Lithotypy Liˇthot"yˇpy noun [ Litho- + -typy .] The art or process of making a kind of hard, stereotype plate, by pressing into a mold, taken from a page of type or other matter, a composition of gum shell-lac and sand of a fine quality, together with a little tar and linseed oil, all in a heated state.

Lithoxyl Liˇthox`yl noun [ Written also lithoxyle .] [ Litho- + Greek ... wood: confer French lithoxyle .] Petrified wood. [ Obsolete]

Lithuanian Lith`uˇa"niˇan adjective Of or pertaining to Lithuania (formerly a principality united with Poland, but now Russian and Prussian territory).

Lithuanian Lith`uˇa"niˇan noun A native, or one of the people, of Lithuania; also, the language of the Lithuanian people.

Lithy Lith"y adjective [ See Lithe .] Easily bent; pliable.

Lithy tree (Botany) , a European shrub ( Viburnum Lantana ); -- so named from its tough and flexible stem.

Lithćmia Liˇthć"miˇa (li*thē"mĭ*ȧ) noun [ New Latin , from Greek li`qos stone + a"i^ma blood.] (Medicine) A condition in which uric (lithic) acid is present in the blood.

Litigable Lit"iˇgaˇble adjective Such as can be litigated.

Litigant Lit"iˇgant adjective [ Latin litigans , -antis , present participle of litigare : confer French litigant . See Litigate .] Disposed to litigate; contending in law; engaged in a lawsuit; as, the parties litigant . Ayliffe.

Litigant Lit"iˇgant noun A person engaged in a lawsuit.

Litigate Lit"iˇgate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Litigated ; present participle & verbal noun Litigating .] [ See Litigation .] To make the subject of a lawsuit; to contest in law; to prosecute or defend by pleadings, exhibition of evidence, and judicial debate in a court; as, to litigate a cause.

Litigate Lit"iˇgate intransitive verb To carry on a suit by judicial process.

Litigation Lit`iˇga"tion noun [ Latin litigatio , from litigare to dispute, litigate; lis , litis , dispute, lawsuit (OL. stlis ) + agere to carry on. See Agent .] The act or process of litigating; a suit at law; a judicial contest.

Litigator Lit"iˇga`tor noun [ Latin ] One who litigates.

Litigious Liˇti"gious adjective [ Latin litigiosus , from litigium dispute, quarrel, from litigare : confer French litigieux . See Litigation .] 1. Inclined to judicial contest; given to the practice of contending in law; quarrelsome; contentious; fond of litigation. " A pettifogging attorney or a litigious client." Macaulay.

Soldiers find wars, and lawyers find out still
Litigious men, who quarrels move.

Donne.

2. Subject to contention; disputable; controvertible; debatable; doubtful; precarious. Shak.

No fences, parted fields, nor marks, nor bounds,
Distinguished acres of litigious grounds.

Dryden.

3. Of or pertaining to legal disputes.

Nor brothers cite to the litigious bar.

Young.

Litigiously Liˇti"giousˇly adverb In a litigious manner.

Litigiousness Liˇti"giousˇness noun The state of being litigious; disposition to engage in or carry on lawsuits.

Litmus Lit"mus noun [ Dutch lakmoes ; lak lacker + moes a thick preparation of fruit, pap, probably akin to English meat : confer German lackmus . See Lac a resinous substance.] (Chemistry) A dyestuff extracted from certain lichens ( Roccella tinctoria , Lecanora tartarea , etc.), as a blue amorphous mass which consists of a compound of the alkaline carbonates with certain coloring matters related to orcin and orcein.

» Litmus is used as a dye, and being turned red by acids and restored to its blue color by alkalies, is a common indicator or test for acidity and alkalinity.

Litmus paper (Chemistry) , unsized paper saturated with blue or red litmus, -- used in testing for acids or alkalies.

Litotes Li"toˇtes (lī"to*tēz) noun [ New Latin , from Greek lito`ths , from lito`s plain, simple.] (Rhet.) A diminution or softening of statement for the sake of avoiding censure or increasing the effect by contrast with the moderation shown in the form of expression; as, " a citizen of no mean city," that is, of an illustrious city.

Litraneter Liˇtran"eˇter noun [ Greek li`tra + -meter . See Liter ] An instrument for ascertaining the specific gravity of liquids.

Litre Li"tre (lē"tẽr; 277) noun [ French] Same as Liter .

Litter Lit"ter (lĭt"tẽr) noun [ French litičre , Late Latin lectaria , from Latin lectus couch, bed. See Lie to be prostrated, and confer Coverlet .] 1. A bed or stretcher so arranged that a person, esp. a sick or wounded person, may be easily carried in or upon it.

