Libertinism Lib"er·tin·ism (-tĭn*ĭz'm) noun 1. The state of a libertine or freedman. [ R.] Hammond.

2. Licentious conduct; debauchery; lewdness.

3. Licentiousness of principle or opinion.

That spirit of religion and seriousness vanished all at once, and a spirit of liberty and libertinism , of infidelity and profaneness, started up in the room of it.

Atterbury.

Liberty Lib"er·ty (lĭb"ẽr*tȳ) noun ; plural Liberties (- tĭz). [ Middle English liberte , French liberté , from Latin libertas , from liber free. See Liberal .] 1. The state of a free person; exemption from subjection to the will of another claiming ownership of the person or services; freedom; -- opposed to slavery, serfdom, bondage, or subjection.

But ye . . . caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection.

Jer. xxxiv. 16.

Delivered fro the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

Bible, 1551. Rom. viii. 21.

2. Freedom from imprisonment, bonds, or other restraint upon locomotion.

Being pent from liberty , as I am now.

Shak.

3. A privilege conferred by a superior power; permission granted; leave; as, liberty given to a child to play, or to a witness to leave a court, and the like.

4. Privilege; exemption; franchise; immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant; as, the liberties of the commercial cities of Europe.

His majesty gave not an entire county to any; much less did he grant . . . any extraordinary liberties .

Sir J. Davies.

5. The place within which certain immunities are enjoyed, or jurisdiction is exercised. [ Eng.]

Brought forth into some public or open place within the liberty of the city, and there . . . burned.

Fuller.

6. A certain amount of freedom; permission to go freely within certain limits; also, the place or limits within which such freedom is exercised; as, the liberties of a prison.

7. A privilege or license in violation of the laws of etiquette or propriety; as, to permit, or take, a liberty .

He was repeatedly provoked into striking those who had taken liberties with him.

Macaulay.

8. The power of choice; freedom from necessity; freedom from compulsion or constraint in willing.

The idea of liberty is the idea of a power in any agent to do or forbear any particular action, according to the determination or thought of the mind, whereby either of them is preferred to the other.

Locke.

This liberty of judgment did not of necessity lead to lawlessness.

J. A. Symonds.

9. (Manege) A curve or arch in a bit to afford room for the tongue of the horse.

10. (Nautical) Leave of absence; permission to go on shore.

At liberty . (a) Unconfined; free . (b) At leisure . -- Civil liberty , exemption from arbitrary interference with person, opinion, or property, on the part of the government under which one lives, and freedom to take part in modifying that government or its laws. -- Liberty bell . See under Bell . -- Liberty cap . (a) The Roman pileus which was given to a slave at his manumission . (b) A limp, close- fitting cap with which the head of representations of the goddess of liberty is often decked. It is sometimes represented on a spear or a liberty pole. -- Liberty of the press , freedom to print and publish without official supervision. Liberty party , the party, in the American Revolution, which favored independence of England; in more recent usage, a party which favored the emancipation of the slaves. -- Liberty pole , a tall flagstaff planted in the ground, often surmounted by a liberty cap. [ U. S.] -- Moral liberty , that liberty of choice which is essential to moral responsibility. -- Religious liberty , freedom of religious opinion and worship.

Syn. -- Leave; permission; license. -- Liberty , Freedom . These words, though often interchanged, are distinct in some of their applications. Liberty has reference to previous restraint; freedom , to the simple, unrepressed exercise of our powers. A slave is set at liberty ; his master had always been in a state of freedom . A prisoner under trial may ask liberty (exemption from restraint) to speak his sentiments with freedom (the spontaneous and bold utterance of his feelings). The liberty of the press is our great security for freedom of thought.

Libethenite Li·beth"en·ite (lĭ*bĕth"ĕn*īt) noun [ From Libethen , in Hungary, where it was first found.] (Min.) A mineral of an olive-green color, commonly in orthorhombic crystals. It is a hydrous phosphate of copper.

Libidinist Li·bid"i·nist (lĭ*bĭd"ĭ*nĭst) noun [ See Libidinous .] One given to lewdness.

Libidinosity Li·bid`i·nos"i·ty (-nŏs"ĭ*tȳ) noun The state or quality of being libidinous; libidinousness. Skelton.

