Lick Lick noun [ See Lick , v. ] 1. A stroke of the tongue in licking. "A lick at the honey pot." Dryden.

2. A quick and careless application of anything, as if by a stroke of the tongue, or of something which acts like a tongue; as, to put on colors with a lick of the brush. Also, a small quantity of any substance so applied. [ Colloq.]

A lick of court whitewash.

Gray.

3. A place where salt is found on the surface of the earth, to which wild animals resort to lick it up; -- often, but not always, near salt springs. [ U. S.]

Lick Lick transitive verb [ Confer OSw. lägga to place, strike, prick.] To strike with repeated blows for punishment; to flog; to whip or conquer, as in a pugilistic encounter. [ Colloq. or Low] Carlyle. Thackeray.

Lick Lick noun A slap; a quick stroke. [ Colloq.] "A lick across the face." Dryden.

Lick-spigot Lick"-spig`ot (-spĭg`ŭt) noun A tapster. [ Obsolete]

Lick-spittle Lick"-spit`tle (-spĭt`t'l) noun An abject flatterer or parasite. Theodore Hook.

Licker Lick"er (lĭk"ẽr) noun [ Confer Lecher .] One who, or that which, licks.

Licker in (Carding Machine) , the drum, or cylinder, by which the lap is taken from the feed rollers.

Lickerish Lick"er·ish adjective [ Confer Lecherous .] 1. Eager; craving; urged by desire; eager to taste or enjoy; greedy. "The lickerish palate of the glutton." Bp. Hall.

2. Tempting the appetite; dainty. " Lickerish baits, fit to insnare a brute." Milton.

3. Lecherous; lustful. Robert of Brunne.

-- Lick"er*ish*ly , adverb -- Lick"er*ish*ness , noun

Lickerous Lick"er·ous (-ŭs) adjective Lickerish; eager; lustful. [ Obsolete]

-- Lick"er*ous*ness , noun [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Licking Lick"ing noun 1. A lapping with the tongue.

2. A flogging or castigation. [ Colloq. or Low]

Lickpenny Lick"pen`ny (-pĕn`nȳ) noun A devourer or absorber of money. "Law is a lickpenny ." Sir W. Scott.

Licorice Lic"o·rice (lĭk"o*rĭs) noun [ Middle English licoris , through old French, from Latin liquiritia , corrupted from glycyrrhiza , Greek glyky`rriza ; glyky`s sweet + "ri`za root. Confer Glycerin , Glycyrrhiza , Wort .] [ Written also liquorice .] 1. (Botany) A plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza ( G. glabra ), the root of which abounds with a sweet juice, and is much used in demulcent compositions.

2. The inspissated juice of licorice root, used as a confection and for medicinal purposes.

Licorice fern (Botany) , a name of several kinds of polypody which have rootstocks of a sweetish flavor. -- Licorice sugar . (Chemistry) See Glycyrrhizin . -- Licorice weed (Botany) , the tropical plant Scapania dulcis . -- Mountain licorice (Botany) , a kind of clover ( Trifolium alpinum ), found in the Alps. It has large purplish flowers and a sweetish perennial rootstock. -- Wild licorice . (Botany) (a) The North American perennial herb Glycyrrhiza lepidota . (b) Certain broad-leaved cleavers ( Galium circæzans and G. lanceolatum ). (c) The leguminous climber Abrus precatorius , whose scarlet and black seeds are called black-eyed Susans . Its roots are used as a substitute for those of true licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ).

Licorous Lic"o·rous (lĭk"o*rŭs) adjective See Lickerish . -- Lic"o*rous*ness , noun [ Obsolete] Herbert.

Licour Lic"our (lĭk"ŏr) noun Liquor. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Lictor Lic"tor (lĭk"tŏr) noun [ Latin ] (Rom. Antiq.) An officer who bore an ax and fasces or rods, as ensigns of his office. His duty was to attend the chief magistrates when they appeared in public, to clear the way, and cause due respect to be paid to them, also to apprehend and punish criminals.

Lictors and rods, the ensigns of their power.

Milton.

Lid Lid (lĭd) noun [ Anglo-Saxon hlid , from hlīdan (in comp.) to cover, shut; akin to Old Saxon hlīdan (in comp.), Dutch lid lid, Old High German hlit , G. augen lid eyelid, Icelandic hlið gate, gateway. √40.]

1. That which covers the opening of a vessel or box, etc.; a movable cover; as, the lid of a chest or trunk.

2. The cover of the eye; an eyelid. Shak.

Tears, big tears, gushed from the rough soldier's lid .

Byron.

3. (Botany) (a) The cover of the spore cases of mosses. (b) A calyx which separates from the flower, and falls off in a single piece, as in the Australian Eucalypti . (c) The top of an ovary which opens transversely, as in the fruit of the purslane and the tree which yields Brazil nuts.