There is a litter ready; lay him in 't.

Shak.

2. Straw, hay, etc., scattered on a floor, as bedding for animals to rest on; also, a covering of straw for plants.

To crouch in litter of your stable planks.

Shak.

Take off the litter from your kernel beds.

Evelyn.

3. Things lying scattered about in a manner indicating slovenliness; scattered rubbish.

Strephon, who found the room was void.
Stole in, and took a strict survey
Of all the litter as it lay.

Swift.

4. Disorder or untidiness resulting from scattered rubbish, or from thongs lying about uncared for; as, a room in a state of litter .

5. The young brought forth at one time, by a sow or other multiparous animal, taken collectively. Also Fig.

A wolf came to a sow, and very kindly offered to take care of her litter .

D. Estrange.

Reflect upon that numerous litter of strange, senseless opinions that crawl about the world.

South.

Litter Lit"ter transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Littered ; present participle & verbal noun Littering .] 1. To supply with litter, as cattle; to cover with litter, as the floor of a stall.

Tell them how they litter their jades.

Bp. Hacke....

For his ease, well littered was the floor.

Dryden.

2. To put into a confused or disordered condition; to strew with scattered articles; as, to litter a room.

The room with volumes littered round.

Swift.

3. To give birth to; to bear; -- said of brutes, esp. those which produce more than one at a birth, and also of human beings, in abhorrence or contempt.

We might conceive that dogs were created blind, because we observe they were littered so with us.

Sir T. Browne.

The son that she did litter here,
A freckled whelp hagborn.

Shak.

Litter Lit"ter (lĭt"tẽr) intransitive verb 1. To be supplied with litter as bedding; to sleep or make one's bed in litter. [ R.]

The inn
Where he and his horse littered .

Habington.

2. To produce a litter.

A desert . . . where the she-wolf still littered .

Macaulay.

Litterateur Lit`te`ra`teur" (le`ta`rȧ`tẽr") noun [ French] One who occupies himself with literature; a literary man; a literatus. " Befriended by one kind-hearted littérateur after another." C. Kingsley.

Littery Lit"terˇy adjective Covered or encumbered with litter; consisting of or constituting litter.

Little Lit"tle adjective [ The regular comparative of this word is wanting, its place being supplied by less , or, rarely, lesser . See Lesser . For the superlative least is used, the regular form, littlest , occurring very rarely, except in some of the English provinces, and occasionally in colloquial language. " Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear." Shak. ] [ Middle English litel , lutel , Anglo-Saxon l...tel , lītel , l...t ; akin to Old Saxon littil , Dutch luttel , LG. lütt , Old High German luzzil , Middle High German lützel ; and perhaps to Anglo-Saxon lytig deceitful, lot deceit, Goth. liuts deceitful, lut...n to deceive; confer also Icelandic lītill little, Swedish liten , Danish liden , lille , Goth. leitils , which appear to have a different root vowel.] 1. Small in size or extent; not big; diminutive; -- opposed to big or large ; as, a little body; a little animal; a little piece of ground; a little hill; a little distance; a little child.

He sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

Luke xix. 3.

2. Short in duration; brief; as, a little sleep.

Best him enough: after a little time,
I'll beat him too.

Shak.

3. Small in quantity or amount; not much; as, a little food; a little air or water.

Conceited of their little wisdoms, and doting upon their own fancies.

Barrow.

4. Small in dignity, power, or importance; not great; insignificant; contemptible.

When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes?

I Sam. xv. 17.

5. Small in force or efficiency; not strong; weak; slight; inconsiderable; as, little attention or exertion; little effort; little care or diligence.

By sad experiment I know
How little weight my words with thee can find.

Milton.

6. Small in extent of views or sympathies; narrow; shallow; contracted; mean; illiberal; ungenerous.

The long-necked geese of the world that are ever hissing dispraise,
Because their natures are little .

Tennyson.

Little chief . (Zoology) See Chief hare . -- Little finger , the fourth and smallest finger of the hand. -- Little go (Eng. Universities) , a public examination about the middle of the course, which is less strict and important than the final one; -- called also smalls . Confer Great go , under Great . Thackeray. -- Little hours (R. C. Ch.) , the offices of prime, tierce, sext, and nones. Vespers and compline are sometimes included. -- Little ones , young children.

The men, and the women, and the little ones .

Deut. ii. 34.

Little Lit"tle noun 1. That which is little; a small quantity, amount, space, or the like.

Much was in little writ.

Dryden.

There are many expressions, which carrying with them no clear ideas, are like to remove but little of my ignorance.