Libidinous Li·bid"i·nous (-nŭs) adjective [ Latin libidinosus , from libido , libidinis , pleasure, desire, lust, from libet , lubet , it pleases: confer French libidineux . See Lief .] Having lustful desires; characterized by lewdness; sensual; lascivious. -- Li*bid"i*nous*ly , adverb -- Li*bid"i*nous*ness , noun

Syn. -- Lewd; lustful; lascivious; unchaste; impure; sensual; licentious; lecherous; salacious.

Libken Lib"ken (lĭb"kĕn), Lib"kin (lĭb"kĭn) noun [ Anglo-Saxon libban , English live , intransitive verb + -kin .] A house or lodging. [ Old Slang] B. Jonson.

Libra Li"bra (lī"brȧ) noun ; plural Libræ (lī"brē). [ Latin , a balance.] (Astron.) (a) The Balance; the seventh sign in the zodiac, which the sun enters at the autumnal equinox in September, marked thus in almanacs, etc. (b ) A southern constellation between Virgo and Scorpio.

Libral Li"bral (lī"br a l) adjective [ Latin libralis , from libra the Roman pound.] Of a pound weight. [ Obsolete] Johnson.

Librarian Li·bra"ri·an (li*brā"rĭ* a n) noun [ See Library .] 1. One who has the care or charge of a library.

2. One who copies manuscript books. [ Obsolete] Broome.

Librarianship Li·bra"ri·an·ship noun The office of a librarian.

Library Li"bra·ry (lī"bra*rȳ) noun ; plural Libraries (- rĭz). [ Middle English librairie , French librairie bookseller's shop, book trade, formerly, a library, from libraire bookseller, Latin librarius , from liber book; confer libraria bookseller's shop, librarium bookcase, Italian libreria . See Libel .] 1. A considerable collection of books kept for use, and not as merchandise; as, a private library ; a public library .

2. A building or apartment appropriated for holding such a collection of books. Holland.

Librate Li"brate (lī"brāt) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Librated (lī"bra*tĕd); present participle & verbal noun Librating .] [ Latin libratus , past participle of librare to balance, to make even, from libra . Confer Level , Deliberate , Equilibrium .] To vibrate as a balance does before resting in equilibrium; hence, to be poised.

Their parts all librate on too nice a beam.

Clifton.

Librate Li"brate transitive verb To poise; to balance.

Libration Li·bra"tion (li*brā"shŭn) noun [ Latin libratio : confer French libration .] 1. The act or state of librating. Jer. Taylor.

2. (Astron.) A real or apparent libratory motion, like that of a balance before coming to rest.

Libration of the moon , any one of those small periodical changes in the position of the moon's surface relatively to the earth, in consequence of which narrow portions at opposite limbs become visible or invisible alternately. It receives different names according to the manner in which it takes place; as: (a) Libration in longitude , that which, depending on the place of the moon in its elliptic orbit, causes small portions near the eastern and western borders alternately to appear and disappear each month. ( b ) Libration in latitude , that which depends on the varying position of the moon's axis in respect to the spectator, causing the alternate appearance and disappearance of either pole. ( c ) Diurnal or parallactic libration , that which brings into view on the upper limb, at rising and setting, some parts not in the average visible hemisphere.

Libratory Li"bra·to·ry (lī"brȧ*to*rȳ) adjective Balancing; moving like a balance, as it tends to an equipoise or level.

Librettist Li·bret"tist (lĭ*brĕt"tĭst) noun One who makes a libretto.

Libretto Li·bret"to (lĭ*brĕt"to; Italian le*brat"to) noun ; plural English Librettos (-tōz), Italian Libretti (-te). [ Italian , dim. of libro book, Latin liber . See Libel .] (Mus.) (a) A book containing the words of an opera or extended piece of music. (b) The words themselves.

Libriform Li"bri·form (lī"brĭ*fôrm) adjective [ Liber + -form .] (Botany) Having the form of liber, or resembling liber.

Libriform cells , peculiar wood cells which are very slender and relatively thick-walled, and occasionally are furnished with bordered pits. Goodale.

Libyan Lib"y·an (lĭb"ĭ* a n) adjective Of or pertaining to Libya, the ancient name of that part of Africa between Egypt and the Atlantic Ocean, or of Africa as a whole.

Lice Lice (līs) noun ; plural of Louse .

