Liliaceous Lil`i·a"ceous (lĭl`ĭ*ā"shŭs)
adjective [ Latin
liliaceus , from
lilium lily. See
Lily .]
(Botany) (a) Of or pertaining to a natural order of which the lily, tulip, and hyacinth are well-known examples. (b) Like the blossom of a lily in general form.
Lilial Lil"i·al (lĭl"ĭ*
a l)
adjective (Botany) Having a general resemblance to lilies or to liliaceous plants.
Lilied Lil"ied (lĭl"ĭd)
adjective Covered with, or having many, lilies. By sandy Ladon's lilied banks.
Milton.
Lill Lill (lĭl)
intransitive verb To loll. [ Obsolete or Prov.]
Spenser.
Lilliputian Lil`li·pu"tian (lĭl`lĭ*pū"sh
a n)
noun 1. One belonging to a very diminutive race described in Swift's "Voyage to Lilliput." 2. Hence:
A person or thing of very small size.
Lilliputian Lil`li·pu"tian adjective 1. Of or pertaining to the imaginary island of Lilliput described by Swift, or to its inhabitants. 2. Hence:
Of very small size; diminutive; dwarfed.
Lilly-pilly Lil"ly-pil`ly (lĭl"lȳ- pĭl`lȳ)
noun (Botany) An Australian myrtaceous tree ( Eugenia Smithii ), having smooth ovate leaves, and panicles of small white flowers. The wood is hard and fine-grained.
Lilt Lilt (lĭlt)
intransitive verb [ Confer Norw.
lilla ,
lirla , to sing in a high tone.]
1. To do anything with animation and quickness, as to skip, fly, or hop. [ Prov. Eng.]
Wordsworth. 2. To sing cheerfully. [ Scot.]
Lilt Lilt transitive verb To utter with spirit, animation, or gayety; to sing with spirit and liveliness. A classic lecture, rich in sentiment,
With scraps of thundrous epic lilted out
By violet-hooded doctors.
Tennyson.
Lilt Lilt noun 1. Animated, brisk motion; spirited rhythm; sprightliness. The movement, the lilt , and the subtle charm of the verse.
F. Harrison. 2. A lively song or dance; a cheerful tune. The housewife went about her work, or spun at her wheel, with a lilt upon her lips.
J. C. Shairp.
Lily Lil"y (lĭl"ȳ)
noun ;
plural Lilies (-ĭz). [ Anglo-Saxon
lilie , Latin
lilium , Greek
lei`rion . Confer
Flower-de- luce .]
1. (Botany) A plant and flower of the genus Lilium , endogenous bulbous plants, having a regular perianth of six colored pieces, six stamens, and a superior three- celled ovary. » There are nearly fifty species, all found in the North Temperate zone.
Lilium candidum and
Latin longiflorum are the common white lilies of gardens;
Latin Philadelphicum is the wild red lily of the Atlantic States;
Latin Chalcedonicum is supposed to be the "lily of the field" in our Lord's parable;
Latin auratum is the great gold-banded lily of Japan.
2. (Botany) A name given to handsome flowering plants of several genera, having some resemblance in color or form to a true lily, as Pancratium , Crinum , Amaryllis , Nerine , etc. 3. That end of a compass needle which should point to the north; -- so called as often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de-lis. But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west.
Sir T. Browne. African lily (Botany) ,
the blue- flowered Agapanthus umbellatus . --
Atamasco lily (Botany) ,
a plant of the genus Zephyranthes ( Z. Atamasco ), having a white and pink funnelform perianth, with six petal-like divisions resembling those of a lily. Gray. --
Blackberry lily (Botany) ,
the Pardanthus Chinensis , the black seeds of which form a dense mass like a blackberry. --
Bourbon lily (Botany) ,
Lilium candidum . See Illust. --
Butterfly lily .