Locke.

2. A small degree or scale; miniature. " His picture in little ." Shak.

A little, to or in a small degree; to a limited extent; somewhat; for a short time. " Stay a little ."

Shak.

The painter flattered her a little .

Shak.

-- By little and little , or Little by little , by slow degrees; piecemeal; gradually.

Little Lit"tle adverb In a small quantity or degree; not much; slightly; somewhat; -- often with a preceding it. " The poor sleep little ." Otway.

Little Lit"tle adjective -- Little Englander , an Englishman opposed to territorial expansion of the British Empire. See Antiimperialism , above. Hence: Little Englandism . -- Little-neck clam , or Little neck (Zoology) , the quahog, or round clam. -- Little peach , a disease of peaches in which the fruit is much dwarfed, and the leaves grow small and thin. The cause is not known. -- Little Rhod"y Rhode Island; -- a nickname alluding to its small size. It is the smallest State of the United States. -- Little Sisters of the Poor (R. C. Ch.) , an order of women who care for old men and women and infirm poor, for whom special houses are built. It was established at St. Servan, Britany, France, in 1840, by the Abbé Le Pailleur. -- Little slam (Bridge Whist) , the winning of 12 out of the 13 tricks. It counts 20 points on the honor score.

Little-ease Lit"tle-ease` noun An old slang name for the pillory, stocks, etc., of a prison. [ Eng.] Latimer.

Littleness Lit"tleˇness noun The state or quality of being little; as, littleness of size, thought, duration, power, etc.

Syn. -- Smallness; slightness; inconsiderableness; narrowness; insignificance; meanness; penuriousness.

Littoral Lit"toˇral adjective [ Latin littoralis , litoralis , from littus , litus , the seashore: confer French littoral .] 1. Of or pertaining to a shore, as of the sea.

2. (Biol.) Inhabiting the seashore, esp. the zone between high-water and low-water mark.

Littorina Lit"toˇri"na noun [ New Latin See Littoral .] (Zoology) A genus of small pectinibranch mollusks, having thick spiral shells, abundant between tides on nearly all rocky seacoasts. They feed on seaweeds. The common periwinkle is a well-known example. See Periwinkle .

Littress Lit"tress (lĭt"trĕs) noun A smooth kind of cartridge paper used for making cards. Knight.

Lituate Lit"uˇate (lĭt"u*at; 135) adjective [ See Lituus .] (Botany) Forked, with the points slightly curved outward.

Lituiform Lit"uˇiˇform adjective [ Lituus + -form .] Having the form of a lituus; like a lituite.

Lituite Lit"uˇite (lĭt"u*it; 135) noun [ See Lituus .] (Paleon.) Any species of ammonites of the genus Lituites . They are found in the Cretaceous formation.

Liturate Lit"uˇrate adjective [ Latin lituratus , past participle of liturare to erase, from litura a blur.] 1. (Zoology) Having indistinct spots, paler at their margins.

2. (Botany) Spotted, as if from abrasions of the surface.

Liturgic, Liturgical Liˇtur"gic, Liˇtur"gicˇal [ Greek ...: confer French liturgique .] Pertaining to, of or the nature of, a liturgy; of or pertaining to public prayer and worship. T. Warton.

Liturgically Liˇtur"gicˇalˇly adverb In the manner of a liturgy.

Liturgics Liˇtur"gics noun The science of worship; history, doctrine, and interpretation of liturgies.

Liturgiologist Liˇtur`giˇol"oˇgist noun One versed in liturgiology.

Liturgiology Liˇtur`giˇol"oˇgy noun [ Liturgy + -logy .] The science treating of liturgical matters; a treatise on, or description of, liturgies. Shipley.

Liturgist Lit"urˇgist (lĭt"ŭr*jĭst) noun One who favors or adheres strictly to a liturgy. Milton.

Liturgy Lit"urˇgy (lĭt"ŭr*jȳ) noun ; plural Liturgies (- jĭz). [ French liturgie , Late Latin liturgia , Greek leitoyrgi`a a public service, the public service of God, public worship; (assumed) le`i:tos , lei^tos , belonging to the people, public (fr. lao`s , lew`s , the people) + the root of 'e`rgon work. See Lay , adjective , and Work .] An established formula for public worship, or the entire ritual for public worship in a church which uses prescribed forms; a formulary for public prayer or devotion. In the Roman Catholic Church it includes all forms and services in any language, in any part of the world, for the celebration of Mass.

Lituus Lit"uˇus noun ; plural Litui . [ Latin ] 1. (Rom. Antig.) (a) A curved staff used by the augurs in quartering the heavens. (b) An instrument of martial music; a kind of trumpet of a somewhat curved form and shrill note.

