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

Ley noun [ Old French ] Law. Abbott.

Ley (lī) noun [ Obsolete] See Lye .

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

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

Leyden 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 (lā"zẽr) noun Leisure. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Leze majesty (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 (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 (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*bĕl"lȧ) noun [ Latin , dim. of libra balance. See Level , noun ]
1. A small balance.

2. A level, or leveling instrument.

Liability (lī`ȧ*bĭl"ĭ*tȳ) noun ; plural Liabilities (- tĭz).

1. The state of being liable; as, the liability of an insurer; liability to accidents; liability to the law.

2. That which one is under obligation to pay, or for which one is liable. Specifically, in the plural , the sum of one's pecuniary obligations; -- opposed to assets .

Limited liability . See Limited company , under Limited .

Liable (lī"ȧ*b'l) adjective [ From French lier to bind, Latin ligare . Confer Ally , transitive verb , Ligature .]
1. Bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable; as, the surety is liable for the debt of his principal.

2. Exposed to a certain contingency or casualty, more or less probable; -- with to and an infinitive or noun; as, liable to slip; liable to accident.

Syn. -- Accountable; responsible; answerable; bound; subject; obnoxious; exposed. -- Liable , Subject . Liable refers to a future possible or probable happening which may not actually occur; as, horses are liable to slip; even the sagacious are liable to make mistakes. Subject refers to any actual state or condition belonging to the nature or circumstances of the person or thing spoken of, or to that which often befalls one. One whose father was subject to attacks of the gout is himself liable to have that disease. Men are constantly subject to the law, but liable to suffer by its infraction.

Proudly secure, yet liable to fall.

Milton.

All human things are subject to decay.

Dryden.

Liableness noun Quality of being liable; liability.

Liage (lī"aj) noun [ Confer Old French liage a bond. See Liable .] Union by league; alliance. [ Obsolete]

Liaison (le`a`zôN") noun [ French, from Latin ligatio , from ligare to bind. See Ligature , and confer Ligation .] A union, or bond of union; an intimacy; especially, an illicit intimacy between a man and a woman.

Liane (li*ān"), Li*a"na (li*ā"nȧ) noun [ French liane ; probably akin to lien a band, from Latin ligamen , from ligare to bind. Confer Lien , noun ] (Botany) A luxuriant woody plant, climbing high trees and having ropelike stems. The grapevine often has the habit of a liane. Lianes are abundant in the forests of the Amazon region.

Liar (lī"ẽr) noun [ Middle English liere . See Lie to falsify.] A person who knowingly utters falsehood; one who lies.

Liard (lī"ẽrd) adjective [ Old French liart , Late Latin liardus gray, dapple.] Gray. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

» Used by Chaucer as an epithet of a gray or dapple gray horse. Also used as a name for such a horse.

Liard (lyär) noun [ French] A French copper coin of one fourth the value of a sou.

Lias (lī" a s) noun [ Confer French lias , from liais sort of limestone, Old French also liois ; perhaps of Celtic origin, confer Armor. liach , leach , a stone, Gael. leac , W. llech . Confer Cromlech .] (Geol.) The lowest of the three divisions of the Jurassic period; a name given in England and Europe to a series of marine limestones underlying the Oölite. See the Chart of Geology .

Liassic (li*ăs"sĭk) adjective (Geol.) Of the age of the Lias; pertaining to the Lias formation. -- noun Same as Lias .

Lib (lĭb) transitive verb [ Confer Glib to geld.] To castrate. [ Obsolete]

Libament (lĭb"ȧ*m e nt) noun [ Latin libamentum .] Libation. [ Obsolete] Holland.

Libant (lī"b a nt) adjective [ Latin libans , present participle of libare to taste, touch.] Sipping; touching lightly. [ R.] Landor.

Libation (li*bā"shŭn) noun [ Latin libatio , from libare to take a little from anything, to taste, to pour out as an offering: confer French libation .] The act of pouring a liquid or liquor, usually wine, either on the ground or on a victim in sacrifice, in honor of some deity; also, the wine or liquid thus poured out. Dryden.

A heathen sacrifice or libation to the earth.

Bacon.

Libatory (lī"bȧ*to*rȳ) adjective Pertaining to libation.

Libbard (lĭb"bẽrd) noun [ See Leopard .] A leopard. [ Obsolete or Poetic] Spenser. Keats.

Libbard's bane (-bẽrdz bān`). Leopard's bane. [ Obsolete]

Libel (lī"bĕl) noun [ Latin libellus a little book, pamphlet, libel, lampoon, dim. of liber the liber or inner bark of a tree; also (because the ancients wrote on this bark), paper, parchment, or a roll of any material used to write upon, and hence, a book or treatise: confer French libelle .]

1. A brief writing of any kind, esp. a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

A libel of forsaking [ divorcement].

Wyclif (Matt. v. 31).

2. Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.

3. (Law) A malicious publication expressed either in print or in writing, or by pictures, effigies, or other signs, tending to expose another to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule. Such publication is indictable at common law.

» The term, in a more extended sense, includes the publication of such writings, pictures, and the like, as are of a blasphemous, treasonable, seditious, or obscene character. These also are indictable at common law.

4. (Law) The crime of issuing a malicious defamatory publication.

5. (Civil Law & Courts of Admiralty) A written declaration or statement by the plaintiff of his cause of action, and of the relief he seeks.

Libel transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Libeled (-bĕld) or Libelled ; present participle & verbal noun Libeling or Libelling .]
1. To defame, or expose to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, by a writing, picture, sign, etc.; to lampoon.

