Lyche (?), a. Like. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Ly"chee` (?), n. (Bot.) See Litchi.
Lych" gate` (?). See under Lich.
||Lych"nis (?), n. [L., a kind of red flower, Gr. lychni`s; cf.
||ly`chnos a lamp.] (Bot.) A genus of Old World plants belonging to the
||Pink family (Caryophyllaceæ). Most of the species have brilliantly
||colored flowers and cottony leaves, which may have anciently answered
||as wicks for lamps. The botanical name is in common use for the
||garden species. The corn cockle (Lychnis Githago) is a common weed in
||wheat fields.
||
Lych"no*bite (?), n. [Gr. ly`chnos a lamp + bi`os life.] One who labors
at night and sleeps in the day.
Lych"no*scope (?), n. [Gr. &?; + - scope.] (Arch.) Same as Low side
window, under Low, a.
Lyc"ine (?), n. (Chem.) A weak base identical with betaine; -- so
called because found in the boxthorn (Lycium barbarum). See Betaine.
||Ly`co*per"don (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; wolf + &?; to break wind.]
||(Bot.) A genus of fungi, remarkable for the great quantity of spores,
||forming a fine dust, which is thrown out like smoke when the plant is
||compressed or burst; puffball.
||
Ly"co*pod (?), n. [Cf. F. lycopode.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus
Lycopodium.
Ly"co*pode (?), n. [F.] Same as Lycopodium powder. See under
Lycopodium.
Ly`co*po`di*a"ceous (?), a. (Bot.) Belonging, or relating, to the
Lycopodiaceæ, an order of cryptogamous plants (called also club mosses)
with branching stems, and small, crowded, one-nerved, and usually
pointed leaves.
Ly*cop"o*dite (?), n. (Paleon.) An old name for a fossil club moss.
Ly`co*po"di*um (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; wolf + &?;, &?;, a foot.]
(Bot.) A genus of mosslike plants, the type of the order Lycopodiaceæ;
club moss.
Lycopodium powder, a fine powder or dust composed of the spores of
Lycopodium, and other plants of the order Lycopodiaceæ. It is highly
inflammable, and is sometimes used in the manufacture of fireworks, and
the artificial representation of lightning.
Ly*cot"ro*pous (?), a. [Gr. &?; hook + &?; to turn.] (Bot.)
Campylotropous.
Lyd"en (?), n. See Leden. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Lyd"i*an (?), a. [L. Lydius, fr. Lydia, Gr. &?;.] Of or pertaining to
Lydia, a country of Asia Minor, or to its inhabitants; hence, soft;
effeminate; -- said especially of one of the ancient Greek modes or
keys, the music in which was of a soft, pathetic, or voluptuous
character.
Softly sweet in Lydian measures, Soon he soothed his soul to
pleasures.
Dryden.
Lydian stone, a flint slate used by the ancients to try gold and
silver; a touchstone. See Basanite.
Lyd"ine (?), n. (Dyeing) A violet dye derived from aniline.
Lye (?), n. [Written also lie and ley.] [AS. leáh; akin to D. loog,
OHG. louga, G. lauge; cf. Icel. laug a bath, a hot spring.] A strong
caustic alkaline solution of potassium salts, obtained by leaching wood
ashes. It is much used in making soap, etc.
Lye, n. (Railroad) A short side line, connected with the main line; a
turn-out; a siding. [Eng.]
Lye, n. A falsehood. [Obs.] See Lie.
||Ly`en*ceph"a*la (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; to loose + &?; the
||brain.] (Zoöl.) A group of Mammalia, including the marsupials and
||monotremes; -- so called because the corpus callosum is rudimentary.
||
Ly`en*ceph"a*lous (?), a. (Zoöl.) Pertaining to, or characteristic of,
the Lyencephala.
Ly"er*man (?), n. (Zoöl.) The cicada.
Ly*go"di*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; flexible; &?; a willow twig + &?;
form.] (Bot.) A genus of ferns with twining or climbing fronds, bearing
stalked and variously-lobed divisions in pairs.
Lygodium palmatum, much prized for indoor ornament, inhabits shaded and
moist grassy places, from Massachusetts to Virginia and Kentucky, and
sparingly southwards.
Ly"ing (?), p. pr. & vb. n. of Lie, to tell a falsehood.
Ly"ing, p. pr. & vb. n. of Lie, to be supported horizontally.
Lying panel (Arch.), a panel in which the grain of the wood is
horizontal. [R.] -- Lying to (Naut.), having the sails so disposed as
to counteract each other.
Ly"ing-in" (?), n. 1. The state attending, and consequent to,
childbirth; confinement.