2. (Math.) A spiral whose polar equation is r ² θ = a ; that is, a curve the square of whose radius vector varies inversely as the angle which the radius vector makes with a given line.

Livable Liv"aˇble adjective 1. Such as can be lived.

2. Such as is pleasant to live in; fit or suitable to live in. [ Colloq.]

A more delightful or livable region is not easily to be found.

T. Arnold.

Live Live (lĭv) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Lived (lĭvd); present participle & verbal noun Living .] [ Middle English liven , livien , Anglo-Saxon libban , lifian ; akin to Old Saxon libbian , Dutch leven , German leben , Old High German lebēn , Danish leve , Swedish lefva , Icelandic lifa to live, to be left, to remain, Goth. liban to live; akin to English leave to forsake, and life , Greek liparei^n to persist, liparo`s oily, shining, sleek, li`pos fat, lard, Sanskrit lip to anoint, smear; -- the first sense probably was, to cleave to, stick to; hence, to remain, stay; and hence, to live.] 1. To be alive; to have life; to have, as an animal or a plant, the capacity of assimilating matter as food, and to be dependent on such assimilation for a continuance of existence; as, animals and plants that live to a great age are long in reaching maturity.

Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will . . . lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live .

Ezek. xxxvii. 5, 6.

2. To pass one's time; to pass life or time in a certain manner, as to habits, conduct, or circumstances; as, to live in ease or affluence; to live happily or usefully.

O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions!

Ecclus. xli. 1.

3. To make one's abiding place or home; to abide; to dwell; to reside.

Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years.

Gen. xlvii. 28.

4. To be or continue in existence; to exist; to remain; to be permanent; to last; -- said of inanimate objects, ideas, etc.

Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues
We write in water.

Shak.

5. To enjoy or make the most of life; to be in a state of happiness.

What greater curse could envious fortune give
Than just to die when I began to live ?

Dryden.

6. To feed; to subsist; to be nourished or supported; -- with on ; as, horses live on grass and grain.

7. To have a spiritual existence; to be quickened, nourished, and actuated by divine influence or faith.

The just shall live by faith.

Gal. iii. ll.

8. To be maintained in life; to acquire a livelihood; to subsist; -- with on or by ; as, to live on spoils.

Those who live by labor.

Sir W. Temple.

9. To outlast danger; to float; -- said of a ship, boat, etc.; as, no ship could live in such a storm.

A strong mast that lived upon the sea.

Shak.

To live out , to be at service; to live away from home as a servant. [ U. S.] -- To live with . (a) To dwell or to be a lodger with . (b) To cohabit with; to have intercourse with, as male with female.

Live Live transitive verb 1. To spend, as one's life; to pass; to maintain; to continue in, constantly or habitually; as, to live an idle or a useful life.

2. To act habitually in conformity with; to practice.

To live the Gospel.

Foxe.

To live down , to live so as to subdue or refute; as, to live down slander.

Live Live adjective [ Abbreviated from alive . See Alive , Life .] 1. Having life; alive; living; not dead.

If one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it.

Ex. xxi. 35.

2. Being in a state of ignition; burning; having active properties; as, a live coal; live embers. " The live ether." Thomson.

3. Full of earnestness; active; wide awake; glowing; as, a live man, or orator.

4. Vivid; bright. " The live carnation." Thomson.

5. (Engineering) Imparting power; having motion; as, the live spindle of a lathe.

Live birth , the condition of being born in such a state that acts of life are manifested after the extrusion of the whole body. Dunglison. -- Live box , a cell for holding living objects under microscopical examination. P. H. Gosse. -- Live feathers , feathers which have been plucked from the living bird, and are therefore stronger and more elastic. -- Live gang . (Sawing) See under Gang . -- Live grass (Botany) , a grass of the genus Eragrostis . -- Live load (Engineering) , a suddenly applied load; a varying load; a moving load; as a moving train of cars on a bridge, or wind pressure on a roof. Live oak (Botany) , a species of oak ( Quercus virens ), growing in the Southern States, of great durability, and highly esteemed for ship timber. In California the Q. chrysolepis and some other species are also called live oaks . -- Live ring (Engineering) , a circular train of rollers upon which a swing bridge, or turntable, rests, and which travels around a circular track when the bridge or table turns. -- Live steam , steam direct from the boiler, used for any purpose, in distinction from exhaust steam . -- Live stock , horses, cattle, and other domestic animals kept on a farm.

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 51 of 74.
« Previous ¦43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 ¦ Next »