Lign-aloes Lign`-al"oes (līn`ăl"ōz or lĭg*năl"ōz) noun [ Middle English ligne aloes , from Latin lignum wood + aloe aloe.] 1. Aloes wood, or agallochum. See Agallochum .

2. A fragrant tree mentioned in the Bible. Num. xxiv. 6.

Ligneous Lig"ne·ous (lĭg"ne*ŭs) adjective [ Latin ligneus , from lignum wood. Confer Lignous .] Made of wood; consisting of wood; of the nature of, or resembling, wood; woody.

It should be tried with shoots of vines and roots of red roses; for it may be they, being of a more ligneous nature, will incorporate with the tree itself.

Bacon.

Ligneous marble , wood coated or prepared so as to resemble marble.

Ligniferous Lig·nif"er·ous (lĭg*nĭf"ẽr*ŭs) adjective [ Latin lignifer ; lignum wood + ferre to bear: confer French lignifère .] Yielding or producing wood.

Lignification Lig`ni·fi·ca"tion (lĭg`nĭ*fĭ*kā"shŭn) noun [ Confer French lignification . See Lignify .] (Botany) A change in the character of a cell wall, by which it becomes harder. It is supposed to be due to an incrustation of lignin.

Ligniform Lig"ni·form (lĭg"nĭ*fôrm) adjective [ Latin lignum wood + -form : confer French ligniforme .] Like wood.

Lignify Lig"ni·fy (-fī) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Lignified (-fīd); present participle & verbal noun Lignifying (- fī`ĭng).] [ Latin lignum wood + -fy : confer French lignifier .] (Botany) To convert into wood or into a ligneous substance.

Lignify Lig"ni·fy intransitive verb (Botany) To become wood.

Lignin Lig"nin (lĭg"nĭn) noun [ Latin lignum wood: confer French lignine .] (Botany) A substance characterizing wood cells and differing from cellulose in its conduct with certain chemical reagents.

» Recent authors have distinguished four forms of this substance, naming them lignose , lignin , lignone , and lignireose .

Ligniperdous Lig`ni·per"dous (lĭg`nĭ*pẽr"dŭs) adjective [ Latin lignum wood + perdere to destroy: confer French ligniperde .] (Zoology) Wood-destroying; -- said of certain insects.

Lignireose Lig·nir"e·ose` (lĭg*nĭr"e*ōs`) noun (Botany) See Lignin .

Lignite Lig"nite (lĭg"nīt) noun [ Latin lignum wood: confer French lignite .] (Min.) Mineral coal retaining the texture of the wood from which it was formed, and burning with an empyreumatic odor. It is of more recent origin than the anthracite and bituminous coal of the proper coal series. Called also brown coal , wood coal .

Lignitic Lig·nit"ic (lĭg*nĭt"ĭk) adjective Containing lignite; resembling, or of the nature of, lignite; as, lignitic clay.

Lignitic group . See Laramie Group .

Lignitiferous Lig`ni·tif"er·ous (lĭg`nĭ*tĭf"ẽr*ŭs) adjective [ Lignite + -ferous .] Producing or containing lignite; lignitic.

Lignoceric Lig`no·cer"ic (-no*sĕr"ĭk) adjective [ Latin lignum wood + cera wax.] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid of the formic acid series, found in the tar, wax, or paraffine obtained by distilling certain kinds of wood, as the beech.

Lignone Lig"none` (lĭg"nōn`) noun (Botany) See Lignin .

Lignose Lig·nose" (lĭg*nōs"), Lig"nous (lĭg"nŭs) adjective [ Latin lignosus , from lignum wood: confer French ligneux . Confer Ligneous .] Ligneous. [ R.] Evelyn.

Lignose Lig"nose` (lĭg"nōs`) noun 1. (Botany) See Lignin .

2. (Chemistry) An explosive compound of wood fiber and nitroglycerin. See Nitroglycerin .

Lignum rhodium Lig"num rho"di·um (lĭg"nŭm rō"dĭ*ŭm). [ New Latin , from Latin lignum wood + Greek "ro`don a rose.] (Botany) The fragrant wood of several shrubs and trees, especially of species of Rhodorhiza from the Canary Islands, and of the West Indian Amyris balsamifera .