(Botany) Same as Mariposa lily , in the Vocabulary. --
Lily beetle (Zool.) ,
a European beetle ( Crioceris merdigera ) which feeds upon the white lily. --
Lily daffodil (Botany) ,
a plant of the genus Narcissus , and its flower. --
Lily encrinite (Paleon.) ,
a fossil encrinite, esp. Encrinus liliiformis . See Encrinite . --
Lily hyacinth (Botany) ,
a plant of the genus Hyacinthus . --
Lily iron ,
a kind of harpoon with a detachable head of peculiar shape, used in capturing swordfish. --
Lily of the valley (Botany) ,
a low perennial herb ( Convallaria majalis ), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers. --
Lily pad ,
the large floating leaf of the water lily. [ U. S.]
Lowell. --
Tiger lily (Botany) ,
Lilium tigrinum , the sepals of which are blotched with black. --
Turk's-cap lily (Botany) ,
Lilium Martagon , a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily, Latin superbum . --
Water lily (Botany) ,
the Nymphæa , a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [ See Illust. of Nymphæa .]
Lily Lil"y noun (Auction Bridge) A royal spade; -- usually in plural See Royal spade , below.
Lily-handed Lil"y-hand`ed (-hănd`ĕd)
adjective Having white, delicate hands.
Lily-livered Lil"y-liv`ered (-lĭv`ẽrd)
adjective White-livered; cowardly.
Lilywort Lil"y·wort` (-wûrt`)
noun (Botany) Any plant of the Lily family or order. Lindley.
Lim Lim (lĭm)
noun [ See
Limb .]
A limb. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Lim næa Lim ·næ"a (lĭm*nē"ȧ)
noun [ New Latin , from Greek
limnai^os pertaining to a marsh, from
li`mh a marsh.]
(Zoology) A genus of fresh-water air-breathing mollusks, abundant in ponds and streams; -- called also pond snail . [ Written also
Lymnæa .]
Lima Li"ma (lē"mȧ or lī"mȧ)
noun The capital city of Peru, in South America. Lima bean .
(Botany) (a) A variety of climbing or pole bean ( Phaseolus lunatus ), which has very large flattish seeds .
(b) The seed of this plant, much used for food. --
Lima wood (Botany) ,
the beautiful dark wood of the South American tree Cæsalpinia echinata .
Limaceous Li·ma"ceous (li*mā"shŭs)
adjective [ Latin
limax ,
limacis , slug, snail: confer French
limacé .]
(Zoology) Pertaining to, or like, Limax, or the slugs.
Limacina Lim`a·ci"na (lĭm`ȧ*sī"nȧ)
noun [ New Latin , from Latin
limax ,
limacis , a slug.]
(Zoology) A genus of small spiral pteropods, common in the Arctic and Antarctic seas. It contributes to the food of the right whales.
Limaçon Li`ma`çon" (le`mȧ`sôN")
noun [ French
limaçon , lit., a snail.]
(Geom.) A curve of the fourth degree, invented by Pascal. Its polar equation is r = a cos θ + b .
Limaille Li"maille (lī"māl; F. le`mä"y')
noun [ French, from
limer to file. See
Limation .]
Filings of metal. [ Obsolete] "An ounce . . . of silver
lymaille ."
Chaucer.
Liman Li"man (lī"m
a n)
noun [ French
limon , from Latin
limus slime.]
The deposit of slime at the mouth of a river; slime.
Limation Li·ma"tion (li*mā"shŭn)
noun [ Latin
limatus , past participle of
limare to file, from
lima file : confer French
limation .]
The act of filing or polishing.
Limature Li"ma·ture (lī"mȧ*tur; 135)
noun [ Latin
limatura . See
Limation .]
1. The act of filing. 2. That which is filed off; filings. Johnson.
Limax Li"max (lī"măks)
noun [ Latin ]
(Zoology) A genus of airbreathing mollusks, including the common garden slugs. They have a small rudimentary shell. The breathing pore is on the right side of the neck. Several species are troublesome in gardens. See Slug .
