Legatine Leg"a·tine (-ȧ*tīn) adjective 1. Of or pertaining to a legate; as, legatine power. Holinshed.

2. Made by, proceeding from, or under the sanction of, a legate; as, a legatine constitution. Ayliffe.

Legation Le·ga"tion (le*gā"shŭn) noun [ Latin legatio : confer French légation , Italian legazione . See Legate .] 1. The sending forth or commissioning one person to act for another. "The Divine legation of Moses." Bp. Warburton.

2. A legate, or envoy, and the persons associated with him in his mission; an embassy; or, in stricter usage, a diplomatic minister and his suite; a deputation.

3. The place of business or official residence of a diplomatic minister at a foreign court or seat of government.

4. A district under the jurisdiction of a legate.

Legato Le·ga"to (la*gä"to) adjective [ Italian , tied, joined, from legare to tie, bind, Latin ligare .] (Mus.) Connected; tied; -- a term used when successive tones are to be produced in a closely connected, smoothly gliding manner. It is often indicated by a tie , thus ..., ..., or ..., ..., written over or under the notes to be so performed; -- opposed to staccato .

Legator Leg`a·tor" (lĕg`ȧ*tôr") noun [ Latin , from legare : confer Old French legateur . See Legacy .] (Law) A testator; one who bequeaths a legacy. Dryden.

Legatura Le`ga·tu"ra (la`gȧ*tō"rȧ) noun [ Italian See Ligature .] (Mus.) A tie or brace; a syncopation.

Legature Leg"a·ture (lĕg"ȧ*tur; 135) noun Legateship. [ Obsolete]

Lege Lege (lĕj) transitive verb [ Abbrev. from allege to assert.] To allege; to assert. [ Obsolete] Bp. Fisher.

Legement Lege"ment (-m e nt) noun See Ledgment .

Legend Leg"end (lĕj"ĕnd or lē"jĕnd; 277) noun [ Middle English legende , Old French legende , French légende , Late Latin legenda , from Latin legendus to be read, from legere to read, gather; akin to Greek le`gein to gather, speak. Confer Collect , Dialogue , Lesson , Logic .]

1. That which is appointed to be read; especially, a chronicle or register of the lives of saints, formerly read at matins, and in the refectories of religious houses.

2. A story respecting saints; especially, one of a marvelous nature. Addison.

3. Any wonderful story coming down from the past, but not verifiable by historical record; a myth; a fable.

And in this legend all that glorious deed
Read, whilst you arm you.

Fairfax.

4. An inscription, motto, or title, esp. one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon an heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.

Golden legend . See under Golden .

Legend Leg"end transitive verb To tell or narrate, as a legend. Bp. Hall.

Legendary Leg"end·a·ry (lĕj"ĕn*da*rȳ) adjective Of or pertaining to a legend or to legends; consisting of legends; like a legend; fabulous. " Legendary writers." Bp. Lloyd.

Legendary stories of nurses and old women.

Bourne.

Legendary Leg"end·a·ry noun [ Confer Old French legendaire , Late Latin legendarius .] 1. A book of legends; a tale or narrative.

Read the Countess of Pembroke's "Arcadia," a gallant legendary full of pleasurable accidents.

James I.

2. One who relates legends. Bp. Lavington.

Leger Leg"er (lĕj"ẽr) noun [ See Ledger .] 1. Anything that lies in a place; that which, or one who, remains in a place. [ Obsolete]

2. A minister or ambassador resident at a court or seat of government. [ Written also lieger , leiger .] [ Obsolete]

Sir Edward Carne, the queen's leger at Rome.

Fuller.

3. A ledger.

Leger Leg"er adjective Lying or remaining in a place; hence, resident; as, leger ambassador.

Leger Leg"er adjective [ French léger , from Late Latin (assumed) leviarius , from Latin levis light in weight. See Levity .] Light; slender; slim; trivial. [ Obsolete except in special phrases.] Bacon.

Leger line (Mus.) , a line added above or below the staff to extend its compass; -- called also added line .

