Lear Lear adjective See Leer , adjective [ Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Lear Lear noun An annealing oven. See Leer , noun

Learn Learn (lẽrn) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Learned (lẽrnd), or Learnt (lẽrnt); present participle & verbal noun Learning .] [ Middle English lernen , leornen , Anglo-Saxon leornian ; akin to Old Saxon linōn , for lirnōn , Old High German lirnēn , lernēn , German lernen , from the root of Anglo-Saxon l...ran to teach, Old Saxon lērian , Old High German lēran , German lehren , Goth. laisjan , also Goth lais I know, leis acquainted (in comp.); all probably from a root meaning, to go, go over, and hence, to learn; confer Anglo-Saxon leoran to go . Confer Last a mold of the foot, lore .] 1. To gain knowledge or information of; to ascertain by inquiry, study, or investigation; to receive instruction concerning; to fix in the mind; to acquire understanding of, or skill; as, to learn the way; to learn a lesson; to learn dancing; to learn to skate; to learn the violin; to learn the truth about something. " Learn to do well." Is. i. 17.

Now learn a parable of the fig tree.

Matt. xxiv. 32.

2. To communicate knowledge to; to teach. [ Obsolete]

Hast thou not learned me how
To make perfumes ?

Shak.

» Learn formerly had also the sense of teach , in accordance with the analogy of the French and other languages, and hence we find it with this sense in Shakespeare, Spenser, and other old writers. This usage has now passed away. To learn is to receive instruction, and to teach is to give instruction. He who is taught learns, not he who teaches .

Learn Learn intransitive verb To acquire knowledge or skill; to make progress in acquiring knowledge or skill; to receive information or instruction; as, this child learns quickly.

Take my yoke upon you and learn of me.

Matt. xi. 29.

To learn by heart . See By heart , under Heart . -- To learn by rote , to memorize by repetition without exercise of the understanding.

Learnable Learn"a·ble (lẽrn"ȧ*b'l) adjective Such as can be learned.

Learned Learn"ed (lẽrn"ĕd) adjective Of or pertaining to learning; possessing, or characterized by, learning, esp. scholastic learning; erudite; well-informed; as, a learned scholar, writer, or lawyer; a learned book; a learned theory.

The learned lover lost no time.

Spenser.

Men of much reading are greatly learned , but may be little knowing.

Locke.

Words of learned length and thundering sound.

Goldsmith.

The learned , learned men; men of erudition; scholars.

-- Learn"ed*ly , adverb Learn"ed*ness , noun

Every coxcomb swears as learnedly as they.

Swift.

Learner Learn"er noun One who learns; a scholar.

Learning Learn"ing noun [ Anglo-Saxon leornung .] 1. The acquisition of knowledge or skill; as, the learning of languages; the learning of telegraphy.

2. The knowledge or skill received by instruction or study; acquired knowledge or ideas in any branch of science or literature; erudition; literature; science; as, he is a man of great learning .

Book learning . See under Book .

Syn. -- Literature; erudition; lore; scholarship; science; letters. See Literature .

Leasable Leas"a·ble adjective [ From 2d Lease .] Such as can be leased.

Lease Lease intransitive verb [ Anglo-Saxon lesan to gather; akin to Dutch lezen to gather, read, German lesen , Goth. lisan to gather; confer Lith lesti to peck.] To gather what harvesters have left behind; to glean. [ Obsolete] Dryden.

Lease Lease transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Leased ; present participle & verbal noun Leasing .] [ French laisser , Old French laissier , lessier , to leave, transmit, Latin laxare to loose, slacken, from laxus loose, wide. See Lax , and confer Lesser .] 1. To grant to another by lease the possession of, as of lands, tenements, and hereditaments; to let; to demise; as, a landowner leases a farm to a tenant; -- sometimes with out .

There were some [ houses] that were leased out for three lives.

Addison.

