Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913 + 1828)

Page 839

Learnable

Learn"a*ble (?), a. Such as can be learned.

Learned

Learn"ed (?), a. Of or pertaining to learning; possessing, or characterized by, learning, esp. scholastic learning; erudite; well-informed; as, a learned scholar, writer, or lawyer; a learned book; a learned theory.

The learnedlover lost no time. Spenser.

Men of much reading are greatly learned, but may be little knowing. Locke.

Words of learned length and thundering sound. Goldsmith.

The learned, learned men; men of erudition; scholars. -- Learn"ed*ly, adv. Learn"ed*ness, n.

Every coxcomb swears as learnedly as they. Swift.

Learner

Learn"er (?), n. One who learns; a scholar.

Learning

Learn"ing, n. [AS. leornung.]

1. The acquisition of knowledge or skill; as, the learning of languages; the learning of telegraphy.

2. The knowledge or skill received by instruction or study; acquired knowledge or ideas in any branch of science or literature; erudition; literature; science; as, he is a man of great learning. Book learning. See under Book. Syn. -- Literature; erudition; lore; scholarship; science; letters. See Literature.

Leasable

Leas"a*ble (?), a. [From 2d Lease.] Such as can be leased.

Lease

Lease (?), v. i. [AS. lesan to gather; akin to D. lezen to gather, read, G. lesen, Goth. lisan to gather; cf. Lith lesti to peck.] To gather what harvesters have left behind; to glean. [Obs.] Dryden.

Lease

Lease (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leased (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leasing.] [F.laisser, OF. laissier, lessier, to leave, transmit, L. laxare to loose, slacken, from laxus loose, wide. See Lax, and cf. Lesser.]

1. To grant to another by lease the possession of, as of lands, tenements, and hereditaments; to let; to demise; as, a landowner leases a farm to a tenant; -- sometimes with out.

There were some [houses] that were leased out for three lives. Addison.

2. To hold under a lease; to take lease of; as, a tenant leases his land from the owner.

Lease

Lease (?), n. [Cf. OF. lais. See Lease, v. t.]

1. A demise or letting of lands, tenements, or hereditaments to another for life, for a term of years, or at will, or for any less interest than that which the lessor has in the property, usually for a specified rent or compensation.

2. The contract for such letting.

3. Any tenure by grant or permission; the time for which such a tenure holds good; allotted time.

Our high-placed Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature. Shak.

Lease and release a mode of conveyance of freehold estates, formerly common in England and in New York. its place is now supplied by a simple deed of grant. Burrill. Warren's Blackstone.

Leasehold

Lease"hold` (?), a. Held by lease.

Leasehold

Lease"hold`, n. A tenure by lease; specifically, land held as personalty under a lease for years.

Leaseholder

Lease"hold`er (?), n. A tenant under a lease. -- Lease"hold`ing, a. & n.

Leaser

Leas"er (?), n. [From 1st Lease.] One who leases or gleans. [Obs.] Swift.

Leaser

Leas"er, n. A liar. [Obs.] See Leasing.

Leash

Leash (?), n. [OE. lese, lees, leece, OF. lesse, F. laisse, LL.laxa, fr. L. laxus loose. See Lax.]

1. A thong of leather, or a long cord, by which a falconer holds his hawk, or a courser his dog.

Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash. Shak.

2. (Sporting) A brace and a half; a tierce; three; three creatures of any kind, especially greyhounds, foxes, bucks, and hares; hence, the number three in general.

[I] kept my chamber a leash of days. B. Jonson.

Then were I wealthier than a leash of kings. Tennyson.

3. (Weaving) A string with a loop at the end for lifting warp threads, in a loom.

Leash

Leash, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leashed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leashing.] To tie together, or hold, with a leash.

Leasing

Leas"ing (?), n. [AS. leásung, fr. leás loose, false, deceitful. See -less, Loose, a.] The act of lying; falsehood; a lie or lies. [Archaic] Spenser.

Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing. Ps. v. 6.

Blessed be the lips that such a leasing told. Fairfax.

Leasing making (Scots Law), the uttering of lies or libels upon the personal character of the sovereign, his court, or his family. Bp. Burnet.