Legerdemain Leg`er·de·main" (lĕj`ẽr*de*mān") noun [ French léger light, nimble + de of + main hand, Latin manus . See 3d Leger , and Manual .] Sleight of hand; a trick of sleight of hand; hence, any artful deception or trick.

He of legierdemayne the mysteries did know.

Spenser.

The tricks and legerdemain by which men impose upon their own souls.

South.

Legerdemainist Leg`er·de·main"ist noun One who practices sleight of hand; a prestidigitator.

Legerity Le·ger"i·ty (le*jĕr"ĭ*tȳ) noun [ French légèreté . See 3d Leger .] Lightness; nimbleness. [ Archaic] Shak.

Legge Legge (lĕg) transitive verb [ See Lay , transitive verb ] To lay. [ Obsolete]

Legge Legge transitive verb [ Abbrev. from alegge .] To lighten; to allay. [ Obsolete] Rom. of R.

Legged Legged (lĕgd or lĕg"gĕd) adjective [ From Leg .] Having (such or so many) legs; -- used in composition; as, a long -legged man; a two - legged animal.

Leggiadro Leg`gi·a"dro (lad`je*ä"dro), Leg`gi*e"ro (lad`je*a"ro) adjective & adverb [ Italian ] (Mus.) Light or graceful; in a light, delicate, and brisk style.

Legging Leg"ging (lĕg"gĭng), Leg"gin (lĕg"gĭn) noun [ From Leg .] A cover for the leg, like a long gaiter.

Legging Leg"ging adjective & verbal noun , from Leg , transitive verb

Leggy Leg"gy (-gȳ) adjective Having long legs. Thackeray.

Leghorn Leg"horn (-hôrn) noun A straw plaiting used for bonnets and hats, made from the straw of a particular kind of wheat, grown for the purpose in Tuscany, Italy; -- so called from Leghorn, the place of exportation.

Legibility Leg`i·bil"i·ty (lĕj`ĭ*bĭl"ĭ*tȳ) noun The quality of being legible; legibleness. Sir. D. Brewster.

Legible Leg"i·ble (lĕj"ĭ*b'l) adjective [ Latin legibilis , from legere to read: confer Old French legible . See Legend .] 1. Capable of being read or deciphered; distinct to the eye; plain; -- used of writing or printing; as, a fair, legible manuscript.

The stone with moss and lichens so overspread,
Nothing is legible but the name alone.

Longfellow.

2. Capable of being discovered or understood by apparent marks or indications; as, the thoughts of men are often legible in their countenances.

Legibleness Leg"i·ble·ness noun The state or quality of being legible.

Legibly Leg"i·bly adverb In a legible manner.

Legific Le·gif"ic (le*jĭf"ĭk) adjective [ Latin lex , legis , law + - ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy .] Of or pertaining to making laws.

Practically, in many cases, authority or legific competence has begun in bare power.

J. Grote.

Legion Le"gion (lē"jŭn) noun [ Middle English legioun , Old French legion , French légion , from Latin legio , from legere to gather, collect. See Legend .] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A body of foot soldiers and cavalry consisting of different numbers at different periods, -- from about four thousand to about six thousand men, -- the cavalry being about one tenth.

2. A military force; an army; military bands.

3. A great number; a multitude.

Where one sin has entered, legions will force their way through the same breach.

Rogers.

4. (Taxonomy) A group of orders inferior to a class.

Legion of honor , an order instituted by the French government in 1802, when Bonaparte was First Consul, as a reward for merit, both civil and military.

Legionary Le"gion·a·ry (-a*rȳ) adjective [ Latin legionarius : confer French légionnaire .] Belonging to a legion; consisting of a legion or legions, or of an indefinitely great number; as, legionary soldiers; a legionary force. "The legionary body of error." Sir T. Browne.

Legionary Le"gion·a·ry (lē"jŭn*a*rȳ) noun ; plural Legionaries (- rĭz). A member of a legion. Milton.

Legioned Le"gioned (lē"jŭnd) adjective Formed into a legion or legions; legionary. Shelley.

Legionry Le"gion·ry (lē"jŭn*rȳ) noun A body of legions; legions, collectively. [ R.] Pollok.

