Rare, except in poetry.] Milton.
  40. Lāve, v. i.p. 756To bathe; to wash one's self. In her chaste current oft the goddess laves. Pope.
  41. Lāve, v. t.p. 756To throw up, or out; to lade out. [Obs.]
  42. Lāve, n.p. 756The remainder; others. [Scot.]
  43. Lāve'-ēared, a.p. 756Having large, pendent ears. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
  44. La-veer', v. t.p. 756(Naut.) To sail back and forth; to tack. [Rare.] Dryden.
  45. Lāve'ment, n.p. 756A washing or bathing. 2. A clyster.
  46. Lāv'en-der, n.p. 756(Bot.) An aromatic plant of the genus Lavandula (L. vera), common in the south of Europe. It yields an oil used in medicine and perfumery. The Spike-lavender (L. spica) yields a coarser oil, used in…
  47. Lā'ver, n.p. 756A vessel for washing; a large basin. 2. (Script. Hist.) A basin placed in the court of the Jewish tabernacle, where the officiating priests washed their hands and feet, and the entrails of victims.…
  48. Lā'ver, n.p. 756The fronds of certain marine plants, used as food. Green laver is the Ulva latissima; purple laver, Porphyra laciniata and P. vulgaris. It is prepared by stewing, either alone or with other…
  49. Lāv'er-ock, n.p. 756The lark. [Scot.] See LARK. [Written also lavrock.]
  50. Lā'vie, a.p. 756See LAVATIC.
  51. Lāv'ish, a.p. 756Expending or bestowing profusely; profuse; as, lavish of praise; lavish of encomiums; lavish of censure; lavish of blood and treasure. 2. Expending excessively and foolishly; wasteful; prodigal; as…
  52. Lăv'ish, v. t.p. 756To expend or bestow with profusion; as, to lavish praise or encomiums. 2. To expend without necessity or use; to squander; as, to lavish money on vices and amusements.
  53. Lāv'ish-er, n.p. 757One who expends or bestows profusely or excessively; a prodigal.
  54. Lāv'ish-ly, adv.p. 757With profuse expense; prodigally; wastefully.
  55. Lāv'ish-ment, n.p. 757The state of being lavish; profuse expenditure; prodigality.
  56. Lāv'ish-ness, n.p. 757Profusion; prodigality.
  57. La-vōlt’ or La-vōl'tā, n.p. 757An old dance, for two persons, being a kind of waltz, in which the man turned the woman round several times, and then assisted her in making a high spring or bound. Halliwell. “And teach lavoltas…
  58. La-vōl’ta-teer, n.p. 757One who danced the lavolta; a dancer. [Obs.] “A lavoltateer, a saltatory, a dancer.” Beau. & Fl.
  59. Lăv'rock, n.p. 757The lark. See LAVEROCK.
  60. Law, n.p. 757A rule of order or conduct established by authority; an edict of a ruler or a government; a fixed regulation; an expressed command; a decree; an order. Law is beneficence acting by rule. Burke. 2.…