LEAR, l[=e]r, _v.t._ (_Spens._) to learn.--_n._ that which is learned, a
lesson: (_Scot._) learning.
LEARN, l[.e]rn, _v.t._ to acquire knowledge of, to get to know: to gain
power of performing: (_prov._) to teach.--_v.i._ to gain knowledge: to
improve by example.--_adjs._ LEARN'ABLE, that may be learned; LEARN'ED,
having learning: versed in literature, &c.: skilful.--_adv._
LEARN'EDLY.--_ns._ LEARN'EDNESS; LEARN'ER, one who learns: one who is yet
in the rudiments of any subject; LEARN'ING, what is learned: knowledge:
scholarship: skill in languages or science.--NEW LEARNING, the awakening to
classical learning in England in the 16th century, led by Colet, Erasmus,
Warham, More, &c. [A.S. _leornian_; Ger. _lernen_; cf. A.S. _l['æ]ran_
(Ger. _lehren_), to teach.]
LEASE, l[=e]s, _n._ a contract letting a house, farm, &c. for a term of
years: the duration or term of tenure: any tenure.--_v.t._ to let for a
term of years:--_pr.p._ leas'ing; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ leased.--_adjs._
LEAS'ABLE; LEASE'HOLD, held by lease or contract.--_n._ a tenure held by
lease.--_ns._ LEASE'HOLDER; LEAS'ER, one who leases. [Fr. _laisser_, to
leave--L. _lax[=a]re_, to loose, _laxus_, loose.]
LEASE, l[=e]z, _v.i._ (_prov._) to glean.--_n._ LEAS'ING, gleaning. [A.S.
_lesan_, to gather.]
LEASE, l[=e]s, _n._ in weaving, the plane in which the warp-threads cross:
this system of crossing.
LEASH, l[=e]sh, _n._ a lash or line by which a hawk or hound is held: a
brace and a half, three.--_v.t._ to hold by a leash: to bind. [O. Fr.
_lesse_ (Fr. _laisse_), a thong to hold a dog by--L. _laxus_, loose.]
LEASING, l[=e]z'ing, _n._ falsehood, lies: lying. [A.S. _lásung_--_leás_,
false, loose; Goth. _laus_, Ice. _los_.]
LEASOWE, l[=e]'s[=o], _n._ a pasture.--_v.t._ to feed or pasture. [A.S.
_l['æ]s_, a meadow.]
LEAST, l[=e]st, _adj._ (serves as superl. of LITTLE) little beyond all
others: smallest.--_adv._ in the smallest or lowest degree.--_advs._
LEAST'WAYS, LEAST'WISE, at least: however.--AT LEAST, or AT THE LEAST, at
the lowest estimate: at any rate. [A.S. _læst_, contr. from _læsast_, from
_læssa_ (adj.), less, _læs_ (adv.).]
LEAST, l[=e]st, _conj._ (_Spens._). Same as LEST.
LEAT, LEET, l[=e]t, _n._ (_prov._) a trench for bringing water to a
mill-wheel.
LEATHER, leth'[.e]r, _n._ the prepared skin of an animal, tanned, tawed, or
otherwise dressed.--_adj._ consisting of leather.--_ns._ LEATH'ER-CLOTH, a
textile fabric coated on one face with certain mixtures of a flexible
nature when dry, so as to resemble leather--called also _American
leather-cloth_, or simply _American cloth_; LEATH'ER-COAT (_Shak._), an
apple with a rough coat or rind, the golden russet; LEATHERETTE', cloth or
paper made to look like leather; LEATH'ER-HEAD, a blockhead: an Australian
bird with a bare head--called also _Monk_ and _Friar_: LEATH'ERING, a
thrashing; LEATH'ER-JACK'ET, one of various fishes; LEATH'ER-KNIFE, a knife
of curved form for cutting leather.--_adj._ LEATH'ERN, made or consisting
of leather.--_p.adj._ LEATH'ER-WINGED (_Spens._), having wings like
leather.--_adj._ LEATH'ERY, resembling leather: tough.--FAIR LEATHER,
leather not artificially coloured; MOROCCO LEATHER (see MOROCCO); PATENT
LEATHER, leather with a finely varnished surface--also JAPANNED or
LACQUERED LEATHER; RUSSIA LEATHER, a fine brownish-red leather with a
characteristic odour; SPLIT LEATHER, leather split by a machine, for
trunk-covers, &c.; WHITE LEATHER, tawed leather, having its natural colour.