2. To hold under a lease; to take lease of; as, a tenant leases his land from the owner.

Lease Lease noun [ Confer Old French lais . See Lease , transitive verb ] 1. A demise or letting of lands, tenements, or hereditaments to another for life, for a term of years, or at will, or for any less interest than that which the lessor has in the property, usually for a specified rent or compensation.

2. The contract for such letting.

3. Any tenure by grant or permission; the time for which such a tenure holds good; allotted time.

Our high-placed Macbeth
Shall live the lease of nature.

Shak.

Lease and release a mode of conveyance of freehold estates, formerly common in England and in New York. its place is now supplied by a simple deed of grant. Burrill. Warren's Blackstone.

Leasehold Lease"hold` adjective Held by lease.

Leasehold Lease"hold` noun A tenure by lease; specifically, land held as personalty under a lease for years.

Leaseholder Lease"hold`er noun A tenant under a lease. -- Lease"hold`ing , adjective & noun

Leaser Leas"er noun [ From 1st Lease .] One who leases or gleans. [ Obsolete] Swift.

Leaser Leas"er noun A liar. [ Obsolete] See Leasing .

Leash Leash noun [ Middle English lese , lees , leece , Old French lesse , French laisse , Late Latin laxa , from Latin laxus loose. See Lax .] 1. A thong of leather, or a long cord, by which a falconer holds his hawk, or a courser his dog.

Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash .

Shak.

2. (Sporting) A brace and a half; a tierce; three; three creatures of any kind, especially greyhounds, foxes, bucks, and hares; hence, the number three in general.

[ I] kept my chamber a leash of days.

B. Jonson.

Then were I wealthier than a leash of kings.

Tennyson.

3. (Weaving) A string with a loop at the end for lifting warp threads, in a loom.

Leash Leash transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Leashed ; present participle & verbal noun Leashing .] To tie together, or hold, with a leash.

Leasing Leas"ing noun [ Anglo-Saxon leásung , from leás loose, false, deceitful. See -less , Loose , adjective ] The act of lying; falsehood; a lie or lies. [ Archaic] Spenser.

Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing .

Ps. v. 6.

Blessed be the lips that such a leasing told.

Fairfax.

Leasing making (Scots Law) , the uttering of lies or libels upon the personal character of the sovereign, his court, or his family. Bp. Burnet.

Leasow Lea"sow noun [ Anglo-Saxon lesu , læsu .] A pasture. [ Obsolete]

Least Least (lēst) adjective [ Middle English last , lest , Anglo-Saxon lǣsast , lǣsest , superl. of lǣssa less. See Less , adjective ] [ Used as the superlative of little .] Smallest, either in size or degree; shortest; lowest; most unimportant; as, the least insect; the least mercy; the least space.

» Least is often used with the , as if a noun.

I am the least of the apostles.

1 Cor. xv. 9.

At least , or At the least , at the least estimate, consideration, chance, etc.; hence, at any rate; at all events; even. See However .

He who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses
The tempted with dishonor.

Milton.

Upon the mast they saw a young man, at least if he were a man, who sat as on horseback.

Sir P. Sidney.

-- In least , or In the least , in the least degree, manner, etc. "He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." Luke xvi. 10. -- Least squares (Math.) , a method of deducing from a number of carefully made yet slightly discordant observations of a phenomenon the most probable values of the unknown quantities. It takes as its fundamental principle that the most probable values are those which make the sum of the squares of the residual errors of the observation a minimum.

Least Least adverb In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others; as, to reward those who least deserve it.

Least Least conj. See Lest , conj. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Leastways, Leastwise Least"ways`, Least"wise` adverb At least; at all events. [ Colloq.]

At leastways , or At leastwise , at least. [ Obsolete] Fuller.

Leasy Lea"sy adjective [ Anglo-Saxon leás void, loose, false. Confer Leasing .] Flimsy; vague; deceptive. [ Obsolete] Ascham.

Leat Leat noun [ Confer Lead to conduct.] An artificial water trench, esp. one to or from a mill. C. Kingsley.

