Chapter LI: Bella (8)

7. A prize in a lottery. [Obs.] Evelyn. To cast in one's lot with, to share the fortunes of. -- To cast lots, to use or throw a die, or some other instrument, by the unforeseen turn or position of which, an event is by previous agreement determined. -- To draw lots, to determine an event, or make a decision, by drawing one thing from a number whose marks are concealed from the drawer. -- To pay scot and lot, to pay taxes according to one's ability. See Scot.

LOT Lot, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lotted; p. pr. & vb. n. Lotting.]

Defn: To allot; to sort; to portion. [R.] To lot on or upon, to count or reckon upon; to expect with pleasure. [Colloq. U. S.]

LOTE Lote, n. Etym: [L. lotus, Gr. Lotus.] (Bot.)

Defn: A large tree (Celtis australis), found in the south of Europe. It has a hard wood, and bears a cherrylike fruit. Called also nettle tree. Eng. Cyc.

LOTE Lote, n. Etym: [F. lotte.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European burbot.

LOTE Lote, v. i. Etym: [AS. lutian.]

Defn: To lurk; to lie hid. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LOTH; LOTHLY; LOTHSOME Loth, a., Loth"ly, a. & adv., Loth"some (, a.,

Defn: See Loath, Loathly, etc.

LOTHARIO Lo*tha"ri*o, n. Etym: [Name of a character in Rowe's drama, "The Fair Penitent."]

Defn: A gay seducer of women; a libertine.

LOTION Lo"tion, n. Etym: [L. lotio, fr. lavare, lotum, to wash: cf. F. lotion. See Lave to wash.]

1. A washing, especially of the skin for the purpose of rendering it fair.

2. A liquid preparation for bathing the skin, or an injured or diseased part, either for a medicinal purpose, or for improving its appearance.

LOTO Lo"to, n.

Defn: See Lotto.

LOTONG Lo*tong", n. Etym: [Malay l.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An East Indian monkey (Semnopithecus femoralis).

LOTOPHAGI Lo*toph"a*gi, n. pl. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A people visited by Ulysses in his wanderings. They subsisted on the lotus. See Lotus (b), and Lotus-eater.

LOTOS Lo"tos, n. Etym: [NL.] (Bot.)

Defn: See Lotus.

LOTTERY Lot"ter*y, n.; pl. Lotteries. Etym: [Lot + -ery, as in brewery, bindery.]

1. A scheme for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance; esp., a gaming scheme in which one or more tickets bearing particular numbers draw prizes, and the rest of tickets are blanks. Fig. : An affair of chance.

Note: The laws of the United States and of most of the States make lotteries illegal.

2. Allotment; thing allotted. [Obs.] Shak.

LOTTO Lot"to, n. Etym: [F. loto or It. lotto, prop., a lot; of German origin. See Lot.]

Defn: A game of chance, played with cards, on which are inscribed numbers, and any contrivance (as a wheel containing numbered balls) for determining a set of numbers by chance. The player holding a card having on it the set of numbers drawn from the wheel takes the stakes after a certain percentage of them has been deducted for the dealer. A variety of lotto is called keno. [Often written loto.]

LOTURE Lo"ture, n. Etym: [L. lotura. See Lotion.]

Defn: See Lotion. [Obs.] Holland.

LOTUS Lo"tus, n. Etym: [L. lotus, Gr. Lote.]

1. (Bot.) (a) A name of several kinds of water lilies; as Nelumbium speciosum, used in religious ceremonies, anciently in Egypt, and to this day in Asia; Nelumbium luteum, the American lotus; and Nymphæa Lotus and N. cærulea, the respectively white-flowered and blue-flowered lotus of modern Egypt, which, with Nelumbium speciosum, are figured on its ancient monuments. (b) The lotus of the lotuseaters, probably a tree found in Northern Africa, Sicily, Portugal, and Spain (Zizyphus Lotus), the fruit of which is mildly sweet. It was fabled by the ancients to make strangers who ate of it forget their native country, or lose all desire to return to it. (c) The lote, or nettle tree. See Lote. (d) A genus (Lotus) of leguminous plants much resembling clover. [Written also lotos.] European lotus, a small tree (Diospyros Lotus) of Southern Europe and Asia; also, its rather large bluish black berry, which is called also the date plum.

2. (Arch.)

Defn: An ornament much used in Egyptian architecture, generally asserted to have been suggested by the Egyptian water lily.

LOTUS-EATER; LOTOS-EATER Lo"tus-eat`er, Lo"tos-eat`er, n. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: One who ate the fruit or leaf of the lotus, and, as a consequence, gave himself up to indolence and daydreams; one of the Lotophagi. The mild-eyed melancholy Lotos-eaters. Tennyson.

LOUCHETTES Lou*chettes", n. pl. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Goggles intended to rectify strabismus by permitting vision only directly in front. Knight.

LOUD Loud, a. [Compar. Louder; superl. Loudest.] Etym: [OE. loud, lud, AS. hl; akin to OS. hl, D. luid, OHG. l, G. laut, L. -clutus, in inclutus, inclitus, celebrated, renowned, cluere to be called, Gr. . Client, Listen, Slave a serf.]

1. Having, making, or being a strong or great sound; noisy; striking the ear with great force; as, a loud cry; loud thunder. They were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. Luke xxiii. 23.

2. Clamorous; boisterous. She is loud and stubborn. Prov. vii. 11.

3. Emphatic; impressive; urgent; as, a loud call for united effort. [Colloq.]

4. Ostentatious; likely to attract attention; gaudy; as, a loud style of dress; loud colors. [Slang]

Syn. -- Noisy; boisterous; vociferous; clamorous; obstreperous; turbulent; blustering; vehement.

LOUD Loud, adv. Etym: [AS. hlude.]

Defn: With loudness; loudly. To speak loud in public assemblies. Addison.

LOUDFUL Loud"ful, a.

Defn: Noisy. [Obs.] Marsion.

LOUDLY Loud"ly, adv.

Defn: In a loud manner. Denham.

LOUD-MOUTHED Loud"-mouthed`, a.

Defn: Having a loud voice; talking or sounding noisily; noisily impudent.

LOUDNESS Loud"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being loud.

LOUD-VOICED Loud"-voiced`, a.

Defn: Having a loud voice; noisy; clamorous. Byron.

LOUGH Lough, n. Etym: [See 1st Loch.]

Defn: A loch or lake; -- so spelt in Ireland.

LOUGH Lough, obs. strong imp.

Defn: of Laugh. Chaucer.

LOUIS D'OR Lou"is d'or`. Etym: [F., gold louis.]

Defn: Formerly, a gold coin of France nominally worth twenty shillings sterling, but of varying value; -- first struck in 1640.

LOUIS QUATORZE Lon"is qua*torze". Etym: [F., Louis fourteenth.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the art or style of the times of Louis XIV. of France; as, Louis quatorze architecture.

LOUK Louk, n.

Defn: An accomplice; a "pal." [Obs.] There is no thief without a louk. Chaucer.

