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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. Le-gā′tion, n.p. 762The sending forth or commissioning one person to act for another. “The Divine Legation of Moses.” Warburton. “When we are satisfied on the capital point of his divine legation.” I. Taylor. 2. A…
  2. Le-gā'to, a.p. 762(Mus.) Connected; tied; — a term used when successive tones are produced in a closely connected manner, and often indicated by a tie, thus ⌒, or ⌣, written over or under the notes to be so performed.
  3. Lĕg'a-tôr', n.p. 763(Law.) A testator; one who bequeaths a legacy.
  4. Lĕg'a-tū'rō, n.p. 763(Mus.) A binding note.
  5. Lĕg'-bāil, n.p. 763Running away; flight. [Colloq.] To give leg-bail, to escape from custody, and run away.
  6. Lĕge, v. t.p. 763To allege. 2. To lighten; to allay. Chaucer.
  7. Lĕg'e'ment, n.p. 763See LEDGEMENT.
  8. Lě'gend or Lěg'end, n.p. 763That which is appointed to be read; especially, a chronicle or register of the lives of saints, formerly read at matins, and at the refectories of religious houses. 2. A story respecting saints…
  9. Golden legendp. 763a collection of the lives of the saints, made by Jacobus de Voragine, archbishop of Genoa, in the thirteenth century, which was used in the church upward of two hundred years. Brande.
  10. Lĕ'gend or Lĕg'end, v. t.p. 763To tell or narrate, as a legend. [Obs.] Hall.
  11. Lĕg'end-a-ry, a.p. 763Consisting of legends; strange; fabulous. 2. Like a legend; exaggerated; extravagant; false.
  12. Lĕg'end-a-ry, n.p. 763A book of legends; a tale or narrative. Read the Countess of Pembroke's “Arcadia,” a gallant legendary, full of pleasurable accidents. James VI., King of Scotland. 2. One who relates legends.
  13. Lĕg'er, n.p. 763Any thing that lies in a place; that which rests or remains. [Obs.] 2. A minister or embassador resident at a court or seat of government. [Written also léger.] Sir Edward Carne, the queen's leger at…
  14. Lĕg'er, a.p. 763Light; slender; slight; slim; hence, unimportant; trifling. 2. [See LEDGER.] Lying or remaining in a place; hence, resident. Leger embassador, a resident embassador. See LEGER, n., No. 2.— Leger line…
  15. Lĕg'er-de-māin', n.p. 763A deceptive performance which depends on dexterity of hand; a trick performed with such art and adroitness, that the manner or art eludes observation; sleight of hand; trick; deception. “The tricks…
  16. Lĕg'er-de-māin'ist, n.p. 763One who uses sleight of hand.
  17. Le-gěr′-i-ty, n.p. 763Lightness; nimbleness. [Obs.] Shak.
  18. Lĕgge, v. t.p. 763To lay. [Obs.] Wycliffe.
  19. Lĕgged, a.p. 763Having legs; — used in composition; as, a two-legged animal.
  20. Lĕg-ji-ä'drop. 763(Mus.) In a brisk and lively style.
  21. Lĕg'gĭn or Lĕg'ging, n.p. 763A cover for the leg, like a long gaiter; a garment that incloses the leg.
  22. Lĕg'hŏrn, n.p. 763A kind of plait for bonnets and hats, prepared from the straw of a variety of bearded wheat, cut when green, and dried. It was originally made at Leghorn, whence the name. Simmonds.
  23. Lĕg'ĭ-bĭl'ĭ-ty, n.p. 763The quality or state of being legible; legibleness.
  24. Lĕg'i-ble, a.p. 763Capable of being read; consisting of letters or figures that may be distinguished by the eye; as, a fair, legible manuscript. 2. Capable of being discovered or understood by apparent marks or…
  25. Lĕg'i-ble-ness, n.p. 763The quality or state of being legible; legibility.
  26. Lĕg'i-bly, adv.p. 763In such a manner as may be read; as, a manuscript legibly written.
  27. Lē′gion, n.p. 763(Rom. antiqu.) A body of infantry, consisting of different numbers of men at different periods, from three to five thousand. Each legion was divided into ten cohorts, each cohort into ten companies…
  28. Lē’gion-a-ry, a.p. 763Relating to, or consisting of, a legion or of legions; as, a legionary force. 2. Containing a great number. “Legionary body of errors.” Browne.
  29. Lē'giọn-a-ry, n.p. 763One of a legion. Milton.
  30. Lē'gis-lāte, v. i.p. 763To make or enact a law or laws.
  31. Lĕg'is-lā'tion, n.p. 763The act of legislating, or enacting laws. Pythagoras joined legislation to his philosophy. Littelton.