Leasow

Lea"sow (?), n. [AS. lesu, læsu.] A pasture. [Obs.]

Least

Least (?), a. [OE. last, lest, AS. lsast, lsest, superl. of lssa less. See Less, a.] [Used as the superlative of little.] Smallest, either in size or degree; shortest; lowest; most unimportant; as, the least insect; the least mercy; the least space. &hand; Least is often used with the, as if a noun.

I am the least of the apostles. 1 Cor. xv. 9.

At least, ∨ At the least, at the least estimate, consideration, chance, etc.; hence, at any rate; at all events; even. See However.

He who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses The tempted with dishonor. Milton.

Upon the mast they saw a young man, at least if he were a man, who sat as on horseback. Sir P. Sidney.

-- In least, ∨ In the least, in the least degree, manner, etc. He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." Luke xvi. 10. -- Least squares (Math.), a method of deducing from a number of carefully made yet slightly discordant observations of a phenomenon the most probable values of the unknown quantities. It takes as its fundamental principle that the most probable values are those which make the sum of the squares of the residual errors of the observation a minimum.

Least

Least, adv. In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others; as, to reward those who least deserve it.

Least

Least, conj. See Lest, conj. [Obs.] Spenser.

Leastways, Leastwise

Least"ways` (?), Least"wise` (?), adv. At least; at all events. [Colloq.] At leastways, ∨ At leastwise, at least. [Obs.] Fuller.
Leasy
Lea"sy (?), a. [AS. leás void, loose, false. Cf. Leasing.] Flimsy; vague; deceptive. [Obs.] Ascham.
Leat
Leat (?), n. [Cf. Lead to conduct.] An artificial water trench, esp. one to or from a mill. C. Kingsley.
Leather
Leath"er (?), n. [OE. lether, AS. leer; akin to D. leder, le\'88r, G. leder, OHG. ledar, Icel. ler, Sw. läder, Dan. læder.]
1. The skin of an animal, or some part of such skin, tanned, tawed, or otherwise dressed for use; also, dressed hides, collectively.
2. The skin. [Ironical or Sportive] &hand; Leather is much used adjectively in the sense of made of, relating to, or like, leather. Leather board, an imitation of sole leather, made of leather scraps, rags, paper, etc. -- Leather carp (Zoöl.) , a variety of carp in which the scales are all, or nearly all, absent. See Illust. under Carp. -- Leather jacket. (Zoöl.) (a) A California carangoid fish (Oligoplites saurus). (b) A trigger fish (Balistes Carolinensis). -- Leather flower (Bot.), a climbing plant (Clematis Viorna) of the Middle and Southern States having thick, leathery sepals of a purplish color. -- Leather leaf (Bot.), a low shrub (Cassandra calyculata), growing in Northern swamps, and having evergreen, coriaceous, scurfy leaves. -- Leather plant (Bot.), one or more New Zealand plants of the composite genus Celmisia, which have white or buff tomentose leaves. -- Leather turtle. (Zoöl.) See Leatherback. -- Vegetable leather. (a) An imitation of leather made of cotton waste. (b) Linen cloth coated with India rubber. Ure.
Leather
Leath"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leathered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leathering.] To beat, as with a thong of leather. [Obs. or Colloq.] G. Eliot.
Leatherback
Leath"er*back` (?), n. (Zoöl.) A large sea turtle (Sphargis coriacea), having no bony shell on its back. It is common in the warm and temperate parts of the Atlantic, and sometimes weighs over a thousand pounds; -- called also leather turtle, leathery turtle, leather-backed tortoise, etc.
Leatheret, Leatherette
Leath"er*et (?), Leath`er*ette" (?), n. [Leather + et, F. -ette.] An imitation of leather, made of paper and cloth.
Leatherhead
Leath"er*head` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The friar bird.
Leathern
Leath"ern (?), a. Made of leather; consisting of. leather; as, a leathern purse. A leathern girdle about his loins." Matt. iii. 4.
Leatherneck
Leath"er*neck` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The sordid friar bird of Australia (Tropidorhynchus sordidus).
Leatherwood
Leath"er*wood`, n. (Bot.) A small branching shrub (Dirca palustris), with a white, soft wood, and a tough, leathery bark, common in damp woods in the Northern United States; -- called also moosewood, and wicopy. Gray.
Leathery
Leath"er*y (?), a. Resembling leather in appearance or consistence; tough. A leathery skin." Grew.
Leave
Leave (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leaving] To send out leaves; to leaf; -- often with out. G. Fletcher.
Leave
Leave, v. t. [See Levy.] To raise; to levy. [Obs.]
An army strong she leaved. Spenser.