LOUNGE Lounge, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lounged; p. pr. & vb. n. Lounging.] Etym: [OE. lungis a tall, slow, awkward fellow, OF. longis, longin, said to be fr. Longinus, the name of the centurion who pierced the body of Christ, but with reference also to L. longus long. Cf. Long, a.]

Defn: To spend time lazily, whether lolling or idly sauntering; to pass time indolently; to stand, sit, or recline, in an indolent manner. We lounge over the sciences, dawdle through literature, yawn over politics. J. Hannay.

LOUNGE Lounge, n.

1. An idle gait or stroll; the state of reclining indolently; a place of lounging. She went with Lady Stock to a bookseller's whose shop lounge. Miss Edgeworth.

2. A piece of furniture resembling a sofa, upon which one may lie or recline.

LOUNGER Loun"ger, n.

Defn: One who lounges; ar idler.

LOUP Loup, n. (Iron Works)

Defn: See 1st Loop.

LOUP-CERVIER Loup"-cer`vier", n. Etym: [F. Cf. Lusern.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Canada lynx. See Lynx.

LOUP-GAROU Loup`-ga`rou", n.; pl. Loups-garous (#). [F., fr. loup wolf + a Teutonic word akin to E. werewolf.]

Defn: A werewolf; a lycanthrope.

The superstition of the loup-garou, or werewolf, belongs to the folklore of most modern nations, and has its reflex in the story of "Little Red Riding-hood" and others. Brinton.

LOUPING Loup"ing. [From Loup to leap.] (Veter.)

Defn: An enzoötic, often fatal, disease of sheep and other domestic animals, of unknown cause. It is characterized by muscular tremors and spasms, followed by more or less complete paralysis. The principal lesion is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

LOUP-LOUP Loup`-loup", n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Pomeranian or Spitz dog.

LOUPS Loups, n. pl.; sing. Loup. Etym: [F., prop., a wolf.] (Ethnol.)

Defn: The Pawnees, a tribe of North American Indians whose principal totem was the wolf.

LOUR Lour, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An Asiatic sardine (Clupea Neohowii), valued for its oil.

LOURI Lou"ri, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Lory.

LOUSE Louse, n.; pl. Lice. Etym: [OE. lous, AS. l, pl. l; akin to D. luis, G. laus, OHG. l, Icel. l, Sw. lus, Dan. luus; perh. so named because it is destructive, and akin to E. lose, loose.] (Zoöl.)

1. Any one of numerous species of small, wingless, suctorial, parasitic insects belonging to a tribe (Pediculina), now usually regarded as degraded Hemiptera. To this group belong of the lice of man and other mammals; as, the head louse of man (Pediculus capitis), the body louse (P. vestimenti), and the crab louse (Phthirius pubis), and many others. See Crab louse, Dog louse, Cattle louse, etc., under Crab, Dog, etc.

2. Any one of numerous small mandibulate insects, mostly parasitic on birds, and feeding on the feathers. They are known as Mallophaga, or bird lice, though some occur on the hair of mammals. They are usually regarded as degraded Pseudoneuroptera. See Mallophaga.

3. Any one of the numerous species of aphids, or plant lice. See Aphid.

4. Any small crustacean parasitic on fishes. See Branchiura, and Ichthvophthira.

Note: The term is also applied to various other parasites; as, the whale louse, beelouse, horse louse. Louse fly (Zoöl.), a parasitic dipterous insect of the group Pupipara. Some of them are wingless, as the bee louse. -- Louse mite (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of mites which infest mammals and birds, clinging to the hair and feathers like lice. They belong to Myobia, Dermaleichus, Mycoptes, and several other genera.

LOUSE Louse, v. t.

Defn: To clean from lice. "You sat and loused him." Swift.

LOUSEWORT Louse"wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any species of Pedicularis, a genus of perennial herbs. It was said to make sheep that fed on it lousy. Yellow lousewort , a plant of the genus Rhinanthus.

LOUSILY Lous"i*ly, adv. Etym: [From Lousy.]

Defn: In a lousy manner; in a mean, paltry manner; scurvily. [Vulgar]

LOUSINESS Lous"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being lousy.

LOUSY Lous"y, a.

1. Infested with lice.

2. Mean; contemptible; as, lousy knave. [Vulgar] Such lousy learning as this is. Bale.

LOUT Lout, v. i. Etym: [OE. louten, luten, AS. l; akin to Icel. l, Dan. lude, OHG. l to lie hid.]

Defn: To bend; to box; to stoop. [Archaic] Chaucer. Longfellow. He fair the knight saluted, louting low. Spenser.

LOUT Lout, n. Etym: [Formerly also written lowt.]

Defn: A clownish, awkward fellow; a bumpkin. Sir P. Sidney.

LOUT Lout, v. t.

Defn: To treat as a lout or fool; to neglect; to disappoint. [Obs.] Shak.

LOUTISH Lout"ish, a.

Defn: Clownish; rude; awkward. "Loutish clown." Sir P. Sidney. -- Lout"ish*ly, adv. -- Lout"*ish*ness, n.

LOUTOU Lou*tou", n. Etym: [Native names.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A crested black monkey (Semnopithecus maurus) of Java.

LOUVER; LOUVRE Lou"ver, Lou"vre, n. Etym: [OE. lover, OF. lover, lovier; or l'ouvert the opening, fr. overt, ouvert, p. p. of ovrir, ouvrir, to open, F. ouvrir. Cf. Overt.] (Arch.)

Defn: A small lantern. See Lantern, 2 (a) [Written also lover, loover, lovery, and luffer.] Louver boards or boarding, the sloping boards set to shed rainwater outward in openings which are to be left otherwise unfilled; as belfry windows, the openings of a louver, etc. -- Louver work, slatted work.

LOVABLE Lov"a*ble, a.

Defn: Having qualities that excite, or are fitted to excite, love; worthy of love. Elaine the fair, Elaine the lovable, Elaine, the lily maid of Astolat. Tennyson.

LOVAGE Lov"age, n. Etym: [F. livèche, fr. L. levisticum, ligusticum, a plant indigenous to Liguria, lovage, from Ligusticus Ligustine, Ligurian, Liguria a country of Cisalpine Gaul.] (Bot.)

Defn: An umbelliferous plant (Levisticum officinale), sometimes used in medicine as an aromatic stimulant.

LOVE Love, n. Etym: [OE. love, luve, AS. lufe, lufu; akin to E.lief, believe, L. lubet, libet,it pleases, Skr. lubh to be lustful. See Lief.]

1. A feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration; preëminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness; as, the love of brothers and sisters. Of all the dearest bonds we prove Thou countest sons' and mothers' love Most sacred, most Thine own. Keble.

2. Especially, devoted attachment to, or tender or passionate affection for, one of the opposite sex. He on his side Leaning half-raised, with looks of cordial love Hung over her enamored. Milton.

3. Courtship; -- chiefly in the phrase to make love, i. e., to court, to woo, to solicit union in marriage. Demetrius . . . Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena, And won her soul. Shak.

4. Affection; kind feeling; friendship; strong liking or desire; fondness; good will; -- opposed to hate; often with of and an object. Love, and health to all. Shak. Smit with the love of sacred song. Milton. The love of science faintly warmed his breast. Fenton.