Licensable Li"cens·a·ble (lī"s e ns*ȧ*b'l) adjective That can be licensed.

License Li"cense (lī"s e ns) noun [ Written also licence .] [ French licence , Latin licentia , from licere to be permitted, probably orig., to be left free to one; akin to linquere to leave. See Loan , and confer Illicit , Leisure .] 1. Authority or liberty given to do or forbear any act; especially, a formal permission from the proper authorities to perform certain acts or to carry on a certain business, which without such permission would be illegal; a grant of permission; as, a license to preach, to practice medicine, to sell gunpowder or intoxicating liquors.

To have a license and a leave at London to dwell.

P. Plowman.

2. The document granting such permission. Addison.

3. Excess of liberty; freedom abused, or used in contempt of law or decorum; disregard of law or propriety.

License they mean when they cry liberty.

Milton.

4. That deviation from strict fact, form, or rule, in which an artist or writer indulges, assuming that it will be permitted for the sake of the advantage or effect gained; as, poetic license ; grammatical license , etc.

Syn. -- Leave; liberty; permission.

License Li"cense (lī"s e ns) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Licensed (lī"s e nst); present participle & verbal noun Licensing .] To permit or authorize by license; to give license to; as, to license a man to preach. Milton. Shak.

Licensed Li"censed (lī"s e nst) adjective Having a license; permitted or authorized by license; as, a licensed victualer; a licensed traffic.

Licensed victualer , one who has a license to keep an inn or eating house; esp., a victualer who has a license to sell intoxicating liquors.

Licensee Li`cen·see" (lī`s e n*sē") noun (Law) The person to whom a license is given.

Licenser Li"cens·er (lī"s e ns*ẽr) noun One who gives a license; as, a licenser of the press.

Licensure Li"cen·sure (lī"s e n*shur; 135) noun A licensing. [ R.]

Licentiate Li·cen"ti·ate (li*sĕn"shĭ*at or - shat; 106) noun [ Late Latin licentiatus , from licentiare to allow to do anything, from Latin licentia license. See License , noun ] 1. One who has a license to exercise a profession; as, a licentiate in medicine or theology.

The college of physicians, in July, 1687, published an edict, requiring all the fellows, candidates, and licentiates , to give gratuitous advice to the neighboring poor.

Johnson.

2. A friar authorized to receive confessions and grant absolution in all places, independently of the local clergy. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

3. One who acts without restraint, or takes a liberty, as if having a license therefor. [ Obsolete] Bp. Hall.

4. On the continent of Europe, a university degree intermediate between that of bachelor and that of doctor.

Licentiate Li·cen"ti·ate (-shĭ*āt) transitive verb To give a license to. [ Obsolete] L'Estrange.

Licentious Li·cen"tious (-shŭs) adjective [ Latin licentiosus : confer French licencieux . See License .] 1. Characterized by license; passing due bounds; excessive; abusive of freedom; wantonly offensive; as, a licentious press.

A wit that no licentious pertness knows.

Savage.

2. Unrestrained by law or morality; lawless; immoral; dissolute; lewd; lascivious; as, a licentious man; a licentious life. " Licentious wickedness." Shak.

Syn. -- Unrestrained; uncurbed; uncontrolled; unruly; riotous; ungovernable; wanton; profligate; dissolute; lax; loose; sensual; impure; unchaste; lascivious; immoral.

-- Li*cen"tious*ly , adverb -- Li*cen"tious*ness , noun

Lich Lich (lĭk) adjective Like. [ Obsolete] Chaucer. Spenser.

Lich Lich (lĭch) noun [ Anglo-Saxon līc body. See Like , adjective ] A dead body; a corpse. [ Obsolete]

Lich fowl (Zoology) , the European goatsucker; -- called also lich owl . -- Lich gate , a covered gate through which the corpse was carried to the church or burial place, and where the bier was placed to await the clergyman; a corpse gate. [ Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. -- Lich wake , the wake, or watching, held over a corpse before burial. [ Prov Eng.] Chaucer. -- Lich wall , the wall of a churchyard or burying ground. -- Lich way , the path by which the dead are carried to the grave. [ Prov. Eng.]

