Levitate Lev"i·tate transitive verb (Spiritualism) To make buoyant; to cause to float in the air; as, to levitate a table. [ Cant]

Levitation Lev`i·ta"tion (-tā"shŭn) noun [ Latin levis light in weight.]

1. Lightness; buoyancy; act of making light. Paley.

2. The act or process of making buoyant.

Levite Le"vite (lē"vīt) noun [ Latin Levites , Greek Leyi:`ths , from Hebrew Levi , one of the sons of Jacob.] 1. (Bib. Hist.) One of the tribe or family of Levi; a descendant of Levi; esp., one subordinate to the priests (who were of the same tribe) and employed in various duties connected with the tabernacle first, and afterward the temple, such as the care of the building, bringing of wood and other necessaries for the sacrifices, the music of the services, etc.

2. A priest; -- so called in contempt or ridicule.

Levitical Le·vit"ic·al (le*vĭt"ĭ*k a l) adjective [ Latin Leviticus , Greek Leyitiko`s .] 1. Of or pertaining to a Levite or the Levites.

2. Priestly. " Levitical questions." Milton.

3. Of or pertaining to, or designating, the law contained in the book of Leviticus. Ayliffe.

Levitical degrees , degrees of relationship named in Leviticus, within which marriage is forbidden.

Levitically Le·vit"ic·al·ly adverb After the manner of the Levites; in accordance with the levitical law.

Leviticus Le·vit"i·cus (-ĭ*kŭs) noun [ See Levitical .] The third canonical book of the Old Testament, containing the laws and regulations relating to the priests and Levites among the Hebrews, or the body of the ceremonial law.

Levity Lev"i·ty (lĕv"ĭ*tȳ) noun [ Latin levitas , from levis light in weight; akin to levare to raise. See Lever , noun ] 1. The quality of weighing less than something else of equal bulk; relative lightness, especially as shown by rising through, or floating upon, a contiguous substance; buoyancy; -- opposed to gravity .

He gave the form of levity to that which ascended; to that which descended, the form of gravity.

Sir. W. Raleigh.

This bubble by reason of its comparative levity to the fluidity that incloses it, would ascend to the top.

Bentley.

2. Lack of gravity and earnestness in deportment or character; trifling gayety; frivolity; sportiveness; vanity. " A spirit of levity and libertinism." Atterbury.

He never employed his omnipotence out of levity .

Calamy.

3. Lack of steadiness or constancy; disposition to change; fickleness; volatility.

The levity that is fatigued and disgusted with everything of which it is in possession.

Burke.

Syn. -- Inconstancy; thoughtlessness; unsteadiness; inconsideration; volatility; flightiness. -- Levity , Volatility , Flightiness . All these words relate to outward conduct. Levity springs from a lightness of mind which produces a disregard of the proprieties of time and place. Volatility is a degree of levity which causes the thoughts to fly from one object to another, without resting on any for a moment. Flightiness is volatility carried to an extreme which often betrays its subject into gross impropriety or weakness. Levity of deportment, of conduct, of remark; volatility of temper, of spirits; flightiness of mind or disposition.

Levo- Le"vo- (lē"vo-). A prefix from Latin laevus , meaning: (a) Pertaining to, or toward, the left ; as, levo rotatory. (b) (Chem. & Opt.) Turning the plane of polarized light to the left ; as, levo tartaric acid; levo racemic acid; levo gyratory crystals, etc. [ Written also lævo- .]

Levogyrate Le`vo·gy"rate (-jī"rat) adjective [ Levo- + gyrate .] (Chem. & Physics) Turning or twisting the plane of polarization towards the left, as levulose, levotartaric acid, etc. [ Written also lævogyrate .]

Levorotation Le`vo·ro·ta"tion noun [ Written also lævorotation .] [ Levo- + rotation .] (Physics & Chem.) Rotation in the direction of an outgoing right-handed screw; counter-clockwise rotation; -- applied chiefly to the turning of the plane of polarization of light.

Levorotatory Le`vo·ro"ta·to·ry (-rō"tȧ*to*rȳ) adjective [ Levo- + rotatory .] (Chem. & Physics) Turning or rotating the plane of polarization towards the left; levogyrate, as levulose, left-handed quartz crystals, etc. [ Written also lævorotatory .]

Levulin Lev"u·lin (lĕv"u*lĭn) noun (Chemistry) A substance resembling dextrin, obtained from the bulbs of the dahlia, the artichoke, and other sources, as a colorless, spongy, amorphous material. It is so called because by decomposition it yields levulose . [ Written also lævulin .]

Levulinic Lev`u·lin"ic (-lĭn"ĭk) adjective (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or denoting, an acid (called also acetyl-propionic acid ), C ₅ H ₈ O ₃ , obtained by the action of dilute acids on various sugars (as levulose). [ Written also lævulinic .]

Levulosan Lev`u·lo"san (-lō"s a n) noun (Chemistry) An unfermentable carbohydrate obtained by gently heating levulose.

