4. Influenced by the moon, as in growth, character, or properties; as,
lunar herbs. Bacon.
Lunar caustic (Med. Chem.), silver nitrate prepared to be used as a
cautery; -- so named because silver was called luna by the ancient
alchemists. -- Lunar cycle. Same as Metonic cycle. See under Cycle. --
Lunar distance, the angular distance of the moon from the sun, a star,
or a planet, employed for determining longitude by the lunar method. -
- Lunar method, the method of finding a ship's longitude by comparing
the local time of taking (by means of a sextant or circle) a given
lunar distance, with the Greenwich time corresponding to the same
distance as ascertained from a nautical almanac, the difference of
these times being the longitude. -- Lunar month. See Month. -- Lunar
observation, an observation of a lunar distance by means of a sextant
or circle, with the altitudes of the bodies, and the time, for the
purpose of computing the longitude. -- Lunar tables. (a) (Astron.)
Tables of the moon's motions, arranged for computing the moon's true
place at any time past or future. (b) (Navigation) Tables for
correcting an observed lunar distance on account of refraction and
parallax. -- Lunar year, the period of twelve lunar months, or 354
days, 8 hours, 48 minutes, and 34.38 seconds.
Lu"nar, n. 1. (Astron.) A lunar distance.
2. (Anat.) The middle bone of the proximal series of the carpus; --
called also semilunar, and intermedium.
Lu*na"ri*an (?), n. [See Lunar, Luna.] An inhabitant of the moon.
Lu"na*ry (?), a. [Cf. F. lunaire. See Lunar.] Lunar. [Obs.] Fuller.
Lu"na*ry, n. [Cf. F. lunaire.] (Bot.) (a) The herb moonwort or
"honesty". (b) A low fleshy fern (Botrychium Lunaria) with lunate
segments of the leaf or frond.
{ Lu"nate (?), Lu"na*ted (?), } a. [L. lunatus crescent-shaped, p. p.
of lunare to bend like a crescent, fr. luna the moon.] Crescent-shaped;
as, a lunate leaf; a lunate beak; a lunated cross. Gray.
Lu"na*tic (?), a. [F. lunatique, L. lunaticus, fr. luna the moon. See
Lunar.] 1. Affected by lunacy; insane; mad.
Lord, have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic.
Wyclif (Matt. xvii. 15).
2. Of or pertaining to, or suitable for, an insane person; evincing
lunacy; as, lunatic gibberish; a lunatic asylum.
Lu"na*tic, n. A person affected by lunacy; an insane person, esp. one
who has lucid intervals; a madman; a person of unsound mind.
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet, Are of imagination all
compact.
Shak.
Lu*na"tion (?), n. [Cf. Lunated.] The period of a synodic revolution of
the moon, or the time from one new moon to the next; varying in length,
at different times, from about 29¼ to 29 days, the average length being
29 d., 12h., 44m., 2.9s.
Lunch (?), n. [Of uncertain etymol. Cf. Prov. Eng. nunc a lump.] A
luncheon; specifically, a light repast between breakfast and dinner.
Lunch, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lunched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lunching.] To
take luncheon. Smart.
Lunch"eon (?), n. [Prov. E. luncheon, lunchion, lunshin, a large lump
of food, fr. lunch. See Lunch.]