Leek Leek (lēk) noun [ Anglo-Saxon leác ; akin to Dutch look , German lauch , Old High German louh , Icelandic laukr , Swedish lök , Dan lög . Confer Garlic .] (Botany) A plant of the genus Allium ( A. Porrum ), having broadly linear succulent leaves rising from a loose oblong cylindrical bulb. The flavor is stronger than that of the common onion.

Wild leek , in America, a plant ( Allium tricoccum ) with a cluster of ovoid bulbs and large oblong elliptical leaves.

Leeme Leeme (lēm) v. & noun See Leme . [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Leep Leep (lēp), obsolete strong imperfect of Leap . Leaped.

Leer Leer (lēr) transitive verb To learn. [ Obsolete] See Lere , to learn.

Leer Leer adjective [ Middle English lere ; akin to German leer , Old High German & Old Saxon lāri .] [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.] Empty; destitute; wanting ; as: (a) Empty of contents. "A leer stomach." Gifford. (b) Destitute of a rider; and hence, led, not ridden; as, a leer horse. B. Jonson. (c) Wanting sense or seriousness; trifling; trivolous; as, leer words.

Leer Leer noun An oven in which glassware is annealed.

Leer Leer noun [ Middle English lere cheek, face, look, Anglo-Saxon hleór cheek, face; akin to Old Saxon hlear , hlior , OD. lier , Icelandic hlȳr .] 1. The cheek. [ Obsolete] Holinshed.

2. Complexion; aspect; appearance. [ Obsolete]

A Rosalind of a better leer than you.

Shak.

3. A distorted expression of the face, or an indirect glance of the eye, conveying a sinister or immodest suggestion.

With jealous leer malign
Eyed them askance.

Milton.

She gives the leer of invitation.

Shak.

Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer .

Pope.

Leer Leer intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Leered (lērd); present participle & verbal noun Leering .] To look with a leer; to look askance with a suggestive expression, as of hatred, contempt, lust, etc.; to cast a sidelong lustful or malign look.

I will leer upon him as a' comes by.

Shak.

The priest, above his book,
Leering at his neighbor's wife.

Tennyson.

Leer Leer transitive verb To entice with a leer, or leers; as, to leer a man to ruin. Dryden.

Leere Leere (lēr) noun [ Etymol. uncertain.] Tape or braid; an ornament. Halliwell.

Leere side , the left side, as that on which a leere or ornament was worn. B. Jonson.

Leeringly Leer"ingˇly adverb In a leering manner.

Lees Lees (lēz) noun plural Dregs. See 2d Lee .

Lees Lees (lēs) noun A leash. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Leese Leese (lēz) transitive verb [ See Lose .] To lose. [ Obsolete]

They would rather leese their friend than their jest.

Lord Burleigh.

Leese Leese transitive verb [ Confer French léser , Latin laesus , past participle of laedere .] To hurt. [ Obsolete] B. Jonson.

Leet Leet (lēt), obsolete imperfect of Let , to allow. Chaucer.

Leet Leet noun [ Confer Anglo-Saxon hlēt share, lot.] A portion; a list, esp. a list of candidates for an office. [ Scot.]

Leet Leet noun [ Late Latin leta . Confer French lit de justice a solemn sitting of the king in Parliament, Latin lis , litis , a lawsuit, Italian , Spanish , & Portuguese lite .] (Eng. Hist.) A court-leet; the district within the jurisdiction of a court-leet; the day on which a court-leet is held. Shak.

» The original intent of the court-leet was to view the frankpledges or freemen within the liberty; hence called the view of frankpledge . Latterly it has fallen into almost entire disuse. Burrill. Warren's Blackstone.

Leet ale , a feast or merrymaking in time of leet. [ Obsolete]

Leet Leet noun [ Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoology) The European pollock.

Leetman Leet"man (-m a n) noun ; plural Leetmen (-m e n). One subject to the jurisdiction of a court-leet.

Leeward Lee"ward (lē"wẽrd or lū"ẽrd) adjective (Nautical) Pertaining to, or in the direction of, the part or side toward which the wind blows; -- opposed to windward ; as, a leeward berth; a leeward ship. -- noun The lee side; the lee. -- adverb Toward the lee.

Leeway Lee"way` (lē"wā`) noun (Nautical) The lateral movement of a ship to the leeward of her course; drift.

Left Left (lĕft) imperfect & past participle of Leave .

