Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Lā'zy, a. p. 758Disinclined to action or exertion; naturally or habitually slothful; averse to labor; heavy in motion. Wicked men will ever live like rogues, and not fall to work, but be lazy, and spend victuals.…Lăz'za-rō'nī, n. pl. p. 758(Naples.) The poor who live by begging, or have no permanent habitation; — so called from the hospital of St. Lazarus, which serves as their refuge. [Written also, but improperly, lozaroni.]Lēa, n. p. 758A meadow or sward land; a field. “Plow-torn leas.” Shak. The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea. Gray.Lēach, v. t. p. 758To wash, as ashes, by percolation, or causing water to pass through them, and thus to separate from them the alkali. [Written also leech and letch.]Lēach, v. i. p. 758To pass through by percolation.Lēach, n. p. 758A quantity of wood-ashes, through which water passes, and thus imbibes the alkali. 2. A tub in which ashes are leached; a leach-tub.Lēach, n. p. 758(Naut.) See LEECH. 2. A physician. See LEECH. [Obs.] Spenser.Lēach'-craft, n. p. 758The skill or care of a physician.Lēach'-tūb, n. p. 758A wooden vessel or tub in which ashes are leached. [Written also letch-tub.]Lēach'y, a. p. 759Suffering fluids to pass by percolation; not capable of retaining water;—said of gravelly or sandy soils, and the like.Lēad, n. p. 759A metal of a dull white color, with a cast of blue. It is the least elastic and sonorous of all the metals, and at the same time it is soft and easily fusible. Its specific gravity when pure is…Lĕad, v. t. p. 759To cover with lead; to fit with lead. 2. (Print.) To widen the space between lines by inserting a lead or leads.Lēad, v. t. p. 759To show the way to, as to a town or street; to cause to go; to conduct or guide in a way. He leadeth me beside the still waters. Ps. xxiii. 2. 2. To guide by the hand, as a child, or animal. In thy…Lēad, v. i. p. 759To go before and show the way. “I will lead on softly.” Gen. xxxiii. 14. 2. To conduct, as a chief or commander; as, let the troops follow where their general leads. 3. To put forth, or exercise, a…Lēad, n. p. 759Precedence; a going before; guidance. At the time I speak of, and having a momentary lead, . . . I am sure I did my country important service. Burke. 2. A navigable opening or lane in an ice-field.…Lĕad'ed, p. a. p. 759Fitted with lead; set in lead; as, leaded windows. 2. (Print.) Separated by leads, as the lines of a page.L'ēad'en, a. p. 759Made of lead; as, a leaden ball. 2. Heavy; indisposed to action; dull. Shak.Lĕad'en-heārt'ed, a. p. 759Stupid; destitute of feeling. Thomson.Lēad'en-heeled, a. p. 759Moving slowly. Ford.Lēad'en-stēp'ping, a. p. 759Moving slowly. Milton.Lead'er, n. p. 759One who, or that which, leads or conducts; a guide; a conductor; especially, (a.) One who goes first. (b.) A chief; a commander; a captain. (c.) The chief of a party or faction; as, the leader of the…Lēad'er-ship, n. p. 759The state or condition of a leader.Lēad'ing, p. a. p. 759Chief; principal; capital; most important or influential; as, a leading motive; a leading man in a party. 2. Showing the way by going first. He left his mother a countess by patent, which was a new…Lēad'ing, n. p. 759Lead, or sheets or articles of lead collectively.Lēad'ing-ly, adv. p. 759By leading.Lēad'ing-strĭngs, n. pl. p. 759Strings by which children are supported when beginning to walk. To be in leading-strings, to be in a state of infancy or dependence, or under the guidance of others.Lēad'-man, n. p. 759One who begins or leads a dance. