Limb, n. [L. limbus border. Cf. Limbo, Limbus.] A border or edge, in
certain special uses. (a) (Bot.) The border or upper spreading part of
a monopetalous corolla, or of a petal, or sepal; blade. (b) (Astron.)
The border or edge of the disk of a heavenly body, especially of the
sun and moon. (c) The graduated margin of an arc or circle, in an
instrument for measuring angles.
Lim"bat (lm"bt), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A cooling periodical wind in
the Isle of Cyprus, blowing from the northwest from eight o'clock, A.
M., to the middle of the day or later.
Lim"bate (lm"bt), a. [L. limbatus, fr. limbus border, edge. See
Limbus.] (Bot. & Zoöl.) Bordered, as when one color is surrounded by an
edging of another.
Lim"bec (-bk), n. [Abbrev. of alembic.] An alembic; a still. [Obs.]
Spenser. Shak.
Lim"bec, v. t. To distill. [Obs.] Dryden.
Limbed (lmd), a. Having limbs; -- much used in composition; as,
large-limbed; short-limbed.
Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms, Limbed and full grown.
Milton.
Lim"ber (lm"br), n. [For limmer, Icel. limar branches, boughs, pl. of
lim; akin to E. limb. See Limb a branch.] 1. pl. The shafts or thills
of a wagon or carriage. [Prov. Eng.]
2. (Mil.) The detachable fore part of a gun carriage, consisting of two
wheels, an axle, and a shaft to which the horses are attached. On top
is an ammunition box upon which the cannoneers sit.
3. pl. (Naut.) Gutters or conduits on each side of the keelson to
afford a passage for water to the pump well.
Limber boards (Naut.), short pieces of plank forming part of the lining
of a ship's floor immediately above the timbers, so as to prevent the
limbers from becoming clogged. -- Limber box or chest (Mil.), a box on
the limber for carrying ammunition. -- Limber rope, Limber chain, or
Limber clearer (Naut.), a rope or chain passing through the limbers of
a ship, by which they may be cleared of dirt that chokes them. Totten.
-- Limber strake (Shipbuilding), the first course of inside planking
next the keelson.
Lim"ber, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Limbered (-brd); p. pr. & vb. n.
Limbering.] (Mil.) To attach to the limber; as, to limber a gun.
To limber up, to change a gun carriage into a four-wheeled vehicle by
attaching the limber.
Lim"ber, a. [Akin to limp, a. √125. See Limp, a.] Easily bent;
flexible; pliant; yielding. Milton.
The bargeman that doth row with long and limber oar.
Turbervile.
Lim"ber, v. t. To cause to become limber; to make flexible or pliant.
Richardson.
Lim"ber*ness, n. The quality or state of being limber; flexibleness.
Boyle.
Limb"less (lm"ls), a. Destitute of limbs.
Limb"meal` (-ml`), adv. [See Limb, and Piecemeal.] Piecemeal. [Obs.]
"To tear her limbmeal." Shak.
{ Lim"bo (lm"b), Lim"bus (- bs), } n. [L. limbus border, edge, in limbo
on the border. Cf. Limb border.] 1. (Scholastic Theol.) An extramundane
region where certain classes of souls were supposed to await the
judgment.
As far from help as Limbo is from bliss.
Shak.
A Limbo large and broad, since called The Paradise of fools.
Milton.
The limbus patrum was considered as a place for the souls of good men
who lived before the coming of our Savior. The limbus infantium was
said to be a similar place for the souls of unbaptized infants. To
these was added, in the popular belief, the limbus fatuorum, or fool's
paradise, regarded as a receptacle of all vanity and nonsense.
2. Hence: Any real or imaginary place of restraint or confinement; a
prison; as, to put a man in limbo.