Lignum-vitae Lig"num-vi"tae (-vī"tē) noun [ Latin , wood of life; lignum wood + vita , genitive vitæ , life.] (Botany) A tree ( Guaiacum officinale ) found in the warm latitudes of America, from which the guaiacum of medicine is procured. Its wood is very hard and heavy, and is used for various mechanical purposes, as for the wheels of ships' blocks, cogs, bearings, and the like. See Guaiacum .

» In New Zealand the Metrosideros buxifolia is called lignum-vitæ, and in Australia a species of Acacia . The bastard lignum-vitæ is a West Indian tree ( Sarcomphalus laurinus ).

Ligroin Lig"ro·in (lĭg"ro*ĭn) noun A trade name applied somewhat indefinitely to some of the volatile products obtained in refining crude petroleum. It is a complex and variable mixture of several hydrocarbons, generally boils below 170° Fahr., and is more inflammable than safe kerosene. It is used as a solvent, as a carburetant for air gas, and for illumination in special lamps.

Ligsam Lig"sam (lĭg"s a m) noun [ Confer Dutch liggen to lie, English lie to be prostrate, and English flotsam , jetsam , or ligan .] Same as Ligan . Brande & C.

Ligula Lig"u·la (lĭg"u*lȧ) noun ; plural Latin Ligulæ (- lē), English Ligulas (-lȧz). [ Latin , a little tongue. See Ligule .] 1. (Botany) See Ligule .

2. (Zoology) (a) The central process, or front edge, of the labium of insects. It sometimes serves as a tongue or proboscis, as in bees. [ See Illust. under Labium , and Hymenoptera .] (b) A tongue-shaped lobe of the parapodia of annelids. See Parapodium .

Ligulate Lig"u·late (lĭg"u*lat), Lig"u*la`ted (-lā`tĕd) adjective [ Confer French ligulé . See Ligule , and confer Lingulate .]

1. (Botany) Like a bandage, or strap; strap-shaped.

2. Composed of ligules.

Ligulate flower , a species of compound flower, the florets of which have their corollets flat, spreading out toward the end, with the base only tubular.

Ligule Lig"ule (-ul) noun [ Latin ligula , lingula , little tongue, dim. of lingua tongue : confer French ligule .]

1. (Botany) (a) The thin and scarious projection from the upper end of the sheath of a leaf of grass. (b) A strap-shaped corolla of flowers of Compositæ.

2. (Anat.) A band of white matter in the wall of fourth ventricle of the brain.

Liguliflorous Lig`u·li·flo"rous (lĭg`u*lĭ*flō"rŭs) adjective [ Ligule + Latin flos , floris , a flower.] (Botany) Bearing only ligulate flowers; -- said of a large suborder of composite plants, such as the dandelion, lettuce, hawkweed, etc.

Ligure Lig"ure (lĭg"ur; 277) noun [ Latin ligurius , Greek ligy`rion , liggoy`rion , ligkoy`rion , lygkoy`rion , equiv. to Hebrew leshem .] A kind of precious stone.

The third row a ligure , an agate, and an amethyst.

Ex. xxviii. 19.

Ligustrin Li·gus"trin (li*gŭs"trĭn) noun (Chemistry) A bitter principle found in the bark of the privet (Ligustrum vulgare) , and extracted as a white crystalline substance with a warm, bitter taste; -- called also ligustron .

Likable Lik"a·ble (līk"ȧ*b'l) adjective Such as can be liked; such as to attract liking; as, a likable person. Thackeray.

Like Like (līk) adjective [ Compar. Liker (līk"ẽr); superl. Likest .] [ Middle English lik , ilik , gelic , Anglo-Saxon gelīc , from prefix ge- + līc body, and orig. meaning, having the same body, shape, or appearance, and hence, like; akin to Old Saxon gilīk , Dutch gelijk , German gleich , Old High German gilīh , Icelandic līkr , glīkr , Danish lig , Swedish lik , Goth. galeiks , Old Saxon lik body, Dutch lijk , German leiche , Icelandic līk , Swedish lik , Goth. leik . The English adverbial ending -ly is from the same adjective. Confer Each , Such , Which .] 1. Having the same, or nearly the same, appearance, qualities, or characteristics; resembling; similar to; similar; alike; -- often with in and the particulars of the resemblance; as, they are like each other in features, complexion, and many traits of character.

'T is as like you
As cherry is to cherry.

Shak.

Like master, like man.

Old Prov.

He giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes.

Ps. cxlvii. 16.

