Let"tern (lt"trn), n. See Lecturn.
Let"ter*press` (-tr*prs`), n. Print; letters and words impressed on
paper or other material by types; -- often used of the reading matter
in distinction from the illustrations.
Letterpress printing, printing directly from type, in distinction
from printing from plates.
Let"ter*ure (-r), n. Letters; literature. [Obs.] "To teach him
letterure and courtesy." Chaucer.
Let"ter*wood` (-wd`), n. (Bot.) The beautiful and highly elastic wood
of a tree of the genus Brosimum (B. Aubletii), found in Guiana; -- so
called from black spots in it which bear some resemblance to
hieroglyphics; also called snakewood, and leopardwood. It is much used
for bows and for walking sticks.
Let"tic (lt"tk), a. (a) Of or pertaining to the Letts; Lettish. (b) Of
or pertaining to a branch of the Slavic family, subdivided into
Lettish, Lithuanian, and Old Prussian. -- n. (a) The language of the
Letts; Lettish. (b) The language of the Lettic race, including Lettish,
Lithuanian, and Old Prussian.
Let"tish (lt"tsh), a. Of or pertaining to the Letts. -- n. The language
spoken by the Letts. See Lettic.
Let"trure (-trr), n. See Letterure. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Letts (lts), n. pl.; sing. Lett (lt). (Ethnol.) An Indo-European
people, allied to the Lithuanians and Old Prussians, and inhabiting a
part of the Baltic provinces of Russia.
Let"tuce (lt"ts), n. [OE. letuce, prob. through Old French from some
Late Latin derivative of L. lactuca lettuce, which, according to Varro,
is fr. lac, lactis, milk, on account of the milky white juice which
flows from it when it is cut: cf. F. laitue. Cf. Lacteal, Lactucic.]
(Bot.) A composite plant of the genus Lactuca (L. sativa), the leaves
of which are used as salad. Plants of this genus yield a milky juice,
from which lactucarium is obtained. The commonest wild lettuce of the
United States is L. Canadensis.
Hare's lettuce, Lamb's lettuce. See under Hare, and Lamb. - - Lettuce
opium. See Lactucarium. - - Sea lettuce, certain papery green seaweeds
of the genus Ulva.
Let"u*a*ry (lt"**r), n. Electuary. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Let"-up` (lt"p`), n. [See Let to forbear.] Abatement; also, cessation;
as, it blew a gale for three days without any let-up. [Colloq.]
Leuc- (lk-). Same as Leuco-.
||Leu`ca*den"dron (l`k*dn"drn), n. [NL., fr. Gr. leyko`s white +
||de`ndron tree.] (Bot.) A genus of evergreen shrubs from the Cape of
||Good Hope, having handsome foliage. Leucadendron argenteum is the
||silverboom of the colonists.
||
Leu*can"i*line (l*kn"*ln or -ln), n. [Leuc- + aniline.] (Chem.) A
colorless, crystalline, organic base, obtained from rosaniline by
reduction, and also from other sources. It forms colorless salts.
||Leu*chæ"mi*a (l*k"m*), n. [NL., fr. Gr. leyko`s white + a"i^ma
||blood.] (Med.) See Leucocythæmia. -- Leu*chæm"ic (l*km"k), a.
||[Written also leukæmia, leukæmic.]
||
{ Leu"cic (l"sk), Leu*cin"ic (l*sn"k), } a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or
designating, an acid obtained from leucin, and called also oxycaproic
acid.
Leu"cin (l"sn), n. [Gr. leyko`s white.] (Physiol. Chem.) A white,
crystalline, nitrogenous substance formed in the decomposition of
albuminous matter by pancreatic digestion, by the action of boiling
dilute sulphuric acid, and by putrefaction. It is also found as a
constituent of various tissues and organs, as the spleen, pancreas,
etc., and likewise in the vegetable kingdom. Chemically it is to be
considered as amido-caproic acid.