Lichen Li"chen (lī"kĕn; 277) noun [ Latin , from Greek leichh`n .] 1. (Botany) One of a class of cellular, flowerless plants, (technically called Lichenes ), having no distinction of leaf and stem, usually of scaly, expanded, frond-like forms, but sometimes erect or pendulous and variously branched. They derive their nourishment from the air, and generate by means of spores. The species are very widely distributed, and form irregular spots or patches, usually of a greenish or yellowish color, upon rocks, trees, and various bodies, to which they adhere with great tenacity. They are often improperly called rock moss or tree moss .

» A favorite modern theory of lichens (called after its inventor the Schwendener hypothesis ), is that they are not autonomous plants, but that they consist of ascigerous fungi, parasitic on algæ. Each lichen is composed of white filaments and green, or greenish, rounded cells, and it is argued that the two are of different nature, the one living at the expense of the other. See Hyphæ , and Gonidia .

2. (Medicine) A name given to several varieties of skin disease, esp. to one characterized by the eruption of small, conical or flat, reddish pimples, which, if unchecked, tend to spread and produce great and even fatal exhaustion.

Lichened Li"chened (lī"kĕnd) adjective Belonging to, or covered with, lichens. Tennyson.

Lichenic Li·chen"ic (li*kĕn"ĭk) adjective Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, lichens.

Lichenic acid . (a) An organic acid, C ₁₄ H ₂₄ O ₃ , obtained from Iceland moss . (b) An old name of fumaric acid.

Licheniform Li·chen"i·form (-ĭ*fôrm) adjective Having the form of a lichen.

Lichenin Li"chen·in (lī"kĕn*ĭn) noun (Chemistry) A substance isomeric with starch, extracted from several species of moss and lichen, esp. from Iceland moss.

Lichenographic Li`chen·o·graph"ic (lī`kĕn*o*grăf"ĭk), Li`chen*o*graph"ic*al (-ĭ*k a l) adjective [ Confer French lichénographique .] Of or pertaining to lichenography.

Lichenographist Li`chen·og"ra·phist (-ŏg"rȧ*fĭst) noun One who describes lichens; one versed in lichenography.

Lichenography Li`chen·og"ra·phy (lī`kĕn*ŏg"rȧ*fȳ) noun [ Lichen + -graphy : confer French lichénographie .] A description of lichens; the science which illustrates the natural history of lichens.

Lichenologist Li`chen·ol"o·gist (-ŏl"o*jĭst) noun One versed in lichenology.

Lichenology Li`chen·ol"o·gy (-jȳ) noun [ Lichen + -logy .] The science which treats of lichens.

Lichenous Li"chen·ous (lī"kĕn*ŭs) adjective Of, pertaining to, or resembling, lichens; abounding in lichens; covered with lichens. G. Eliot.

Lichi Li"chi` (lē"chē`) noun (Botany) See Litchi .

Lichwale Lich"wale` (lĭch"wāl`) noun (Botany) The gromwell.

Lichwort Lich"wort` (-wûrt`) noun (Botany) An herb, the wall pellitory. See Pellitory .

Licit Lic"it (lĭs"ĭt) adjective [ Latin licitus permitted, lawful, from licere : confer French licite . See License .] Lawful. " Licit establishments." Carlyle. -- Lic"it*ly , adverb -- Lic"it*ness , noun

Licitation Lic`i·ta"tion (lĭs`ĭ*tā"shŭn) noun [ Latin licitatio , from licitari , liceri , to bid, offer a price.] The act of offering for sale to the highest bidder. [ R.]

Lick Lick (lĭk) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Licked (lĭkt); present participle & verbal noun Licking .] [ Anglo-Saxon liccian ; akin to Old Saxon likkōn , Dutch likken , Old High German lecchōn , German lecken , Goth. bi-laigōn , Russian lizate , Latin lingere , Greek lei`chein , Sanskrit lih , rih . √121. Confer Lecher , Relish .] 1. To draw or pass the tongue over; as, a dog licks his master's hand. Addison.

2. To lap; to take in with the tongue; as, a dog or cat licks milk. Shak.

To lick the dust , to be slain; to fall in battle. "His enemies shall lick the dust ." Ps. lxxii. 9. -- To lick into shape , to give proper form to; -- from a notion that the bear's cubs are born shapeless and subsequently formed by licking. Hudibras. -- To lick the spittle of , to fawn upon. South. - - To lick up , to take all of by licking; to devour; to consume entirely. Shak. Num. xxii. 4.

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