Levulose Lev"u·lose` (lĕv"u*lōs`) noun [ See Levo- .] (Chemistry) A sirupy variety of sugar, rarely obtained crystallized, occurring widely in honey, ripe fruits, etc., and hence called also fruit sugar . It is called levulose , because it rotates the plane of polarization to the left. [ Written also lævulose .]>

» It is obtained, together with an equal quantity of dextrose, by the inversion of ordinary cane or beet sugar, and hence, as being an ingredient of invert sugar , is often so called. It is fermentable, nearly as sweet as cane sugar, and is metameric with dextrose. Confer Dextrose .

Levy Lev"y (-ȳ) noun ; plural Levies (-ĭz). [ A contr. of elevenpence or elevenpenny bit .] A name formerly given in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia to the Spanish real of one eighth of a dollar (or 12½ cents), valued at eleven pence when the dollar was rated at 7s. 6d.

Levy Lev"y noun [ French levée , from lever to raise. See Lever , and confer Levee .] 1. The act of levying or collecting by authority; as, the levy of troops, taxes, etc.

A levy of all the men left under sixty.

Thirlwall.

2. That which is levied, as an army, force, tribute, etc. " The Irish levies ." Macaulay.

3. (Law) The taking or seizure of property on executions to satisfy judgments, or on warrants for the collection of taxes; a collecting by execution.

Levy in mass [ French levée en masse ], a requisition of all able-bodied men for military service.

Levy Lev"y transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Levied (lĕv"ĭd); present participle & verbal noun Levying .] 1. To raise, as a siege. [ Obsolete] Holland.

2. To raise; to collect; said of troops, to form into an army by enrollment, conscription, etc.

Augustine . . . inflamed Ethelbert, king of Kent, to levy his power, and to war against them.

Fuller.

3. To raise or collect by assessment; to exact by authority; as, to levy taxes, toll, tribute, or contributions.

If they do this . . . my ransom, then,
Will soon be levied .

Shak.

4. (Law) (a) To gather or exact; as, to levy money. (b) To erect, build, or set up; to make or construct; to raise or cast up; as, to levy a mill, dike, ditch, a nuisance, etc. [ Obsolete] Cowell. Blackstone. (c) To take or seize on execution; to collect by execution.

To levy a fine , to commence and carry on a suit for assuring the title to lands or tenements. Blackstone. -- To levy war , to make or begin war; to take arms for attack; to attack.

Levy Lev"y intransitive verb To seize property, real or personal, or subject it to the operation of an execution; to make a levy; as, to levy on property; the usual mode of levying , in England, is by seizing the goods.

To levy on goods and chattels , to take into custody or seize specific property in satisfaction of a writ.

Levyne Lev"yne (lĕv"ĭn), Lev"yn*ite (- ĭn*īt) noun [ From Mr. Levy , an English mineralogist.] (Min.) A whitish, reddish, or yellowish, transparent or translucent mineral, allied to chabazite.

Lew Lew (lū) adjective [ Confer lee a calm or sheltered place, luke warm.] Lukewarm; tepid. [ Obsolete] Wyclif.

Lewd Lewd (lūd) adjective [ Compar. Lewder (-ẽr); superl. Lewdest .] [ OE . lewed , lewd , lay, ignorant, vile, Anglo-Saxon lǣwed laical, belonging to the laity.] 1. Not clerical; laic; laical; hence, unlearned; simple. [ Obsolete]

For if a priest be foul, on whom we trust,
No wonder is a lewed man to rust.

Chaucer.

So these great clerks their little wisdom show
To mock the lewd , as learn'd in this as they.

Sir. J. Davies.

2. Belonging to the lower classes, or the rabble; idle and lawless; bad; vicious. [ Archaic] Chaucer.

But the Jews, which believed not, . . . took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, . . . and assaulted the house of Jason.

Acts xvii. 5.

Too lewd to work, and ready for any kind of mischief.

Southey.

3. Given to the promiscuous indulgence of lust; dissolute; lustful; libidinous. Dryden.

4. Suiting, or proceeding from, lustfulness; involving unlawful sexual desire; as, lewd thoughts, conduct, or language.

Syn. -- Lustful; libidinous; licentious; profligate; dissolute; sensual; unchaste; impure; lascivious; lecherous; rakish; debauched.

-- Lewd"ly , adverb -- Lewd"ness , noun

Lewdster Lewd"ster (-stẽr) noun A lewd person. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Lewis Lew"is (lū"ĭs), Lew"is*son (- sŭn) noun 1. An iron dovetailed tenon, made in sections, which can be fitted into a dovetail mortise; -- used in hoisting large stones, etc.

2. A kind of shears used in cropping woolen cloth.

Lewis hole , a hole wider at the bottom than at the mouth, into which a lewis is fitted. De Foe.