5. Due gratitude and reverence to God. Keep yourselves in the love of God. Jude 21.

6. The object of affection; -- often employed in endearing address. "Trust me, love." Dryden. Open the temple gates unto my love. Spenser.

7. Cupid, the god of love; sometimes, Venus. Such was his form as painters, when they show Their utmost art, on naked Lores bestow. Dryden. Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love. Shak.

8. A thin silk stuff. [Obs.] Boyle.

9. (Bot.)

Defn: A climbing species of Clematis (C. Vitalba).

10. Nothing; no points scored on one side; -- used in counting score at tennis, etc. He won the match by three sets to love. The Field.

Note: Love is often used in the formation of compounds, in most of which the meaning is very obvious; as, love-cracked, love-darting, love-killing, love-linked, love-taught, etc. A labor of love, a labor undertaken on account of regard for some person, or through pleasure in the work itself, without expectation of reward. -- Free love, the doctrine or practice of consorting with one of the opposite sex, at pleasure, without marriage. See Free love. -- Free lover, one who avows or practices free love. -- In love, in the act of loving; -- said esp. of the love of the sexes; as, to be in love; to fall in love. -- Love apple (Bot.), the tomato. -- Love bird (Zoöl.), any one of several species of small, short- tailed parrots, or parrakeets, of the genus Agapornis, and allied genera. They are mostly from Africa. Some species are often kept as cage birds, and are celebrated for the affection which they show for their mates. -- Love broker, a person who for pay acts as agent between lovers, or as a go-between in a sexual intrigue. Shak. -- Love charm, a charm for exciting love. Ld. Lytton. -- Love child. an illegitimate child. Jane Austen. -- Love day, a day formerly appointed for an amicable adjustment of differences. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. Chaucer. -- Love drink, a love potion; a philter. Chaucer. -- Love favor, something given to be worn in token of love. -- Love feast, a religious festival, held quarterly by some religious denominations, as the Moravians and Methodists, in imitation of the agapæ of the early Christians. -- Love feat, the gallant act of a lover. Shak. -- Love game, a game, as in tennis, in which the vanquished person or party does not score a point. -- Love grass. Etym: [G. liebesgras.] (Bot.) Any grass of the genus Eragrostis. -- Love-in-a-mist. (Bot.) (a) An herb of the Buttercup family (Nigella Damascena) having the flowers hidden in a maze of finely cut bracts. (b) The West Indian Passiflora foetida, which has similar bracts. -- Love-in-idleness (Bot.), a kind of violet; the small pansy. A little western flower, Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound; And maidens call it love-in-idleness. Shak. -- Love juice, juice of a plant supposed to produce love. Shak. -- Love knot, a knot or bow, as of ribbon; -- so called from being used as a token of love, or as a pledge of mutual affection. Milman. -- Love lass, a sweetheart. -- Love letter, a letter of courtship. Shak. -- Love-lies-bleeding (Bot.), a species of amaranth (Amarantus melancholicus). -- Love match, a marriage brought about by love alone. -- Love potion, a compounded draught intended to excite love, or venereal desire. -- Love rites, sexual intercourse. Pope -- Love scene, an exhibition of love, as between lovers on the stage. -- Love suit, courtship. Shak. -- Of all loves, for the sake of all love; by all means. [Obs.] "Mrs. Arden desired him of all loves to come back again." Holinshed. -- The god of love, or Love god, Cupid. -- To make love to, to express affection for; to woo. "If you will marry, make your loves to me." Shak. -- To play for love, to play a game, as at cards, without stakes. "A game at piquet for love." Lamb.

Syn. -- Affection; friendship; kindness; tenderness; fondness; delight.

LOVE Love, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Loved; p. pr. & vb. n. Loving.] Etym: [AS. lufian. Love, n.]

1. To have a feeling of love for; to regard with affection or good will; as, to love one's children and friends; to love one's country; to love one's God. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matt. xxii. 37. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self. Matt. xxii. 39.

2. To regard with passionate and devoted affection, as that of one sex for the other.

3. To take delight or pleasure in; to have a strong liking or desire for, or interest in; to be pleased with; to like; as, to love books; to love adventures. Wit, eloquence, and poetry. Arts which I loved. Cowley.

LOVE Love, v. i.

Defn: To have the feeling of love; to be in love.

LOVEABLE Love"a*ble, a.

Defn: See Lovable.

LOVE-DRURY Love"-*dru`ry, n. Etym: [Love + OF. druerie. Cf. Druery.]

Defn: Affection. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LOVEE Lov*ee", n.

Defn: One who is loved. [Humorous] "The lover and lovee." Richardson.

LOVEFUL Love"ful, a.

Defn: Full of love. [Obs.] Sylvester.

LOVELESS Love"less, a.

1. Void of love; void of tenderness or kindness. Milton. Shelton.

2. Not attracting love; unattractive. These are ill-favored to see to; and yet, asloveless as they be, they are not without some medicinable virtues. Holland.

LOVELILY Love"li*ly, adv. Etym: [From Lovely.]

Defn: In manner to excite love; amiably. [R.] Otway.

LOVELINESS Love"li*ness, n. Etym: [From Lovely.]

Defn: The state or quality of being lovely. If there is such a native loveliness in the sex as to make them victorious when in the wrong, how resistless their power when they are on the side of truth! Spectator.

LOVELOCK Love"lock`, n.

Defn: A long lock of hair hanging prominently by itself; an earlock; -- worn by men of fashion in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. Burton. A long lovelock and long hair he wore. Sir W. Scott.

LOVELORN Love"lorn`, a.

Defn: Forsaken by one's love. The lovelorn nightingale. Milton.

LOVELY Love"ly, a. [Compar. Lovelier; superl. Loveliest.] Etym: [AS. luflic.]

1. Having such an appearance as excites, or is fitted to excite, love; beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner. "Lovely to look on." Piers Plowman. Not one so fair of face, of speech so lovely. Robert of Brunne. If I had such a tire, this face of mine Were full as lovely as is this of hers. Shak.

2. Lovable; amiable; having qualities of any kind which excite, or are fitted to excite, love or friendship. A most lovely gentlemanlike man. Shak.

3. Loving; tender. [Obs.] "A lovely kiss." Shak. Many a lovely look on them he cast. Chaucer.

4. Very pleasing; -- applied loosely to almost anything which is not grand or merely pretty; as, a lovely view; a lovely valley; a lovely melody. Indeed these fields Are lovely, lovelier not the Elysian lawns. Tennyson.

Syn. -- Beautiful; charming; delightful; delectable; enchanting; lovable; amiable.

LOVELY Love"ly, adv.

Defn: In a manner to please, or to excite love. [Obs. or R.] Tyndale.

LOVE-MAKING Love"-mak`ing, n.

Defn: Courtship. Bacon.

LOVEMONGER Love"mon`ger, n.

Defn: One who deals in affairs of love.[Obs.] Shak.

LOVER Lov"er, n.