Lidded Lid"ded (lĭd"dĕd) adjective Covered with a lid. Keats.

Lidge Lidge (lĭj) noun Same as Ledge . [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Lidless Lid"less (lĭd"lĕs) adjective Having no lid, or not covered with the lids, as the eyes; hence, sleepless; watchful.

A lidless watcher of the public weal.

Tennyson.

Lie Lie (lī) noun See Lye .

Lie Lie (lī) noun [ Anglo-Saxon lyge ; akin to Dutch leugen , Old High German lugi , German lüge , lug , Icelandic lygi , Dan. & Swedish lögn , Goth. liugn . See Lie to utter a falsehood.] 1. A falsehood uttered or acted for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth; an untruth spoken with the intention to deceive.

The proper notion of a lie is an endeavoring to deceive another by signifying that to him as true, which we ourselves think not to be so.

S. Clarke.

It is willful deceit that makes a lie . A man may act a lie , as by pointing his finger in a wrong direction when a traveler inquires of him his road.

Paley.

2. A fiction; a fable; an untruth. Dryden.

3. Anything which misleads or disappoints.

Wishing this lie of life was o'er.

Trench.

To give the lie to . (a) To charge with falsehood; as, the man gave him the lie . (b) To reveal to be false; as, a man's actions may give the lie to his words. -- White lie , a euphemism for such lies as one finds it convenient to tell, and excuses himself for telling.

Syn. -- Untruth; falsehood; fiction; deception. -- Lie , Untruth . A man may state what is untrue from ignorance or misconception; hence, to impute an untruth to one is not necessarily the same as charging him with a lie . Every lie is an untruth , but not every untruth is a lie . Confer Falsity .

Lie Lie intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Lied (līd); present participle & verbal noun Lying (lī"ĭng).] [ Middle English lien , liʒen , leʒen , leoʒen , Anglo-Saxon leógan ; akin to Dutch liegen , Old Saxon & Old High German liogan , German lügen , Icelandic ljūga , Swedish ljuga , Danish lyve , Goth. liugan , Russian lgate .] To utter falsehood with an intention to deceive; to say or do that which is intended to deceive another, when he a right to know the truth, or when morality requires a just representation.

Lie Lie intransitive verb [ imperfect Lay (lā); past participle Lain (lān), ( Lien (lī"ĕn), Obsolete); present participle & verbal noun Lying .] [ Middle English lien , liggen , Anglo-Saxon licgan ; akin to Dutch liggen , Old High German ligen , licken , German liegen , Icelandic liggja , Swedish ligga , Danish ligge , Goth. ligan , Russian lejate , Latin lectus bed, Greek le`chos bed, le`xasqai to lie. Confer Lair , Law , Lay , transitive verb , Litter , Low , adj. ] 1. To rest extended on the ground, a bed, or any support; to be, or to put one's self, in an horizontal position, or nearly so; to be prostate; to be stretched out; -- often with down , when predicated of living creatures; as, the book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof; he lies in his coffin.

The watchful traveler . . .
Lay down again, and closed his weary eyes.

Dryden.

2. To be situated; to occupy a certain place; as, Ireland lies west of England; the meadows lie along the river; the ship lay in port.

3. To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition; as, to lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open; to lie hid; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves; the paper does not lie smooth on the wall.

4. To be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist; -- with in .

Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances.

Collier.

He that thinks that diversion may not lie in hard labor, forgets the early rising and hard riding of huntsmen.

Locke.

5. To lodge; to sleep.

Whiles I was now trifling at home, I saw London, . . . where I lay one night only.

Evelyn.

Mr. Quinion lay at our house that night.

Dickens.

6. To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.

The wind is loud and will not lie .

Shak.

7. (Law) To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained. "An appeal lies in this case." Parsons.

» Through ignorance or carelessness speakers and writers often confuse the forms of the two distinct verbs lay and lie . Lay is a transitive verb, and has for its preterit laid ; as, he told me to lay it down, and I laid it down. Lie is intransitive, and has for its preterit lay ; as, he told me to lie down, and I lay down. Some persons blunder by using laid for the preterit of lie ; as, he told me to lie down, and I laid down. So persons often say incorrectly, the ship laid at anchor; they laid by during the storm; the book was laying on the shelf, etc. It is only necessary to remember, in all such cases, that laid is the preterit of lay , and not of lie .

