Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ler-nē'an, n. p. 765(Zoöl.) One of a family of parasitic crustacea found attached to fishes. Some species penetrate the skin with their elongated head, and feed on the viscera.Lese-māj'es-ty, n. p. 765See LEZE-MAJESTY.Lē'sion, n. p. 765A hurt; an injury; specifically, (a.) (Law.) Loss sustained from failure to fulfill a bargain or contract. Burrill. (b.) (Med.) Any morbid change in the exercise of functions or the texture of…Lēss, conj. p. 765Unless. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Lēss p. 765A terminating syllable of many nouns and some adjectives. It is the A-S. lēás, Goth. láus, O. Sax. & O. H. Ger. lōs, N. H. Ger. los, O. Eng. les, lees, allied to Eng. loose, from A-S. leósan, O. H.…Lĕss, a. p. 766Smaller; not so large or great; as, a less quantity or number; a horse of less size or value.Lĕss, adv. p. 766Not so much; in a smaller or lower degree; as, less bright or loud; less beautiful.Lĕss, n. p. 766A smaller portion. The children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. Ex. xvi. 17. 2. The inferior; the younger. The less is blessed of the better. Heb. vii. 7.Lĕss, v. t. p. 766To make less; to lessen. [Obs.] Gower.Les-see', n. p. 766(Law.) The person to whom a lease is given, or who takes an estate by lease. Blackstone.Lēss'en, v. t. p. 766To make less; to reduce in bulk, size, quantity, number, or amount; to make smaller; to diminish; as, to lessen a kingdom or its population. 2. To diminish in quality, state, or degree. Charity ...…Lĕss'en, v. i. p. 766To become less; to shrink; to contract in bulk, quantity, number, or amount; to be diminished; as, the apparent magnitude of objects lessens as we recede from them. 2. To become less in degree…Lĕss'er, a. p. 766Less; smaller; inferior. God made ... the lesser light to rule the night. Gen. i. 16. Lesser is rarely used for less, the comparative of little, except in certain special instances in which its…Lĕss'er, adv. p. 766Less. [Obs.] Shak.Lēs'ses, n. pl. p. 766The leavings or dung of beasts.Lĕs'son, n. p. 766Any thing read or recited to a teacher by a pupil or learner; such a portion of a book as a pupil is required to learn at one time. 2. That which is learned or taught by an express effort; a precept…Lĕs'son, v. t. p. 766To teach; to instruct. To rest the weary, and to soothe the sad, Doth lesson happier men, and shames at least the bad. Byron.Lēs'sor, n. p. 766(Law.) One who leases; the person who lets to farm, or gives a lease. Blackstone.Lĕst, v. i. p. 766To listen. [Obs.] Spenser.Lēst, conj. p. 766That not; for fear that. Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. Gen. iii. 3. Formerly often pronounced least, in accordance with one of the Old English forms of the word.Lē'stris, n. p. 766A genus of palmiped birds, distinguished from the true gulls by a pointed tail, and also by their membranous nostrils being larger, and opening nearer to the point and edge of the beak. The L.…Lĕt, v. t. p. 766To give leave or power by a positive act; or, negatively, to withhold restraint; not to prevent; to permit; to allow; to suffer. Pharaoh said, I will let you go. Ex. viii. 28. There's a letter for…Lĕt, v. t. p. 766To retard; to hinder; to impede, as by obstacles. Mine ancient wound is hardly whole, And lets me from the saddle. Tennyson.Lĕt, v. i. p. 766To forbear. [Obs.] Bacon.Lĕt, n. p. 766A retarding; hindrance; obstacle; impediment; delay. [Obs.] Consider whether your doings be to the let of your salvation or not. Latimer.Lĕt p. 766A termination of diminutives; as, hamlet, a little house; a wavelet, a small wave.Lĕtch, n. p. 766A leach-tub. See LEACH. 