» To , which formerly often followed like , is now usually omitted.

2. Equal, or nearly equal; as, fields of like extent.

More clergymen were impoverished by the late war than ever in the like space before.

Sprat.

3. Having probability; affording probability; probable; likely. [ Likely is more used now.] Shak.

But it is like the jolly world about us will scoff at the paradox of these practices.

South.

Many were not easy to be governed, nor like to conform themselves to strict rules.

Clarendon.

4. Inclined toward; disposed to; as, to feel like taking a walk.

Had like (followed by the infinitive), had nearly; came little short of.

Had like to have been my utter overthrow.

Sir W. Raleigh

Ramona had like to have said the literal truth, . . . but recollected herself in time.

Mrs. H. H. Jackson.

Like figures (Geom.) , similar figures.

» Like is used as a suffix, converting nouns into adjectives expressing resemblance to the noun; as, man like , like a man; child like , like a child; god like , like a god, etc. Such compounds are readily formed whenever convenient, and several, as crescentlike , serpentlike , hairlike , etc., are used in this book, although, in some cases, not entered in the vocabulary. Such combinations as bell-like , ball- like , etc., are hyphened.

Like Like noun 1. That which is equal or similar to another; the counterpart; an exact resemblance; a copy.

He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.

Shak.

2. A liking; a preference; inclination; -- usually in plural ; as, we all have likes and dislikes.

Like Like adverb [ Anglo-Saxon gelīce . See Like , adjective ] 1. In a manner like that of; in a manner similar to; as, do not act like him.

He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Job xii. 25.

» Like , as here used, is regarded by some grammarians as a preposition.

2. In a like or similar manner. Shak.

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

Ps. ciii. 13.

3. Likely; probably. " Like enough it will." Shak.

Like Like transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Liked (līkt); present participle & verbal noun Liking .] [ Middle English liken to please, Anglo-Saxon līcian , gelīcian , from gelīc . See Like , adjective ] 1. To suit; to please; to be agreeable to. [ Obsolete]

Cornwall him liked best, therefore he chose there.

R. of Gloucester.

I willingly confess that it likes me much better when I find virtue in a fair lodging than when I am bound to seek it in an ill-favored creature.

Sir P. Sidney.

2. To be pleased with in a moderate degree; to approve; to take satisfaction in; to enjoy.

He proceeded from looking to liking , and from liking to loving.

Sir P. Sidney.

3. To liken; to compare. [ Obsolete]

Like me to the peasant boys of France.

Shak.

Like Like (līk) intransitive verb 1. To be pleased; to choose.

He may either go or stay, as he best likes .

Locke.

2. To have an appearance or expression; to look; to seem to be (in a specified condition). [ Obsolete]

You like well, and bear your years very well.

Shak.

3. To come near; to avoid with difficulty; to escape narrowly; as, he liked to have been too late. Confer Had like , under Like , adjective [ Colloq.]

He probably got his death, as he liked to have done two years ago, by viewing the troops for the expedition from the wall of Kensington Garden.

Walpole.

To like of , to be pleased with. [ Obsolete] Massinger.

Like Like noun (Golf) The stroke which equalizes the number of strokes played by the opposing player or side; as, to play the like .

Like-minded Like"-mind`ed (-mīnd`ĕd) adjective Having a like disposition or purpose; of the same mind. Tillotson.

Likeable Like"a·ble (līk"ȧ*b'l) adjective See Likable.

Likehood Like"hood (-hod) noun Likelihood. [ Obsolete] South.

Likelihood Like"li·hood (-lĭ*hod) noun [ Likely + -hood .] 1. Appearance; show; sign; expression. [ Obsolete]

What of his heart perceive you in his face
By any likelihood he showed to-day ?

Shak.

2. Likeness; resemblance. [ Obsolete]

There is no likelihood between pure light and black darkness, or between righteousness and reprobation.

Sir W. Raleigh.

3. Appearance of truth or reality; probability; verisimilitude. Tennyson.

Likeliness Like"li·ness noun 1. Likelihood; probability.

2. Suitableness; agreeableness. [ Obsolete]

Likely Like"ly adjective [ Compar. Likelier (līk"lĭ*ẽr); superl. Likeliest .] [ That is, like- like . See Like , adjective ] 1. Worthy of belief; probable; credible; as, a likely story.

It seems likely that he was in hope of being busy and conspicuous.

Johnson.