Left Left adjective [ Middle English left , lift , luft ; akin to Fries. leeft , OD. lucht , luft ; confer Anglo-Saxon left (equiv. to Latin inanis ), lyftādl palsy; or confer Anglo-Saxon lēf weak.] Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action of the limbs is usually weaker than on the other side; -- opposed to right , when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the left hand, or arm; the left ear. Also said of the corresponding side of the lower animals.

Left bank of a river , that which is on the left hand of a person whose face is turned downstream. -- Left bower . See under 2d Bower . -- Left center , the members whose sympathies are, in the main, with the members of the Left, but who do not favor extreme courses, and on occasions vote with the government. They sit between the Center and the extreme Left. -- Over the left shoulder , or Over the left , an old but still current colloquialism, or slang expression, used as an aside to indicate insincerity, negation, or disbelief; as, he said it, and it is true, -- over the left .

Left Left noun 1. That part of surrounding space toward which the left side of one's body is turned; as, the house is on the left when you face North.

Put that rose a little more to the left .

Ld. Lytton.

2. Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who are in the opposition; the advanced republicans and extreme radicals. They have their seats at the left-hand side of the presiding officer. See Center , and Right .

Left Left adjective Situated so that the left side of the body is toward it; as, the left side of a deliberative meeting is that to the left of the presiding officer; the left wing of an army is that to the left of the center to one facing an enemy.

Left-hand Left"-hand` (lĕft"hănd`) adjective Situated on the left; nearer the left hand than the right; as, the left-hand side; the left-hand road.

Left-hand rope , rope laid up and twisted over from right to left, or against the sun; -- called also water- laid rope .

Left-handed Left"-hand`ed adjective 1. Having the left hand or arm stronger and more dexterous than the right; using the left hand and arm with more dexterity than the right.

2. Clumsy; awkward; unlucky; insincere; sinister; malicious; as, a left-handed compliment.

The commendations of this people are not always left-handed and detractive.

Landor.

3. Having a direction contrary to that of the hands of a watch when seen in front; -- said of a twist, a rotary motion, etc., looked at from a given direction.

Left-handed marriage , a morganatic marriage. See Morganatic . -- Left-handed screw , a screw constructed to advance away from the observer, when turned, as in a nut, with a left-handed rotation. An ordinary wood screw is right-handed.

Left-handedness, Left-handiness Left"-hand`edˇness, Left"-hand`iˇness (- ĭ*nĕs) noun The state or quality of being left-handed; awkwardness.

An awkward address, ungraceful attitudes and actions, and a certain left-handiness (if I may use the expression) proclaim low education.

Chesterfield.

Left-off Left"-off` (-ŏf`; 115) adjective Laid aside; cast-off.

Leftward Left"ward (-wẽrd) adverb Toward or on the left side.

Rightward and leftward rise the rocks.

Southey.

Leful Le"ful (lē"ful) adjective See Leveful . [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Leg Leg (lĕg) noun [ Icelandic leggr ; akin to Danish lćg calf of the leg, Swedish lägg .] 1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot.

2. That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of a pair of compasses or dividers.

3. The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers.

4. A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg ; probably from drawing the leg backward in bowing. [ Obsolete]

He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he never received.

Fuller.

5. A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg. [ Slang, Eng.]

6. (Nautical) The course and distance made by a vessel on one tack or between tacks.

7. (Steam Boiler) An extension of the boiler downward, in the form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to support the boiler; -- called also water leg .

8. (Grain Elevator) The case containing the lower part of the belt which carries the buckets.

9. (Cricket) A fielder whose position is on the outside, a little in rear of the batter.

A good leg (Nautical) , a course sailed on a tack which is near the desired course. -- Leg bail , escape from custody by flight. [ Slang] -- Legs of an hyperbola (or other curve) (Geom.) , the branches of the curve which extend outward indefinitely. -- Legs of a triangle , the sides of a triangle; -- a name seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished by some appropriate term; as, the hypothenuse and two legs of a right-angled triangle. On one's legs , standing to speak. -- On one's last legs . See under Last . -- To have legs (Nautical) , to have speed. -- To stand on one's own legs , to support one's self; to be independent.

Leg Leg (lĕg) transitive verb To use as a leg, with it as object : (a) To bow. [ Obsolete] (b) To run. [ Low]

Leg Leg noun 1. (Math.) Either side of a triangle of a triangle as distinguished from the base or, in a right triangle, from the hypotenuse; also, an indefinitely extending branch of a curve, as of a hyperbola.

2. (Telephony) A branch or lateral circuit connecting an instrument with the main line.

3. (Electricity) A branch circuit; one phase of a polyphase system.

Leg bridge Leg bridge A type of bridge for small spans in which the floor girders are rigidly secured at their extremities to supporting steel legs, driven into the round as piling, or resting on mudsills.