1. One who loves; one who is in love; -- usually limited, in the singular, to a person of the male sex. Gower. Love is blind, and lovers can not see The pretty follies that themselves commit. Shak.

2. A friend; one strongly attached to another; one who greatly desires the welfare of any person or thing; as, a lover of his country. I slew my best lover for the good of Rome. Shak.

3. One who has a strong liking for anything, as books, science, or music. "A lover of knowledge." T. Burnet.

LOVER; LOVERY Lo"ver, Lo"ver*y, n.

Defn: See Louver. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

LOVERWISE Lo"ver*wise`, adv.

Defn: As lovers do. As they sat down here loverwise. W. D. Howells.

LOVE-SICK Love"-sick`, a.

1. Languishing with love or amorous desire; as, a love-sick maid. To the dear mistress of my love-sick mind. Dryden.

2. Originating in, or expressive of, languishing love. Where nightingales their love-sick ditty sing. Dryden.

LOVE-SICKNESS Love"-sick`ness, n.

Defn: The state of being love-sick.

LOVESOME Love"some, a. Etym: [AS. lufsum.]

Defn: Lovely. [Obs.]

LOVING Lov"ing, a.

1. Affectionate. The fairest and most loving wife in Greece. Tennyson.

2. Expressing love or kindness; as, loving words.

LOVING CUP Lov"ing cup`.

Defn: A large ornamental drinking vessel having two or more handles, intended to pass from hand to hand, as at a banquet.

LOVING-KINDNESS Lov"ing-kind"ness, n.

Defn: Tender regard; mercy; favor. Ps. lxxxix. 33.

LOVINGLY Lov"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: With love; affectionately.

LOVINGNESS Lov"ing*ness, n.

Defn: Affection; kind regard. The only two bands of good will, loveliness and lovingness. Sir. P. Sidney.

LOVYER Lov"yer, n.

Defn: A lover. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LOW Low, obs

Defn: , strong imp. of Laugh. Chaucer.

LOW Low, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Lowing.] Etym: [OE. lowen, AS. hl; akin to D. loeijen, OHG. hl, hluojan.]

Defn: To make the calling sound of cows and other bovine animals; to moo. The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea. Gray.

LOW Low, n.

Defn: The calling sound ordinarily made by cows and other bovine animals. Talking voices and the law of herds. Wordsworth.

LOW Low, n. Etym: [AS. hlaw; akin to Goth. hlaiw a grave, hlains a hill, and to E. lean to incline.]

Defn: A hill; a mound; a grave. [Obs. except in place names.] Skeat.

LOW Low, n. Etym: [Icel. log, logi; akin to E. light, n.]

Defn: Fire; a flame; a light. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]

LOW Low, v. i.

Defn: To burn; to blaze. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Burns.

LOW Low, a. [Compar. Lower; superl. Lowest.] Etym: [OE. low, louh, lah, Icel. lagr; akin to Sw. låg, Dan. lav, D. laag, and E. lie. See Lie to be prostrate.]

1. Occupying an inferior position or place; not high or elevated; depressed in comparison with something else; as, low ground; a low flight.

2. Not rising to the usual height; as, a man of low stature; a low fence.

3. Near the horizon; as, the sun is low at four o'clock in winter, and six in summer.

4. Sunk to the farthest ebb of the tide; as, low tide.

5. Beneath the usual or remunerative rate or amount, or the ordinary value; moderate; cheap; as, the low price of corn; low wages.

6. Not loud; as, a low voice; a low sound.

7. (Mus.)

Defn: Depressed in the scale of sounds; grave; as, a low pitch; a low note.

8. (Phon.)

Defn: Made, as a vowel, with a low position of part of the tongue in relation to the palate; as, . See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 5, 10, 11.

9. Near, or not very distant from, the equator; as, in the low northern latitudes.

10. Numerically small; as, a low number.

11. Wanting strength or animation; depressed; dejected; as, low spirits; low in spirits.

12. Depressed in condition; humble in rank; as, men of low condition; the lower classes. Why but to keep ye low and ignorant Milton.

13. Mean; vulgar; base; dishonorable; as, a person of low mind; a low trick or stratagem.

14. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted or diction; as, a low comparison. In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest wits of the heathen world are low and dull. Felton.

15. Submissive; humble. "Low reverence." Milton.

16. Deficient in vital energy; feeble; weak; as, a low pulse; made low by sickness.

17. Moderate; not intense; not inflammatory; as, low heat; a low temperature; a low fever.

18. Smaller than is reasonable or probable; as, a low estimate.

19. Not rich, high seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple; as, a low diet.

Note: Low is often used in the formation of compounds which require no special explanation; as, low-arched, low- browed, low-crowned, low-heeled, low-lying, low-priced, low-roofed, low-toned, low-voiced, and the like. Low Church. See High Church, under High. -- Low Countries, the Netherlands. -- Low German, Low Latin, etc. See under German, Latin, etc. -- Low life, humble life. -- Low milling, a process of making flour from grain by a single grinding and by siftings. -- Low relief. See Bas-relief. -- Low side window (Arch.), a peculiar form of window common in mediæval churches, and of uncertain use. Windows of this sort are narrow, near the ground, and out of the line of the windows, and in many different situations in the building. -- Low spirits, despondency. -- Low steam, steam having a low pressure. -- Low steel, steel which contains only a small proportion of carbon, and can not be hardened greatly by sudden cooling. -- Low Sunday, the Sunday next after Easter; -- popularly so called. -- Low tide, the farthest ebb of the tide; the tide at its lowest point; low water. -- Low water. (a) The lowest point of the ebb tide; a low stage of the in a river, lake, etc. (b) (Steam Boiler) The condition of an insufficient quantity of water in the boiler. -- Low water alarm or indicator (Steam Boiler), a contrivance of various forms attached to a boiler for giving warning when the water is low. -- Low water mark, that part of the shore to which the waters recede when the tide is the lowest. Bouvier. -- Low wine, a liquor containing about 20 percent of alcohol, produced by the first distillation of wash; the first run of the still; -- often in the plural.

LOW Low, n. (Card Playing)

Defn: The lowest trump, usually the deuce; the lowest trump dealt or drawn.

LOW Low, adv.

1. In a low position or manner; not aloft; not on high; near the ground.

2. Under the usual price; at a moderate price; cheaply; as, he sold his wheat low.

3. In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly.

4. In time approaching our own. In that part of the world which was first inhabited, even as low down as Abraham's time, they wandered with their flocks and herds. Locke.

5. With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently; as, to speak low. Addison. The . . . odorous wind Breathes low between the sunset and the moon. Tennyson.

6. With a low musical pitch or tone. Can sing both high and low. Shak.

7. In subjection, poverty, or disgrace; as, to be brought low by oppression, by want, or by vice. Spenser.

8. (Astron.)

Defn: In a path near the equator, so that the declination is small, or near the horizon, so that the altitude is small; -- said of the heavenly bodies with reference to the diurnal revolution; as, the moon runs low, that is, is comparatively near the horizon when on or near the meridian.

LOW Low, v. t.

Defn: To depress; to lower. [Obs.] Swift.

LOWBELL Low"bell`, n. Etym: [Low a flame + bell.]

