Leet, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoöl.) The European pollock.
Leet"man (-man), n.; pl. Leetmen (-men). One subject to the
jurisdiction of a court-leet.
Lee"ward (l"wrd or l"rd), a. (Naut.) Pertaining to, or in the direction
of, the part or side toward which the wind blows; -- opposed to
windward; as, a leeward berth; a leeward ship. -- n. The lee side; the
lee. -- adv. Toward the lee.
Lee"way` (l"w`), n. (Naut.) The lateral movement of a ship to the
leeward of her course; drift.
Left (lft), imp. & p. p. of Leave.
Left, a. [OE. left, lift, luft; akin to Fries. leeft, OD. lucht, luft;
cf. AS. left (equiv. to L. inanis), lyftdl palsy; or cf. AS. lf weak.]
Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular
action of the limbs is usually weaker than on the other side; --
opposed to right, when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the
left hand, or arm; the left ear. Also said of the corresponding side of
the lower animals.
Left bank of a river, that which is on the left hand of a person whose
face is turned downstream. -- Left bower. See under 2d Bower. -- Left
center, the members whose sympathies are, in the main, with the members
of the Left, but who do not favor extreme courses, and on occasions
vote with the government. They sit between the Center and the extreme
Left. -- Over the left shoulder, or Over the left, an old but still
current colloquialism, or slang expression, used as an aside to
indicate insincerity, negation, or disbelief; as, he said it, and it is
true, -- over the left.
Left, n. 1. That part of surrounding space toward which the left side
of one's body is turned; as, the house is on the left when you face
North.
Put that rose a little more to the left.
Ld. Lytton.
2. Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who are in
the opposition; the advanced republicans and extreme radicals. They
have their seats at the left-hand side of the presiding officer. See
Center, and Right.
Left"-hand` (lft"hnd`), a. Situated on the left; nearer the left hand
than the right; as, the left-hand side; the left-hand road.
Left-hand rope, rope laid up and twisted over from right to left, or
against the sun; -- called also water- laid rope.
Left"-hand`ed, a. 1. Having the left hand or arm stronger and more
dexterous than the right; using the left hand and arm with more
dexterity than the right.
2. Clumsy; awkward; unlucky; insincere; sinister; malicious; as, a
left-handed compliment.
The commendations of this people are not always left-handed and
detractive.
Landor.
3. Having a direction contrary to that of the hands of a watch when
seen in front; -- said of a twist, a rotary motion, etc., looked at
from a given direction.
Left-handed marriage, a morganatic marriage. See Morganatic. --
Left-handed screw, a screw constructed to advance away from the
observer, when turned, as in a nut, with a left-handed rotation. An
ordinary wood screw is right-handed.
{ Left"-hand`ed*ness, Left"-hand`i*ness (- *ns), } n. The state or
quality of being left-handed; awkwardness.
An awkward address, ungraceful attitudes and actions, and a certain
left-handiness (if I may use the expression) proclaim low
education.
Chesterfield.
Left"-off` (-f`; 115), a. Laid aside; cast-off.
Left"ward (-wrd), adv. Toward or on the left side.
Rightward and leftward rise the rocks.
Southey.
Le"ful (l"fl), a. See Leveful. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Leg (lg), n. [Icel. leggr; akin to Dan. læg calf of the leg, Sw. lägg.]
1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in
running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between
the knee and foot.
2. That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and
slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the
leg of a pair of compasses or dividers.
3. The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the
leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers.
4. A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from drawing the
leg backward in bowing. [Obs.]
He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he
never received.
Fuller.