Leave
Leave, n. [OE. leve, leave, AS. leáf; akin to leóf pleasing, dear, E. lief, D. oorlof leave, G. arlaub, and erlauben to permit, Icel. leyfi. See Lief.]
1. Liberty granted by which restraint or illegality is removed; permission; allowance; license.
David earnestly asked leave of me. 1 Sam. xx. 6.

No friend has leave to bear away the dead. Dryden.

2. The act of leaving or departing; a formal parting; a leaving; farewell; adieu; -- used chiefly in the phrase, to take leave, i. e., literally, to take permission to go.
A double blessing is a'double grace; Occasion smiles upon a second leave. Shak.

And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren. Acts xviii. 18.
French leave. See under French. Syn. -- See Liberty.
Leave
Leave, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Left (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leaving.] [OE. leven, AS. lfan, fr. lāf remnant, heritage; akin to lifian, libban, to live, orig., to remain; cf. belīfan to remain, G. bleiben, Goth. bileiban. . See Live, v.]
1. To withdraw one's self from; to go away from; to depart from; as, to leave the house.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife. Gen. ii. 24.

2. To let remain unremoved or undone; to let stay or continue, in distinction from what is removed or changed.
If grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes ? Jer. xlix. 9.

These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matt. xxiii. 23.

Besides it leaveth a suspicion, as if more might be said than is expressed. Bacon.

3. To cease from; to desist from; to abstain from.
Now leave complaining and begin your tea. Pope.

4. To desert; to abandon; to forsake; hence, to give up; to relinquish.
Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. Mark x. 28.

The heresies that men do leave. Shak.

5. To let be or do without interference; as, I left him to his reflections; I leave my hearers to judge.
I will leave you now to your gossiplike humor. Shak.

6. To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver; to commit; to submit -- with a sense of withdrawing one's self from; as, leave your hat in the hall; we left our cards; to leave the matter to arbitrators.
Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way. Matt. v. 24.

The foot That leaves the print of blood where'er it walks. Shak.

7. To have remaining at death; hence, to bequeath; as, he left a large estate; he left a good name; he left a legacy to his niece. To leave alone. (a) To leave in solitude. (b) To desist or refrain from having to do with; as, to leave dangerous chemicals alone. -- To leave off. (a) To desist from; to forbear; to stop; as, to leave off work at six o'clock. (b) To cease wearing or using; to omit to put in the usual position; as, to leave off a garment; to leave off the tablecloth. (c) To forsake; as, to leave off a bad habit. -- To leave out, to omit; as, to leave out a word or name in writing. -- To leave to one's self, to let (one) be alone; to cease caring for (one). Syn>- To quit; depart from; forsake; abandon; relinquish; deliver; bequeath; give up; forego; resign; surrender; forbear. See Quit.
Leave
Leave (?), v. i.
1. To depart; to set out. [Colloq.]
By the time I left for Scotland. Carlyle.

2. To cease; to desist; to leave off. He . . . began at the eldest, and left at the youngest." Gen. xliv. 12. To leave off, to cease; to desist; to stop.
Leave off, and for another summons wait. Roscommon.

Leaved
Leaved (?), a. [From Leaf.] Bearing, or having, a leaf or leaves; having folds; -- used in combination; as, a four-leaved clover; a two-leaved gate; long-leaved.
Leaveless
Leave"less (?), a. Leafless. [Obs.] Carew.
Leaven
Leav"en (?), n. [OE. levain, levein, F. levain, L. levamen alleviation, mitigation; but taken in the sense of, a raising, that which raises, fr. levare to raise. See Lever, n.]
1. Any substance that produces, or is designed to produce, fermentation, as in dough or liquids; esp., a portion of fermenting dough, which, mixed with a larger quantity of dough, produces a general change in the mass, and renders it light; yeast; barm.
2. Anything which makes a general assimilating (especially a corrupting) change in the mass.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Luke xii. 1.