To lie along the shore (Nautical) , to coast, keeping land in sight. -- To lie at the door of , to be imputable to; as, the sin, blame, etc., lies at your door . -- To lie at the heart , to be an object of affection, desire, or anxiety. Sir W. Temple. -- To lie at the mercy of , to be in the power of. -- To lie by . (a) To remain with; to be at hand; as, he has the manuscript lying by him . (b) To rest; to intermit labor; as, we lay by during the heat of the day. -- To lie hard or heavy , to press or weigh; to bear hard. -- To lie in , to be in childbed; to bring forth young. -- To lie in one , to be in the power of; to belong to. "As much as lieth in you , live peaceably with all men." Rom. xii. 18. -- To lie in the way , to be an obstacle or impediment. -- To lie in wait , to wait in concealment; to lie in ambush. -- To lie on or upon . (a) To depend on; as, his life lies on the result . (b) To bear, rest, press, or weigh on. -- To lie low , to remain in concealment or inactive. [ Slang] -- To lie on hand , To lie on one's hands , to remain unsold or unused; as, the goods are still lying on his hands ; they have too much time lying on their hands . -- To lie on the head of , to be imputed to.

What he gets more of her than sharp words, let it lie on my head .

Shak.

-- To lie over . (a) To remain unpaid after the time when payment is due, as a note in bank. (b) To be deferred to some future occasion, as a resolution in a public deliberative body. -- To lie to (Nautical) , to stop or delay; especially, to head as near the wind as possible as being the position of greatest safety in a gale; -- said of a ship. Confer To bring to , under Bring . -- To lie under , to be subject to; to suffer; to be oppressed by. -- To lie with . (a) To lodge or sleep with. (b) To have sexual intercourse with. (c) To belong to; as, it lies with you to make amends.

Lie Lie (lī) noun The position or way in which anything lies; the lay, as of land or country. J. H. Newman.

He surveyed with his own eyes . . . the lie of the country on the side towards Thrace.

Jowett (Thucyd.).

Lieberkühn Lie"ber·kühn (lē"bẽr*kun) noun [ Named after a German physician and instrument maker, J. N. Lieberkühn .] (Optics) A concave metallic mirror attached to the object-glass end of a microscope, to throw down light on opaque objects; a reflector.

Lieberkühn's glands Lie"ber·kühn's glands` (lē"bẽr*kunz glăndz`). [ See Lieberkühn .] (Anat.) The simple tubular glands of the small intestines; -- called also crypts of Lieberkühn .

Lied Lied (lēt) noun ; plural Lieder (lē"dẽr). [ G.] (Mus.) A lay; a German song. It differs from the French chanson , and the Italian canzone , all three being national.

The German Lied is perhaps the most faithful reflection of the national sentiment.

Grove.

Liederkranz Lie"der·kranz noun [ G. See Lied , and Grants .] (Mus.) Lit., wreath of songs; -- used as the title of a group of songs, and esp. as the common name for German vocal clubs of men.

Liedertafel Lie"der·ta`fel (lē"dẽr*tä`f'l) noun [ G., lit., a song table.] (Mus.) A popular name for any society or club which meets for the practice of male part songs.

Lief Lief (lēf) noun Same as Lif .

Lief Lief (lēf) adjective [ Written also lieve .] [ Middle English leef , lef , leof , Anglo-Saxon leóf ; akin to Old Saxon liof , OFries. liaf , Dutch lief , German lieb , Old High German liob , Icelandic ljūfr , Swedish ljuf , Goth. liubs , and English love . √124. See Love , and confer Believe , Leave , noun , Furlough , Libidinous .] 1. Dear; beloved. [ Obsolete, except in poetry.] "My liefe mother." Chaucer. "My liefest liege." Shak.

As thou art lief and dear.

Tennyson.

2. (Used with a form of the verb to be , and the dative of the personal pronoun.) Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable; preferable. [ Obsolete] See Lief , adverb , and Had as lief , under Had .

Full lief me were this counsel for to hide.

Chaucer.

Death me liefer were than such despite.

Spenser.

3. Willing; disposed. [ Obsolete]

I am not lief to gab.

Chaucer.

He up arose, however lief or loth.

Spenser.

Lief Lief noun A dear one; a sweetheart. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Lief Lief adverb Gladly; willingly; freely; -- now used only in the phrases, had as lief , and would as lief ; as, I had, or would, as lief go as not.

All women liefest would
Be sovereign of man's love.

Gower.

I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines.

Shak.

Far liefer by his dear hand had I die.

Tennyson.

» The comparative liefer with had or would , and followed by the infinitive, either with or without the sign to , signifies prefer , choose as preferable , would or had rather . In the 16th century rather was substituted for liefer in such constructions in literary English, and has continued to be generally so used. See Had as lief , Had rather , etc. , under Had .

Liefsome Lief"some (lēf"sŭm) adjective Pleasing; delightful. [ Obsolete]

Liegance Lieg"ance (lē"j a ns) noun Same as Ligeance .