1. A bell used in fowling at night, to frighten birds, and, with a sudden light, to make them fly into a net. The fowler's lowbell robs the lark of sleep. King.

2. A bell to be hung on the neck of a sheep. A lowbell hung about a sheep's . . . neck. Howell.

LOWBELL Low"bell`, v. t.

Defn: To frighten, as with a lowbell.

LOWBORN Low"born`, a.

Defn: Born in a low condition or rank; -- opposed to highborn.

LOWBOY Low"boy`, n.

Defn: A chest of drawers not more than four feet high; -- applied commonly to the lower half of a tallboy from which the upper half has been removed. [U. S.]

LOWBRED Low"bred`, a.

Defn: Bred, or like one bred, in a low condition of life; characteristic or indicative of such breeding; rude; impolite; vulgar; as, a lowbred fellow; a lowbred remark.

LOW-CHURCH Low"-church`, a.

Defn: Not placing a high estimate on ecclesiastical organizations or forms; -- applied especially to Episcopalians, and opposed to high- church. See High Church, under High.

LOW-CHURCHISM Low"-church`ism, n.

Defn: The principles of the low-church party.

LOW-CHURCHMAN Low"-church`man, n.; pl. -men (.

Defn: One who holds low-church principles.

LOW-CHURCHMANSHIP Low"-church`man*ship, n.

Defn: The state of being a low-churchman.

LOWER Low"er, a.

Defn: Compar. of Low, a.

LOWER Low"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lowered; p. pr. & vb. n. Lowering.] Etym: [From Low, a.]

1. To let descend by its own weight, as something suspended; to let down; as, to lower a bucket into a well; to lower a sail or a boat; sometimes, to pull down; as, to lower a flag. Lowered softly with a threefold cord of love Down to a silent grave. Tennyson.

2. To reduce the height of; as, to lower a fence or wall; to lower a chimney or turret.

3. To depress as to direction; as, to lower the aim of a gun; to make less elevated as to object; as, to lower one's ambition, aspirations, or hopes.

4. To reduce the degree, intensity, strength, etc., of; as, to lower the temperature of anything; to lower one's vitality; to lower distilled liquors.

5. To bring down; to humble; as, to lower one's pride.

6. To reduce in value, amount, etc. ; as, to lower the price of goods, the rate of interest, etc.

LOWER Low"er, v. i.

Defn: To fall; to sink; to grow less; to diminish; to decrease; as, the river lowered as rapidly as it rose.

LOWER Low"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lowered; p. pr. & vb. n. Lowering.] Etym: [OE. lowren, luren; cf. D. loeren, LG. luren. G. lauern to lurk, to be on the watch, and E. leer, lurk.]

1. To be dark, gloomy, and threatening, as clouds; to be covered with dark and threatening clouds, as the sky; to show threatening signs of approach, as a tempest. All the clouds that lowered upon our house. Shak.

2. To frown; to look sullen. But sullen discontent sat lowering on her face. Dryden.

LOWER Low"er, n. [Obs.]

1. Cloudiness; gloominess.

2. A frowning; sullenness.

LOWER-CASE Low"er-case`, a. (Print.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or kept in, the lower case; -- used to denote the small letters, in distinction from capitals and small capitals. See the Note under 1st Case, n., 3.

LOWERING Low"er*ing, a.

Defn: Dark and threatening; gloomy; sullen; as, lowering clouds or sky.

LOWERINGLY Low"er*ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lowering manner; with cloudiness or threatening gloom.

LOWERMOST Low"er*most`, a. [Irreg. superl. of Low. Cf. Uppermost, Foremost, etc.]

Defn: Lowest.

LOWERY Low"er*y, a.

Defn: Cloudy; gloomy; lowering; as, a lowery sky; lowery weather.

LOWGH; LOWH Lowgh, Lowh, obs.

Defn: strong imp. of Laugh. Etym: [Cf. 1st Low and 2d Lough.] Chaucer.

LOWING Low"ing, n.

Defn: The calling sound made by cows and other bovine animals.

LOWISH Low"ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat low. [Colloq.] Richardson.

LOWK Lowk, n.

Defn: See Louk. [Obs.] Chaucer.

LOWLAND Low"land, n.

Defn: Land which is low with respect to the neighboring country; a low or level country; -- opposed to highland. The Lowlands, Belgium and Holland; the Netherlands; also, the southern part of Scotland.

LOWLANDER Low"land*er, n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of the Lowlands, especially of the Lowlands of Scotland, as distinguished from Highlander.

LOWLIHOOD; LOWLIHEAD Low"li*hood, Low"li*head, n.

Defn: A lowly state. [R.] Tennyson.

LOWLILY Low"li*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lowly place or manner; humbly. [Obs. or R.] Thinking lowlily of himself and highly of those better than himself. J. C. Shairp.

LOWLINESS Low"li*ness, n. Etym: [From Lowly.]

1. The state or quality of being lowly; humility; humbleness of mind. Walk . . . with all lowliness and meekness. Eph. iv. 1, 2.

2. Low condition, especially as to manner of life. The lowliness of my fortune has not brought me to flatter vice. Dryden.

LOW-LIVED Low"-lived`, a.

Defn: Characteristic of, or like, one bred in a low and vulgar condition of life; mean dishonorable; contemptible; as, low-lived dishonesty.

LOWLY Low"ly, a. [Compar. Lowlier; superl. Lowliest.] Etym: [Low, a. + - ly.]

1. Not high; not elevated in place; low. "Lowly lands." Dryden.

2. Low in rank or social importance. One common right the great and lowly claims. Pope.

3. Not lofty or sublime; humble. These rural poems, and their lowly strain. Dryden.

4. Having a low esteem of one's own worth; humble; meek; free from pride. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. Matt. xi. 29.

LOWLY Low"ly, adv.

1. In a low manner; humbly; meekly; modestly. "Be lowly wise." Milton.

2. In a low condition; meanly. I will show myself highly fed, and lowly taught. Shak.

LOW-MINDED Low"-mind`ed, a.

Defn: Inclined in mind to low or unworthy things; showing a base mind. Low-minded and immoral. Macaulay. All old religious jealousies were condemned as low-minded infirmities. Bancroft.

LOW-MINDEDNESS Low"-mind`ed*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being lowminded; meanness; baseness.

LOWN Lown, n. Etym: [See Loon.]

Defn: A low fellow. [Obs.]

LOW-NECKED Low"-necked`, a.

Defn: Cut low in the neck; decollete; -- said of a woman's dress.

LOWNESS Low"ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being low.

LOW-PRESSURE Low"-pres`sure, a.

Defn: Having, employing, or exerting, a low degree of pressure. Low- pressure steam engine, a steam engine in which low steam is used; often applied to a condensing engine even when steam at high pressure is used. See Steam engine.

LOWRY Low"ry, n.

Defn: An open box car used on railroads. Compare Lorry.

LOW-SPIRITED Low"-spir`it*ed, a.

Defn: Deficient in animation and courage; dejected; depressed; not sprightly. -- Low"-spir`it*ed*ness, n.

