Wild thunder dint and fiery leven.
Chaucer.
Lev"er (l"vr), a. [Old compar. of leve or lief.] More agreeable; more
pleasing. [Obs.] Chaucer.
To be lever than. See Had as lief, under Had.
Lev"er, adv. Rather. [Obs.] Chaucer.
For lever had I die than see his deadly face.
Spenser.
Le"ver (l"vr or lv"r; 277), n. [OE. levour, OF. leveor, prop., a
lifter, fr. F. lever to raise, L. levare; akin to levis light in
weight, E. levity, and perh. to E. light not heavy: cf. F. levier. Cf.
Alleviate, Elevate, Leaven, Legerdemain, Levee, Levy, n.] 1. (Mech.) A
rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (the
fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are
applied; -- used for transmitting and modifying force and motion.
Specif., a bar of metal, wood, or other rigid substance, used to exert
a pressure, or sustain a weight, at one point of its length, by
receiving a force or power at a second, and turning at a third on a
fixed point called a fulcrum. It is usually named as the first of the
six mechanical powers, and is of three kinds, according as either the
fulcrum F, the weight W, or the power P, respectively, is situated
between the other two, as in the figures.
2. (Mach.) (a) A bar, as a capstan bar, applied to a rotatory piece to
turn it. (b) An arm on a rock shaft, to give motion to the shaft or to
obtain motion from it.
Compound lever, a machine consisting of two or more levers acting upon
each other. -- Lever escapement. See Escapement. -- Lever jack. See
Jack, n., 5. -- Lever watch, a watch having a vibrating lever to
connect the action of the escape wheel with that of the balance. --
Universal lever, a machine formed by a combination of a lever with the
wheel and axle, in such a manner as to convert the reciprocating motion
of the lever into a continued rectilinear motion of some body to which
the power is applied.
Lev"er*age (lv"r*j or l"vr*j), n. The action of a lever; mechanical
advantage gained by the lever.
Leverage of a couple (Mech.), the perpendicular distance between the
lines of action of two forces which act in parallel and opposite
directions. -- Leverage of a force, the perpendicular distance from the
line in which a force acts upon a body to a point about which the body
may be supposed to turn.
Lev"er*et (lv"r*t), n. [F. levraut, dim. of lièvre hare, L. lepus. Cf.
Leporine.] (Zoöl.) A hare in the first year of its age.