At liberty. (a) Unconfined; free. (b) At leisure. -- Civil liberty,
exemption from arbitrary interference with person, opinion, or
property, on the part of the government under which one lives, and
freedom to take part in modifying that government or its laws. --
Liberty bell. See under Bell. -- Liberty cap. (a) The Roman pileus
which was given to a slave at his manumission. (b) A limp, close-
fitting cap with which the head of representations of the goddess of
liberty is often decked. It is sometimes represented on a spear or a
liberty pole. -- Liberty of the press, freedom to print and publish
without official supervision. Liberty party, the party, in the American
Revolution, which favored independence of England; in more recent
usage, a party which favored the emancipation of the slaves. -- Liberty
pole, a tall flagstaff planted in the ground, often surmounted by a
liberty cap. [U. S.] -- Moral liberty, that liberty of choice which is
essential to moral responsibility. -- Religious liberty, freedom of
religious opinion and worship.
Syn. -- Leave; permission; license. -- Liberty, Freedom. These words,
though often interchanged, are distinct in some of their applications.
Liberty has reference to previous restraint; freedom, to the simple,
unrepressed exercise of our powers. A slave is set at liberty; his
master had always been in a state of freedom. A prisoner under trial
may ask liberty (exemption from restraint) to speak his sentiments with
freedom (the spontaneous and bold utterance of his feelings). The
liberty of the press is our great security for freedom of thought.
Li*beth"en*ite (l*bth"n*t), n. [From Libethen, in Hungary, where it was
first found.] (Min.) A mineral of an olive-green color, commonly in
orthorhombic crystals. It is a hydrous phosphate of copper.
Li*bid"i*nist (l*bd"*nst), n. [See Libidinous.] One given to lewdness.
Li*bid`i*nos"i*ty (-ns"*t), n. The state or quality of being
libidinous; libidinousness. Skelton.
Li*bid"i*nous (-ns), a. [L. libidinosus, fr. libido, libidinis,
pleasure, desire, lust, fr. libet, lubet, it pleases: cf. F.
libidineux. See Lief.] Having lustful desires; characterized by
lewdness; sensual; lascivious. -- Li*bid"i*nous*ly, adv. --
Li*bid"i*nous*ness, n.
Syn. -- Lewd; lustful; lascivious; unchaste; impure; sensual;
licentious; lecherous; salacious.
{ Lib"ken (lb"kn), Lib"kin (lb"kn), } n. [AS. libban, E. live, v. i. +
-kin.] A house or lodging. [Old Slang] B. Jonson.
||Li"bra (l"br), n.; pl. Libræ (l"br). [L., a balance.] (Astron.) (a)
||The Balance; the seventh sign in the zodiac, which the sun enters at
||the autumnal equinox in September, marked thus in almanacs, etc. (b )
||A southern constellation between Virgo and Scorpio.
||
Li"bral (l"bral), a. [L. libralis, fr. libra the Roman pound.] Of a
pound weight. [Obs.] Johnson.
Li*bra"ri*an (l*br"r*an), n. [See Library.] 1. One who has the care or
charge of a library.