LOW STEEL Low steel.

Defn: See under Low.

LOW-STUDDED Low"-stud`ded, a.

Defn: Furnished or built with short studs; as, a low-studded house or room.

LOW-THOUGHTED Low"-thought`ed, a.

Defn: Having one's thoughts directed toward mean or insignificant subjects.

LOXODROMIC Lox`o*drom"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. loxodromique.]

Defn: Pertaining to sailing on rhumb lines; as, loxodromic tables. Loxodromic curve or line (Geom.), a line on the surface of a sphere, which always makes an equal angle with every meridian; the rhumb line. It is the line on which a ship sails when her course is always in the direction of one and the same point of the compass.

LOXODROMICS Lox`o*drom"ics, n.

Defn: The art or method of sailing on the loxodromic or rhumb line.

LOXODROMISM Lox*od"ro*mism, n.

Defn: The act or process of tracing a loxodromic curve; the act of moving as if in a loxodromic curve.

LOXODROMY Lox*od"ro*my, n. Etym: [Cf. F. loxodromic.]

Defn: The science of loxodromics. [R.]

LOY Loy, n.

Defn: A long, narrow spade for stony lands.

LOYAL Loy"al, a. Etym: [F. loyal, OF. loial, leial, L. legalis, fr. lex, legis, law. See Legal, and cf. Leal.]

1. Faithful to law; upholding the lawful authority; faithful and true to the lawful government; faithful to the prince or sovereign to whom one is subject; unswerving in allegiance. Welcome, sir John ! But why come you in arms -To help King Edward in his time of storm, As every loyal subject ought to do. Shak.

2. True to any person or persons to whom one owes fidelity, especially as a wife to her husband, lovers to each other, and friend to friend; constant; faithful to a cause or a principle. Your true and loyal wife. Shak. Unhappy both, but loyaltheir loves. Dryden.

LOYALIST Loy"al*ist, n.

Defn: A person who adheres to his sovereign or to the lawful authority; especially, one who maintains his allegiance to his prince or government, and defends his cause in times of revolt or revolution.

LOYALLY Loy"al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a loyal manner; faithfully.

LOYALNESS Loy"al*ness, n.

Defn: Loyalty. [R.] Stow.

LOYALTY Loy"al*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. loyaute. See Loyal, and cf. Legality.]

Defn: The state or quality of being loyal; fidelity to a superior, or to duty, love, etc. He had such loyalty to the king as the law required. Clarendon. Not withstanding all the subtle bait With which those Amazons his love still craved, To his one love his loyalty he saved. Spenser.

Note: "Loyalty . . . expresses, properly, that fidelity which one owes according to law, and does not necessarily include that attachment to the royal person, which, happily, we in England have been able further to throw into the word." Trench.

Syn. -- Allegiance; fealty. See Allegiance.

LOZENGE Loz"enge, n. Etym: [F. lozange, losange; perh. the same as OF. losengef flattery, praise, the heraldic sense being the oldest (cf. E. hatchment, blazon). Cf. Losenger, Laudable.]

1. (Her.) (a) A diamond-shaped figure usually with the upper and lower angles slightly acute, borne upon a shield or escutcheon. Cf. Fusil. (b) A form of the escutcheon used by women instead of the shield which is used by men.

2. A figure with four equal sides, having two acute and two obtuse angles; a rhomb.

3. Anything in the form of lozenge.

4. A small cake of sugar and starch, flavored, and often medicated. -- originally in the form of a lozenge. Lozenge coach, the coach of a dowager, having her coat of arms painted on a lozenge. [Obs.] Walpole. -- Lozenge-molding (Arch.), a kind of molding, used in Norman architecture, characterized by lozenge-shaped ornaments.

LOZENGED; LOZENGE-SHAPED Loz"enged, Loz"enge-shaped`, a.

Defn: Having the form of a lozenge or rhomb. The lozenged panes of a very small latticed window. C. Bronté.

LOZENGY Loz"en*gy, a. Etym: [F. losangé. See Lozenge.] (Her.)

Defn: Divided into lozenge-shaped compartments, as the field or a bearing, by lines drawn in the direction of the bend sinister.

LU Lu, n. & v. t.

Defn: See Loo.

LUBBARD Lub"bard, n. Etym: [See Lubber.]

Defn: A lubber. [Obs.] Swift.

LUBBARD Lub"bard, a.

Defn: Lubberly.

LUBBER Lub"ber, n. Etym: [Cf. dial. Sw. lubber. See Looby, Lob.]

Defn: A heavy, clumsy, or awkward fellow; a sturdy drone; a clown. Lingering lubbers lose many a penny. Tusser. Land lubber, a name given in contempt by sailors to a person who lives on land. -- Lubber grasshopper (Zoöl.), a large, stout, clumsy grasshopper; esp., Brachystola magna, from the Rocky Mountain plains, and Romalea microptera, which is injurious to orange trees in Florida. -- Lubber's hole (Naut.), a hole in the floor of the "top," next the mast, through which sailors may go aloft without going over the rim by the futtock shrouds. It is considered by seamen as only fit to be used by lubbers. Totten. -- Lubber's line, point, or mark, a line or point in the compass case indicating the head of the ship, and consequently the course which the ship is steering.

LUBBERLY Lub"ber*ly, a.

Defn: Like a lubber; clumsy. A great lubberly boy. Shak.

LUBBERLY Lub"ber*ly, adv.

Defn: Clumsily; awkwardly. Dryden.

LUBRIC; LUBRICAL Lu"bric, Lu"bric*al, a. Etym: [L. lubricus: cf. F. lubrique.]

1. Having a smooth surface; slippery. [R.]

2. Lascivious; wanton; lewd. [R.] This lubric and adulterate age. Dryden.

LUBRICANT Lu"bri*cant, a. Etym: [L. lubricans, p. pr. of lubricare, See Lubricate.]

Defn: Lubricating.

LUBRICANT Lu"bri*cant, n.

Defn: That which lubricates; specifically, a substance, as oil, grease, plumbago, etc., used for reducing the friction of the working parts of machinery.

LUBRICATE Lu"bri*cate, v. t. Etym: [L. lubricatus, p. p. of lubricare to lubricate. See Lubric.]

1. To make smooth or slippery; as, mucilaginous and saponaceous remedies lubricate the parts to which they are applied. S. Sharp. Supples, lubricates, and keeps in play, The various movements of this nice machine. Young.

2. To apply a lubricant to, as oil or tallow.

LUBRICATION Lu`bri*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The act of lubricating; the act of making slippery.

LUBRICATOR Lu"bri*ca`tor, n.

1. One who, or that which, lubricates. " Lubricator of the fibers." Burke.

2. A contrivance, as an oil cup, for supplying a lubricant to machinery.

LUBRICITATE Lu*bric"i*tate, v. i.

Defn: See Lubricate.

LUBRICITY Lu*bric"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. lubricitas: cf. F. lubricité.]

1. Smoothness; freedom from friction; also, property, which diminishes friction; as, the lubricity of oil. Ray.

2. Slipperiness; instability; as, the lubricity of fortune. L'Estrange.

3. Lasciviousness; propensity to lewdness; lewdness; lechery; incontinency. Sir T. Herbert. As if wantonness and lubricity were essential to that poem. Dryden.