Lex Lex (lĕks) noun ; plural Leges (lē"jēz). [ Latin See Legal .] Law; as, lex talionis , the law of retaliation; lex terræ , the law of the land; lex fori , the law of the forum or court; lex loci , the law of the place; lex mercatoria , the law or custom of merchants.

Lexical Lex"ic·al (-ĭ*k a l) adjective Of or pertaining to a lexicon, to lexicography, or words; according or conforming to a lexicon. -- Lex"ic*al*ly , adverb

Lexicographer Lex`i·cog"ra·pher (- ĭ*kŏg"rȧ*fẽr) noun [ Greek lexikogra`fos ; lexiko`n dictionary + gra`fein to write: confer French lexicographe . See Lexicon .] The author or compiler of a lexicon or dictionary.

Every other author may aspire to praise; the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach; and even this negative recompense has been yet granted to very few.

Johnson.

Lexicographic Lex`i·co·graph"ic (-ko*grăf"ĭk), Lex`i*co*graph"ic*al (-ĭ*k a l) adjective [ Confer French lexicographi que.] Of or pertaining to, or according to, lexicography. -- Lex`i*co*graph"ic*al*ly , adverb

Lexicographist Lex`i·cog"ra·phist (-kŏg"rȧ*fĭst) noun A lexicographer. [ R.] Southey.

Lexicography Lex`i·cog"ra·phy (-fȳ) noun [ Confer French lexicographie .] The art, process, or occupation of making a lexicon or dictionary; the principles which are applied in making dictionaries.

Lexicologist Lex`i·col"o·gist (-kŏl"o*jĭst) noun One versed in lexicology.

Lexicology Lex`i·col"o·gy (-jȳ) noun [ Greek lexiko`n lexicon + -logy : confer French lexicologie .] The science of the derivation and signification of words; that branch of learning which treats of the signification and application of words.

Lexicon Lex"i·con (lĕks"ĭ*kŏn) noun [ Greek lexiko`n (sc. bibli`on ), neut. of lexiko`s of or belonging to words, from le`xis a speaking, speech, a way of speaking, a single word or phrase, from le`gein to say, to speak. See Legend .] A vocabulary, or book containing an alphabetical arrangement of the words in a language or of a considerable number of them, with the definition of each; a dictionary; especially, a dictionary of the Greek, Hebrew, or Latin language.

Lexiconist Lex"i·con·ist noun A writer of a lexicon. [ R.]

Lexigraphic Lex`i·graph"ic (-grăf"ĭk) adjective [ Confer French lexigraphique .] Of or pertaining to lexigraphy.

Lexigraphy Lex·ig"ra·phy (lĕks*ĭg"rȧ*fȳ) noun [ Greek le`xis word + -graphy : confer French lexigraphie .] The art or practice of defining words; definition of words.

Lexiphanic Lex`i·phan"ic (lĕks`ĭ*făn"ĭk) adjective [ Greek lexifa`nis a phrase monger; le`xis speech + fai`nein to show.] Using, or interlarded with, pretentious words; bombastic; as, a lexiphanic writer or speaker; lexiphanic writing.

Lexiphanicism Lex`i·phan"i·cism (-ĭ*sĭz'm) noun The use of pretentious words, language, or style.

Lexipharmic Lex`i·phar"mic (-fär"mĭk) adjective See Alexipharmic .

Ley Ley (lā) transitive verb & i. To lay; to wager. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Ley Ley noun [ Old French ] Law. Abbott.

Ley Ley (lī) noun [ Obsolete] See Lye .

Ley Ley (lē) noun Grass or meadow land; a lea.

Ley Ley adjective Fallow; unseeded. [ Obsolete] Beau. & Fl.

Leyden jar Ley"den jar" (lī"d'n jär"; 277). Ley"den phi"al (fī" a l). (Electricity) A glass jar or bottle used to accumulate electricity. It is coated with tin foil, within and without, nearly to its top, and is surmounted by a brass knob which communicates with the inner coating, for the purpose of charging it with electricity. It is so named from having been invented in Leyden , Holland.

Leyser Ley"ser (lā"zẽr) noun Leisure. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Leze majesty Leze` maj"es·ty (lēz` măj"ĕs*tȳ). [ French lese-majesté , from Latin laesus , fem. laesa , injured (see Lesion ) + majestas majesty; that is, crimen laesae majestatis .] [ Written also lese majesty .] (Law) Any crime committed against the sovereign power.

Lherzolite Lher"zo·lite (lẽr"zo*līt) noun [ From Lherz , a place in the Pyrenees + -lite .] (Min.) An igneous rock consisting largely of chrysolite, with pyroxene and picotite (a variety of spinel containing chromium).

Li Li (lē) noun 1. A Chinese measure of distance, being a little more than one third of a mile.

2. A Chinese copper coin; a cash. See Cash .

Li bella Li ·bel"la (li*bĕl"lȧ) noun [ Latin , dim. of libra balance. See Level , noun ] 1. A small balance.

2. A level, or leveling instrument.

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