LACKEY, lak'i, _n._ a menial attendant: a footman or footboy.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ to pay servile attendance: to act as a footman. [O. Fr. _laquay_ (Fr. _laquais_)--Sp. _lacayo_, a lackey; perh. Ar. _luka'_, servile.]
LACMUS, lak'mus, _n._ the same as LITMUS (q.v.).
LACONIC, -AL, la-kon'ik, -al, _adj._ expressing in few words after the manner of the _Laconians_, _Lacedaemonians_, or _Spartans_: concise: pithy.--_adv._ LACON'ICALLY.--_ns._ LAC'ONISM, LACON'ICISM, a concise style: a short, pithy phrase. [L.,--Gr.]
LACQUER, LACKER, lak'[.e]r, _n._ a varnish made of lac and alcohol.--_v.t._ to cover with lacquer: to varnish.--_ns._ LAC'QUERER, one who varnishes or covers with lacquer; LAC'QUERING, the act of varnishing with lacquer: a coat of lacquer varnish. [Fr. _lacre_--Port. _lacre_, _laca_--Pers. _lac_, lac.]
LACROSSE, la-kros', _n._ a Canadian game of ball, played by two sets of eleven, the ball driven through the opponents' goal by means of the CROSSE, a bent stick, 5-6 ft. long, with a shallow net at one end. [Fr.]
LACTEAL, lak'te-al, _adj._ pertaining to or resembling milk: conveying chyle.--_n._ one of the absorbent vessels of the intestines which convey the chyle to the thoracic ducts.--_ns._ LAC'TARENE, LAC'TARINE, a preparation of the caseine of milk, used by calico-printers; LAC'T[=A]TE, a salt of lactic acid, and a base; LACT[=A]'TION, the act of giving milk: the period of suckling.--_adj._ LAC'TEOUS, milky, milk-like.--_n._ LACTESC'ENCE.--_adjs._ LACTESC'ENT, turning to milk: producing milk or white juice: milky; LAC'TIC, pertaining to milk; LACTIF'EROUS, LACTIF'IC, producing milk or white juice.--_ns._ LAC'TIFUGE, a medicine which checks the flow of milk; LAC'TOCRITE, an apparatus for testing the quantity of fatty substance in a sample of milk; LACTOM'ETER, an instrument for measuring the quality of milk; LAC'TOSCOPE, an instrument for testing the purity or richness of milk by its degree of translucency; LAC'TOSE, a kind of sugar, only moderately sweet, obtained from milk by evaporating whey--also LAC'TINE; LACTUCA (lak-t[=u]'ka), a genus of herbs of the aster family, with milky juice.--_adj._ LACTUCIC (lak-t[=u]'sik).--LACTIC ACID, an acid obtained from milk. [L. _lacteus_, milky--_lac_, _lactis_, milk; Gr. _gala_, _galaktos_, milk.]
LACUNA, la-k[=u]'na, _n._ a gap or hiatus:--_pl._ LAC[=U]'Nae.--_n._ LAC[=U]'NAR, a sunken panel or coffer in a ceiling or a soffit: a ceiling containing such.--_adjs._ LAC[=U]'NOSE, furrowed: pitted; LAC[=U]'NOUS. [L.
_lacuna_, anything hollow--_lacus_, a lake.]
LACUSTRINE, la-kus'trin, _adj._ pertaining to lakes.--Also LACUS'TRAL, LACUS'TRIAN. [From L. _lacus_, a lake.]
LAD, lad, _n._ a boy: a youth: (_Scot._) a lover:--_fem._ LASS.--_n._ LAD'DIE, a little lad: a boy.--LAD'S LOVE, a provincial name of the southernwood. [M. E. _ladde_--Ir. _lath_, a youth, champion (W. _llawd_).
Mr H. Bradley suggests that M. E. _ladde_, a servant, coincides with the adjectival form of the past participle of the verb to _lead_, the original meaning thus being 'one _led_ in the train of a lord.']
LADANUM, lad'a-num, _n._ a resinous exudation from the leaves of a shrub growing round the Mediterranean.--Also LAB'DANUM. [L.,--Gr.
_l[=e]danon_--Pers. _l[=a]dan_. See LAUDANUM.]
LADDER, lad'[.e]r, _n._ a frame made with steps placed between two upright pieces, by which one may ascend a building, &c.: anything by which one ascends: a gradual rise. [A.S. _hl['ae]der_; Ger. _leiter_.]
LADE, l[=a]d, _v.t._ to burden: to throw in or out, as a fluid, with a ladle or dipper.--_n._ (_Scot._) a load: a water-course: the mouth of a river.--_n._ LAD'ING, the act of loading: that which is loaded: cargo: freight. [A.S. _hladan_, pt. _hlod_, _hladen_, to load, to draw out water; Dut. _laden_; Ger. _be-laden_.]