Limb Limb (lĭm)
noun [ Middle English
lim , Anglo-Saxon
lim ; akin to Icelandic
limr limb,
lim branch of a tree, Swedish & Danish
lem limb; confer also Anglo-Saxon
lið , Old High German
lid ,
gilid , German
glied , Goth.
liþus . Confer
Lith ,
Limber .]
1. A part of a tree which extends from the trunk and separates into branches and twigs; a large branch. 2. An arm or a leg of a human being; a leg, arm, or wing of an animal. A second Hector for his grim aspect,
And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs .
Shak. 3. A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else. Shak. That little limb of the devil has cheated the gallows.
Sir W. Scott. 4. An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock. Limb of the law ,
a lawyer or an officer of the law. [ Colloq.]
Landor.
Limb Limb transitive verb 1. To supply with limbs. [ R.]
Milton. 2. To dismember; to tear off the limbs of.
Limb Limb noun [ Latin
limbus border. Confer
Limbo ,
Limbus .]
A border or edge, in certain special uses. (a) (Botany) The border or upper spreading part of a monopetalous corolla, or of a petal, or sepal; blade. (b) (Astron.) The border or edge of the disk of a heavenly body, especially of the sun and moon. (c) The graduated margin of an arc or circle, in an instrument for measuring angles.
Limbat Lim"bat (lĭm"băt)
noun [ Etymol. uncertain.]
A cooling periodical wind in the Isle of Cyprus, blowing from the northwest from eight o'clock, A. M. , to the middle of the day or later.
Limbate Lim"bate (lĭm"bat)
adjective [ Latin
limbatus , from
limbus border, edge. See
Limbus .]
(Bot. & Zoology) Bordered, as when one color is surrounded by an edging of another.
Limbec Lim"bec (-bĕk)
noun [ Abbrev. of
alembic .]
An alembic; a still. [ Obsolete]
Spenser. Shak.
Limbec Lim"bec transitive verb To distill. [ Obsolete]
Dryden.
Limbed Limbed (lĭmd)
adjective Having limbs; -- much used in composition; as, large -limbed ; short -limbed . Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms,
Limbed and full grown.
Milton.
Limber Lim"ber (lĭm"bẽr)
noun [ For
limmer , Icelandic
limar branches, boughs, plural of
lim ; akin to English
limb . See
Limb a branch.]
1. plural The shafts or thills of a wagon or carriage. [ Prov. Eng.]
2. (Mil.) The detachable fore part of a gun carriage, consisting of two wheels, an axle, and a shaft to which the horses are attached. On top is an ammunition box upon which the cannoneers sit. 3. plural (Nautical) Gutters or conduits on each side of the keelson to afford a passage for water to the pump well. Limber boards (Nautical) ,
short pieces of plank forming part of the lining of a ship's floor immediately above the timbers, so as to prevent the limbers from becoming clogged. --
Limber box or chest (Mil.) ,
a box on the limber for carrying ammunition. --
Limber rope ,
Limber chain , or
Limber clearer (Nautical) ,
a rope or chain passing through the limbers of a ship, by which they may be cleared of dirt that chokes them. Totten. --
Limber strake (Shipbuilding) ,
the first course of inside planking next the keelson.
Limber Lim"ber transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Limbered (-bẽrd);
present participle & verbal noun Limbering .]
(Mil.) To attach to the limber; as, to limber a gun. To limber up ,
to change a gun carriage into a four-wheeled vehicle by attaching the limber.
Limber Lim"ber adjective [ Akin to
limp , adjective √125. See
Limp ,
adjective ]
Easily bent; flexible; pliant; yielding. Milton. The bargeman that doth row with long and limber oar.
Turbervile.
Limber Lim"ber transitive verb To cause to become limber; to make flexible or pliant. Richardson.
Limberness Lim"ber·ness noun The quality or state of being limber; flexibleness. Boyle.
Limbless Limb"less (lĭm"lĕs)
adjective Destitute of limbs.