2. [O. H. Ger. lacha, a pool. See LAKE.] A long, narrow swamp, in which water moves slowly. [Prov. Eng.] Brockett.Lĕtch, n. p. 766Strong desire; passion. [Obs.] Some people have a letch for unmasking impostors, or for avenging the wrongs of others. De Quincey.Lĕtch, v. t. p. 766To leach. See LEACH.Lĕtch'-tŭb, n. p. 766See LEACH-TUB.Lē'thal, a. p. 766Deadly; mortal; fatal.Le-thăl'i-ty, n. p. 766Mortality. [Obs.]Le-thär'gie or Le-thär'gie-al, a. p. 766Given to lethargy; preternaturally inclined to sleep; drowsy; dull; heavy. 2. Pertaining to, resembling, or caused by, lethargy; as, lethargic sleep.Le-thär'gi-cal-ly, adv. p. 766In a lethargic manner; sleepily; heavily.Le-thär'gie-al-ness or Le-thär'gie-ness, n. p. 766The condition of being inclined to lethargy; sleepiness, especially as the result of disease. More.Lĕth'ar-gīze, v. t. p. 766To make lethargic. All bitters are poison, and act by stilling, and depressing, and lethargizing the irritability. Coleridge.Lĕth'ar-gy, n. p. 766Preternatural sleepiness; morbid drowsiness; continued or profound sleep, from which a person can scarcely be awaked. 2. Dullness; inaction; inattention. Europe lay then under a deep lethargy.…Lĕth'ar-gy, v. t. p. 766To make lethargic or dull; to lethargize. [Obs.] Churchill.Lē'the, n. p. 766(Gr. Myth.) A river of Africa, watering the city of Berenice, which, because it runs many miles under ground, was fabled by the poets to be one of the rivers of hell, and, because the name signifies…Le-thē'an, a. p. 766Inducing forgetfulness or oblivion.Lē'theed, a. p. 766Causing forgetfulness; lethean. [Obs. and rare.] "Letheed dullness." Shak.Lē'the-on, n. p. 766(Med.) Sulphuric ether used as an anæsthetic agent;—so called from its producing unconsciousness. [Rare.]Lē'the-on-īze, v. t. p. 766To subject to the influence of letheon; to cause to become unconscious or oblivious; to make forgetful.Le-thĭf’er-ōŭs, a. p. 766Deadly; mortal; bringing death or destruction.Lē'thy, a. p. 766Causing oblivion or forgetfulness; lethean. [Obs.] Marston.Lĕt'ter, n. p. 766One who lets or permits. 2. One who retards or hinders.Lēt'ter, n. p. 766A mark or character, used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the human organs of speech; a first element of written language. 2. A written or printed message; an epistle; a…Lēt'ter, v. t. p. 766To impress or form letters on; as, to letter a book; a book gilt and lettered.Lĕt'ter-bōard, n. p. 766(Print.) A board on which pages of type are placed, when not immediately wanted, or for distribution.Lēt'ter-cāse, n. p. 766A case or book to put letters in. 2. (Print.) A case in which types are kept.Lēt'tered, a. p. 766Literate; educated; versed in literature or science. Collier. 2. Belonging to learning; suiting letters. 3. Furnished, marked, or designated with letters; as, the cuts are lettered.Lēt'ter-found'er, n. p. 766One who casts letters; a type-founder.Lĕt'ter-ing, n. p. 766The act of impressing letters. 2. The letters impressed.Lĕt'ter-less, a. p. 766Illiterate; unlettered; not learned. [Obs.] Waterland.Lēt'ter-ōf'fice, n. p. 766A place where letters are deposited and distributed; a post-office.Lēt'tern, n. p. 766See LECTURN.Lēt'ter-pā'per, n. p. 766Paper for writing letters, especially as distinguished from foolscap.Lĕt'ter-prĕss, n. p. 766Print; letters and words impressed on paper or other material by types;—often used in distinction from engraving.Lēt'ter-wood, n. p. 766(Bot.) The wood of a tree of the genus Piratinera (P. guianensis), found in Guiana;—so called from black spots in it which bear some resemblance to hieroglyphics.Lēt'ter-wrīt'er, n. p. 766One who writes letters. 2. An instrument for copying letters.