LADIN, la-d[=e]n', _n._ a Romance tongue spoken in the Engadine valley in Switzerland and the upper Inn valley in Tyrol. [L. _Latinus_, Latin.]
LADINO, la-d[=e]'n[=o], _n._ the old Castilian tongue: the Spanish jargon of some Turkish Jews: a Central American of mixed white and Indian blood.
LADLE, l[=a]d'l, _n._ a large spoon for lifting out liquid from a vessel: the float-board of a mill-wheel: an instrument for drawing the charge from a cannon.--_v.t._ to lift with a ladle.--_ns._ LAD'LEFUL, the quantity in a ladle:--_pl._ LAD'LEFULS.--LADLE FURNACE, a small gas furnace heated by a Bunsen burner, for melting metals, &c. [A.S. _hlaedel_--_hladan_, to lade.]
LADRONE, la-dr[=o]n', _n._ a robber. [Sp.,--L. _latro_.]
LADY, l[=a]'di, _n._ the mistress of a house: a wife: a title of the wives of knights, and all degrees above them, and of the daughters of earls and all higher ranks: a title of complaisance to any woman of refined manners:--_pl._ LADIES (l[=a]'diz).--_ns._ L[=A]'DYBIRD, a genus of little beetles, usually brilliant red or yellow--also L[=A]'DYBUG, L[=A]'DYCOW; L[=A]'DY-CHAP'EL, a chapel dedicated to 'Our Lady,' the Virgin Mary, usually behind the high altar, at the extremity of the apse; L[=A]'DYDAY, the 25th March, the day of the Annunciation of the Virgin; L[=A]'DYFERN, one of the prettiest varieties of British ferns, common in moist woods, with bipinnate fronds sometimes two feet long; L[=A]'DY-FLY (same as LADYBIRD); L[=A]'DYHOOD, condition, character of a lady.--_adj._ L[=A]'DYISH, having the airs of a fine lady.--_ns._ L[=A]'DYISM, affectation of the airs of a fine lady; L[=A]'DY-KILL'ER, a man who fancies his fascinations irresistible to women: a general lover.--_adj._ L[=A]'DY-LIKE, like a lady in manners: refined: soft, delicate.--_ns._ L[=A]DY-LOVE, a lady or woman loved: a sweetheart; L[=A]DY'S-BED'STRAW, the plant _Galium verum_; L[=A]'DY'S-BOW'ER, the only British species of clematis--also _Traveller's joy_; L[=A]'DY'S-FING'ER, a name for many plants: a piece of confectionery; L[=A]'DYSHIP, the title of a lady; L[=A]'DY'S-MAID, a female attendant on a lady, esp. in matters relating to the toilet; L[=A]DY'S-MAN'TLE, a genus of herbaceous plants having small, yellowish-green flowers; L[=A]'DY'S-SLIPP'ER, a genus of orchidaceous plants, remarkable for the large inflated lip of the corolla; L[=A]'DY'S-SMOCK, the Bitter Cress, a meadow-plant, with whitish, blush-coloured flowers.--LADIES' COMPANION, a small bag used for carrying women's work; LADIES' MAN, one fond of women's society.--MY LADYSHIP, YOUR LADYSHIP, a form of expression used in speaking to, or of, one who has the rank of a lady. [A.S. _hlaf-dige_--_hlaf_, a loaf, _d['ae]gee_, a kneader, or=_hlafweardige_ (i.e. loaf-keeper, see _ward_), and thus a contr. fem. of _Lord_.]
LaeTARE, l[=e]-t[=a]'r[=e], _n._ the fourth Sunday in Lent, named from the first word in the service for the festival. [L. _laet[=a]re_, to rejoice--_laetus_, joyful.]
LAG, lag, _adj._ slack: sluggish: coming behind.--_n._ he who, or that which, comes behind: the fag-end: (_slang_) an old convict.--_v.i._ to move or walk slowly: to loiter.--_v.t._ (_slang_) to commit to justice:--_pr.p._ lag'ging; _pa.p._ lagged.--_adj._ LAG'-BELL'IED, having a drooping belly.--_n._ LAG'-END (_Shak._), the last or long-delayed end.--_adj._ LAG'GARD, lagging: slow: backward.--_ns._ LAG'GARD, LAG'GER, one who lags behind: a loiterer: an idler.--_adv._ LAG'GINGLY, in a lagging manner.
[Celt., as W. _llag_, loose, Gael. _lag_, feeble; cf. L. _laxus_, loose.]
LAGENA, la-j[=e]'na, _n._ a wine-vase, amphora: the terminal part of the cochlea in birds and reptiles:--_pl._ LAG[=E]'Nae. [L.]