Some wicked wits have libeled all the fair.

Pope.

2. (Law) To proceed against by filing a libel, particularly against a ship or goods.

Libel (lī"bĕl) intransitive verb To spread defamation, written or printed; -- with against . [ Obsolete]

What's this but libeling against the senate?

Shak.

[ He] libels now 'gainst each great man.

Donne.

Libelant (- a nt) noun One who libels; one who institutes a suit in an ecclesiastical or admiralty court. [ Written also libellant .] Cranch.

Libeler (-ẽr) noun One who libels. [ Written also libeller .] " Libelers of others." Buckminster.

Libelist (-ĭst) noun A libeler.

Libellee noun (Law) (a) The party against whom a libel has been filed; -- corresponding to defendant in a common law action. (b) The defendant in an action of libel.

Libellulid (li*bĕl"lu*lĭd) noun (Zoology) A dragon fly.

Libelluloid (-loid) adjective [ New Latin Libellula , the name of the typical genus + -oid .] (Zoology) Like or pertaining to the dragon flies.

Libelous (lī"bĕl*ŭs) adjective Containing or involving a libel; defamatory; containing that which exposes some person to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule; as, a libelous pamphlet. [ Written also libellous .] -- Li"bel*ous*ly , adverb

Liber (lī"bẽr) noun [ Latin See Libel .] (Botany) The inner bark of plants, lying next to the wood. It usually contains a large proportion of woody, fibrous cells, and is, therefore, the part from which the fiber of the plant is obtained, as that of hemp, etc.

Liber cells , elongated woody cells found in the liber.

Liberal (lĭb"ẽr* a l) adjective [ French libéral , Latin liberalis , from liber free; perhaps akin to libet , lubet , it pleases, English lief . Confer Deliver .]
1. Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies. " Liberal education." Macaulay. " A liberal tongue." Shak.

2. Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman; generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver. " Liberal of praise." Bacon.

Infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite.

Milton.

3. Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient; abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a liberal discharge of matter or of water.

His wealth doth warrant a liberal dower.

Shak.

4. Not strict or rigorous; not confined or restricted to the literal sense; free; as, a liberal translation of a classic, or a liberal construction of law or of language.

5. Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in spirit; catholic.

6. Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint; licentious. " Most like a liberal villain." Shak.

7. Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion; not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the constitution or administration of government; having tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party.

I confess I see nothing liberal in this " order of thoughts," as Hobbes elsewhere expresses it.

Hazlitt.

» Liberal has of , sometimes with , before the thing bestowed, in before a word signifying action, and to before a person or object on which anything is bestowed; as, to be liberal of praise or censure; liberal with money; liberal in giving; liberal to the poor.

The liberal arts . See under Art . -- Liberal education , education that enlarges and disciplines the mind and makes it master of its own powers, irrespective of the particular business or profession one may follow.

Syn. -- Generous; bountiful; munificent; beneficent; ample; large; profuse; free. -- Liberal , Generous . Liberal is freeborn , and generous is highborn . The former is opposed to the ordinary feelings of a servile state, and implies largeness of spirit in giving, judging, acting, etc. The latter expresses that nobleness of soul which is peculiarly appropriate to those of high rank, -- a spirit that goes out of self, and finds its enjoyment in consulting the feelings and happiness of others. Generosity is measured by the extent of the sacrifices it makes; liberality , by the warmth of feeling which it manifests.

Liberal noun One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Confer Whig .

Liberalism (-ĭz'm) noun [ Confer French libéralisme .] Liberal principles; the principles and methods of the liberals in politics or religion; specifically, the principles of the Liberal party.

Liberalist noun A liberal.

Liberalistic (-ĭs"tĭk) adjective Pertaining to, or characterized by, liberalism; as, liberalistic opinions.

Liberality (-ăl"ĭ*tȳ) noun ; plural Liberalities (- tĭz). [ Latin liberalitas : confer French libéralité .]
1. The quality or state of being liberal; liberal disposition or practice; freedom from narrowness or prejudice; generosity; candor; charity.

That liberality is but cast away
Which makes us borrow what we can not pay.

Denham.

2. A gift; a gratuity; -- sometimes in the plural; as, a prudent man is not impoverished by his liberalities .

Liberalization (- a l*ĭ*zā"shŭn) noun The act of liberalizing.

Liberalize (lĭb"ẽr* a l*īz) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Liberalized (-īzd); present participle & verbal noun Liberalizing (-ī`zĭng).] [ Confer French libéraliser .] To make liberal; to free from narrow views or prejudices.

To open and to liberalize the mind.

Burke.

Liberalizer (-ī`zẽr) noun One who, or that which, liberalizes. Emerson.

Liberally adverb In a liberal manner.

Liberate (-āt) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Liberated (- ā`tĕd); present participle & verbal noun Liberating (-ā`tĭng).] [ Latin liberatus , past participle of liberare to free, from liber free. See Liberal , adjective , and confer Deliver .] To release from restraint or bondage; to set at liberty; to free; to manumit; to disengage; as, to liberate a slave or prisoner; to liberate the mind from prejudice; to liberate gases.

Syn. -- To deliver; free; release. See Deliver .

Liberation (lĭb`ẽr*ā"shŭn) noun [ Latin liberatio : confer French libération . Confer Livraison .] The act of liberating or the state of being liberated.

This mode of analysis requires perfect liberation from all prejudged system.

Pownall.