Leather Leath"er (lĕ&thlig;"ẽr) noun [ Middle English lether , Anglo-Saxon leðer ; akin to Dutch leder , leêr , German leder , Old High German ledar , Icelandic leðr , Swedish läder , Danish læder .] 1. The skin of an animal, or some part of such skin, tanned, tawed, or otherwise dressed for use; also, dressed hides, collectively.

2. The skin. [ Ironical or Sportive]

» Leather is much used adjectively in the sense of made of , relating to , or like , leather .

Leather board , an imitation of sole leather, made of leather scraps, rags, paper, etc. -- Leather carp (Zoology) , a variety of carp in which the scales are all, or nearly all, absent. See Illust. under Carp . -- Leather jacket . (Zoology) (a) A California carangoid fish ( Oligoplites saurus ). (b) A trigger fish ( Balistes Carolinensis ). -- Leather flower (Botany) , a climbing plant ( Clematis Viorna ) of the Middle and Southern States having thick, leathery sepals of a purplish color. -- Leather leaf (Botany) , a low shrub ( Cassandra calyculata ), growing in Northern swamps, and having evergreen, coriaceous, scurfy leaves. -- Leather plant (Botany) , one or more New Zealand plants of the composite genus Celmisia , which have white or buff tomentose leaves. -- Leather turtle . (Zoology) See Leatherback . -- Vegetable leather . (a) An imitation of leather made of cotton waste . (b) Linen cloth coated with India rubber. Ure.

Leather Leath"er transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Leathered ; present participle & verbal noun Leathering .] To beat, as with a thong of leather. [ Obsolete or Colloq.] G. Eliot.

Leatherback Leath"er·back` noun (Zoology) A large sea turtle ( Sphargis coriacea ), having no bony shell on its back. It is common in the warm and temperate parts of the Atlantic, and sometimes weighs over a thousand pounds; -- called also leather turtle , leathery turtle , leather-backed tortoise , etc.

Leatheret, Leatherette Leath"er·et, Leath`er·ette" noun [ Leather + et , French -ette .] An imitation of leather, made of paper and cloth.

Leatherhead Leath"er·head` noun (Zoology) The friar bird.

Leathern Leath"ern adjective Made of leather; consisting of. leather; as, a leathern purse. "A leathern girdle about his loins." Matt. iii. 4.

Leatherneck Leath"er·neck` noun (Zoology) The sordid friar bird of Australia ( Tropidorhynchus sordidus ).

Leatherwood Leath"er·wood` noun (Botany) A small branching shrub ( Dirca palustris ), with a white, soft wood, and a tough, leathery bark, common in damp woods in the Northern United States; -- called also moosewood , and wicopy . Gray.

Leathery Leath"er·y adjective Resembling leather in appearance or consistence; tough. "A leathery skin." Grew.

Leave Leave intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Leaved ; present participle & verbal noun Leaving ] To send out leaves; to leaf; -- often with out . G. Fletcher.

Leave Leave transitive verb [ See Levy .] To raise; to levy. [ Obsolete]

An army strong she leaved .

Spenser.

Leave Leave noun [ Middle English leve , leave , Anglo-Saxon leáf ; akin to leóf pleasing, dear, English lief , D. oor lof leave, G. ar laub , and er lauben to permit, Icelandic leyfi . √124. See Lief .] 1. Liberty granted by which restraint or illegality is removed; permission; allowance; license.

David earnestly asked leave of me.

1 Sam. xx. 6.

No friend has leave to bear away the dead.

Dryden.

2. The act of leaving or departing; a formal parting; a leaving; farewell; adieu; -- used chiefly in the phrase, to take leave , i. e., literally, to take permission to go.

A double blessing is a'double grace;
Occasion smiles upon a second leave .

Shak.

And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren.

Acts xviii. 18.

French leave . See under French .

Syn. -- See Liberty .