Leg-of-mutton Leg"-of-mut"ton adjective Having the general shape or outline of a leg of mutton; as, a leg-of- mutton , or shoulder-of-mutton, sail.

Legacy Leg"aˇcy (lĕg"ȧ*sȳ) noun ; plural Legacies (- sĭz). [ Latin (assumed) legatia , for legatum , from legare to appoint by last will, to bequeath as a legacy, to depute: confer Old French legat legacy. See Legate .] 1. A gift of property by will, esp. of money or personal property; a bequest. Also Fig.; as, a legacy of dishonor or disease.

2. A business with which one is intrusted by another; a commission; -- obsolete, except in the phrases last legacy , dying legacy , and the like.

My legacy and message wherefore I am sent into the world.

Tyndale.

He came and told his legacy .

Chapman.

Legacy duty , a tax paid to government on legacies. Wharton. -- Legacy hunter , one who flatters and courts any one for the sake of a legacy.

Legal Le"gal (lē"g a l) adjective [ Latin legalis , from lex , legis , law; probably orig., that which lies or is fixed (cf. Latin lectus bed), and if so akin to English lie , law : confer French légal . Confer Lie to be prostrate, Loyal , Leal .] 1. Created by, permitted by, in conformity with, or relating to, law; as, a legal obligation; a legal standard or test; a legal procedure; a legal claim; a legal trade; anything is legal which the laws do not forbid.

2. (Theol.) (a) According to the law of works, as distinguished from free grace; or resting on works for salvation. (b) According to the old or Mosaic dispensation; in accordance with the law of Moses.

3. (Law) Governed by the rules of law as distinguished from the rules of equity; as, legal estate; legal assets. Bouvier. Burrill.

Legal cap . See under Cap . -- Legal tender . (a) The act of tendering in the performance of a contract or satisfaction of a claim that which the law prescribes or permits, and at such time and place as the law prescribes or permits . (b) That currency, or money, which the law authorizes a debtor to tender and requires a creditor to receive. It differs in different countries.

Syn. -- Lawful; constitutional; legitimate; licit; authorized. See Lawful .

Legalism Le"galˇism (lē"g a l*ĭz'm) noun Strictness, or the doctrine of strictness, in conforming to law.

Legalist Le"galˇist noun One who practices or advocates strict conformity to law; in theology, one who holds to the law of works. See Legal , 2 (a) .

Legality Leˇgal"iˇty (le*găl"ĭ*tȳ) noun [ Confer Late Latin legalitas , French légalité . Confer Loyalty .] 1. The state or quality of being legal; conformity to law.

2. (Theol.) A conformity to, and resting upon, the letter of the law.

Legalization Le`galˇiˇza"tion (lē`g a l*ĭ*zā"shŭn) noun The act of making legal.

Legalize Le"galˇize (lē"g a l*īz) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Legalized (- īzd); present participle & verbal noun Legalizing (- ī`zĭng).] [ Confer French légaliser .] 1. To make legal.

2. (Theol.) To interpret or apply in a legal spirit.

Legally Le"galˇly adverb In a legal manner.

Legantine Leˇgan"tine (le*găn"tĭn) adjective [ Obsolete] See Legatine .

Legatary Leg"aˇtaˇry (lĕg"ȧ*ta*rȳ) noun [ Latin legatarius , from legaturius enjoined by a last will: confer French légataire . See Legacy .] A legatee. [ R.] Ayliffe.

Legate Leg"ate (lĕg"at) noun [ Middle English legat , Latin legatus , from legare to send with a commission or charge, to depute, from lex , legis , law: confer French légat , Italian legato . See Legal .] 1. An ambassador or envoy.

2. An ecclesiastic representing the pope and invested with the authority of the Holy See.

» Legates are of three kinds: ( a ) Legates a latere , now always cardinals. They are called ordinary or extraordinary legates, the former governing provinces, and the latter class being sent to foreign countries on extraordinary occasions. ( b ) Legati missi , who correspond to the ambassadors of temporal governments. ( c ) Legati nati , or legates by virtue of their office , as the archbishops of Salzburg and Prague.

3. (Rom. Hist.) (a) An official assistant given to a general or to the governor of a province. (b) Under the emperors, a governor sent to a province.

Legatee Leg`aˇtee" (lĕg`ȧ*tē") noun [ See Legacy .] (Law) One to whom a legacy is bequeathed.

Legateship Leg"ateˇship (lĕg"at*shĭp) noun The office of a legate.

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 26 of 74.
« Previous ¦18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 ¦ Next »