Limbmeal Limb"meal` (-mēl`)
adverb [ See
Limb , and
Piecemeal .]
Piecemeal. [ Obsolete] "To tear her
limbmeal ."
Shak.
Limbo Lim"bo (lĭm"bo),
Lim"bus (- bŭs)
noun [ Latin
limbus border, edge,
in limbo on the border. Confer
Limb border.]
1. (Scholastic Theol.) An extramundane region where certain classes of souls were supposed to await the judgment. As far from help as Limbo is from bliss.
Shak. A Limbo large and broad, since called
The Paradise of fools.
Milton. » The
limbus patrum was considered as a place for the souls of good men who lived before the coming of our Savior. The
limbus infantium was said to be a similar place for the souls of unbaptized infants. To these was added, in the popular belief, the
limbus fatuorum , or fool's paradise, regarded as a receptacle of all vanity and nonsense.
2. Hence: Any real or imaginary place of restraint or confinement; a prison; as, to put a man in limbo . 3. (Anat.) A border or margin; as, the limbus of the cornea.
Limbous Lim"bous (lĭm"bŭs)
adjective [ See
Limbus .]
(Anat.) With slightly overlapping borders; -- said of a suture.
Limburg cheese, Limburger Lim"burg cheese, Lim"burg·er noun ,
Lim"burg*er cheese A soft cheese made in the Belgian province of Limburg (Limbourg), and usually not eaten until the curing has developed a peculiar and, to most people, unpleasant odor.
Lime Lime (līm)
noun [ See
Leam a string.]
A thong by which a dog is led; a leash. Halliwell.
Lime Lime noun [ Formerly
line , for earlier
lind . See
Linden .]
(Botany) The linden tree. See Linden .
Lime Lime noun [ French
lime ; of Persian origin. See
Lemon .]
(Botany) A fruit allied to the lemon, but much smaller; also, the tree which bears it. There are two kinds; Citrus Medica , var. acida which is intensely sour, and the sweet lime ( C. Medica , var. Limetta ) which is only slightly sour.
Lime Lime noun [ Anglo-Saxon
līm ; akin to Dutch
lijm , German
leim , Old High German
līm , Icelandic
līm , Swedish
lim , Danish
liim , Latin
limus mud,
linere to smear, and English
loam . √126. Confer
Loam ,
Liniment .]
1. Birdlime. Like the lime
That foolish birds are caught with.
Wordsworth. 2. (Chemistry) Oxide of calcium; the white or gray, caustic substance, usually called quicklime , obtained by calcining limestone or shells, the heat driving off carbon dioxide and leaving lime. It develops great heat when treated with water, forming slacked lime, and is an essential ingredient of cement, plastering, mortar, etc. » Lime is the principal constituent of limestone, marble, chalk, bones, shells, etc.
Caustic lime ,
calcium hydrate or slacked lime; also, in a less technical sense, calcium oxide or quicklime. --
Lime burner ,
one who burns limestone, shells, etc., to make lime. --
Lime light .
See Calcium light , under Calcium . --
Lime pit ,
a limestone quarry. --
Lime rod ,
Lime twig ,
a twig smeared with birdlime; hence, that which catches; a snare. Chaucer.
Lime Lime transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Limed (līmd);
present participle & verbal noun Liming .] [ Confer Anglo-Saxon
gelīman to glue or join together. See
Lime a viscous substance.]
1. To smear with a viscous substance, as birdlime. These twigs, in time, will come to be limed .
L'Estrange. 2. To entangle; to insnare. We had limed ourselves
With open eyes, and we must take the chance.
Tennyson. 3. To treat with lime, or oxide or hydrate of calcium; to manure with lime; as, to lime hides for removing the hair; to lime sails in order to whiten them. Land may be improved by draining, marling, and liming .
Sir J. Child. 4. To cement. "Who gave his blood to
lime the stones together."
Shak.
Lime twig Lime twig See under 4th Lime .