Leave Leave transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Left (lĕft); present participle & verbal noun Leaving .] [ Middle English leven , Anglo-Saxon l...fan , from lāf remnant, heritage; akin to lifian , libban , to live, orig., to remain; confer be līfan to remain, G. b leiben , Goth. bi leiban . √119. See Live , v. ] 1. To withdraw one's self from; to go away from; to depart from; as, to leave the house.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.

Gen. ii. 24.

2. To let remain unremoved or undone; to let stay or continue, in distinction from what is removed or changed.

If grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes ?

Jer. xlix. 9.

These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Matt. xxiii. 23.

Besides it leaveth a suspicion, as if more might be said than is expressed.

Bacon.

3. To cease from; to desist from; to abstain from.

Now leave complaining and begin your tea.

Pope.

4. To desert; to abandon; to forsake; hence, to give up; to relinquish.

Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

Mark x. 28.

The heresies that men do leave .

Shak.

5. To let be or do without interference; as, I left him to his reflections; I leave my hearers to judge.

I will leave you now to your gossiplike humor.

Shak.

6. To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver; to commit; to submit -- with a sense of withdrawing one's self from; as, leave your hat in the hall; we left our cards; to leave the matter to arbitrators.

Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way.

Matt. v. 24.

The foot
That leaves the print of blood where'er it walks.

Shak.

7. To have remaining at death; hence, to bequeath; as, he left a large estate; he left a good name; he left a legacy to his niece.

To leave alone . (a) To leave in solitude . (b) To desist or refrain from having to do with; as, to leave dangerous chemicals alone . -- To leave off . (a) To desist from; to forbear; to stop; as, to leave off work at six o'clock . (b) To cease wearing or using; to omit to put in the usual position; as, to leave off a garment; to leave off the tablecloth . (c) To forsake; as, to leave off a bad habit. -- To leave out , to omit; as, to leave out a word or name in writing. -- To leave to one's self , to let (one) be alone; to cease caring for (one).

Syn> - To quit; depart from; forsake; abandon; relinquish; deliver; bequeath; give up; forego; resign; surrender; forbear. See Quit .

Leave Leave intransitive verb 1. To depart; to set out. [ Colloq.]

By the time I left for Scotland.

Carlyle.

2. To cease; to desist; to leave off. "He . . . began at the eldest, and left at the youngest." Gen. xliv. 12.

To leave off , to cease; to desist; to stop.

Leave off , and for another summons wait.

Roscommon.

Leave-taking Leave"-tak`ing noun Taking of leave; parting compliments. Shak.

Leaved Leaved adjective [ From Leaf .] Bearing, or having, a leaf or leaves; having folds; -- used in combination; as, a four -leaved clover; a two- leaved gate; long -leaved .

Leaveless Leave"less adjective Leafless. [ Obsolete] Carew.

Leaven Leav"en noun [ Middle English levain , levein , French levain , Latin levamen alleviation, mitigation; but taken in the sense of, a raising, that which raises, from levare to raise. See Lever , noun ] 1. Any substance that produces, or is designed to produce, fermentation, as in dough or liquids; esp., a portion of fermenting dough, which, mixed with a larger quantity of dough, produces a general change in the mass, and renders it light; yeast; barm.

2. Anything which makes a general assimilating (especially a corrupting) change in the mass.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Luke xii. 1.

Leaven Leav"en transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Leavened ; present participle & verbal noun Leavening .] 1. To make light by the action of leaven; to cause to ferment.

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

1 Cor. v. 6.

2. To imbue; to infect; to vitiate.

With these and the like deceivable doctrines, he leavens also his prayer.

Milton.

Leavening Leav"en·ing noun 1. The act of making light, or causing to ferment, by means of leaven.

2. That which leavens or makes light. Bacon.

Leavenous Leav"en·ous adjective Containing leaven. Milton.

Leaver Leav"er (lēv"ẽr) noun One who leaves, or withdraws.

Leaves Leaves (lēvz) noun , plural of Leaf .

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
You are here: Webster > Letter L > Page 24 of 74.
« Previous ¦16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 ¦ Next »