3. An object of interest and curiosity, especially a person who is so
regarded; as, he was quite a lion in London at that time.
Such society was far more enjoyable than that of Edinburgh, for
here he was not a lion, but a man.
Prof. Wilson.
American lion (Zoöl.), the puma or cougar. -- Lion ant (Zoöl.), the
ant-lion. -- Lion dog (Zoöl.), a fancy dog with a flowing mane, usually
clipped to resemble a lion's mane. -- Lion lizard (Zoöl.), the
basilisk. -- Lion's share, all, or nearly all; the best or largest
part; -- from Æsop's fable of the lion hunting in company with certain
smaller beasts, and appropriating to himself all the prey.
Li"onced (l"nst), a. (Her.) Adorned with lions' heads; having arms
terminating in lions' heads; -- said of a cross. [Written also
leonced.]
Li"on*cel (l"n*sl), n. [OF., F. lionceau, dim. of lion.] (Her.) A small
lion, especially one of several borne in the same coat of arms.
Li"on*el (-l), n. [OF., dim. of lion.] (Zoöl.) The whelp of a lioness;
a young lion.
Li"on*ess, n. [OF. lionesse.] (Zoöl.) A female lion.
Li"on*et (-t), n. [OF., dim. of lion.] (Zoöl.) A young or small lion.
Li"on-heart` (-härt`), n. A very brave person.
Li"on-heart`ed (-härt`d), a. Very brave; brave and magnanimous. Sir W.
Scott.
Li"on*hood (-hd), n. State of being a lion. Carlyle.
Li"on*ism (-z'm), n. An attracting of attention, as a lion; also, the
treating or regarding as a lion.
Li"on*ize (-z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lionized (-zd), p. pr. & vb. n.
Lionizing (- `zng).] 1. To treat or regard as a lion or object of great
interest. J. D. Forbes.
2. To show the lions or objects of interest to; to conduct about among
objects of interest. Macaulay.
Li"on*like` (-lk`), a. Like a lion; brave as a lion.
Li"on*ly, a. Like a lion; fierce. [Obs.] Milton.
Li"on's ear` (l"nz r`). (Bot.) A name given in Western South America to
certain plants with shaggy tomentose leaves, as species of Culcitium,
and Espeletia.
Li"on's foot` (ft`). (Bot.) (a) A composite plant of the genus
Prenanthes, of which several species are found in the United States.
(b) The edelweiss.
Li"on*ship (l"n*shp), n. The state of being a lion.
Li"on's leaf` (l"nz lf`). (Bot.) A South European plant of the genus
Leontice (L. leontopetalum), the tuberous roots of which contain so
much alkali that they are sometimes used as a substitute for soap.
Li"on's tail` (tl`). (Bot.) A genus of labiate plants (Leonurus); -- so
called from a fancied resemblance of its flower spikes to the tuft of a
lion's tail. L. Cardiaca is the common motherwort.
Li"on's tooth` (tth`); pl. Lions' teeth (tth`). (Bot.) See Leontodon.
Lip (lp), n. [OE. lippe, AS. lippa; akin to D. lip, G. lippe, lefze,
OHG. lefs, Dan. læbe, Sw. läpp, L. labium, labrum. Cf. Labial.] 1. One
of the two fleshy folds which surround the orifice of the mouth in man
and many other animals. In man the lips are organs of speech essential
to certain articulations. Hence, by a figure they denote the mouth, or
all the organs of speech, and sometimes speech itself.
Thine own lips testify against thee.
Job xv. 6.
2. An edge of an opening; a thin projecting part of anything; a kind of
short open spout; as, the lip of a vessel.