2. Having probability; having or giving reason to expect; -- followed by the infinitive; as, it is likely to rain.

3. Similar; like; alike. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

4. Such as suits; good-looking; pleasing; agreeable; handsome. Shak. Milton.

5. Having such qualities as make success probable; well adapted to the place; promising; as, a likely young man; a likely servant.

Likely Like"ly adverb In all probability; probably.

While man was innocent he was likely ignorant of nothing that imported him to know.

Glanvill.

Liken Lik"en (līk"'n) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Likened (-'nd); present participle & verbal noun Likening .] [ Middle English liknen . See Like , adjective ]

1. To allege, or think, to be like; to represent as like; to compare; as, to liken life to a pilgrimage.

Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock.

Matt. vii. 24.

2. To make or cause to be like. [ R.] Brougham.

Likeness Like"ness noun [ Anglo-Saxon gelīcnes .] 1. The state or quality of being like; similitude; resemblance; similarity; as, the likeness of the one to the other is remarkable.

2. Appearance or form; guise.

An enemy in the likeness of a friend.

L'Estrange.

3. That which closely resembles; a portrait.

[ How he looked] the likenesses of him which still remain enable us to imagine.

Macaulay.

4. A comparison; parable; proverb. [ Obsolete]

He said to them, Soothly ye shall say to me this likeness , Leech, heal thyself.

Wyclif (Luke iv. 23).

Syn. -- Similarity; parallel; similitude; representation; portrait; effigy.

Likerous Lik"er·ous (lĭk"ẽr*ŭs) adjective , Lik"er*ous*ness noun [ Obsolete] See Lickerish , Lickerishness . Chaucer.

Likewise Like"wise` (līk"wīz`) adverb & conj. [ See Wise , noun ] In like manner; also; moreover; too. See Also .

Go, and do thou likewise .

Luke x. 37.

For he seeth that wise men die; likewise the fool and the brutish person perish.

Ps. xlix. 10.

Likin Li"kin` noun [ Written also lekin .] [ Chin. li kin ; li the thousandth part of a tael + kin money.] A Chinese provincial tax levied at many inland stations upon imports or articles in transit.

" Likin ," which used to be regarded as illegal, as one of the many, "squeezes" imposed by the mandarins, is, in Jamieson's opinion, just as legal as any other form of taxation.

A. R. Colquhoun.

Liking Lik"ing (līk"ĭng) p. adjective Looking; appearing; as, better or worse liking . See Like , to look. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort ?

Dan. i. 10.

Liking Lik"ing noun 1. The state of being pleasing; a suiting. See On liking , below. [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.]

2. The state of being pleased with, or attracted toward, some thing or person; hence, inclination; desire; pleasure; preference; -- often with for , formerly with to ; as, it is an amusement I have no liking for.

If the human intellect hath once taken a liking to any doctrine, . . . it draws everything else into harmony with that doctrine, and to its support.

Bacon.

3. Appearance; look; figure; state of body as to health or condition. [ Archaic]

I shall think the worse of fat men, as long as I have an eye to make difference of men's liking .

Shak.

Their young ones are in good liking .

Job. xxxix. 4.

On liking , on condition of being pleasing to or suiting; also, on condition of being pleased with; as, to hold a place of service on liking ; to engage a servant on liking . [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.]

Would he be the degenerate scion of that royal line . . . to be a king on liking and on sufferance ?

Hazlitt.

Lilac Li"lac (lī"l a k) noun [ Also lilach .] [ Spanish lilac , lila , Arabic līlak , from Persian līlaj , līlanj , līlang , nīlaj , nīl , the indigo plant, or from the kindred līlak bluish, the flowers being named from the color. Confer Anil .] 1. (Botany) A shrub of the genus Syringa . There are six species, natives of Europe and Asia. Syringa vulgaris , the common lilac, and S. Persica , the Persian lilac, are frequently cultivated for the fragrance and beauty of their purplish or white flowers. In the British colonies various other shrubs have this name.

2. A light purplish color like that of the flower of the purplish lilac.

California lilac (Botany) , a low shrub with dense clusters of purplish flowers ( Ceanothus thyrsiflorus ).

Lilacin Lil"a·cin (lĭl"ȧ*sĭn) noun (Chemistry) See Syringin .

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
You are here: Webster > Letter L > Page 41 of 74.
« Previous ¦33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 ¦ Next »