Legalize (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 adverb In a legal manner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Legement (-m e nt) noun See Ledgment .

Legend (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 transitive verb To tell or narrate, as a legend. Bp. Hall.

Legendary (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 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 (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 adjective Lying or remaining in a place; hence, resident; as, leger ambassador.

Leger 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 (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 noun One who practices sleight of hand; a prestidigitator.

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

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

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

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

Legging adjective & verbal noun , from Leg , transitive verb

Leggy (-gȳ) adjective Having long legs. Thackeray.

Leghorn (-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 (lĕj`ĭ*bĭl"ĭ*tȳ) noun The quality of being legible; legibleness. Sir. D. Brewster.

Legible (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 noun The state or quality of being legible.

Legibly adverb In a legible manner.

Legific (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 (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 (-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 (lē"jŭn*a*rȳ) noun ; plural Legionaries (- rĭz). A member of a legion. Milton.

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

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

Legislate (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 (-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 (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 adverb In a legislative manner.

Legislator (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 (- lȧ*tō"rĭ* a l) adjective Of or pertaining to a legislator or legislature.

Legislatorship (lĕj"ĭs*lā`tẽr*shĭp) noun The office of a legislator. Halifax.