LUBRICOUS Lu"bri*cous, a. Etym: [L. lubricus.]

Defn: Lubric.

LUBRIFICATION; LUBRIFACTION Lu`bri*fi*ca"tion, Lu`bri*fac"tion, n. Etym: [L. lubricus lubric + facere to make.]

Defn: The act of lubricating, or making smooth. Ray. Bacon.

LUCARNE Lu`carne", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. lucerna a lamp. See Luthern.] (Arch.)

Defn: A dormer window.

LUCCHESE Luc*chese", n. sing. & pl. Etym: [It. Lucchese.]

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Lucca, in Tuscany; in the plural, the people of Lucca.

LUCE Luce, n. Etym: [OF. lus, L. lucius a kind of fish.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A pike when full grown. Halliwell.

LUCENCY Lu"cen*cy, n.

Defn: The quality of being lucent.

LUCENT Lu"cent, a. Etym: [L. lucens, p. pr. of lucere to shine, fr. lux, lucis, light.]

Defn: Shining; bright; resplendent. " The sun's lucent orb." Milton.

LUCERN Lu"cern, n. Etym: [Etymology uncertain.] [Obs.]

1. A sort of hunting dog; -- perhaps from Lucerne, in Switzerland. My lucerns, too, or dogs inured to hunt Beasts of most rapine. Chapman.

2. An animal whose fur was formerly much in req [Written also lusern and luzern.] The polecat, mastern, and the richskinned lucern I know to chase. Beau. & Fl.

LUCERN Lu"cern, n. Etym: [F. luzerne.] (Bot.)

Defn: A leguminous plant (Medicago sativa), having bluish purple cloverlike flowers, cultivated for fodder; -- called also alfalfa. [Written also lucerne.]

LUCERN Lu"cern, n. Etym: [L. lucerna.]

Defn: A lamp. [Obs.] Lydgate.

LUCERNAL Lu*cer"nal, a. Etym: [L. lucerna a lamp.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a lamp. Lucernal microscope, a form of the microscope in which the object is illuminated by means of a lamp, and its image is thrown upon a plate of ground glass connected with the instrument, or on a screen independent of it.

LUCERNARIA Lu`cer*na"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. lucerna a lamp.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of acalephs, having a bell-shaped body with eight groups of short tentacles around the margin. It attaches itself by a sucker at the base of the pedicel.

LUCERNARIAN Lu`cer*na"ri*an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Lucernarida. -- n.

Defn: One of the Lucernarida.

LUCERNARIDA lu`cer*nar"i*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Lucernaria.] (Zoöl.) (a) A division of acalephs, including Lucernaria and allied genera; - - called also Calycozoa. (b) A more extensive group of acalephs, including both the true lucernarida and the Discophora.

LUCERNE Lu"cerne, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Lucern, the plant.

LUCID Lu"cid, a. Etym: [L. lucidus, fr. lux, lucis, light. See Light, n.]

1. Shining; bright; resplendent; as, the lucid orbs of heaven. Lucid, like a glowworm. Sir I. Newton. A court compact of lucid marbles. Tennyson.

2. Clear; transparent. " Lucid streams." Milton.

3. Presenting a clear view; easily understood; clear. A lucid and interesting abstract of the debate. Macaulay.

4. Bright with the radiance of intellect; not darkened or confused by delirium or madness; marked by the regular operations of reason; as, a lucid interval.

Syn. -- Luminous; bright; clear; transparent; sane; reasonable. See Luminous.

LUCIDITY Lu*cid"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. lucidité. See Lucid.]

Defn: The quality or state of being lucid.

LUCIDLY Lu"cid*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lucid manner.

LUCIDNESS Lu"cid*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being lucid; lucidity.

LUCIFER Lu"ci*fer, n. Etym: [L., bringing light, n., the morning star, fr. lux, lucis, light + ferre to bring.]

1. The planet Venus, when appearing as the morning star; -- applied in Isaiah by a metaphor to a king of Babylon. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning ! how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the nations ! Is. xiv. 12. Tertullian and Gregory the Great understood this passage of Isaiah in reference to the fall of Satan; in consequence of which the name Lucifer has since been applied to, Satan. Kitto.

2. Hence, Satan. How wretched Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors! . . . When he falls, he falls like Lucifer, Never to hope again. Shak.

3. A match made of a sliver of wood tipped with a combustible substance, and ignited by friction; -- called also lucifer match, and locofoco. See Locofoco.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of free-swimming macruran Crustacea, having a slender body and long appendages.

LUCIFERIAN Lu`ci*fe"ri*an, a.

1. Of or pertaining to Lucifer; having the pride of Lucifer; satanic; devilish.

2. Of or pertaining to the Luciferians or their leader.

LUCIFERIAN Lu`ci*fe"ri*an, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of the followers of Lucifer, bishop of Cagliari, in the fourth century, who separated from the orthodox churches because they would not go as far as he did in opposing the Arians.

LUCIFEROUS Lu*cif"er*ous, a. Etym: [See Lucifer.]

Defn: Giving light; affording light or means of discovery. Boyle.

LUCIFEROUSLY Lu*cif"er*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a luciferous manner.

LUCIFIC Lu*cif"ic, a. Etym: [L. lucificus; lux, lucis, light + facere to make.]

Defn: Producing light. Grew.

LUCIFORM Lu"ci*form, a. Etym: [L. lux, lucis, light = -form.]

Defn: Having, in some respects, the nature of light; resembling light. Berkeley.

LUCIFRIAN Lu*cif"ri*an, a.

Defn: Luciferian; satanic. [Obs.] Marston.

LUCIMETER Lu*cim"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. lux, lucis, light + -meter.]

Defn: an instrument for measuring the intensity of light; a photometer.

LUCK Luck, n. Etym: [Akin to D. luk, geluk, G. glück, Icel. lukka, Sw. lycka, Dan. lykke, and perh. to G. locken to entice. Cf. 3d Gleck.]

Defn: That which happens to a person; an event, good or ill, affecting one's interests or happiness, and which is deemed casual; a course or series of such events regarded as occurring by chance; chance; hap; fate; fortune; often, one's habitual or characteristic fortune; as, good, bad, ill, or hard luck. Luck is often used for good luck; as, luck is better than skill. If thou dost play with him at any game, Thou art sure to lose; and of that natural luck, He beats thee 'gainst the odds. Shak. Luck penny, a small sum given back for luck to one who pays money. [Prov. Eng.] -- To be is luck, to receive some good, or to meet with some success, in an unexpected manner, or as the result of circumstances beyond one's control; to be fortunate.

LUCKILY Luck"i*ly, adv. Etym: [From Lucky.]

Defn: In a lucky manner; by good fortune; fortunately; -- used in a good sense; as, they luckily escaped injury.

LUCKINESS Luck"i*ness, n.

1. The state or quality of being lucky; as, the luckiness of a man or of an event.

2. Good fortune; favorable issue or event. Locke.

LUCKLESS Luck"less, a.