Legislate Leg"is·late (lĕj"ĭs*lāt) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Legislated (- lā`tĕd); present participle & verbal noun Legislating (-lā`tĭng).] [ See Legislator .] To make or enact a law or laws.

Solon, in legislating for the Athenians, had an idea of a more perfect constitution than he gave them.

Bp. Watson (1805).

Legislation Leg`is·la"tion (-lā"shŭn) noun [ Confer French législation , Latin legis latio . See Legislator .] The act of legislating; preparation and enactment of laws; the laws enacted.

Pythagoras joined legislation to his philosophy.

Lyttelton.

Legislative Leg"is·la·tive (lĕj"ĭs*la*tĭv) adjective [ Confer French législatif .]

1. Making, or having the power to make, a law or laws; lawmaking; -- distinguished from executive ; as, a legislative act; a legislative body.

The supreme legislative power of England was lodged in the king and great council, or what was afterwards called the Parliament.

Hume.

2. Of or pertaining to the making of laws; suitable to legislation; as, the transaction of legislative business; the legislative style.

Legislatively Leg"is·la·tive·ly adverb In a legislative manner.

Legislator Leg"is·la`tor (lĕj"ĭs*lā`tẽr) noun [ Latin legis lator , prop., a proposer of a law; lex , legis , law + lator a proposer, bearer, from latus , used as past participle of ferre to bear: confer French législateur . See Legal , and Tolerate .] A lawgiver; one who makes laws for a state or community; a member of a legislative body.

The legislators in ancient and heroical times.

Bacon.

Many of the legislators themselves had taken an oath of abjuration of his Majesty's person and family.

E. Phillips.

Legislatorial Leg`is·la·to"ri·al (- lȧ*tō"rĭ* a l) adjective Of or pertaining to a legislator or legislature.

Legislatorship Leg"is·la`tor·ship (lĕj"ĭs*lā`tẽr*shĭp) noun The office of a legislator. Halifax.

Legislatress Leg"is·la`tress (-trĕs), Leg"is*la`trix (-trĭks) noun A woman who makes laws. Shaftesbury.

Legislature Leg"is·la`ture (lĕj"ĭs*lā`tur; 135) noun [ Confer French législature .] The body of persons in a state or kingdom invested with power to make and repeal laws; a legislative body.

Without the concurrent consent of all three parts of the legislature , no law is, or can be, made.

Sir M. Hale.

» The legislature of Great Britain consists of the Lords and Commons, with the king or queen, whose sanction is necessary to every bill before it becomes a law. The legislatures of most of the United States consist of two houses or branches; but the sanction or consent of the governor is required to give their acts the force of law, or a concurrence of two thirds of the two houses after he has refused his sanction and assigned his objections.

Legislature Legislature noun -- The legislatures of some of the more important states having constitutional government are as follows, the general name (or a translation of it) of the legislative body collectively being given under the heading legislature , or parliament :

Legist Le"gist (lē"jĭst) noun [ French légiste , Late Latin legista , from Latin lex , legis , law. See Legal .] One skilled in the laws; a writer on law. Milman. J. Morley.

Legitim Le·git"im (le*jĭ"ĭm) noun [ See Legitimate , adjective ] (Scots Law) The portion of movable estate to which the children are entitled upon the death of the father.

Legitimacy Le·git"i·ma·cy (-ĭ*mȧ*sȳ) noun [ See Legitimate , adjective ] The state, or quality, of being legitimate, or in conformity with law; hence, the condition of having been lawfully begotten, or born in wedlock.

The doctrine of Divine Right, which has now come back to us, like a thief from transportation, under the alias of Legitimacy .

Macaulay.

Legitimate Le·git"i·mate (-mat) adjective [ Late Latin legitimatus , past participle of legitimare to legitimate, from Latin legitimus legitimate. See Legal .] 1. Accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements; lawful; as, legitimate government; legitimate rights; the legitimate succession to the throne; a legitimate proceeding of an officer; a legitimate heir.

2. Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock.

3. Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions.

4. Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors.

Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic.

Macaulay.

5. Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference.

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