[A.S. _leðer_, leather; Dut. and Ger. _leder_.]
LEAVE, l[=e]v, _n._ permission: liberty granted: formal parting of friends:
farewell. [A.S. _leáf_, permission, cog. with _leóf_, dear. See LIEF.]
LEAVE, l[=e]v, _v.t._ to allow to remain: to abandon, resign: to quit or
depart from: to have remaining at death: to bequeath: to refer for
decision.--_v.i._ to desist: to cease: to depart:--_pr.p._ leav'ing;
_pa.t._ and _pa.p._ left.--LEAVE ALONE, to let remain undisturbed; LEAVE IN
THE DARK, to conceal information from; LEAVE OFF, to desist, to terminate:
to give up using; LEAVE OUT, to omit.--GET LEFT (_coll._), to be beaten or
left behind; TAKE FRENCH LEAVE (see FRENCH); TAKE LEAVE, to assume
permission: to part, say farewell. [A.S. _l['æ]fan_, to leave a heritage
(_láf_), _lifian_, to be remaining.]
LEAVE, l[=e]v, _v.t._ (_Spens._) to levy, to raise.
LEAVE, l[=e]v, _v.i._ to put out leaves.--_adj._ LEAVED, furnished with
leaves: made with folds.
LEAVEN, lev'n, _n._ the ferment which makes dough rise in a spongy form:
anything that makes a general change, whether good or bad.--_v.t._ to raise
with leaven: to taint.--_n._ LEAV'ENING.--_adj._ LEAV'ENOUS, containing
leaven. [Fr. _levain_--L. _levamen_--_lev[=a]re_, to raise--_levis_,
light.]
LEAVES, l[=e]vz, _pl._ of _leaf_.
LEAVINGS, l[=e]v'ingz, _n.pl._ things left: relics: refuse.--_n._
LEAV'ING-SHOP, an unlicensed pawnshop.
LEAVY, l[=e]v'i, _adj._ (_Shak._). Same as LEAFY.
LECHER, lech'[.e]r, _n._ a man addicted to lewdness.--_v.i._ to practise
lewdness.--_adj._ LECH'EROUS, lustful: provoking lust.--_adv._
LECH'EROUSLY.--_ns._ LECH'EROUSNESS, LECH'ERY. [O. Fr. _lecheor_--_lecher_,
to lick; from Old High Ger. _lechón_, Ger. _lecken_, Eng. _lick_.]
LECTERN, lek't[.e]rn, _n._ a reading-desk in churches from which the
Scripture lessons are read.--_ns._ (_obs._) LEC'TURN, LET'TERN. [Low L.
_lectrinum_--Low L. _lectrum_, a pulpit--Gr. _lektron_, a couch.]
LECTION, lek'shun, _n._ a reading: a variety in a manuscript or book: a
portion of Scripture read in divine service.--_ns._ LEC'TIONARY, a book for
use in worship, containing lessons for particular days; LEC'TOR, a reader:
a reader of Scripture in the ancient churches; LEC'TRESS, a female reader.
[L. _lection-em_--_leg[)e]re_, _lectum_, to read.]
LECTUAL, lek't[=u]-al, _adj._ confining to the bed.
LECTURE, lek't[=u]r, _n._ a discourse on any subject, esp. a professional
or tutorial discourse: an expository and discursive religious discourse,
usually based on an extended passage of Scripture rather than a single
text: an endowed lectureship, as the Bampton, Hulsean, &c.: a formal
reproof.--_v.t._ to instruct by discourses: to instruct authoritatively: to
reprove.--_v.i._ to give a lecture or lectures.--_ns._ LEC'TURER, one who
lectures: one of a class of preachers in the Church of England, chosen by
the vestry and supported by voluntary contributions; LEC'TURESHIP, the
office of a lecturer. [See LECTION.]