Defn: Being without luck; unpropitious; unfortunate; unlucky; meeting with ill success or bad fortune; as, a luckless gamester; a luckless maid. Prayers made and granted in a luckless hour. Dryden. -- Luck"less*ly, adv. -- Lock"less*ness, n.

LUCKY Luck"y, a. [Compar. Luckier; superl. Luckiest.]

1. Favored by luck; fortunate; meeting with good success or good fortune; -- said of persons; as, a lucky adventurer. " Lucky wight." Spenser.

2. Producing, or resulting in, good by chance, or unexpectedly; favorable; auspicious; fortunate; as, a lucky mistake; a lucky cast; a lucky hour. We doubt not of a fair and lucky war. Shak.

Syn. -- Successful; fortunate; prosperous; auspicious.

LUCKY PROACH Luck`y proach". (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Fatherlasher.

LUCRATIVE Lu"cra*tive, a. Etym: [L. lucrativus, fr. lucrari to gain, fr. lucrum gain: cf. F. lucratif. See Lucre.]

1. Yielding lucre; gainful; profitable; making increase of money or goods; as, a lucrative business or office. The trade of merchandise being the most lucrative, may bear usury at a good rate. Bacon.

2. Greedy of gain [Obs.] Such diligence as the most part of our lucrative lawyers do use, in deferring and prolonging of matters and actions from term to term. Latimer.

LUCRATIVELY Lu"cra*tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a lucrative manner.

LUCRE Lu"cre, n. Etym: [F. lucre, L. lucrum.]

Defn: Gain in money or goods; profit; riches; -- often in an ill sense. The lust of lucre and the dread of death. Pope.

LUCRIFEROUS Lu*crif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. lucrum gain +-ferous.]

Defn: Gainful; profitable. [Obs.] Boyle.

LUCRIFIC Lu*crif"ic, a. Etym: [L. lucrificus; lucrum gain + facere to make.]

Defn: Producing profit; gainful. [Obs.]

LUCTATION Luc*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. luctatio, fr. luctari to wrestle, strive.]

Defn: Effort to overcome in contest; struggle; endeavor. [R.] Farindon.

LUCTUAL Luc"tu*al, a. Etym: [L. luctus mourning, sorrow, fr. lugere, fr. luctum, to mourn.]

Defn: Producing grief; saddening. [Obs.] Sir G. Buck.

LUCUBRATE Lu"cu*brate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lucubrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Lucubrated.] Etym: [L. lucubratus, p. p. of lucubrare to work by lamplight, fr. lux light. See Light, n.]

Defn: To study by candlelight or a lamp; to study by night.

LUCUBRATE Lu"cu*brate, v. t.

Defn: To elaborate, perfect, or compose, by night study or by laborious endeavor.

LUCUBRATION Lu`cu*bra"tion, n. Etym: [l. lucubratio;cf. F. lucubration.]

1. The act of lucubrating, or studying by candlelight; nocturnal study; meditation. After long lucubration I have hit upon such an expedient. Goldsmith.

2. That which is composed by night; that which is produced by meditation in retirement; hence (loosely) any literary composition. Thy lucubrations have been perused by several of our friends. Tatler.

LUCUBRATOR Lu"cu*bra`tor, n.

Defn: One who studies by night; also, one who produces lucubrations.

LUCUBRATORY Lu"cu*bra*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. lucubratorius.]

Defn: Composed by candlelight, or by night; of or pertaining to night studies; laborious or painstaking. Pope.

LUCULE Lu"cule, n. Etym: [Dim. fr. L. lux, lucis, light.] (Astron.)

Defn: A spot or fleck on the sun brighter than the surrounding surface.

LUCULENT Lu"cu*lent, a. Etym: [L. luculentus, from lux, lucis, light.]

1. Lucid; clear; transparent. Thomson.

2. Clear; evident; luminous. " Most luculent testimonies." Hooker.

3. Bright; shining in beauty. [Obs.] Most debonair and luculent lady. B. Jonson.

LUCULENTLY Lu"cu*lent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a luculent manner; clearly.

LUCULLITE Lu*cul"lite, n. Etym: [From Lucullus, a Roman consul, famous for his great wealth and luxury: cf. F. lucullite.] (Min.)

Defn: A variety of black limestone, often polished for ornamental purposes.

LUCUMA Lu*cu"ma, n. (Bot.)

Defn: An American genus of sapotaceous trees bearing sweet and edible fruits.

Note: Lucuma mammosum is called natural marmalade in the West Indies; L. Caimito, of Peru, furnishes a delicious fruit called lucuma and caimito.

LUDDITE Lud"dite, n.

Defn: One of a number of riotous persons in England, who for six years (1811-17) tried to prevent the use of labor-saving machinery by breaking it, burning factories, etc.; -- so called from Ned Lud, a half-witted man who some years previously had broken stocking frames. J. & H. Smith. H. Martineau.

LUDIBRIOUS Lu*dib"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. ludibrium mockery, derision, from ludere to play, sport.]

Defn: Sportive; ridiculous; wanton. [Obs.] Tooker.

LUDIBUND Lu"di*bund, a. Etym: [L. ludibundus.]

Defn: Sportive. [Obs.] -- Lu"di*bund*ness, n. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

LUDICROUS Lu"di*crous, a. Etym: [L. ludicrus, or ludicer, from ludus play, sport, fr. ludere to play.]

Defn: Adapted to excite laughter, without scorn or contempt; sportive. Broome. A chapter upon German rhetoric would be in the same ludicrous predicament as Van Troil's chapter on the snakes of Iceland, which delivers its business in one summary sentence, announcing, that snakes in Iceland -- there are none. De Quincey.

Syn. -- Laughable; sportive; burlesque; comic; droll; ridiculous. -- Ludicrous, Laughable, Ridiculous. We speak of a thing as ludicrous when it tends to produce laughter; as laughable when the impression is somewhat stronger; as ridiculous when more or less contempt is mingled with the merriment created. -- Lu"di*crous*ly, adv. -- Lu"di*crous*ness, n.

LUDIFICATION Lu`di*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. ludificatio, fr. ludificare to make sport of; ludus sport + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]

Defn: The act of deriding.

LUDIFICATORY Lu*dif"i*ca*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. ludificatorius.]

Defn: Making sport; tending to excite derision. [Obs.]

LUDLAMITE Lud"lam*ite, n. Etym: [Named after Mr. Ludlam, of London.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral occurring in small, green, transparent, monoclinic crystals. It is a hydrous phosphate of iron.

LUDLOW GROUP Lud"low group`. (Geol.)

Defn: A subdivision of the British Upper Silurian lying below the Old Red Sandstone; -- so named from the Ludlow, in Western England. See the Chart of Geology.

LUDWIGITE Lud"wig*ite, n. Etym: [Named after the chemist Ludwig.] (Min.)

Defn: A borate of iron and magnesia, occurring in fibrous masses of a blackish green color.

LUES Lu"es, n. Etym: [L.] (Med.)

Defn: Disease, especially of a contagious kind. Lues venerea, syphilis; -- called also simply lues.