LAGER-BEER, la'ger-b[=e]r, _n._ a kind of light beer very much used in Germany.--Also LA'GER. [Ger. _lagerbier_--_lager_, a store-house, _bier_, beer.]
LAGGEN, lag'en, _n._ (_Burns_) the angle between the side and bottom of a wooden dish.
LAGOMYS, l[=a]-g[=o]'mis, _n._ a genus of rodents, much resembling hares or rabbits. [Gr. _lag[=o]s_, a hare, _mys_, a mouse.]
LAGOON, LAGUNE, la-g[=oo]n', _n._ a shallow pond into which the sea flows.
[It. _laguna_--L. _lacuna_.]
LAGOPHTHALMIA, lag-of-thal'mi-a, _n._ inability to close the eye.--_adj._ LAGOPHTHAL'MIC.
LAGOPUS, la-g[=o]'pus, _n._ a genus of grouse, the ptarmigans.--_adj._ LAGOP'ODOUS, having furry feet.--_n._ LAGOS'TOMA, hare-lip.--_adj._ LAG[=O]'TIC, rabbit-eared.
LAGRIMOSO, lag-ri-m[=o]'s[=o], _adj._ (_mus._) plaintive. [It.]
LAGTHING, lag'ting, _n._ the upper house of the Norwegian parliament.
[Norw. _lag_, law, _thing_, parliament.]
LAIC, LAICAL, LAICISE. See LAY, _adj._
LAID, l[=a]d, _adj._ put down, prostrate: pressed down.--LAID PAPER, such as shows in its fabric the marks of the close parallel wires on which the paper-pulp was laid in the process of its manufacture:--opp. to _Wove-paper_, that laid on woven flannels or on felts. [Pa.t. and pa.p. of LAY.]
LAIDLY, l[=a]d'li, _adj._ (_prov._) loathly.
LAIN, _pa.p._ of LIE, to rest.
LAIR, l[=a]r, _n._ a lying-place, esp. the den or retreat of a wild beast: (_Scot._) the ground for one grave in a burying-place. [A.S. _leger_, a couch--_licgan_, to lie down; Dut. _leger_, Ger. _lager_.]
LAIR, l[=a]r, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to sink in mud.--_n._ mire, a bog, a quagmire. [Ice. _leir_, mud.]
LAIRD, l[=a]rd, _n._ (_Scot._) a landed proprietor, a landlord.--_n._ LAIRD'SHIP, an estate. [_Lord._]
LAISSEZ-FAIRE, l[=a]s'[=a]-f[=a]r', _n._ a letting alone, a general principle of non-interference with the free action of the individual: the let-alone principle in government, business, &c.--Also LAISS'ER-FAIRE'.
[Fr. _laisser_--L. _lax[=a]re_, to relax, _faire_--L. _fac[)e]re_, to do.]
LAITY, l[=a]-'i-ti, _n._ the people as distinct from the clergy. [See LAY, _adj._]
LAKE, l[=a]k, _n._ a pigment or colour formed by precipitating animal or vegetable colouring matters from their solutions, chiefly with alumina or oxide of tin. [Fr. _laque_. See LAC (2).]
LAKE, l[=a]k, _n._ a large body of water within land.--_ns._ LAKE'-B[=A]'SIN, the whole area drained by a lake; LAKE'-LAW'YER (_U.S._), the bowfin: burbot; LAKE'LET, a little lake; L[=A]'KER, L[=A]'KIST, one of the Lake school of poetry.--_adj._ L[=A]'KY, pertaining to a lake or lakes.--LAKE DISTRICT, the name applied to the picturesque and mountainous region within the counties of Cumberland, Westmorland, and a small portion of Lancashire, containing as many as sixteen lakes or meres; LAKE DWELLINGS, settlements in prehistoric times, built on piles driven into a lake; LAKE SCHOOL OF POETRY, a name applied to the group of illustrious poets who made the Lake District--_Wordsworthshire_--their home about the beginning of the 19th century. [A.S. _lac_--L. _lacus_.]
LAKH, _n._ See LAC, term used for 100,000.
LAKIN, l[=a]'kin, _n._ (_Shak._) a corruption of _ladykin_, dim. of _lady_.
LAKSHMI, laksh'm[=e], _n._ in Hindu mythology, the name of the consort of the god Vishnu (q.v.), considered as his female or creative energy.
LALLAN, lal'an, _n._ the Scotch dialect. [_Lowland_.]
LALLATION, la-l[=a]'shon, _n._ lambdacism (q.v.).
LAM, lam, _v.t._ to beat. [Ice. _lemja_, to beat.]
LAMA, _n._ an animal. [See LLAMA.]