Liege Liege (lēj) adjective [ Middle English lige , lege , French lige , Late Latin ligius , legius , liege, unlimited, complete, probably of German origin; confer German ledig free from bonds and obstacles, Middle High German ledec , ledic , lidic , freed, loosed, and Charta Ottonis de Benthem, ann. 1253, " ligius homo quod Teutonicè dicitur ledigman ," i. e., uni soli homagio obligatus, free from all obligations to others; influenced by Latin ligare to bind. German ledig perhaps orig. meant, free to go where one pleases, and is perhaps akin to English lead to conduct. Confer Lead to guide.] 1. Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to allegiance; as, a liege lord. Chaucer.

She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave;
And he, he reverenced his liege lady there.

Tennyson.

2. Serving an independent sovereign or master; bound by a feudal tenure; obliged to be faithful and loyal to a superior, as a vassal to his lord; faithful; loyal; as, a liege man; a liege subject.

3. (Old Law) Full; perfect; complete; pure. Burrill.

Liege homage (Feudal Custom) , that homage of one sovereign or prince to another which acknowledged an obligation of fealty and services. -- Liege poustie [ Latin legitima potestas ] (Scots Law) , perfect, i. e. , legal, power; specif., having health requisite to do legal acts. -- Liege widowhood , perfect, i. e. , pure, widowhood. [ Obsolete]

Liege Liege (lēj) noun 1. A free and independent person; specif., a lord paramount; a sovereign. Mrs. Browning.

The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans,
Liege of all loiterers and malcontents.

Shak.

2. The subject of a sovereign or lord; a liegeman.

A liege lord seems to have been a lord of a free band; and his lieges , though serving under him, were privileged men, free from all other obligations, their name being due to their freedom, not to their service.

Skeat.

Liegeman Liege"man (-m a n) noun ; plural Liegemen (-m e n). Same as Liege , noun , 2. Chaucer. Spenser.

Lieger Lie"ger (lē"jẽr) noun [ See Leger , Ledger .] A resident ambassador. [ Obsolete] See Leger . Denham.

Liegiancy Lie"gian·cy (lē"j a n*sȳ) noun See Ligeance .

Lien Li"en (lī"ĕn), obsolete past participle of Lie . See Lain . Ps. lxviii. 13.

Lien Lien (lēn or lī"ĕn; 277) noun [ French lien band, bond, tie, from Latin ligamen , from ligare to bind. Confer League a union, Leam a string, Leamer , Ligament .] (Law) A legal claim; a charge upon real or personal property for the satisfaction of some debt or duty; a right in one to control or hold and retain the property of another until some claim of the former is paid or satisfied.

Lienal Li·e"nal (li*ē"n a l) adjective [ Latin lien the spleen.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the spleen; splenic.

Lienculus Li·en"cu·lus (li*ĕn"ku*lŭs) noun ; plural Lienculi (- lī). [ New Latin , dim. of Latin lien the spleen.] (Anat.) One of the small nodules sometimes found in the neighborhood of the spleen; an accessory or supplementary spleen.

Lieno-intestinal Li·e`no-in·tes"ti·nal (li*ē`no- ĭn*tĕs"tĭ*n a l) adjective [ Latin lien the spleen + English intestinal .] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the spleen and intestine; as, the lieno- intestinal vein of the frog.

Lienteric Li`en·ter"ic (lī`ĕn*tĕr"ĭk) adjective [ Latin lientericus , Greek leienteriko`s : confer French lientérique . See Lientery .] (Medicine) Of or pertaining to, or of the nature of, a lientery. -- noun (Medicine) A lientery. Grew.

Lientery Li"en·ter·y (lī"ĕn*tĕr*ȳ) noun [ Greek leienteri`a ; lei^os smooth, soft + 'e`nteron an intestine: confer French lientérie .] (Medicine) A diarrhea, in which the food is discharged imperfectly digested, or with but little change. Dunglison.

Lier Li"er (lī"ẽr) noun [ From Lie . ] One who lies down; one who rests or remains, as in concealment.

There were liers in ambush against him.

Josh. viii. 14.

Lierne rib Lierne" rib` (lyârn" rĭb`). [ French lierne .] (Architecture) In Gothic vaulting, any rib which does not spring from the impost and is not a ridge rib, but passes from one boss or intersection of the principal ribs to another.

Lieu Lieu (lū) noun [ French, Old French also liu , leu , lou , from Latin locus place. See Local , Locus .] Place; room; stead; -- used only in the phrase in lieu of , that is, instead of .

The plan of extortion had been adopted in lieu of the scheme of confiscation.

Burke.

Lieutenancy Lieu·ten"an·cy (lu*tĕn" a n*sȳ; 277) noun 1. The office, rank, or commission, of a lieutenant.

2. The body of lieutenants or subordinates. [ Obsolete]

The list of the lieutenancy of our metropolis.

Felton.

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