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Lēad'-plānt, n. p. 759(Bot.) A low, leguminous plant, of the genus Amorpha (A. canescens), found in the North-western States, where its presence is supposed to indicate lead ore. Gray.Lĕad'-pĕn'cil, n. p. 759An instrument for drawing or making lines, made of plumbago or black lead.Lēad'-screw, n. p. 759(Mach.) The main screw of a lathe, which gives the feed motion to the slide-rest.Lĕads’man, n. p. 759The man who heaves the lead. Totten.Lēad'-wort, n. p. 759(Bot.) A genus of flowering plants of the genus Plumbago. P. Europæa is said to cure the toothache by the chewing of its root, by which the teeth are stained of a lead color.Lēad'y, a. p. 759Of the color of lead. Sir T. Elyot.Lēaf, n. p. 759(a.) (Bot.) One of the three principal parts or organs of vegetation. It is developed by increase at its base from and about the stem, and has a definite shape and limited growth. ☞ Leaves perform…Leaf, v. i. p. 759To shoot out leaves; to produce leaves; as, the trees leaf in May.Lēaf'age, n. p. 759Leaves collectively; abundance of leaves; foliage.Lēaf'-brĭdge, n. p. 759A drawbridge having a leaf or platform on each side, which rises and falls.Lēaf'-būd, n. p. 759(Bot.) The rudiment of a young branch, or a growing point covered with rudimentary leaves called scales. Lindley.Lēaf'-crowned, a. p. 759Crowned with leaves or foliage. Moore.Lēafed, a. p. 759Having leaves.Lēaf'-făt, n. p. 759The fat which lies in leaves or layers within the body of an animal.Lēaf'-hŏp'per, n. p. 759(Entom.) An hemipterous insect of the genus Tettigonia, of which one species (the T. vitis) is very destructive to the vine.Lēaf'i-ness, n. p. 759A state of being full of leaves.Lēaf'-lärd, n. p. 759Lard made of leaf-fat.Lēaf'less, a. p. 759Destitute of leaves; as, a leafless tree.Lēaf'less-ness, n. p. 759Destitution of leaves.Lēaf'let, n. p. 759A little leaf. 2. (Bot.) One of the divisions of a compound leaf; a foliole.Lēaf'-stalk, n. p. 759(Bot.) The petiole or stalk which supports a leaf.Lēaf'y, a. p. 759Full of leaves; as, the leafy forest.Lēague, n. p. 759A combination or union of two or more parties for the purpose of maintaining friendship, and promoting their mutual interest, or for executing any design in concert. And let there be 'Twixt us and…Lēague, v. i. p. 759To unite in a league or confederacy; to combine for mutual support; to confederate.Lēague, n. p. 759A stone erected on the public roads, at certain distances, in the manner of the modern mile-stones. [Obs.] 2. A measure of length or distance, equal, in England and the United States, to three…Lēag'uer, n. p. 759One who unites in a league; a confederate. Some of the old leaguers were tramping and clanking about the apartment. H. Irving.Lēag'uer, n. p. 759The camp of a besieging army; less often, a camp in general. “Your sutler’s wife in the leaguer.” B. Jonson. I have it in charge to go to the camp or leaguer of our army. W. Scott. 2. Hence…Lēag'uer-er, n. p. 759One belonging to, or engaged in, a leaguer. “Roman leaguerers.” J. Webster.Lēak, n. p. 759A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole in a vessel, that admits water, or permits a fluid to escape. 2. The oozing or passing of water, or other fluid or liquor, through a crack, fissure, or aperture in…Lēak, a. p. 759Leaky. [Obs. and rare.] Spenser.Lēak, v. i. p. 759To let water or other liquor into or out of a vessel, through a hole, crevice, or other defect. To leak out, to find publicity in a clandestine or irregular way; to escape from confinement or secrecy.Lēak'ağe, n. p. 759A leaking; or the quantity of a liquor that enters or issues by leaking. 2. (Com.) An allowance of a certain rate per cent. for the leaking of casks, or the waste of liquors by leaking.Lēak'i-ness, n. p. 759The state of being leaky.