  32. Lĕg'is-lā/tive, a.p. 763Giving or enacting laws; as, a legislative body. 2. Pertaining to the enacting of laws; suitable to laws; as, the legislative style. 3. Done by enacting; as, a legislative act. ☞ In this word, and in…
  33. Lĕg'is-lā'tive-ly, adv.p. 763In a legislative manner.
  34. Lēg'is-lā'tor, n.p. 763A lawgiver; one who makes laws for a state or community.
  35. Lĕg'is-la-tō'ri-al, a.p. 763Of, or pertaining to, a legislature.
  36. Lĕg'is-lā'tor-ship, n.p. 763The office of a legislator. [Obs.] Halifax.
  37. Lēg'is-lā'tress or Lēg'is-lā'trix, n.p. 763A female who makes laws.
  38. Lĕg'is-lā-ture, n.p. 763The body of men in a state or kingdom invested with power to make and repeal laws; the supreme power of a state. The legislature of Great Britain consists of the Lords and Commons, with the king or…
  39. Lē'gist, n.p. 763One skilled in the laws.
  40. Le-gĭt'i-ma-cy, n.p. 763Accordance with law. 2. Lawfulness of birth; — opposed to bastardy. 3. Genuineness, or reality; opposed to spuriousness. 4. Regular sequence or deduction; logical sequence or validity; as, the…
  41. Le-git'i-mate, a.p. 763Accordant with law. 2. Lawfully begotten or born; born in wedlock; as, legitimate heirs or children. 3. Genuine; real; not false or spurious. 4. Following by logical or natural sequence; as, a…
  42. Le-ġĭt′i-māte, v. t.p. 763L. Lat. legitimare, legitimatum, from Lat. legitimus, lawful, legitimate, from lex, legis, law; It. legittimare, Sp. legitimar, Fr. légitimer.] 1. To make lawful; to legalize. 2. To render…
  43. Le-ġĭt'i-mate-ly, adv.p. 763In a legitimate manner; lawfully; genuinely.
  44. Le-ġĭt'i-mate-ness, n.p. 763The state of being legitimate; legality; lawfulness; genuineness.
  45. Le-ġĭt'i-mā'tion, n.p. 763The act of rendering legitimate. “The coining or legitimation of money.” East. 2. Lawful birth. [Rare.] Shak.
  46. Le-ġĭt'i-ma-tĭst, n.p. 763The same as LEGITIMIST.
  47. Le-ġĭt'i-mĭst, n.p. 763One who supports legitimate authority; an adherent of divine or hereditary rights. 2. Specifically, in France, an adherent of the elder branch of the Bourbon family, which was driven from the throne…
  48. Le-ġĭt'i-mīze, v. t.p. 763To legitimate, or make lawful.
  49. Lĕġ'i-tĭve, a.p. 763Lawful; legitimate. [Obs.] Berners.
  50. Lĕg'less, a.p. 763Having no legs.
  51. Lē'go-lĭt'e-ra-ry, a.p. 763Pertaining to the literature of law. “An essay on this lego-literary subject.” Lord Campbell.
  52. Lē'gu-lē'ian, a.p. 763Lawyer-like; legal. [Rare.] “In the classical English sense, or in the sense of leguleian barbarism.” De Quincey.
  53. Lē'gu-lē'ian, n.p. 763One in the legal profession; a lawyer. [Obs.] Milton.
  54. Lĕg'ūme or Le-gūme', n.p. 763(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…
  55. Le-gū'men, n.p. 763The same as LEGUME.
  56. Le-gū'mĭne, n.p. 763(Chem.) A principle obtained from the seeds of papilionaceous plants; vegetable caseine.
  57. Le-gū'mi-noŭs, a.p. 763Pertaining to pulse; consisting of pulse. 2. (Bot.) Bearing legumes, as seed-vessels; related to plants bearing legumes, as peas.
  58. Le-hŭnt'ite, n.p. 763(Min.) A variety of zeolite of a flesh-red color, consisting chiefly of the hydrous silicate of alumina and soda.
  59. Leī'o-phy̆l'lum, n.p. 763(Bot.) A genus of low, branching, evergreen shrubs, having smooth, shining leaves, and small white flowers; sand-myrtle. Gray.
  60. Leī-pō'ā, n.p. 763(Ornith.) A genus of birds including but a single species (L. ocellata), found in Australia. They lay their eggs in a mound of sand, to be hatched by the heat of the sun, but in most other respects…