Leaven
Leav"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Leavened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leavening (?).]
1. To make light by the action of leaven; to cause to ferment.
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 1 Cor. v. 6.

2. To imbue; to infect; to vitiate.
With these and the like deceivable doctrines, he leavens also his prayer. Milton.

Leavening
Leav"en*ing (?), n.
1. The act of making light, or causing to ferment, by means of leaven.
2. That which leavens or makes light. Bacon.
Leavenous
Leav"en*ous (?), a. Containing leaven. Milton.
Leaver
Leav"er (?), n. One who leaves, or withdraws.
Leaves
Leaves (?), n., pl. of Leaf.
Leave-taking
Leave"-tak`ing (?), n. Taking of leave; parting compliments. Shak.
Leaviness
Leav"i*ness (?), n. [Fr. Leaf.] Leafiness.[Obs.]
Leavings
Leav"ings, n. pl.
1. Things left; remnants; relics.
2. Refuse; offal.
Leavy
Leav"y (?), a. Leafy. [Obs.] Chapman.
Leban, Lebban
Leb"an, Leb"ban (?), n. Coagulated sour milk diluted with water; -- a common beverage among the Arabs. Also, a fermented liquor made of the same.
Lecama
Le*ca"ma (?), n. (Zoöl.) The hartbeest.
Lecanomancy
Le*can"o*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. bowl or basin + -mancy.] divination practiced with water in a basin, by throwing three stones into it, and invoking the demon whose aid was sought.
Lecanoric
Lec`a*no"ric (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an organic acid which is obtained from several varieties of lichen (Lecanora, Roccella, etc.), as a white, crystalline substance, and is called also orsellic, ∨ diorsellinic acid, lecanorin, etc.
Lecanorin
Lec`a*no"rin (?), n. (Chem.) See Lecanoric.
Lech
Lech (?), v. t. [F. lécher. See Lick.] To lick. [Obs.]
Leche
Le*che" (?), n. See water buck, under 3d Buck.
Lecher
Lech"er (?), n. [OE.lechur, lechour, OF.lecheor, lecheur, gormand, glutton, libertine, parasite, fr. lechier to lick, F. lécher; of Teutonic origin. See Lick.] A man given to lewdness; one addicted, in an excessive degree, to the indulgence of sexual desire, or to illicit commerce with women.
Lecher
Lech"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lechered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lechering.] To practice lewdness.
Lecherer
Lech"er*er (?), n. See Lecher, n. Marston.
Lecherous
Lech"er*ous (?), a. Like a lecher; addicted to lewdness; lustful; also, lust-provoking. A lecherous thing is wine." Chaucer. -- Lech"er*ous*ly, adv. -- Lech"er*ous*ness, n.
Lechery
Lech"er*y (?), n. [OE. lecherie, OF. lecherie. See Lecher.]
1. Free indulgence of lust; lewdness.
2. Selfish pleasure; delight. [Obs.] Massinger.
Lecithin
Lec"i*thin (?), n. [Gr. the yolk of an egg.] (Physiol. Chem.) A complex, nitrogenous phosphorized substance widely distributed through the animal body, and especially conspicuous in the brain and nerve tissue, in yolk of eggs, and in the white blood corpuscles.
lectern
lec"tern (?), n. See Lecturn.
Lectica
Lec*ti"ca (?), n.; pl. Lecticæ (#). [L.] (Rom. Antiq.) A kind of litter or portable couch.
Lection
Lec"tion (?), n. [L. lectio, fr. legere, lectum, to read. See lesson, Legend.]
1. (Eccl.) A lesson or selection, esp. of Scripture, read in divine service.
2. A reading; a variation in the text.
We ourselves are offended by the obtrusion of the new lections into the text. De Quincey.

Lectionary
Lec"tion*a*ry (?), n.; pl. -ries (#). [LL. lectionarium, lectionarius : cf. F. lectionnaire.] (Eccl.) A book, or a list, of lections, for reading in divine service.