LED, led, _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ of lead, to show the way.--_adj._ under
leading or control, esp. of a farm or place managed by a deputy instead of
the owner or tenant in person.--LED CAPTAIN, an obsequious attendant, a
henchman; LED HORSE, a spare horse led by a servant, a sumpter-horse or
pack-horse.
LEDEN, led'n, _n._ (_Spens._) language, dialect, speech. [A.S. _l['æ]den_,
Latin speech--L. _Latinum_, Latin.]
LEDGE, lej, _n._ a shelf on which articles may be laid: that which
resembles such a shelf: a ridge or shelf of rocks: a layer: a small
moulding: a lode in mining.--_adj._ LEDG'Y, abounding in ledges. [Skeat
explains as Scand., allied to Sw. _lagg_, Ice. _lögg_, Norw. _logg_ (pl.
_legger_); cf. also Norw. _lega_, a couch; all from Ice. _liggja_; Sw.
_ligga_, Dan. _ligge_, to lie.]
LEDGER, lej'[.e]r, _n._ the principal book of accounts among merchants, in
which the entries in all the other books are entered: (_Shak._) a resident,
esp. an ambassador: a bar, stone, &c., made to lie flat, a piece of timber
used in making a scaffolding, a horizontal slab, as over a tomb.--_adj._
lying in a certain place, stationary. [Skeat explains _ledger-book_ as one
that lies always ready, from Dut. _legger_, one that lies down, _leggen_,
to lie, a common corr. of _liggen_, to lie (like _lay_ for _lie_ in
English).]
LEDUM, l[=e]'dum, _n._ a genus of ericaceous plants. [Gr. _l[=e]don_,
ladanum.]
[Illustration]
LEE, l[=e], _n._ the quarter toward which the wind blows.--_adj._ as in
LEE'-SIDE, the sheltered side of a ship.--_ns._ LEE'-BOARD, a board lowered
on the lee-side of a vessel, and acting like a keel or centre-board to
prevent her from drifting to leeward; LEE'-GAGE, the sheltered or safe
side:--opp. to _Weather-gage_; LEE'-SHORE, the shore opposite to the
lee-side of a ship; LEE'-TIDE, a tide running in the same direction as the
wind is blowing.--_adj._ LEE'WARD, pertaining to, or in, the direction
toward which the wind blows.--_adv._ toward the lee.--_n._ LEE'WAY, the
distance a ship is driven to leeward of her true course: a falling
behind.--MAKE UP LEEWAY, to make up for time lost; UNDER THE LEE, on the
side sheltered from the wind, under shelter from the wind. [A.S. _hleów_,
shelter; Ice. _hlé_, Low Ger. _lee_; prov. Eng. _lew_.]
LEE, l[=e], _n._ (_Spens._) a river: also the same as LEA.
LEECH, l[=e]ch, _n._ the edge of a sail at the sides. [Ice. _lík_, a
leech-line; Dan. _lig_; Sw. _lik_, a bolt-rope.]
LEECH, l[=e]ch, _n._ a blood-sucking worm: a physician.--_v.t._ to apply
leeches to.--_ns._ LEECH'CRAFT, LEECH'DOM. [A.S. _l['æ]ce_, one who heals;
cf. Goth. _leikeis_.]
LEEF, l[=e]f, _adj._ an obsolete form of _lief_.
LEEFANG, l[=e]'fang, _n._ a rope through the clew of a jib, holding it
amidships while lacing on the bonnet.
LEEK, l[=e]k, _n._ a well-known biennial species of the onion family,
esteemed for cooking--national emblem of Wales.--EAT THE LEEK, to be
compelled to take back one's words or put up with insulting treatment--from
the scene between Fluellen and Pistol in _Henry V_. [A.S. _leác_, a leek, a
plant, present also in _Char-lock_, _Gar-lic_, _Hem-lock_.]
LEER, l[=e]r, _n._ a sly, sidelong look: (_Shak._) complexion,
colour.--_v.i._ to look askance: to look archly or obliquely.--_adv._
LEER'INGLY, with a leering look. [A.S. _hleór_, face, cheek; Ice. _hlýr_.]
LEES, l[=e]z, _n.pl._ sediment or dregs that settle at the bottom of
liquor. [Fr. _lie_--Low L. _lia_.]